WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:17.039 There we go. 00:00:17.620 --> 00:00:19.280 And good morning, Sunday School. 00:00:19.660 --> 00:00:21.379 It's a privilege to be with you this morning, 00:00:21.379 --> 00:00:22.320 Trinity Baptist Church, 00:00:22.960 --> 00:00:27.140 and excited to be here both in person and online. 00:00:27.260 --> 00:00:29.760 I'm trying something a little technologically new for me, 00:00:29.760 --> 00:00:31.000 maybe for you as well. 00:00:32.320 --> 00:00:35.620 Newish in the sense that we've got, for those online, 00:00:35.700 --> 00:00:38.020 I've got the screen up here so we can kind of see you 00:00:38.020 --> 00:00:39.320 and you can kind of see us. 00:00:39.439 --> 00:00:40.400 Well, me a little bit. 00:00:40.539 --> 00:00:40.760 I'm running. 00:00:41.200 --> 00:00:42.000 I'm out of devices. 00:00:42.219 --> 00:00:44.079 I've only got two on hand, 00:00:44.100 --> 00:00:45.560 but I got one on the dry erase board. 00:00:45.640 --> 00:00:46.520 I got one on me. 00:00:46.680 --> 00:00:50.260 And we've got the TV up so everyone here can see you at least 00:00:50.260 --> 00:00:52.500 and try and be a little more interactive, 00:00:52.600 --> 00:00:54.600 make it feel a little more like we're all together, 00:00:55.200 --> 00:00:58.500 virtually, virtually together, pun intended, a little bit. 00:00:58.500 --> 00:01:08.939 So we'll dive in here to Leviticus for Christians as our task for today 00:01:08.939 --> 00:01:10.180 and to look at how, 00:01:10.719 --> 00:01:15.060 what God has to say to us through the book of Leviticus 00:01:15.060 --> 00:01:16.460 as the church, as Christians. 00:01:17.000 --> 00:01:18.219 So we'll do that. 00:01:18.219 --> 00:01:22.159 But I wanted to start at the outset. 00:01:22.379 --> 00:01:23.400 And oh, I should say too. 00:01:23.799 --> 00:01:27.879 So if the TV screen gets a little dizzying and someone's like feeling a little, 00:01:27.980 --> 00:01:30.760 just raise a hand and we can maybe mix that if we need to. 00:01:30.939 --> 00:01:34.560 So my apologies, but I thought I'd give it a try and see how it goes. 00:01:34.980 --> 00:01:36.460 So I'm Timothy Heine. 00:01:36.659 --> 00:01:37.859 And it's a privilege to be with you. 00:01:38.379 --> 00:01:40.239 So let's just jump right into it. 00:01:40.239 --> 00:01:46.280 And I want to start with a question to you to get our brains, our minds going there. 00:01:47.119 --> 00:01:50.640 Last week, digging deep, we looked at Exodus. 00:01:51.599 --> 00:01:53.919 And can anybody tell me, does anybody remember, 00:01:54.299 --> 00:02:01.659 what was the reason God gave Moses and Aaron to tell Pharaoh, let my people go? 00:02:01.739 --> 00:02:02.679 Does anybody remember? 00:02:03.179 --> 00:02:05.159 Online or in person, raise your hand. 00:02:05.159 --> 00:02:09.799 Why did God want his people let go? 00:02:10.560 --> 00:02:13.639 To make his name glorified? 00:02:13.979 --> 00:02:15.479 Yeah, to make his name glorified. 00:02:15.659 --> 00:02:15.939 Excellent. 00:02:17.939 --> 00:02:18.840 All right. 00:02:19.039 --> 00:02:20.039 All right. 00:02:20.539 --> 00:02:22.859 To glorify his name? 00:02:22.979 --> 00:02:23.180 Yeah. 00:02:23.879 --> 00:02:24.620 What else? 00:02:32.199 --> 00:02:33.840 Well, he had promised. 00:02:33.840 --> 00:02:37.920 I noticed Jacob that they would go back to their land. 00:02:38.219 --> 00:02:38.479 Yeah. 00:02:38.599 --> 00:02:38.819 Yeah. 00:02:38.840 --> 00:02:39.300 I don't know. 00:02:39.599 --> 00:02:40.300 I wasn't here. 00:02:40.539 --> 00:02:40.680 Yeah. 00:02:40.759 --> 00:02:41.099 No, it's fine. 00:02:41.159 --> 00:02:41.300 No. 00:02:41.340 --> 00:02:42.900 Hey, you're on fire. 00:02:43.000 --> 00:02:43.800 Sister, what was your name again? 00:02:43.840 --> 00:02:44.240 I'm sorry. 00:02:44.460 --> 00:02:45.580 I'm Elizabeth Lopez. 00:02:45.659 --> 00:02:46.340 Elizabeth Lopez. 00:02:46.780 --> 00:02:47.360 Thank you, Elizabeth. 00:02:47.520 --> 00:02:47.719 Yeah. 00:02:48.039 --> 00:02:49.800 So I'm just going to abbreviate that. 00:02:50.340 --> 00:02:52.219 The Abrahamic covenant, right? 00:02:52.280 --> 00:02:53.819 God made promises, right? 00:02:54.120 --> 00:02:54.659 What else? 00:02:54.740 --> 00:02:54.920 There's. 00:02:55.280 --> 00:02:55.520 Yeah. 00:02:55.520 --> 00:02:55.580 Yeah. 00:02:55.580 --> 00:02:55.640 Yeah. 00:02:55.639 --> 00:03:05.359 Yeah. 00:03:05.500 --> 00:03:05.739 Okay. 00:03:05.979 --> 00:03:06.239 Yeah. 00:03:06.339 --> 00:03:06.559 Yeah. 00:03:06.679 --> 00:03:07.619 Kind of a similar idea, right? 00:03:07.659 --> 00:03:15.419 To get them focused on, to get Israel, ancient Israel, focused on, maybe say it this way, 00:03:15.539 --> 00:03:17.519 focus on their God, the one true God, right? 00:03:17.520 --> 00:03:22.700 On their, I'll just be, I'll just jump ahead of there. 00:03:22.800 --> 00:03:23.380 Our God. 00:03:24.240 --> 00:03:25.719 Ah, sorry, old habit. 00:03:26.379 --> 00:03:26.800 God. 00:03:27.379 --> 00:03:27.900 Good. 00:03:28.320 --> 00:03:31.760 There's a phrase that recurs several times in Exodus. 00:03:31.759 --> 00:03:38.759 He says, let my people go, dot, dot, dot. 00:03:39.120 --> 00:03:40.579 Does that ring any bells for anybody? 00:03:41.859 --> 00:03:45.579 He says, let my people go. 00:03:46.759 --> 00:03:50.699 I'll tell you what, turn to Exodus 3.18, if you have your Bibles, Exodus 3.18. 00:03:53.259 --> 00:03:54.299 Someone just said it. 00:03:55.560 --> 00:03:56.000 Yeah. 00:03:56.000 --> 00:03:57.000 To worship. 00:03:58.759 --> 00:04:00.239 To worship. 00:04:01.759 --> 00:04:10.579 I'm kind of paraphrasing, actually, a whole bunch of ideas, but in Exodus 3.18, open your 00:04:10.579 --> 00:04:10.939 Bibles there. 00:04:10.959 --> 00:04:14.879 If someone has your Bible, go ahead and read that out for us. 00:04:15.519 --> 00:04:19.159 Exodus 3.18, super important verse here. 00:04:19.939 --> 00:04:21.099 Can everyone see it on the board? 00:04:21.620 --> 00:04:22.039 I don't know. 00:04:22.199 --> 00:04:24.199 The lights are kind of bouncing back here. 00:04:26.420 --> 00:04:27.019 Let's see. 00:04:29.480 --> 00:04:31.019 Someone's got to go ahead and read it. 00:04:31.019 --> 00:04:32.199 Exodus 3.18. 00:04:35.839 --> 00:04:40.899 And they will listen to your voice, and you and the elders of Israel shall go to the 00:04:40.899 --> 00:04:46.299 city of Egypt and say to him, the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. 00:04:46.459 --> 00:04:52.439 And now, please let us go a three-day journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to 00:04:52.439 --> 00:04:53.419 the Lord our God. 00:04:53.420 --> 00:04:57.220 That we may sacrifice to the Lord our God. 00:04:57.280 --> 00:05:00.140 This is the initial reason God gives to Moses. 00:05:00.139 --> 00:05:09.979 And then it repeats in various ways in chapter 5, verse 1, chapter 7, verse 16, 8, verse 1, 9, 00:05:10.060 --> 00:05:11.620 verse 1, and verses 13. 00:05:11.919 --> 00:05:15.339 And again, in Exodus 10, verse 3. 00:05:15.339 --> 00:05:18.939 Let them go so they can worship. 00:05:19.500 --> 00:05:20.619 Hold a feast. 00:05:21.119 --> 00:05:23.500 Or serve is the word that's used. 00:05:23.619 --> 00:05:29.620 And interestingly enough, the word in the Greek, when the Greek Old Testament was written, the 00:05:29.620 --> 00:05:35.579 Septuagint, they used the word letruo, which is a word that has the idea of sacrifice, like 00:05:35.579 --> 00:05:37.099 making an altar sacrifice. 00:05:37.100 --> 00:05:44.640 It's the word that's also used in the New Testament when it says that the Son of Man must be sacrificed 00:05:44.640 --> 00:05:47.100 to pay the price for sin. 00:05:48.060 --> 00:05:55.200 So I'm already teasing here a little bit in saying that much, that Exodus leaves us with 00:05:55.200 --> 00:06:02.400 a huge question on our hands that Leviticus answers for ancient Israel and for us today. 00:06:02.399 --> 00:06:08.599 And that is, if God is holy and righteous, if God is the God who redeems ancient Israel from 00:06:08.599 --> 00:06:14.279 slavery to Egypt for the purpose of worship and serving him, how do you do it? 00:06:15.299 --> 00:06:17.019 What do you do? 00:06:17.120 --> 00:06:18.959 Where's the user manual for that? 00:06:19.879 --> 00:06:22.739 Where's the wiki how for that? 00:06:23.000 --> 00:06:24.299 You can't Google search this. 00:06:25.919 --> 00:06:28.000 That's what Leviticus does for us today. 00:06:28.000 --> 00:06:33.459 And in many respects, because of that, it's a foundational, it's almost like a theological 00:06:33.459 --> 00:06:37.240 assumption for many places in the New Testament as well. 00:06:38.079 --> 00:06:39.459 And so that's what we want to dive into today. 00:06:39.519 --> 00:06:42.220 So let's pray and let's ask God for help. 00:06:42.560 --> 00:06:43.759 And let's dive in. 00:06:44.399 --> 00:06:50.019 Heavenly Father, merciful God, thank you for your word, the Bible, and that Christian and 00:06:50.019 --> 00:06:55.819 that you've faithfully wrote down what you want us to know about yourself, about how you 00:06:55.819 --> 00:06:59.599 dealt with us, humanity, the human race and creation. 00:07:00.060 --> 00:07:07.639 And God, thank you for the good news here in Leviticus that you have a way for us to rightly 00:07:07.639 --> 00:07:08.480 relate with you. 00:07:08.959 --> 00:07:15.100 And thank you for the even better news that we find fulfillment in Christ in these things. 00:07:15.300 --> 00:07:18.459 Help us to understand there's a lot to cover here, Lord. 00:07:18.459 --> 00:07:26.719 And we know that you have much more than even we can understand to put this into action in 00:07:26.719 --> 00:07:27.319 our lives today. 00:07:27.379 --> 00:07:29.539 Help us, we pray in Jesus name. 00:07:29.680 --> 00:07:29.899 Amen. 00:07:31.000 --> 00:07:31.439 Amen. 00:07:31.620 --> 00:07:32.019 All right. 00:07:32.120 --> 00:07:37.000 So turn with me now to Leviticus chapter 10, Leviticus chapter 10. 00:07:37.000 --> 00:07:49.199 And we have a fun, little fun, scary, bizarre story to us, at least perhaps, and how God 00:07:49.199 --> 00:07:53.199 manages this relationship, how God orchestrates this relationship. 00:07:53.339 --> 00:07:54.180 Leviticus 10. 00:07:54.740 --> 00:07:58.300 And we're just going to read the first seven verses together here. 00:07:59.879 --> 00:08:01.060 Leviticus 10. 00:08:01.060 --> 00:08:08.980 Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective fire pans and after putting 00:08:08.980 --> 00:08:17.199 them, putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the Lord, 00:08:17.800 --> 00:08:21.040 which he had not commanded them. 00:08:21.399 --> 00:08:25.779 And fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them and they died before 00:08:25.779 --> 00:08:26.300 the Lord. 00:08:29.300 --> 00:08:29.740 Whoa. 00:08:31.060 --> 00:08:31.800 Verse three. 00:08:32.980 --> 00:08:41.279 Then Moses said to Aaron, it is what the Lord spoke saying by those who come near me, 00:08:41.639 --> 00:08:45.200 I will be treated as holy. 00:08:46.120 --> 00:08:49.960 And before all the people, I will be honored. 00:08:51.299 --> 00:08:53.279 So Aaron kept silent. 00:08:53.720 --> 00:08:54.820 Smart choice. 00:08:55.460 --> 00:08:56.360 Verse four. 00:08:56.360 --> 00:09:04.500 So Moses called, also called Mishael and El-Zephan, the sons of Aaron's uncle Uziel, and said 00:09:04.500 --> 00:09:08.460 to them, come forward, carry your relatives away from the front of the sanctuary to the 00:09:08.460 --> 00:09:09.320 outside of the camp. 00:09:09.960 --> 00:09:14.139 So they came forward and carried them still in their tunics to the outside of the camp, 00:09:14.180 --> 00:09:15.180 as Moses had said. 00:09:15.820 --> 00:09:23.139 Then Moses said to Aaron and to his sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, do not uncover your heads 00:09:23.139 --> 00:09:29.879 nor tear your clothes so that you will not die and that he will not become wrathful against 00:09:29.879 --> 00:09:31.000 all the congregation. 00:09:31.879 --> 00:09:38.159 But your kinsmen, the whole house of Israel, shall bewail the burning which the Lord has 00:09:38.159 --> 00:09:39.039 brought about. 00:09:39.399 --> 00:09:44.100 You shall not even go out from the doorway of the tent of meeting or you will die. 00:09:44.100 --> 00:09:47.700 For the Lord's anointing oil is upon you. 00:09:48.600 --> 00:09:51.840 So they did, according to the word of Moses. 00:09:53.240 --> 00:09:56.360 This is a weird kind of thing going on here. 00:09:56.360 --> 00:10:02.440 We don't see this happen on a Sunday morning in church where someone, you know, trips up 00:10:02.440 --> 00:10:05.259 with a scripture reading and they just drop dead. 00:10:05.340 --> 00:10:06.540 I hope that's not happened before, Trini. 00:10:06.639 --> 00:10:07.620 Pastor Matt, has that happened? 00:10:07.920 --> 00:10:09.620 That hasn't happened as far as I know, right? 00:10:09.720 --> 00:10:09.840 Okay. 00:10:10.379 --> 00:10:10.820 Okay. 00:10:10.820 --> 00:10:14.100 A sacrifice is offered. 00:10:15.560 --> 00:10:19.980 And I don't know about you, but to me, the kind of the word picture I get is like a barbecue 00:10:19.980 --> 00:10:21.060 pit, right? 00:10:21.840 --> 00:10:26.280 Only this is like an act of worship and an animal sacrifice, but it's not done the way 00:10:26.280 --> 00:10:26.860 God said. 00:10:28.800 --> 00:10:30.540 It's a strange fire. 00:10:33.860 --> 00:10:35.220 He's a holy God. 00:10:36.120 --> 00:10:37.540 That's the message of Leviticus. 00:10:37.539 --> 00:10:42.699 He is a holy God and a holy God requires a holy people. 00:10:43.279 --> 00:10:45.179 You don't mess around with that. 00:10:45.659 --> 00:10:46.019 Period. 00:10:46.559 --> 00:10:49.699 And that's what Leviticus is trying to help us see. 00:10:50.539 --> 00:10:57.019 Is that if he's holy and righteous, excuse me, if he's infinitely holy and righteous and 00:10:57.019 --> 00:11:01.319 just, then you can't just go to him. 00:11:01.320 --> 00:11:04.920 You can't just do things the way you want to, or the way that's comfortable and convenient. 00:11:06.340 --> 00:11:06.980 He's God. 00:11:07.060 --> 00:11:07.500 You're not. 00:11:08.500 --> 00:11:11.940 And there's very real and tangible consequences. 00:11:12.660 --> 00:11:18.960 And in the case of our story here of Nadia, I'm going to buy who immediate consequences for 00:11:18.960 --> 00:11:21.360 those who dare to cross him. 00:11:21.540 --> 00:11:26.980 Not in a sadistic, mean kind of way, but in a, this is for your good kind of way. 00:11:26.980 --> 00:11:29.700 This is for his glory kind of way. 00:11:30.360 --> 00:11:35.259 So, excuse me, a little frog in my throat there. 00:11:35.960 --> 00:11:43.960 So again, echoing from what we said last week, we come to this text written by Moses sometime 00:11:43.960 --> 00:11:45.720 in the 15th century BC. 00:11:47.620 --> 00:11:49.420 God's inspired him to write this. 00:11:49.480 --> 00:11:52.659 So this isn't just Moses talk, shooting off his mouth. 00:11:52.720 --> 00:11:53.580 This is real. 00:11:54.080 --> 00:11:55.620 This is divine revelation. 00:11:55.620 --> 00:12:00.659 And so when we come to it now, thousands of years removed, just by way of reminder, 00:12:00.779 --> 00:12:05.480 review from last week, we want to be mindful of the text context, right? 00:12:06.259 --> 00:12:10.480 Of the first audience and the situation in which Leviticus is first written. 00:12:10.720 --> 00:12:13.019 We want to be mindful of God's context. 00:12:14.240 --> 00:12:15.940 Where are we in redemptive history? 00:12:16.080 --> 00:12:19.899 You have that in your handout on page two here, or I'm sorry, on page three. 00:12:20.220 --> 00:12:22.159 Where are we in the redemptive plan of history? 00:12:22.279 --> 00:12:24.440 Is God, has Jesus come yet or not? 00:12:24.440 --> 00:12:25.340 That's it. 00:12:25.380 --> 00:12:27.220 It changes the game, as we'll see. 00:12:27.660 --> 00:12:30.120 Well, game, that's a bad word, but you know what I mean. 00:12:30.320 --> 00:12:32.140 I trust I'm with friends here, right? 00:12:33.300 --> 00:12:34.500 The dynamic changes. 00:12:34.900 --> 00:12:39.020 We also want to be mindful that this isn't just God being arbitrary. 00:12:39.020 --> 00:12:45.700 He's revealing himself as well as revealing acts of history, things that have happened, 00:12:46.320 --> 00:12:48.240 things that he's done, things that his people have done. 00:12:48.240 --> 00:12:51.460 And then lastly, thirdly, we want to be mindful of our own context. 00:12:52.159 --> 00:12:54.500 What baggage are we bringing to the text? 00:12:55.159 --> 00:12:58.299 What's our historical moment that we find ourselves in? 00:12:58.620 --> 00:13:07.379 We're going to read things a little differently when God's harsh to non-Jews in light of the racial tensions we face today here in America, right? 00:13:07.379 --> 00:13:11.000 We're going to see that a little differently. 00:13:11.360 --> 00:13:12.059 That's okay. 00:13:12.580 --> 00:13:15.720 We just need to own that and admit that as we come to the text. 00:13:17.080 --> 00:13:20.299 We don't sacrifice animals on our worship service anymore. 00:13:20.500 --> 00:13:23.340 We need to own that and recognize that as we come to the text. 00:13:23.340 --> 00:13:32.200 The idea of being in a wilderness in the 15th century BCE, that's a different life. 00:13:32.280 --> 00:13:37.500 So we just need to own the fact that we're in the 21st century and be mindful of that as we read through our text. 00:13:37.639 --> 00:13:39.920 So a little bit of overview about Exodus. 00:13:40.600 --> 00:13:42.120 I'm on page three in the handout. 00:13:42.280 --> 00:13:45.300 There's a few you have on page two for those who weren't here last week. 00:13:45.480 --> 00:13:47.440 Page one's just got some introductory comments. 00:13:47.440 --> 00:14:01.880 Page two, a nice little handy Bible outline of the Old Testament with some historical events inside and outside of the world, of the ancient world, as well as just kind of where the different books of the Bible of the Old Testament fit in. 00:14:02.820 --> 00:14:04.720 That's for your blessing and your good. 00:14:04.780 --> 00:14:05.600 I hope that helps you. 00:14:06.580 --> 00:14:08.200 And you see we're in Leviticus today. 00:14:08.200 --> 00:14:20.180 The purpose of Leviticus very simply is to outline how an unholy people can be rightly related to the infinitely and perfectly righteous and holy God who dwells among them. 00:14:21.240 --> 00:14:24.420 We left off in Exodus with the tabernacle. 00:14:24.500 --> 00:14:25.920 We're going to come back to that today here. 00:14:26.740 --> 00:14:31.040 But a holy and righteous God is going to dwell with a specific people, his people. 00:14:31.039 --> 00:14:39.079 And this is accomplished via a matrix of sacrifices and ceremonial cleansings prescribed by God himself. 00:14:39.919 --> 00:14:45.360 And that's the substance of Leviticus today. 00:14:45.439 --> 00:14:50.819 You see there an outline of how the book of Exodus outlines itself. 00:14:50.860 --> 00:14:51.839 And it's really pretty straightforward. 00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:58.059 The first 16 chapters are about the tabernacle laws and how to worship this God. 00:14:58.059 --> 00:15:08.939 And then the second half is, well, how do you live together so that when it comes time to worship, we are on the right footing to make that move to worship together. 00:15:09.659 --> 00:15:12.239 And so you've got numerous sacrifices. 00:15:12.399 --> 00:15:17.659 We have the story of Nadab and Abihu in chapter 10. 00:15:17.659 --> 00:15:36.759 And 9 and 10 is particularly interesting because it's also got, it's not just that there's community laws for the people of Israel, but even the priests themselves have something even more intense that they have to do because they're the ones administrating these sacrifices. 00:15:36.759 --> 00:15:39.939 They're the ones cutting up the bull or the goat. 00:15:40.299 --> 00:15:41.759 They're the ones lighting the fires. 00:15:41.819 --> 00:15:43.879 They're the ones that have to keep things ceremonially clean. 00:15:43.879 --> 00:15:55.220 And so they have to do extra so that they themselves are ceremonially clean to lead the community, which is a part of why God's so harsh here in chapter 10, Leviticus 10 on Nadab and Abihu. 00:15:55.220 --> 00:16:13.740 And you notice chapter 16 in our outline, the day of atonement, I highlighted that with italics because that's really the linchpin, a linchpin chapter in the book of Exodus or in the book of Leviticus, sorry, in the book of Leviticus, because it's the, it's the Yom Kippur. 00:16:13.740 --> 00:16:24.879 Or I'll talk about it in a moment, but it really is the apex of Leviticus because it's, this is the one sacrifice that you can't mess up because this is how we're atoning for sin. 00:16:26.180 --> 00:16:29.940 The one thing that keeps us from God, but we'll get more to that in just a moment. 00:16:29.940 --> 00:16:34.640 So let's move on to page four of your handout here. 00:16:34.720 --> 00:16:40.620 And I want to just spend the bulk of our time going through some key ideas and gospel connections. 00:16:40.700 --> 00:16:46.220 That's the main focus for this morning, key ideas and gospel connections. 00:16:46.320 --> 00:16:54.600 And number one, right off the bat, and this might, and I think this really helps orientate us to some of the nuts and bolts here. 00:16:54.600 --> 00:17:04.759 Number one, the holiness and purity of God and his people is the central, a central idea running throughout the book of Leviticus. 00:17:05.120 --> 00:17:10.860 The holiness and purity of God and then in his people. 00:17:11.460 --> 00:17:14.319 If he's holy and pure, you have to be holy and pure. 00:17:14.519 --> 00:17:16.500 And there's a network of things going on here. 00:17:16.519 --> 00:17:19.519 On the one hand, there's these cleanliness laws. 00:17:19.519 --> 00:17:23.779 You have to be ceremonially clean to perform, to do X, Y, and Z. 00:17:23.779 --> 00:17:29.460 And then there's also the sacrifices that are meant to mediate the relationship between you and God. 00:17:29.519 --> 00:17:31.680 So there's like preparatory sacrifices. 00:17:32.059 --> 00:17:35.059 And then there's like the actual sacrifice that you need to make. 00:17:35.579 --> 00:17:42.680 The whole system of clean and unclean was equally as important as holy and unholy because they're interrelated. 00:17:43.519 --> 00:17:48.180 Something unclean is by definition not holy. 00:17:48.180 --> 00:17:56.480 But that also means that something unclean could be made clean and therefore be made holy. 00:17:57.180 --> 00:18:00.620 It's the whole point of the sacrifices. 00:18:00.779 --> 00:18:02.100 We're doing the sacrifices. 00:18:02.100 --> 00:18:07.920 We're being done to make something unholy, unclean, clean and holy. 00:18:07.920 --> 00:18:13.640 So, for example, a tangible example would be the laws about the leprosy and the leper. 00:18:13.920 --> 00:18:15.660 The leper was unclean. 00:18:15.720 --> 00:18:17.140 They couldn't be a part of the community. 00:18:17.400 --> 00:18:23.000 They had to separate themselves and get cleaned, which also included kind of the medical task. 00:18:23.220 --> 00:18:26.000 We would say it this way, the medical task of being cured. 00:18:26.000 --> 00:18:32.740 And then they can, but there was a way, but if they felt like there was a way for them to enter the tabernacle and say, hey, I'm clean. 00:18:33.380 --> 00:18:38.299 Check me and let's do the sacrifices to make me, bring me back into the community. 00:18:40.180 --> 00:18:44.700 And that's the problem that, our related problem to this is the holiness and unholiness. 00:18:45.099 --> 00:18:49.720 Again, we see in our story here with Nadab and Abihu, they did something unholy. 00:18:50.359 --> 00:18:53.640 An uncommissioned, unauthorized sacrifice. 00:18:53.640 --> 00:18:55.560 And that was problematic. 00:18:56.759 --> 00:19:07.780 As we see, and then if you look at, I won't read it here, but in Leviticus chapters 4 and 5, we see both sins of omission and sins of commission. 00:19:08.280 --> 00:19:11.180 You can accidentally not do something. 00:19:12.020 --> 00:19:14.180 You can accidentally do something. 00:19:14.460 --> 00:19:19.120 And there's a way to be made holy again in spite of it. 00:19:19.140 --> 00:19:21.080 There's a way to atone for that in spite of it. 00:19:21.079 --> 00:19:30.740 Both knowingly doing something God deems a sin and not doing something you should are still a sin in God's sight. 00:19:30.740 --> 00:19:37.160 That's a little controversial today, isn't it? 00:19:37.519 --> 00:19:37.700 Right? 00:19:37.779 --> 00:19:42.480 I mean, today's society, if you didn't know, oh, bless their heart, they made a mistake. 00:19:43.059 --> 00:19:48.839 In God's economy, no, he's always, ever, infinitely holy, righteous, and perfect. 00:19:48.839 --> 00:19:55.919 So whether you know it or not, Leviticus teaches us, he's always holy whether you know it or not. 00:19:56.000 --> 00:19:57.939 And it doesn't matter if you make an honest mistake. 00:19:58.139 --> 00:19:59.619 It's an honest mistake, and that's fair. 00:19:59.899 --> 00:20:02.279 And there's an exception clause, so to speak. 00:20:02.500 --> 00:20:05.699 There's accommodation for that, but there's still a price to pay. 00:20:05.700 --> 00:20:09.740 Because the chasm still exists, even accidentally, right? 00:20:09.860 --> 00:20:15.519 If you accidentally put your hand in a pot of boiling water, I mean, it's an accident. 00:20:15.900 --> 00:20:22.740 It was a mistake, but I mean, the doctor's going to tell you, you've got some ongoing issues that you're going to have to resolve with your hand. 00:20:23.080 --> 00:20:25.279 Not least to which the crying and the pain, right? 00:20:26.039 --> 00:20:27.519 In a similar kind of way. 00:20:27.519 --> 00:20:31.400 So there's several different kinds of sacrifices. 00:20:31.660 --> 00:20:36.019 We don't have the time to go through each one of these. 00:20:36.099 --> 00:20:37.160 There's a burnt offering. 00:20:38.400 --> 00:20:40.299 There's a grain offering. 00:20:40.480 --> 00:20:43.619 Sorry, burnt offering in Leviticus 1 and Leviticus chapter 6. 00:20:43.940 --> 00:20:47.339 We've got a grain offering in Leviticus 2 and chapter 6. 00:20:47.599 --> 00:20:51.940 A fellowship offering in Leviticus 3 and Leviticus 7. 00:20:52.440 --> 00:20:56.180 There's the sin offering in Leviticus 4, Leviticus 6. 00:20:56.180 --> 00:20:58.120 And again, mentioned in Leviticus 12. 00:20:58.840 --> 00:21:06.519 The guilt offering in Leviticus chapter 5, chapter 7, and also mentioned in chapter 14. 00:21:07.500 --> 00:21:08.860 And I'm just thinking about this. 00:21:08.900 --> 00:21:10.060 I have a little handy chart here. 00:21:10.460 --> 00:21:12.900 Maybe there's a way we can email that out for everybody afterwards. 00:21:12.960 --> 00:21:15.039 I just realized I should have put that in the handout. 00:21:15.160 --> 00:21:15.660 I'm so sorry. 00:21:16.620 --> 00:21:18.340 It's really cool right there. 00:21:18.620 --> 00:21:19.440 Isn't that great? 00:21:19.539 --> 00:21:20.759 Oh, man, that's amazing. 00:21:21.100 --> 00:21:21.500 I know. 00:21:21.880 --> 00:21:22.680 It'll be great. 00:21:22.759 --> 00:21:23.460 It'll be excellent. 00:21:23.940 --> 00:21:24.820 It'll be amazing. 00:21:25.259 --> 00:21:25.580 Okay. 00:21:25.579 --> 00:21:26.119 I'm sorry. 00:21:26.159 --> 00:21:26.579 I just did that. 00:21:26.639 --> 00:21:26.960 I'm sorry. 00:21:27.359 --> 00:21:27.659 Okay. 00:21:27.879 --> 00:21:31.720 So holiness and the purity of God and his people. 00:21:32.259 --> 00:21:35.779 Leviticus is trying to outline how to manage that and what God expects. 00:21:35.899 --> 00:21:45.659 And the tabernacle, number two, the tabernacle is the place of God's presence and ancient Israel's sacrifices. 00:21:46.519 --> 00:21:48.639 This is why the tabernacle becomes a big deal. 00:21:48.640 --> 00:21:50.740 It's where he dwells. 00:21:50.740 --> 00:21:51.440 Let me be good. 00:21:51.480 --> 00:21:57.300 The tabernacle is the place of God's presence and the place of ancient Israel's sacrifices. 00:21:57.299 --> 00:22:06.940 Why are you saying ancient Israel, Tim? 00:22:06.940 --> 00:22:11.419 Well, remember, we're acknowledging the text context by saying it that way. 00:22:11.539 --> 00:22:15.359 Not modern Israel doesn't have an altar to do sacrifices. 00:22:15.359 --> 00:22:18.519 They haven't done sacrifices since the fall of Jerusalem. 00:22:18.519 --> 00:22:24.139 So we just want to be mindful of where we are historically here and saying it that way. 00:22:24.539 --> 00:22:24.740 Okay. 00:22:24.940 --> 00:22:27.720 And the nation state of Israel is what? 00:22:28.359 --> 00:22:28.779 Oh, shoot. 00:22:28.900 --> 00:22:29.420 1940. 00:22:30.839 --> 00:22:31.240 48. 00:22:31.420 --> 00:22:31.799 Thank you. 00:22:31.900 --> 00:22:32.200 Thank you. 00:22:32.319 --> 00:22:33.680 Forgive me for forgetting that. 00:22:33.680 --> 00:22:37.100 So we're talking about ancient Israel's place of sacrifices. 00:22:37.100 --> 00:22:39.299 Because, again, we're talking about the tabernacle here. 00:22:39.380 --> 00:22:41.080 And there's a temple in Jerusalem now. 00:22:41.200 --> 00:22:41.460 Anyhow. 00:22:41.980 --> 00:22:43.019 And the tabernacle is great. 00:22:43.080 --> 00:22:44.740 It's like God's sanctified RV. 00:22:45.180 --> 00:22:45.340 Right? 00:22:45.720 --> 00:22:45.960 Right? 00:22:46.080 --> 00:22:50.279 It picks up and it goes whenever the people need to go as God calls them to. 00:22:51.060 --> 00:22:56.360 But what's interesting about it is that there's even the architecture of it. 00:22:56.440 --> 00:22:57.720 I mean, sit and read. 00:22:58.019 --> 00:23:00.279 It's back in Exodus chapters. 00:23:00.980 --> 00:23:01.799 Where was it? 00:23:01.799 --> 00:23:04.279 Exodus 40 is the dedication. 00:23:04.879 --> 00:23:09.240 Chapters 26 through 27 are the regulations for how to build it. 00:23:09.279 --> 00:23:16.000 I mean, like, it's a network of curtains on poles, draping down, creating all these different kinds of tents. 00:23:16.000 --> 00:23:16.180 Right? 00:23:16.200 --> 00:23:22.799 You have a diagram in your handout that kind of shows kind of the outline of the tabernacle itself. 00:23:24.240 --> 00:23:28.279 It's a fascinating read to read chapter 26 and 27 of Exodus. 00:23:28.279 --> 00:23:36.059 And to see just how, I mean, the gold rings for the curtains are to be made of this, this diameter, the curtain material. 00:23:36.259 --> 00:23:37.279 It's so detailed. 00:23:37.980 --> 00:23:42.119 You're like, Mike, for a designer, for a manufacturer, I'm sure it's super handy. 00:23:42.759 --> 00:23:44.440 But you say, why so particular? 00:23:44.440 --> 00:23:45.539 You're like, he's holy. 00:23:46.340 --> 00:23:46.960 That's why. 00:23:47.080 --> 00:23:48.400 This is his place. 00:23:49.279 --> 00:23:51.799 As far as a tent can hold God's presence, right? 00:23:53.440 --> 00:23:54.840 God's kind of acknowledging that. 00:23:55.000 --> 00:24:00.120 And in the minutiae of the detail, God's acknowledging, yeah, I'm bigger than this. 00:24:00.119 --> 00:24:06.119 But if we're going to do a tent for me to be in your presence with, this is how we're going to do it. 00:24:07.019 --> 00:24:10.379 And this is how I'm going to be with you for better or worse. 00:24:10.679 --> 00:24:17.000 And what's interesting is that the tabernacle itself has kind of this idea of holiness access, right? 00:24:17.019 --> 00:24:18.759 I'm just going to rough cut it here. 00:24:19.519 --> 00:24:19.779 All right? 00:24:19.779 --> 00:24:23.420 You see the layout there in your handout. 00:24:24.160 --> 00:24:30.279 And you've got the outer court area, right? 00:24:31.019 --> 00:24:32.759 A little cut out there, right? 00:24:32.960 --> 00:24:42.960 And then within the tent, there's actually a little, on the front cover, you can kind of see some cross sections there of what it might have looked like in real life there, right? 00:24:42.960 --> 00:24:46.779 And then inside the inner tent, if you will, there's two chambers. 00:24:47.519 --> 00:24:50.140 And you've got the holy of holies. 00:24:50.880 --> 00:24:54.180 And then you've got, like, just the holy place, right? 00:24:55.420 --> 00:25:00.480 And then if we get into numbers a little bit, maybe we'll talk about this. 00:25:00.559 --> 00:25:05.660 But then the camp of Israel was all the camps, the different tribes. 00:25:06.140 --> 00:25:07.660 I'm doing terrible squares here. 00:25:07.980 --> 00:25:12.079 But they were all arranged in the camp. 00:25:12.079 --> 00:25:13.559 Like, something kind of like this. 00:25:14.079 --> 00:25:19.139 So that the tabernacle, I'll put a few over here just for, I'm not counting. 00:25:19.319 --> 00:25:20.220 Is that more than 12? 00:25:20.359 --> 00:25:20.740 I hope not. 00:25:21.039 --> 00:25:21.159 Okay. 00:25:22.179 --> 00:25:26.460 The idea being that God's at the center. 00:25:27.720 --> 00:25:29.460 His presence is with us at the center. 00:25:29.659 --> 00:25:33.059 And more than that, you're not just going to walk up to him. 00:25:33.079 --> 00:25:34.639 Even the tabernacle itself reveals that. 00:25:34.960 --> 00:25:39.559 You had to be ceremonially, you come in here, for example, like, say, the leper. 00:25:39.559 --> 00:25:43.200 Or this is where the leper would come, say, hey, I think I'm clean. 00:25:43.319 --> 00:25:44.059 Can you check me? 00:25:44.700 --> 00:25:44.819 Right? 00:25:44.859 --> 00:25:45.460 You might get checked. 00:25:45.579 --> 00:25:49.940 You know, the priest at the door, the gatekeepers might check him there first as well. 00:25:50.319 --> 00:25:51.059 But there's a certain level. 00:25:51.779 --> 00:25:54.299 Everyone got access to the outer court at some point. 00:25:54.379 --> 00:25:57.259 Because it's where the big sacrifices were made on that altar of burnt offering. 00:25:57.740 --> 00:25:57.919 Right? 00:25:58.399 --> 00:26:00.119 But then, interestingly enough, right, you have the altar. 00:26:00.119 --> 00:26:04.279 And then you have that lever where there's a place for ceremonial cleansing. 00:26:05.779 --> 00:26:06.839 You see the trajectory. 00:26:06.959 --> 00:26:08.059 You see where this is going, right? 00:26:08.979 --> 00:26:10.099 You have that lever in there. 00:26:10.359 --> 00:26:12.519 So you can be ceremonially cleansed. 00:26:14.019 --> 00:26:16.079 And then you have the holy place. 00:26:16.500 --> 00:26:20.159 And you've got the table of showbread, the menorah, the altar of incense. 00:26:20.720 --> 00:26:23.519 It's a place of increasing sanctification. 00:26:23.980 --> 00:26:26.120 There's a sense in which the holiness intensifies. 00:26:26.500 --> 00:26:26.620 Right? 00:26:26.980 --> 00:26:30.080 And then inside, you've got the Ark of the Covenant. 00:26:31.100 --> 00:26:32.140 Let's do A for Ark. 00:26:32.560 --> 00:26:33.860 You've got the Ark of the Covenant in there. 00:26:34.480 --> 00:26:38.820 The object where God's presence is with them. 00:26:38.840 --> 00:26:39.920 Remember, they'll take the Ark of the Covenant. 00:26:40.019 --> 00:26:42.540 The Ark of the Covenant is going to lead them across the Jordan River. 00:26:42.920 --> 00:26:49.980 The Ark of the Covenant is going to lead them out into battle as a symbolic representation of God's presence with them, even as the armies march. 00:26:50.160 --> 00:26:50.400 Right? 00:26:51.400 --> 00:26:55.920 And so even with the architecture of the tabernacle, the temple will do the same thing. 00:26:56.200 --> 00:27:01.380 But there's a sense in which there's concentric circles of holiness access. 00:27:01.779 --> 00:27:01.980 Right? 00:27:03.320 --> 00:27:10.400 It's as if, right, here there's a general level that gets a little more intense. 00:27:10.400 --> 00:27:17.740 And then it's just like, well, the Holy of Holies, the high priest, can only go in there once a year. 00:27:18.620 --> 00:27:25.700 So for 364 days out of the year, no one even, not a soul, goes into that innermost chamber. 00:27:26.319 --> 00:27:26.759 Why? 00:27:26.900 --> 00:27:27.599 He's holy. 00:27:28.339 --> 00:27:30.120 You can't just go to God. 00:27:30.119 --> 00:27:39.500 If you're a Christian in the room, you're probably like me thinking to myself, man, this is a big deal. 00:27:40.139 --> 00:27:48.099 When all of a sudden in Matthew 26, when Christ says it is finished and the temple tears from top to bottom. 00:27:48.099 --> 00:27:53.199 You see the weight of that glory now? 00:27:54.419 --> 00:28:04.799 You couldn't, for thousands of years, if you wanted to be in the presence of God, it was a tent and then a building that you only got to go to occasionally. 00:28:04.799 --> 00:28:12.899 And now Christian, I'm jumping ahead of myself a little bit, but now Christian, I mean, he even dwells us. 00:28:13.539 --> 00:28:14.720 Are you kidding me? 00:28:15.659 --> 00:28:17.159 That's great news. 00:28:19.220 --> 00:28:25.759 Leviticus, Leviticus helps us to appreciate a little bit more the meat on those bones. 00:28:25.759 --> 00:28:30.480 Just how good we have it in Christ. 00:28:31.460 --> 00:28:34.720 So the tabernacle, God's in the midst of his people. 00:28:35.299 --> 00:28:37.420 The tabernacle is located at the center of the camp. 00:28:38.119 --> 00:28:43.240 And the epicenter of the camp is the Holy of Holies itself. 00:28:43.940 --> 00:28:46.200 The Ark of the Covenant, God's divine presence. 00:28:46.200 --> 00:28:59.140 And so you can see again why clean and unclean, holy and unholy is such an important architecture for the way life is ordered, for the way God's economy is ordered with his people. 00:28:59.960 --> 00:29:01.360 Because you can't just come to him. 00:29:02.380 --> 00:29:05.500 And that's why number three, the Day of Atonement. 00:29:06.840 --> 00:29:11.900 The Day of Atonement is central to God's covenant with ancient Israel. 00:29:11.900 --> 00:29:21.259 So the 10th day, the Day of Atonement is the sacrifice where it's the forgiveness for all sins. 00:29:23.180 --> 00:29:26.759 It's the only time the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies. 00:29:28.060 --> 00:29:30.759 One commentator, I think, summarizes it really well. 00:29:30.860 --> 00:29:35.240 So forgive me, I'm going to read just a little bit here because I think this succinctly gets at the point here. 00:29:35.620 --> 00:29:41.480 The 10th day of the seventh month of the Jewish calendar, roughly September to October on our calendars. 00:29:41.900 --> 00:29:50.300 On which the high priest entered the inner sanctuary of the temple to make reconciling sacrifices for the sins of the entire nation. 00:29:50.740 --> 00:29:52.259 You find this in Leviticus 16. 00:29:52.840 --> 00:29:59.360 The high priest was prohibited from entering this most holy place at any other time on pain of death. 00:30:00.200 --> 00:30:07.080 Nor was any other priest permitted to perform duties within the temple proper during the ritual for the Day of Atonement. 00:30:07.079 --> 00:30:14.179 The day's rituals required the high priest to bathe and be dressed in pure linen garments as a symbol of purity. 00:30:14.960 --> 00:30:20.699 The ceremony began with the sacrifice of a young bull as a sin offering for the priest and his family. 00:30:20.700 --> 00:30:32.799 After the burning incense before the mercy seat in the inner sanctuary, the high priest sprinkled the blood from the bull on it and in front of the mercy seat. 00:30:33.220 --> 00:30:35.940 The priest cast lots over two goats. 00:30:36.799 --> 00:30:39.559 One was offered as a sin offering. 00:30:40.140 --> 00:30:44.100 The other goat was presented alive as a scapegoat. 00:30:44.099 --> 00:30:46.579 Everyone knew where that term scapegoat came from. 00:30:46.679 --> 00:30:47.119 Here it is. 00:30:47.159 --> 00:30:47.980 It's in Leviticus. 00:30:49.379 --> 00:30:59.459 The scapegoat, the blood of the goat, I'm sorry, the blood of the sacrifice goat was used as the sin offering, was sprinkled like that of a bull to make atonement for the sanctuary. 00:30:59.459 --> 00:31:05.759 They would drizzle a stone pit, so to speak, a stone altar with blood. 00:31:06.039 --> 00:31:08.579 It's a very brutal experience. 00:31:08.579 --> 00:31:21.599 Think of your butcher at the butcher shop, not the nice clean presentation of the butcher and he's at the counter, but when he's in the back with the carcasses hacking them, I don't mean to be too gruesome here, but it is gruesome. 00:31:23.039 --> 00:31:23.199 Right? 00:31:25.679 --> 00:31:27.939 Bloody animal parts and blood sprinkled everywhere. 00:31:27.940 --> 00:31:32.779 The high priest confessed all the people's sins over the head of the live goat. 00:31:32.820 --> 00:31:33.100 I'm sorry. 00:31:33.539 --> 00:31:39.799 The mixed blood of the bull and goat were applied to the horns of the altar to make atonement for it. 00:31:40.100 --> 00:31:43.120 The altar was kind of a square shape with these little hooks on it. 00:31:43.759 --> 00:31:49.660 And if you're offering a live, you could use the hooks to tie down the sacrifice if that's what was necessary. 00:31:50.000 --> 00:31:52.940 So imagine a square with little hooks on it. 00:31:53.380 --> 00:31:53.779 Right? 00:31:54.340 --> 00:31:55.840 So that's the horns of the altar. 00:31:55.839 --> 00:32:00.859 So the high priest would confess all the people's sins over the head of the... 00:32:00.859 --> 00:32:01.500 I'm sorry. 00:32:02.779 --> 00:32:07.559 So the high priest confessed all the people's sins over the head of the live goat, turning to the live animal. 00:32:07.740 --> 00:32:10.939 Now he laid his hand on it, confessed all the sins. 00:32:12.179 --> 00:32:16.099 And then the live goat was led away and released into the wilderness. 00:32:17.740 --> 00:32:22.939 Following the ceremony, the priest again bathed and put on his regular garments. 00:32:22.940 --> 00:32:27.980 The priest then offered burnt offering for the priest and the people. 00:32:28.720 --> 00:32:33.360 The bodies of the bull and goat used in the day's ritual were burnt outside the camp. 00:32:34.039 --> 00:32:40.380 The day of atonement was solemn, requiring the only fast designated in the Mosaic law. 00:32:40.380 --> 00:32:43.380 All work was strictly prohibited. 00:32:44.040 --> 00:32:44.320 Why? 00:32:44.440 --> 00:32:46.200 Because we're atoning for sin. 00:32:46.420 --> 00:32:51.380 We're getting rid of the one thing that separates us from God. 00:32:52.060 --> 00:32:56.960 And what's amazing, making by way of transition to some gospel connections here, 00:32:56.960 --> 00:33:04.079 what's amazing is that the author of Hebrews uses this imagery of the day of atonement, 00:33:04.319 --> 00:33:15.079 of a sacrifice for sin, of a scapegoat, to point Christians to how Christ saves us. 00:33:16.660 --> 00:33:20.440 Hebrews chapter 8, basically 8 through 10. 00:33:20.559 --> 00:33:22.160 Hebrews chapter 8 through 10, essentially. 00:33:22.160 --> 00:33:32.460 But in chapter 13, and as well in chapter 13, Hebrews uses the picture of the bull and the goat burned outside the camp 00:33:32.460 --> 00:33:36.800 as an illustration of Christ's sufferings outside Jerusalem's city walls. 00:33:37.500 --> 00:33:45.620 According to one interpretation even, Paul alluded to the day's ritual by speaking of Christ as a sin offering in 2 Corinthians 5.21. 00:33:45.619 --> 00:33:54.199 So we see, we can see not just for ancient Israel, but for Christians today, this day of atonement, 00:33:54.539 --> 00:33:58.919 it really becomes the model for Christ's atonement. 00:33:59.319 --> 00:34:01.039 A little bit ahead of myself here. 00:34:01.539 --> 00:34:04.959 One last point here under key themes. 00:34:05.019 --> 00:34:09.940 The other key theme, I don't think, oh, I don't think it's a number, a fourth one. 00:34:10.000 --> 00:34:11.559 You'll just have to handwrite this in a fourth one. 00:34:11.559 --> 00:34:15.920 Blessings for obedience, consequences for disobedience. 00:34:16.000 --> 00:34:17.980 Number four, it's not in the handout there. 00:34:18.039 --> 00:34:18.920 I apologize for that. 00:34:19.360 --> 00:34:23.840 Number four, blessings for obedience, consequences for disobedience. 00:34:24.000 --> 00:34:25.940 And we see this in Leviticus 26. 00:34:26.420 --> 00:34:28.900 You obey, things will go well. 00:34:29.039 --> 00:34:31.019 You disobey, not so good. 00:34:32.139 --> 00:34:35.940 In fact, God will reverse course and treat you like an enemy. 00:34:36.699 --> 00:34:37.840 Read Leviticus 26. 00:34:38.340 --> 00:34:40.019 Exciting and scary all at the same time. 00:34:40.019 --> 00:34:42.599 Let me close, I've already intimated a little bit already. 00:34:42.920 --> 00:34:48.940 Let me close with a handful of gospel connections about the law and Christ's living. 00:34:49.159 --> 00:34:50.380 Sorry, there's a lot here today. 00:34:50.480 --> 00:34:51.019 I apologize. 00:34:51.659 --> 00:34:54.360 Not as much Q&A as last week. 00:34:55.460 --> 00:34:56.500 Forgive me for that. 00:34:57.619 --> 00:34:59.239 Couple things to add here. 00:34:59.239 --> 00:35:10.339 So, the importance of the Levitical law in the mind of Christ can be seen from Jesus' own remarks in Matthew 22, verse 39, concerning the golden rule. 00:35:10.459 --> 00:35:11.799 Love your neighbor as yourself. 00:35:11.800 --> 00:35:18.539 That's actually the last part of Leviticus 19, verse 18. 00:35:19.260 --> 00:35:20.760 Leviticus 19, verse 18. 00:35:20.760 --> 00:35:25.480 So, Jesus himself is in favor of Leviticus at some level. 00:35:25.580 --> 00:35:33.140 Indeed, Jesus uses this command to clarify other laws, as we see in Matthew chapter 5, the whole Sermon on the Mount, really. 00:35:33.580 --> 00:35:38.980 And to summarize the laws demands the rich young ruler in Matthew 19. 00:35:38.980 --> 00:35:43.099 And it's also Mark 12 and Luke 10. 00:35:43.539 --> 00:35:50.519 And he even illustrates this principle from Leviticus 19, verse 18, in the parable of the Good Samaritan. 00:35:51.179 --> 00:35:56.780 We can also see allusion to Leviticus in James 2.8, when James calls it the royal law. 00:35:56.780 --> 00:36:08.440 And Paul tells both the Roman church and the church at Galatia that the golden rule is the summary of the law in Romans 13.9 and Galatians 5.14. 00:36:08.540 --> 00:36:12.540 So, clearly then, point number one, gospel connections. 00:36:12.860 --> 00:36:19.000 The law is good and it's useful, but we need to use it wisely. 00:36:19.480 --> 00:36:22.600 It's what Paul advises us in 1 Timothy 1, verse 8. 00:36:22.599 --> 00:36:27.440 See, it's not there to micromanage our relationship with God anymore. 00:36:27.559 --> 00:36:31.500 Christ mediates our relationship with God now, not the law. 00:36:32.079 --> 00:36:34.239 But we learn something about God's character, don't we? 00:36:34.599 --> 00:36:38.339 We learn something about ourselves, don't we? 00:36:38.779 --> 00:36:44.139 We learn some, there's some principles we can learn from Leviticus. 00:36:44.239 --> 00:36:48.539 So, Paul advises us, advises us to use the law wisely. 00:36:48.539 --> 00:36:56.559 One, in Paul's day, for example, the law was used to bully Gentile Christians to act like Jews. 00:36:57.059 --> 00:37:05.179 Hence, that need for circumcision, strict adherence to the law as a way to practice being a good Christian. 00:37:05.599 --> 00:37:06.460 Jesus was a Jew. 00:37:06.960 --> 00:37:07.719 He was a good Christian. 00:37:07.840 --> 00:37:08.719 He was a good Jewish boy. 00:37:09.360 --> 00:37:10.860 You go do the same likewise, Christian. 00:37:11.380 --> 00:37:12.900 Paul reminds us, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. 00:37:13.320 --> 00:37:15.019 We live by the law of Christ. 00:37:15.019 --> 00:37:20.079 And it's perhaps, I think, best articulated in places like Romans 13 and 14. 00:37:20.579 --> 00:37:25.739 Or if you have your Bibles, join me in Galatians 2, verse 20. 00:37:26.239 --> 00:37:27.119 A familiar verse. 00:37:27.199 --> 00:37:29.039 You might even be able to quote that verse. 00:37:29.159 --> 00:37:30.980 But Galatians 2, 20. 00:37:31.739 --> 00:37:34.820 Because the aim, really, is posture of heart. 00:37:35.900 --> 00:37:40.519 A heart posture of holiness and purity that reflects Christ-like character. 00:37:40.519 --> 00:37:42.199 Galatians 2, 20. 00:37:42.639 --> 00:37:44.019 Galatians 2, 20. 00:37:48.659 --> 00:37:49.679 Galatians 2, 20. 00:37:50.239 --> 00:37:52.340 I have been crucified with Christ. 00:37:52.639 --> 00:37:55.480 It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. 00:37:56.059 --> 00:38:02.699 And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me. 00:38:02.699 --> 00:38:03.299 Verse 21. 00:38:03.819 --> 00:38:12.039 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ has died needlessly. 00:38:12.759 --> 00:38:14.419 We see the tension there, right? 00:38:15.899 --> 00:38:18.879 Paul, Christ had to, why did Christ have to die? 00:38:19.099 --> 00:38:22.319 Because there were demands of a holy God. 00:38:23.519 --> 00:38:24.579 What were those demands? 00:38:24.759 --> 00:38:25.279 Leviticus. 00:38:26.099 --> 00:38:29.000 I mean, Paul's not citing Leviticus here, right, necessarily. 00:38:29.000 --> 00:38:32.480 But you see the balance Paul's holding here. 00:38:33.179 --> 00:38:34.340 A righteous and holy God. 00:38:35.480 --> 00:38:38.900 We are unrighteous and unholy. 00:38:39.380 --> 00:38:45.840 But just like the Levitical law trains our heart and our minds to think in this way, there's a way to be made holy. 00:38:46.820 --> 00:38:48.940 And it's transformative. 00:38:48.940 --> 00:38:54.639 So, the law, number two then, the law points out our sin. 00:38:55.760 --> 00:38:59.639 The law points out sin in humanity for what it really is. 00:38:59.840 --> 00:39:05.740 It's rebellion and disobedience before infinitely and perfectly holy and righteous God. 00:39:06.000 --> 00:39:09.260 It's not just that we sin, oh, he did something naughty. 00:39:09.400 --> 00:39:11.159 Oh, she didn't do what she was supposed to do. 00:39:11.159 --> 00:39:13.179 Yeah, that's true as far as it goes. 00:39:13.339 --> 00:39:18.399 But Leviticus reminds us it's a holy God, a righteous God. 00:39:19.339 --> 00:39:30.940 And when you offend that, when you offend him, everything, the significance of the sin goes up, the consequences go up. 00:39:30.940 --> 00:39:35.500 So, I experienced this firsthand a little bit in a manner of speaking. 00:39:35.720 --> 00:39:42.619 When I first got to Edinburgh to do my PhD work, my supervisor was an English woman. 00:39:43.380 --> 00:39:47.619 And being a good young man, you know, she's a little older than me. 00:39:47.920 --> 00:39:48.659 Yes, ma'am. 00:39:48.700 --> 00:39:49.340 Yes, ma'am. 00:39:49.679 --> 00:39:55.139 And she politely reminded me in almost like a Mary Poppins-esque kind of way. 00:39:55.220 --> 00:39:57.760 She's like, Tim, I'm not the queen. 00:39:58.179 --> 00:39:58.920 Just call me Helen. 00:39:58.920 --> 00:39:59.039 Helen. 00:40:01.500 --> 00:40:02.159 Yes, ma'am. 00:40:02.240 --> 00:40:03.680 I mean, Helen, right? 00:40:05.579 --> 00:40:07.360 I was trying to treat her with it. 00:40:07.420 --> 00:40:08.740 And she reminded me, no, no, no. 00:40:09.200 --> 00:40:10.619 That's a queen's respect. 00:40:10.800 --> 00:40:11.599 I'm just a professor. 00:40:12.700 --> 00:40:15.139 And she was actually very humble on her part to do that. 00:40:15.180 --> 00:40:19.280 But in the same kind of way, Christian, this is our God. 00:40:20.260 --> 00:40:24.820 This is why it's such a big deal that we're saved by grace through faith. 00:40:24.820 --> 00:40:29.660 Because this holy God sacrificed himself for us. 00:40:30.059 --> 00:40:31.180 I'm getting at myself again. 00:40:32.120 --> 00:40:33.420 Let me keep moving on here. 00:40:33.700 --> 00:40:36.320 Our time is quickly expiring, too quickly. 00:40:37.019 --> 00:40:38.380 Number three, the law. 00:40:38.460 --> 00:40:39.940 So yeah, the law exposes. 00:40:39.940 --> 00:40:47.659 No, the law exposes the human need for divine redemption. 00:40:47.659 --> 00:40:58.739 Again, we've already mentioned before, but the day of atonement is no longer a sacrifice for us. 00:40:58.739 --> 00:41:06.699 Because the better and ultimate atonement sacrifice was made on our day of atonement at the cross. 00:41:07.579 --> 00:41:10.699 This is why John 3.16 is such a big deal. 00:41:11.279 --> 00:41:12.879 But notice John 3.15. 00:41:13.399 --> 00:41:14.619 Go back and check that out. 00:41:14.619 --> 00:41:22.239 And again, Hebrews, basically Hebrews chapter 7 and then 9 through 10. 00:41:22.739 --> 00:41:30.139 The author of Hebrews, in a very compact way that we don't have time to get into today, 00:41:31.579 --> 00:41:36.599 outlines how it's not just that there was a sacrifice made. 00:41:36.619 --> 00:41:37.799 It was a better sacrifice. 00:41:37.799 --> 00:41:40.319 And it fulfills all of God's requirements. 00:41:41.460 --> 00:41:43.819 I want to read two more passages for us. 00:41:43.820 --> 00:41:46.180 Turn with me to Ephesians chapter 2. 00:41:46.800 --> 00:41:48.180 Ephesians chapter 2. 00:41:49.200 --> 00:41:52.240 I trust we're all familiar with 1 through 10. 00:41:52.840 --> 00:42:00.000 Verses, the beautiful section of scripture here where Paul talks about how we were formerly dead in our sins and transgressions, 00:42:00.539 --> 00:42:03.380 but by grace through faith we're made alive in Christ. 00:42:03.920 --> 00:42:07.400 There's no, I'm tripping my words up here. 00:42:08.940 --> 00:42:13.080 It's by grace you've been saved through faith and not of yourselves as the gift of God. 00:42:13.079 --> 00:42:15.380 So that no one can boast. 00:42:15.920 --> 00:42:17.159 Christ made the sacrifice. 00:42:17.519 --> 00:42:21.460 But notice what happens in verses 11 through 16. 00:42:21.460 --> 00:42:34.159 Therefore, remember that formerly you Gentiles in the flesh who are called the uncircumcision by the so-called circumcision, 00:42:34.460 --> 00:42:36.720 which is performed in the flesh by human hands. 00:42:37.159 --> 00:42:38.380 Paul's alluding to the law here. 00:42:38.740 --> 00:42:43.320 He's alluding to clean and unclean laws, holy and unholy laws. 00:42:43.320 --> 00:42:52.940 And to us Gentiles who are not Jewish, who are not ancient Israel, therefore we don't perform and practice those laws. 00:42:53.160 --> 00:42:53.660 Verse 11. 00:42:54.400 --> 00:42:55.000 Verse 12. 00:42:55.300 --> 00:43:00.100 Remember, you were at that time separate from Christ. 00:43:00.200 --> 00:43:01.700 Wait, I thought I was separate from the law. 00:43:01.699 --> 00:43:02.539 Uh-huh. 00:43:02.539 --> 00:43:02.719 Uh-huh. 00:43:03.759 --> 00:43:12.000 Excluded from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 00:43:12.539 --> 00:43:21.839 But now in Christ Jesus, you who were formerly far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 00:43:21.840 --> 00:43:26.440 See, Paul's using sacrifice language that we see in Leviticus. 00:43:26.620 --> 00:43:30.880 We see in the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16 and throughout the book of Leviticus. 00:43:32.420 --> 00:43:33.500 Verse 15. 00:43:33.500 --> 00:43:40.719 By abolishing in his flesh the enmity, which is the law of commandments contained in the ordinances, 00:43:41.260 --> 00:43:48.159 so that in himself he might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, 00:43:48.599 --> 00:43:53.760 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, 00:43:54.659 --> 00:43:58.800 by it having put to death the enmity. 00:43:58.800 --> 00:44:07.180 A gospel implication of how Jesus fulfills the Torah. 00:44:07.600 --> 00:44:12.519 People who are alien and hostile to each other are brought together in Christ. 00:44:13.080 --> 00:44:14.560 Jew and Gentile. 00:44:16.060 --> 00:44:18.180 Let's put it in Levitical language. 00:44:18.900 --> 00:44:24.519 The ceremony, God's holy people and unholy people are brought together in Christ. 00:44:24.519 --> 00:44:33.400 The law, the law we have in Christ, we see a picture of racial reconciliation, 00:44:34.360 --> 00:44:41.579 that horizontal relationship, and we see that vertical relationship of reconciliation between God and man. 00:44:42.099 --> 00:44:46.019 One, when we come together in Christ, Paul's saying here, 00:44:46.019 --> 00:44:51.059 we see that there's no need for distinctions of peoples. 00:44:52.900 --> 00:44:56.460 Not that we don't acknowledge, I mean, Paul's still acknowledging there's a Jew and a Gentile. 00:44:56.559 --> 00:44:59.280 We don't ignore the fact that we're different from each other, 00:44:59.360 --> 00:45:03.019 but it just means it doesn't matter so much anymore. 00:45:03.480 --> 00:45:05.239 We're brothers and sisters in Christ. 00:45:05.239 --> 00:45:11.579 There's more we could say there, of course, but suffice to say, 00:45:12.719 --> 00:45:16.779 the cross fulfills the Old Testament law, 00:45:17.339 --> 00:45:21.739 satisfies all these commandments, 00:45:22.739 --> 00:45:25.259 and it not only brings us to God, 00:45:25.339 --> 00:45:27.500 it also brings us together as the body of Christ. 00:45:27.500 --> 00:45:44.079 Number four, the law was intended to tutor and prepare for the revelation of Jesus Christ. 00:45:44.199 --> 00:45:47.360 I'm speaking for Christians now, right? 00:45:47.800 --> 00:45:50.860 We were never intended to make sacrifices at the altar, 00:45:51.179 --> 00:45:52.059 and that's the point. 00:45:52.059 --> 00:45:58.679 It was intended to tune our heart to understand the gravity of our sin, 00:45:59.139 --> 00:46:00.799 the need for a Savior, 00:46:01.059 --> 00:46:04.259 and the mechanics of how God's working that out on the cross. 00:46:04.719 --> 00:46:06.099 That's the good news. 00:46:09.739 --> 00:46:12.980 There's much more to say about my time has run short. 00:46:13.059 --> 00:46:14.880 I don't want to delay us for worship anymore, 00:46:14.880 --> 00:46:19.940 so let me just close by reading for us from Hebrews chapter 10. 00:46:19.940 --> 00:46:21.539 If you have your Bible, turn to Hebrews 10. 00:46:22.739 --> 00:46:27.500 And really, as a shorthand, a couple of key passages, 00:46:28.559 --> 00:46:32.119 as I've mentioned before, Hebrews chapter 7, 00:46:32.840 --> 00:46:35.440 and then 9 through 10, 7 through 10, essentially, 00:46:35.539 --> 00:46:36.539 Hebrews 7 through 10, 00:46:37.019 --> 00:46:41.079 and then also the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5 through 7, 00:46:41.739 --> 00:46:43.980 and the Sermon on the Plain and Luke as well. 00:46:43.980 --> 00:46:52.619 Well, these are helpful for us as Christians to think through how to appropriate the law, 00:46:52.840 --> 00:46:54.360 what we can appropriate from the law, 00:46:54.420 --> 00:46:56.320 and how to think through the lens of Christ, 00:46:56.800 --> 00:47:00.059 to think of it in terms of revealing God's character, 00:47:00.539 --> 00:47:01.639 revealing our character, 00:47:01.639 --> 00:47:04.719 and where we can find gospel change. 00:47:04.719 --> 00:47:09.000 because Jesus' goal, the goal all along, 00:47:09.159 --> 00:47:13.299 was to grow our faith in Christ, 00:47:13.619 --> 00:47:16.279 grow our faith in God through Jesus Christ, 00:47:16.699 --> 00:47:17.619 the side of the cross, 00:47:17.619 --> 00:47:21.439 and to walk worthy of his gospel. 00:47:21.440 --> 00:47:23.900 Oh, I forgot. 00:47:24.800 --> 00:47:26.380 My goodness, my notes are missing here. 00:47:28.840 --> 00:47:29.559 Hebrews 10. 00:47:31.119 --> 00:47:32.840 I'm sorry, I'm losing my place here for a second. 00:47:32.860 --> 00:47:33.280 I apologize. 00:47:33.539 --> 00:47:33.940 Number five. 00:47:34.099 --> 00:47:36.019 Did I give blanks for number five? 00:47:36.519 --> 00:47:36.639 I didn't. 00:47:36.720 --> 00:47:37.559 Oh, forgive me. 00:47:37.579 --> 00:47:37.760 I'm sorry. 00:47:37.780 --> 00:47:38.980 Let me do that, and then Hebrews 10, 00:47:39.360 --> 00:47:40.119 and we'll close in prayer. 00:47:40.119 --> 00:47:42.000 Ultimately, the demands of the law, 00:47:42.619 --> 00:47:48.759 ultimately, the demands of the Old Testament law foreshadow justification, 00:47:49.239 --> 00:47:52.159 foreshadow justification by faith in Jesus Christ, 00:47:53.059 --> 00:47:58.400 and cultivate Christ-like character, 00:47:58.819 --> 00:48:02.059 and cultivate Christ-like character. 00:48:02.799 --> 00:48:04.259 And you see the scriptures there. 00:48:04.539 --> 00:48:05.539 Would that we had time, 00:48:05.599 --> 00:48:07.359 I want to go through and read them all together. 00:48:07.360 --> 00:48:11.420 But let me close us with Hebrews 10, 00:48:12.320 --> 00:48:17.920 and arguably the best news to come out of Leviticus. 00:48:20.579 --> 00:48:25.820 I'll start at verse 11, 00:48:26.820 --> 00:48:28.800 and close us in prayer. 00:48:29.200 --> 00:48:30.680 Every priest stands daily, 00:48:30.820 --> 00:48:34.320 ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, 00:48:34.320 --> 00:48:37.240 which can never take away sins, 00:48:37.360 --> 00:48:40.780 but he, that is Christ, 00:48:41.140 --> 00:48:44.380 having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, 00:48:44.980 --> 00:48:48.180 sat down at the right hand of God, 00:48:48.300 --> 00:48:54.460 waiting from that time onward until his enemies be made a footstool for his feet. 00:48:55.460 --> 00:48:57.180 For by one offering, 00:48:57.620 --> 00:49:01.559 Christ has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. 00:49:01.559 --> 00:49:04.139 And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us. 00:49:04.340 --> 00:49:06.960 After, for after saying, quote, 00:49:07.079 --> 00:49:09.480 this is the covenant that I will make with them. 00:49:10.099 --> 00:49:12.159 After those days, says the Lord, 00:49:12.219 --> 00:49:13.980 I will put my laws upon their heart, 00:49:14.179 --> 00:49:15.380 and on their mind, 00:49:15.420 --> 00:49:16.119 I will write them. 00:49:16.539 --> 00:49:17.820 He then says, 00:49:17.940 --> 00:49:20.259 and their sins and their lawless deeds, 00:49:20.260 --> 00:49:21.940 I will remember no more. 00:49:23.620 --> 00:49:26.340 Now where there is forgiveness of these things, 00:49:26.720 --> 00:49:28.680 there is no longer any need, 00:49:29.620 --> 00:49:31.620 there's no longer any offering for sin. 00:49:33.300 --> 00:49:34.820 Therefore, brothers and sisters, 00:49:35.460 --> 00:49:41.300 since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 00:49:41.300 --> 00:49:43.940 by a new and living way, 00:49:44.019 --> 00:49:46.039 which he inaugurated for us through the veil, 00:49:46.640 --> 00:49:47.720 that is his flesh. 00:49:48.300 --> 00:49:51.760 And since we have a great high priest over the house of God, 00:49:53.160 --> 00:49:56.760 let us draw near with sincere heart and full assurance of faith. 00:49:57.440 --> 00:50:01.560 Having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience, 00:50:01.860 --> 00:50:04.360 and our bodies washed with pure water, 00:50:05.160 --> 00:50:10.519 let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering. 00:50:10.519 --> 00:50:14.739 For he who promised is faithful. 00:50:15.639 --> 00:50:18.960 And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and to good deeds, 00:50:19.300 --> 00:50:21.420 not forsaking our own assembling together, 00:50:21.739 --> 00:50:22.920 as is the habit of some, 00:50:23.219 --> 00:50:24.780 but encouraging one another. 00:50:25.259 --> 00:50:26.699 And all the more, 00:50:27.159 --> 00:50:30.039 as you see the day drawing near. 00:50:31.519 --> 00:50:36.400 The good news is that Christ paid the price once for all. 00:50:36.820 --> 00:50:37.699 Let's pray. 00:50:38.179 --> 00:50:39.119 Gracious heavenly father, 00:50:39.239 --> 00:50:39.880 merciful God, 00:50:39.880 --> 00:50:40.900 thank you for the, 00:50:40.900 --> 00:50:46.840 thank you for the good news that though human, 00:50:46.940 --> 00:50:54.920 the human race is unholy and unrighteous and unperfect. 00:50:57.320 --> 00:50:59.480 You revealed yourself to us. 00:50:59.559 --> 00:50:59.840 Anyway, 00:50:59.840 --> 00:51:02.559 you showed us a way forward, 00:51:02.559 --> 00:51:04.559 a way to be reconciled to you. 00:51:05.260 --> 00:51:08.039 And you tuned our heart to sing your praises, 00:51:08.360 --> 00:51:09.360 as it were, 00:51:10.600 --> 00:51:16.620 through a sacrificial system that was recorded down and practiced for 00:51:16.620 --> 00:51:18.340 generation upon generation. 00:51:19.620 --> 00:51:26.680 Of animals being chopped up on an altar and burnt blood sprinkled, 00:51:26.679 --> 00:51:27.599 a mess everywhere. 00:51:27.599 --> 00:51:33.819 On an altar to remind us just how costly sin is. 00:51:34.759 --> 00:51:36.960 And then you went and paid the price. 00:51:39.419 --> 00:51:40.679 Not with a bull, 00:51:41.199 --> 00:51:43.239 not with an angel, 00:51:43.699 --> 00:51:46.519 not with a really great prophet, 00:51:46.519 --> 00:51:48.360 but with your own son. 00:51:50.440 --> 00:51:55.119 He was sacrificed on an altar called the cross. 00:51:55.119 --> 00:52:01.059 His sin or his blood was poured out for our sin. 00:52:01.059 --> 00:52:03.279 So that we could be made holy. 00:52:04.340 --> 00:52:08.340 And brought close to you so that we could be rightly related to you. 00:52:08.340 --> 00:52:11.739 And thus you rightly related to each other and everyone else who puts their 00:52:11.739 --> 00:52:13.719 faith in Christ Jesus as Lord and savior. 00:52:13.719 --> 00:52:19.239 Thank you for the good news from the lake that tunes our heart and our minds to see the 00:52:19.239 --> 00:52:20.959 significance and the glory of the cross, 00:52:21.299 --> 00:52:24.399 the significance and the glory of who you are and what you've done for us. 00:52:24.899 --> 00:52:27.239 Teach us now as we go into the worship service, 00:52:27.599 --> 00:52:30.339 help us to sing your praises all the more. 00:52:31.519 --> 00:52:33.299 It's in Christ's name that we pray and ask. 00:52:33.679 --> 00:52:33.919 Amen. 00:52:38.919 --> 00:52:39.439 Thank you. 00:52:39.539 --> 00:52:39.819 If you want, 00:52:40.079 --> 00:52:40.319 I'll be, 00:52:40.419 --> 00:52:42.879 I'll stick around for a few minutes for a question and answer. 00:52:42.880 --> 00:52:45.000 But you'll forgive me. 00:52:45.039 --> 00:52:46.500 We've only got a few minutes to service time. 00:52:46.579 --> 00:52:47.860 I apologize for that. 00:52:47.860 --> 00:52:48.240 That's.