Readings: Leviticus 15, Leviticus 16, Leviticus 17, Leviticus 18

Leviticus 18:4 – “My regulations and my rules are the ones you must keep by following them: I am the LORD your God.”

Chapter 15 deals with genital emissions. Didn’t ever think I’d ever start a journal entry or blog with those words! These laws deal with becoming unclean via contact with emissions from the body. The concern and the remedy are the same as we read about in recent chapters. Wash the affected items and bathe the body. Contact with male emissions rendered one unclean until evening. Contact with a woman’s emissions made one unclean seven days – because of contact with blood. Two birds were sacrificed in both cases. One was a purification offering; the second was as a wholly burned offering.

Chapter 16 establishes the Day of Reconciliation (or Atonement.) Aaron bathes in the holy of holies and then wears special, set apart clothing. A bull, a ram, and two goats are gathered. The bull is sacrificed first to purify Aaron and his household. Lots are cast over the goats. One becomes “the Lord’s” and one becomes “Azazel’s.” Incense is then burned in the holy of holies. The smoke represents the prayers of the people. The first goat is sacrificed. Blood is sprinkled, making reconciliation for the peoples’ sin. Aaron then does the same for the tent and the altar, reconciling them to God’s holiness. Azazel’s goat, the scapegoat, is brought to the entrance and Aaron presses his hands onto its head, confessing all the sins of the people. It is led away and released into the wilderness. Aaron bathes and changes back into his normal priestly clothing. This day of self-denial and Sabbath will be observed annually on the 10th day of the 7th month.

Chapter 17 and 18 begin the “Holiness Code” that runs through chapter 26. All animals slaughtered are to be killed at the entrance to the tent of meeting because it involves the shedding of blood. Blood is life, it is sacred. Blood is not to be consumed. Chapter 18 deals with sexual actions. It begins with a warning: don’t be like the Egyptians or Canaanites. God demands better, holier behavior: “My regulations and my rules are the ones you must keep by following them: I am the LORD your God.” Within the great detail of this chapter we find a simple truth: God is prohibiting sexual sin. This is sex that only gratifies self. Sex for personal gain or sex outside of covenant relationship makes one unclean or unholy. Such perversion will “cause the land to vomit you out.” PS – don’t offer up your children to that Canaanite god Molech!

Prayer: Lord God, sandwiched between the health codes we began today with and the personal conduct codes we ended with we find your heart for relationship. We see your desire to provide a way for your children to be reconciled to you. Eventually you’ll send Jesus as the final atoning sacrifice. For your heart bent on relationship with us, your children, we rejoice and offer our thanks and praise. Amen!