Leviticus

Be Holy For I Am Holy Introduction Leviticus outlines the proper ways to worship God and offer sacrifices. It includes instructions for various types of offerings, such as burnt offerings, grain offerings, peace offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings. These rituals were essential for maintaining a right relationship with God. It provides guidelines for the duties and responsibilities of the priests, who were responsible for performing the rituals and maintaining the sanctuary. It also includes instructions for the consecration of priests and their conduct. It contains laws that govern moral and ethical behavior, including laws on sexual conduct, social justice, and interpersonal relationships. These laws were intended to promote a just and compassionate society. Leviticus reinforces the covenant relationship between God and the Israelites. It emphasizes that the Israelites are God's chosen people and are called to live according to His commandments. The laws and regulations ...

 v1-8; 28-29:  Dedication of a Person God told the people that if anyone makes a special vow to the Lord to dedicate a person to the Lord, he has to set the value of person, male between 20 to 60, at fifty shekels of silver, according to the sanctuary shekel.  For a female, her value will be thirty shekels.  The "sanctuary shekel" refers to a standard unit of weight used in the tabernacle (and later the temple) for religious purposes. It was a specific measure of silver used to ensure consistency and fairness in offerings and valuations. According to Leviticus 27:25, the sanctuary shekel is equivalent to twenty gerahs. Estimates suggest a shekel was equivalent to about 10-16 grams of silver. (v1-7) It continues to value the persons of ages 5 and 20, and ages between one month and 5 years, and ages 60 years of more. The females are valued lower than the men. Those between 5 to 60, the value is higher then those who are over 60 and those who are under 5 years old....

God has given them a covenant in Sinai, and He is very concern that they may not be faithful to it. In this chapter He told them the blessings if they obey, or the punishments if they disobey.   v1-13: Blessings for Obedience God told them not to make idols, image, or pillar nor a stone carving and bow down to it. They are to keep his Sabbaths and reverence His sanctuary.  We understand that idols worshipping is obviously wrong. However he also pointed out the importance of keeping the Sabbaths and Reverence to his sanctuary. In Christianity, we do not practice Sabbath, but we have a worship day on Sunday. When we go to His house, we must treat it with respect. When we go to the president house, we don't wear shorts and slippers. Yet, I've seen people wearing that when they visit God's house! Some people skip going to church and watch recorded video instead. Where is our reverence for the house of God?  Our Sunday is our Sabbath day, and yet, we only spend the mornin...

v1-7: The Sabbath Year The Sabbath Year, also known as the Shemitah year, happens on the seventh year. The land is to have a Sabbath rest. During this year, the Israelites are not to sow their fields, prune their vineyards, or harvest what grows by itself. The land is to lie fallow, and whatever it produces naturally is to be used as food for everyone, including servants, hired workers, and even animals. The reasons for Sabbath Year is to allow faith development to trust God to provide their needs without doing any agricultural work. This period of rest symbolizes renewal and rejuvenation for people and the land, both physically and spiritually. It reminds the people to be kind and generous to one another, for all the produce was available to everyone including the poor and stranger. This "short term" retirement allows individuals to step back from their daily routines, and to reflect their lives and seek for spiritual renewal.  They found that the Sabbath Year has scientific...

 v1-4: The Lamps The Israelites was told to bring pure oil from beaten olives for the lamp in the tent of meeting, so that the lamps may be kept burning continually on the golden lampstand.  Aaron shall manage the supply and tend the lamps each day. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come.  This light reminds the people of God's perpetual presence and favour on them. The light reminds us of Jesus:  "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12). This metaphor signifies Jesus as a source of spiritual illumination and guidance, bringing truth and salvation to humanity. As we mirror Jesus, we can also be a light of the world too!  There is a story of a miracle in the history of Israel. In 164BC, after the Maccabees reclaimed the Temple in Jerusalem from the Greeks, they found only one small jug of pure oil that had not been defiled. This oil was only enough to keep the ...