Levítico 7

Levítico 7

Meyer - Our Daily Homily - Leviticus 7:19 In Leviticus 7:13, it is admitted that leaven must be present in this holy feast, inasmuch as it stands for the essential principle of evil, which intrudes into our holiest worship. The self-life is an all-pervasive leaven. We may not be conscious of it; there may be no sufficient recognition of its distastefulness to the holy God: but it follows us even into the Holy place. The worshipper was not allowed, however, to be knowingly unclean. There must be no stain on the conscience, which he might remove by confession and repentance. If there were, he must be cut off; that is, he must be debarred from all participation in holy rites, and suspended from entering the sacred enclosure of the Tabernacle. This cutting off answers to the suspension of a believers communion with God, because of unconfessed sin. The presence of the leaven of the self-life is no barrier to the enjoyment of the Divine fellowship, for we meet God in Jesus. But permitted sin makes such fellowship impossible, because we have not availed ourselves of the gracious arrangements made by God for the perpetual cleansing of the soul in the precious blood of Jesus Christ. For “it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” How many excommunicate Christians there are! You can easily see that they have been cut off; their joyless faces and powerless prayers, their inability to bear testimony for God — all tell the sad story. If you have been cut off, search your past history to discover the cause. Put away your sin, and seek the blessed cleansing of John 13; then come to feast with God, in holy communion, as at a common table. Lev 7:20 'But the person who eats the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings which belong to the LORD, in his uncleanness, that person shall be cut off from his people. In his uncleanness - Lev 15:2,3-33 1Co 11:28 shall be: Ge 17:14 UNCLEAN OFFERER NET The person who eats meat from the peace offering sacrifice which belongs to the LORD while his uncleanness persists will be cut off from his people. NLT If you are ceremonially unclean and you eat meat from a peace offering that was presented to the LORD, you will be cut off from the community. Whereas the preceding passage dealt with the unclean meat, this passage deals with an "unclean" offerer. While the Scriptures give a number of things that will make a person (offerer) unclean, the immediate context (Lev 7:21) specifies that if "anyone touches anything unclean, whether human uncleanness, or an unclean animal, or any unclean detestable thing," that person (offerer) is himself unclean and cannot eat the meat of the peace offering. Twice the penalty is noted, emphasizing the serious nature of disobeying this law. That person shall be cut off from his people - This warning passage has a clear NT parallel in the "eating" of the Lord's Supper, lest one partake in a "trivial" way this holy meal. Paul warns that each "man must examine himself and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For (term of explanation) he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself, if (conditional promise) he does not judge the body rightly. 30 For this reason (term of conclusion) many (not just a "few") among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep (Biblical euphemism for death!). 31 But if we judged ourselves rightly, we should not be judged (weak, sick, asleep!). 32 But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord in order that (terms of purpose or result ) we may not be condemned along with the world (Note: Paul is not saying we will "lose our salvation")." (1Cor 11:28-32) Cut off (03772)(karath) literally means to cut, to cut off or to sever an object from its source or cut into parts and implies a violent action. For example, Zipporah "cut off her son’s foreskin." (Ex 4:25) or the Jews "cut down a branch with a single cluster of grapes." (Nu 13:2-24). Karath is most frequent in the Bible in the book of Leviticus (20x out of 283x) - Lev 7:20-21, 25, 27; 17:4, 9-10, 14; 18:29; 19:8; 20:3, 5-6, 17-18; 22:3, 24; 23:29; 26:22, 30. Figuratively, as here in Lev 7:20, karath refers to being "cut off" from Israel for some disobedience such as failing to receive circumcision or celebrate Passover (Ge 17:14, Ex 12:15, Nu 9:13 - karath translated in both in Septuagint (Lxx) with verb exolethreuo which means to utterly destroy or "root out"). "The person who does anything defiantly (willfully), whether he is native or an alien, that one is blaspheming the LORD; and that person shall be cut off (Lxx = exolethreuo) from among his people." (Nu 15:30-31) The idea of a disobedient or unclean individual being "cut off" is the meaning in almost all of the uses in the Leviticus. Many of the uses of karath in this context in Leviticus (including Lev 7:20-21) are translated in the Septuagint (Lxx) with the verb apollumi, which describes that which is ruined and no longer usable for its original, intended purpose! The question arises is "What does karath signify in these uses? Does it just mean the person becomes a social outcast or does it signify actual physical death?" See Covenant Solemn & Binding - Subtopic: Karath for detailed analysis of this question. See discussion of the verb exolethreuo which also addresses this question. The NET Note on cut off says that "The exact meaning of this penalty clause is not certain. It could mean that he will be executed, whether by God or by man, he will be excommunicated from sanctuary worship and/or community benefits (cf. TEV, CEV), or his line will be terminated by God (i.e., extirpation)." Eugene Merrill - The phrase "that person shall be cut off or cut down" can be taken one of five ways: (1) that he will be executed by the community, (2) that God himself will cause him to die in some undisclosed manner, (3) that he will be excommunicated from worship at the sanctuary, (4) that he will be excommunicated from the community and the benefits it provides, or (5) his line will be terminated by barrenness among his descendants (i.e., extirpation). The verb krt in the Niphal or passive stem (as here) is best taken as the death penalty in view of Exod. 31:14 where this view is made clear by the use of the synonym mot, which means "to die" (see Num. 15:32-36 for a historical implementation of this law). However, the fourth view is supported by the Laws of Hammurabi § 154 which provides for banishment in a similar case. In any case, there is no indication that restoration is possible. This judgment was also attached to various religious and sexual sins (Lev. 7:21, 25, 27; 17:4, 9, 10, 14; 18:29; 19:8; 20:3, 5, 6, 17, 18; 22:3; 23:29; 26:22, 30), sins that by their nature are hard for human judges to punish. In these cases, if it was impossible for human judges to discern the guilt unless the offender confessed his wrongdoing, the punishment may have been left to God to perform if the person was truly guilty. This warning would serve as a threat to the one who thought he had avoided justice. (Ibid) Wenham (NICOT) takes a fairly severe interpretation, noting that cut off "indicates direct divine judgment, usually death. It is attached to various sins, mainly of a religious and sexual kind (cf. Lev 7:21, 25, 27; 17:4, 9; 18:29; 19:8; 20:17-18; 22:3, etc.), which by their very nature are hard for human judges to punish. If the culprit does not own up, his guilt is unlikely to be proved in a human court. For this reason a divinely executed punishment is threatened. The types of uncleanness that debar a man from worship are more fully described elsewhere in Leviticus, especially Lev 22:1-33. Contact with dead or diseased people, or unclean animals (see Lev 11:1-47), or bodily discharges of any sort ( Lev 12–15) all bring uncleanness on a person and preclude his participation in a sacrificial meal, until he has purified himself with the appropriate ceremonies." The upshot is that whatever the specific penalty suggested by "cut off," the penalty is severe and life changing (just look at the Greek verb apollumi!), and is calculated to be one that would get the attention of any reasonable person! The idea could be that these individuals must be removed lest their rebellious spirit contaminate the entire community - analogous to a bad apple spoiling the entire bunch. GOD IS SERIOUS ABOUT DEVIATING FROM HIS CLEAR DIRECTIONS! I fear many of us (myself included) don't really have a proper sense of just how offensive willful disobedience is to a Holy God! Father, please enable us by Your Spirit to have a better sense of the seriousness of our sin, so that we don't "trivialize" it or "minimize" it, and may that knowledge give us a holy, reverential fear (awe) of You, O Lord. Amen (cp David's prayer requests in Ps 19:12-13-note) Lev 7:21 'When anyone touches anything unclean, whether human uncleanness, or an unclean animal, or any unclean detestable thing, and eats of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings which belong to the LORD, that person shall be cut off from his people.'" uncleanness: Lev 5:2,3 12,1-13:59 15:1-33 22:4 Nu 19:11-16 unclean: Lev 11:24-42 Deut 14:7,8,10,12-20 detestable: Lev 11:10-13,20,41,42 Deut 14:3 Ezek 4:14 cut off: Lev 7:20,25,27 17:10,14 18:29 Ge 17:14 Ex 12:15,19 30:33-38 JUST A TOUCH DEFILES That person shall be cut off from his people - See note on Lev 7:20-note. Unclean is used 3 times in Leviticus 7:21 and is the adjective tame (02931) which describes that which is (ceremonially) defiled or impure, ritually impure and unfit for use or consumption. It describes that which is not cleansed in a ceremonial sense and that which must be abstained from according to the Levitical law, lest impurity be contracted. Tame is translated in the Lxx with akathartos which means impure, defiled (it was used especially of everything related to idolatry - 2Cor 6:17), unclean (as "unclean spirits" - demons - Mt 10:1, Rev 17:4). Detestable (08263)(sheqets/seqes) is a masculine noun which means detestable, detestable thing, that which is abhorrent, especially that which is ceremonially unclean and thus forbidden. Sheqets speaks of a loathing and a feeling of intense antipathy and rejection. All 11 uses of sheqets in the OT are translated in the Septuagint (Lxx) with the noun bdelugma which describes that which is extremely hated and abhorred and is thus an abomination (bdelugma was used by Jesus to describe the future antichrist desecrating the Temple during Daniel's Seventieth Week - Mt 24:15). Webster's English definition of detestable - Extremely hateful; abominable; very odious; deserving abhorrence; arousing or meriting intense dislike Eugene Merrill notes that sheqets in Leviticus "always in reference to unclean or forbidden foods. In Lev. 11:10-12 the focus is on forbidden seafood, in Lev. 11:13 on unclean birds, in Lev. 11:20, 23 on winged insects, and in Lev. 11:41-42 on animals that were especially close to the ground. The noun signifies abhorrence because of the contamination of the one who eats such foods. The normal adjective for unclean in connection with food, and one that is often juxtaposed to sheqets is tame' (e.g., Lev. 7:21; 11:43-44). However sheqets signifies a more repugnant nuance than does the latter (M. Grisanti, NIDOTTE, 4:243). In Lev. 11, to ignore the food laws makes a man sheqets, detestable, unclean, as specifically stated in Lev 11:11. Later in the Pentateuch the verb form (shaqats - 08262) is used to describe the abhorrence of ("utterly detest") an idol (Dt. 7:26). This denominative verb, which occurs only in the intensive (Piel) stem, is used only 7x in the OT (Lev 11:11, 13, 43; 20:25; Dt 7:26; Ps 22:24). In Leviticus it is used in Lev 11:11, 13, 43; 20:25. They all denote loathing or being loathed due to unclean food… Tragically, there is evidence of the Israelites' ignoring the stipulations to remain separate from such food that would make them unclean (Isa. 66:17; Ezek. 8:10)." (Ibid) Sheqets - 11v - Lev 7:21; 11:10-13, 20, 23, 41-42; Isa 66:17; Ezek 8:10 and is translated abhorrent(3), detestable(4), detestable thing(1), detestable things(3). Cut off - see discussion of what this could mean in the Commentary Notes on Lev 7:20. Lev 7:22 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, PEACE OFFERINGS: NO FAT OR BLOOD CAN BE EATEN (Lev 7:22-27) This section deals with what was completely restricted from consumption - fat and blood. This topic had first been mentioned at the end of the discussion of the peace offerings in chapter 3 (Lev 3:17-note) "In spite of the strictness of this prohibition, the eating of meat with the blood still in it occurred repeatedly in Israel (1 Sam. 14:32-34; Ezek. 33:25). This was related to the idea, also found elsewhere in the ancient Near Eastern world, that the consumption of blood fortifies life, or leads to ecstasy and communion with the deity." (Leviticus) TODAY IN THE WORD Leviticus 7:22-38 - All the holy offerings the Israelites give me I give to you and your sons as your portion and regular share. - Numbers 18:8. What did God value most in the Old Testament sacrificial system? Samuel knew: “To obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Sam. 15:22). David knew: “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise” (Ps. 51:17). Solomon knew: “To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice” (Prov. 21:3). Isaiah knew: “Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me… Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed” (Isa. 1:13, 14, 15, 16, 17). Hosea knew: “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings” (Hos. 6:6). Offering sacrifices was not just some ritualistic observance. The Israelites understood that God was looking for worshipful hearts and righteous actions, including justice and mercy (Mic 6:8). That’s important to keep in mind as we wrap up Leviticus’ rules for sacrifice today. Among these miscellaneous rules was a prohibition against eating fat or blood. We’ve already mentioned why not fat (Prohibitions against eating the fat and blood remind the worshiper that the best portions must be devoted to God, who grants atonement only through blood.), but why not blood? We’ll discuss this in more detail on July 17, but for now notice that blood symbolized atonement and life. To eat blood would have dishonored life in general and spiritual life in particular. These rules also highlighted that one purpose of the sacrifices was to feed the ministering priests. Their share–including what they could eat and when–was mentioned earlier, and is detailed here with regard to the fellowship offering. As in the New Testament, God’s people show respect for Him by supporting those who serve Him in vocational ministry (1 Cor. 9:13,14; 1 Tim. 5:17,18). TODAY ALONG THE WAY - God’s worthiness to be worshiped was the center of the Old Testament sacrificial system, and we need this truth to hit home with us as well! TODAY IN THE WORD - Ann Voskamp, a farmer’s wife and mother of six, wrote the bestselling book, One Thousand Gifts, where she chronicles how keeping a gratitude journal and counting God’s blessings transformed her. "Thanksgiving is inherent to a true salvation experience; thanksgiving is necessary to live the well, whole, fullest life." The offerings described in today’s reading (Lev 2-3) are voluntary offerings of thanksgiving. Unlike the burnt offering, the grain and fellowship (peace, well-being) offerings are not made to secure atonement. But the worshiper still bears a solemn consciousness of his sin; the demands for perfect, unblemished offerings remain. For the fellowship (peace, well-being) offerings, the worshiper lays a symbolic hand on the head of the animal before its slaughter, and the animal’s blood is thrown against the sides of the altar. The grain offering is composed of flour, either unprepared or baked in an oven, griddle, or pan. Because flour is a food staple, even the poor can offer this… For the fellowship (peace, well-being) offerings, an animal is slaughtered. Unlike the burnt offering, it is not entirely burned up at the altar. The best portions—the fat and the important organs—are reserved for the Lord. Prohibitions against eating the fat and blood remind the worshiper that the best portions must be devoted to God, who grants atonement only through blood. The rest is consumed in a meal shared by the worshiper, his family, and the priests. Apply the Word - The burnt offering provided a way for acknowledging God’s holiness and the need for atonement. The grain and fellowship offerings provided a way for acknowledging the goodness of God. Thanksgiving is the way we continue coming to God. Lev 7:23 "Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, 'You shall not eat any fat from an ox, a sheep or a goat. Dt 32:12-14, Lev 3:16,17 4:8-10 17:6 Deut 32:38 1Sa 2:15-17,29 Ac 28:27 Ro 8:13 Ro 13:13 THE FAT BELONGED TO JEHOVAH You shall not - Just as the previous passages gave Israel some solemn warnings, so to do these passages (Lev 7:22-27). Any fat - None was to be eaten, lest they suffer serious consequences (Lev 7:25).