The Book Of LEVITICUS
Leviticus 27:34 "These are the commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses for
the children of Israel in mount Sinai."
CHAPTER 24:
This chapter is a reminder of the holy things of God, specifically the oil for the lampstand and the shewbread, both contained within the tabernacle. The third sacred object addressed here is the holy name of God. Verses 1-9: God gives another reminder to Moses about keeping the golden lampstand within the holy place lit. (v.2) (Exodus 27:20-21) Only the purest olive oil is to be used to keep it burning. Likewise, the shewbread is to be baked fresh and laid out on the prescribed table within the holy place every Sabbath. (v.8) Frankincense is to be used as a spice on the bread as well as being a key ingredient in the meat and drink offerings. (v.7) The shewbread is only for the priests to consume as it is part of their daily provision from the tithes and offerings of the people. (v.9) Twelve loaves represents the twelve tribes of Israel. Verses 10-14, 23: This is the second narrative found in Leviticus (the first being chapter 10), and it, too, gives an example of the consequence of disobedience with regard to the holiness of God. In this instance, the son of an Egyptian man and an Israelite woman ignores the third commandment. (Exodus 20:7) He curses the name of God after getting into a fight with another Israelite man. (v.10-11) (Exodus 22:28) The blasphemy is heard by many witnesses, and the man is immediately taken into custody and brought before Moses and the other elders. (v.12) God tells Moses that the man is to be taken outside the camp, and the witnesses are to lay their hands upon him before stoning him. (v.14) (Deuteronomy 13:9, 17:7) The act of laying on hands before carrying out the death sentence is probably to serve as an outward sign of the confirmation of God’s judgment. Earlier in Exodus, God had stated repeatedly that the law applied not only to the Israelites, but to the strangers dwelling among them as well. He was also clear about His people not profaning His holy name. This incident is also a foreshadowing of what will happen to Israel in the promised land. God has repeatedly warned them about keeping themselves separate from the pagan nations and cultures around them, and this incident likely came about because of the marriage of the Israelite woman to an Egyptian man. Though we are not given much detail in this passage, the text does make it clear that her son was not a godly man, and he did not fear God or His law as he should have. This is evidenced by his use of the Lord’s name as a profanity or a curse. Even though there were many Egyptians that believed in God and joined the Israelites in their exodus from Egypt, it’s clear from this text that not all of them continued in their faith and belief. Verses 15-22: God reminds Moses of the punishments for blasphemy and murder. Verse 20 is a popular and well known quotation from the Bible, especially among non-Christians. “Eye for an eye” has become a derogatory phrase in our modern culture, often used as a pejorative slur and an example of how scripture contradicts itself. (Romans 12:19) If vengeance belongs to God, why is He telling the Israelites to take retribution? In fact, all that God is saying in this passage is that the punishment should fit the crime. As has already been made clear in Exodus, if a man deliberately takes the life of another man or woman, his life is to be taken as payment. (v.17, 21) If a man kills another man’s animal, he is to replace that animal with like kind. (v.18, 21) Verses 19-20 are giving examples of possible injuries that can be inflicted upon one another during a fight. However one man disfigures his opponent, that same injury is to be done to him as punishment. (Exodus 21:23-25, Deuteronomy 19:21) Jesus referenced this law during His sermon on the mount (Matthew 5:38-39), giving an example of how a Christian ought to show love to his brother instead of seeking vengeance, which is what Paul was reaffirming in his letter to the Romans. Both Christ and Paul used this passage, as well as the one from Exodus, to illustrate a completely different point than what God is stating here to Moses. Therefore this is not an example of God’s word contradicting itself, but is, in fact, an illustration of the perfect harmony of scripture. Yes, the punishment should always fit the crime by not being unjustly harsh or cruel, but mercy and forgiveness between two brothers in Christ is also acceptable, and is also evidence of God’s love, mercy and forgiveness towards us. God once again makes clear in verse 22 that the same law which governs His chosen people also applies to any strangers which dwell among them. Why? “…for I am the Lord your God.” CHAPTER 25: The next set of instructions are for the sabbath year of agriculture, the year of jubilee, and then a set of laws pertaining to the Israelites’ dealings with one another in relation to those two special years. God is once again looking ahead to the time when His people will inhabit the promised land. Verses 1-7: Just as the seventh day of every week is a Sabbath – meaning a day of rest for the children of Israel – so is every seventh year to be a year of rest for the land. (Leviticus 26:34-35, Deuteronomy 15:1, Nehemiah 10:31) There is to be no planting of crops and no harvest of any crops that grow naturally during that year. Instead, whatever the fields yield in that seventh year is to be shared by all. The reason for this is twofold: 1) to again demonstrate God’s provision and providence for His people during that year of rest, and 2) to act as a preventive measure against the soil losing all nutrients and ability to grow food. The method of crop rotation in our present day farming illustrates this principle. It wasn’t just us humans that were infected and broken by sin at the time of the Fall; all of creation was damaged, including the earth itself. The land needs a time of rest and recuperation, same as us. Verses 8-12, 20-22: The year of jubilee. According to the Moody Bible commentary, “Proceeding by sevens in terms of years, the fiftieth year (the Year of Jubilee) coincided with the first year of the next cycle of seven years. In other words, there was a two-year Sabbath rest for the land required at that time. Five years of normal agricultural work followed the Year of Jubilee, and then another Sabbatical Year.” The year of jubilee will begin on the day of atonement, which is the tenth day of the seventh month. (v.9) (Leviticus 23:24, 27) This fiftieth year is to be hallowed among the Israelites, and every man is to free his slaves as well as return any possessions that he is holding as collateral for debt to their rightful owners. (v.10) (Isaiah 61:2, 63:4, Jeremiah 34:8, 15, 17, Luke 4:19) As noted above, there is no sowing or reaping of the fields in the year of jubilee. (v.11) Instead, whatever crops the fields happen to produce in that year are to be shared by all, just as in the sabbatical year of rest. (v.12) God assures the Israelites that He will provide enough bounty in the harvest of the 49th year to last three full years until the next harvest. (v.20-22) (Exodus 16:29, Leviticus 26:10, Deuteronomy 28:8, 2 Kings 19:29, Joshua 5:11) Verses 13-19: The primary reason for the year of jubilee is given in verse 17: “Ye shall not therefore oppress one another…”. (Leviticus 19:13) This is the reason for the commands given in verses 10 and 13. The year of jubilee is a year of reset for the entire congregation. The indentured servants are set free and all outstanding debts are either forgiven or paid in full. (In most cases, the outstanding debt will be land that is sold by someone in extreme poverty, and now it is to be returned to him in the fiftieth year.) (Leviticus 27:24, Numbers 36:4) Verses 15 and 16 stipulate that both the price and quantity for buying and selling of goods and land is to be regulated according to the number of years from or to the next year of jubilee. (Leviticus 27:18, 23) Verses 23-24: God makes it clear to Moses and the Israelites that the promised land belongs to Him alone. (Genesis 12:1-2, Exodus 19:5, 2 Chronicles 7:20) They are not to sell the land to one another – and, especially, to any non-Israelite – permanently. That’s the other reason for the year of jubilee. The land and any other possessions of their fellow Israelites which were given up as collateral for debt are to be redeemed by their original owner in the fiftieth year. Verse 23 is also the clearest statement by God in scripture that the promised land has always belonged to Him and His chosen people, the children of Israel. Those today that claim that Hamas and the Palestinians are the rightful owners of that land have not read their Bible, nor have they properly and thoroughly studied the history of the Middle East. Verses 25-55: The remainder of this chapter offers a series of examples or scenarios in which the law of the year of jubilee applies, as well as some general guiding principles regarding commerce among the Israelites. Verse 25 refers to the kinsman redeemer. If the man that sold his land in order to pay off his debt is unable to buy it back, then his brother – or nearest relative – is obligated to buy it on his behalf so that the land remains in the family. (This becomes especially important later on when the twelve tribes divide up the promised land.) This law plays a major role in the story of Ruth. (Ruth 2:20, 4:4, 6) If, however, the kinsman is unable to redeem the land before the year of jubilee, then the land automatically goes back to its original owner in that year. (v.28) In the case of a house within a walled city that is sold to pay for a debt, the original owner has one year to redeem it. (v.29) If he cannot do it within that year then the house remains permanently to the one who buys it. It doesn’t automatically return to the original owner in the fiftieth year. (v.30) If, however, the house is not within in a walled city, then it is counted as part of the land and, thus, it does automatically revert back to its original owner in the year of jubilee if he or his kinsman has not already redeemed it beforehand. (v.31) The Levites, however, are exempt from both of those laws. (v.32-34) Whether within a walled city or not, any house bought from a Levite automatically reverts back to that priest in the year of jubilee. (v.33) Nor are the Levites allowed to sell the land around their cities – even temporarily – for that land is theirs alone. (v.34) (Numbers 35:2) The reason for this exemption become clearer in the book of Joshua, when the children of Israel are dividing up the promised land. The law regarding the cities of refuge also plays an important role in this exemption rule. The Israelites are not to charge one another interest or usury of any kind. (v.35-38) (Exodus 22:25, Deuteronomy 23:19-20) Instead, they are to help one another, even the stranger that is among them, for this honors God. (Deuteronomy 15:7, 24:14-15, Luke 6:35, 1 John 3:17) In the case of an Israelite that sells himself to another to pay a debt, his master is not to treat him as a slave but, rather, a hired servant. (v.39-43) This is because all of Israel serves God who is their only Lord and true master. (v.42, 55) Because God is merciful, kind and just to both rich and poor alike, the Israelites are to reflect that character in their dealings with one another. Both the servant and his family are freed from their service in the year of jubilee, if he hasn’t already paid off his debt before then. (v.41) (This law is also spelled out in more detail in Exodus 21.) Verses 44-46 make it clear that slaves are to be bought from non-Israelites of the heathen nations and peoples that surround Israel in the promised land. They are bought for life and passed down from generation to generation as an inheritance. (Isaiah 14:2) However, that doesn’t mean that they are to be treated with any less dignity, kindness and respect than what is due an Israelite. (Leviticus 19:33-34) Regarding the issue of slavery, it's important to remember that God had already passed judgment on the pagan nations and people of the promised land. As has already been made clear in Genesis and Exodus, the Egyptians and the Canaanites were a wicked and depraved people, indulging in pride, blasphemy, idolatry, and all manner of sexual immorality. This becomes even more clear in the books of Joshua, Judges, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1 and 2 Chronicles. The conquering of a nation or people by another foreign power and the forced slavery that results from that conquest has been used by God throughout human history as a form of His righteous judgement. This was the case with Israel herself in the Babylonian captivity. God has already made it clear to Moses and the other leaders that their first task upon entering the promised land is to cleanse it of the heathen peoples that are already dwelling there. Therefore, it is no surprise here in Leviticus that God is giving His permission to the Israelites to make slaves of those foreign people. In fact, it is even more telling of God’s character that He instructs the Israelites to treat their slaves justly and kindly, and to not abuse or mistreat them in the same manner as the Egyptians treated the Israelites. If an Israelite sells himself to a non-Israelite as a hired servant or a slave in order to pay off a debt, then his kinsmen are obligated to redeem him accordingly. (v.47-54) Verses 50-52 stipulate that the price of redemption is according to the number of years from or to the year of jubilee, same as the rule in verses 15-16. God closes this chapter with a reminder that the children of Israel were once slaves in Egypt, and that they should never forget from whence they came. They have been redeemed by God, called unto Him for a special purpose, and they are to treat one another with kindness, justice and love. These laws are laid down so that the Israelites will honor God first above all else and then behave accordingly towards one another.
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