Leviticus

1. 1. Exodus gave us the construction of sacred space, Leviticus explains the ways to interact with sacred space. Leviticus takes place at mount Sinai. 
   2. Exodus 40:34–35 (NAS): Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
   3. Numbers 1:1 (NAS): Then the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting

1. 1. “Exodus closes with the construction and erection of the tabernacle (Exodus 35–40), and Leviticus begins with the laws of sacrifices (Leviticus 1–7). But the transition point is blurred: Lev 1:1* is an incomplete verse; it is semantically and grammatically bound with Exod 40:34–35*.”

1. 1. Concentric areas of sacred space moving outwards from the holy of holies. 
      1. Holy of hollies 
      2. Holy place
      3. Outer court
      4. The camp
      5. The Land of promise
   2. Explained In Exodus 
      1. See Tabernacle image on next page

What defiles sacred space?

1. 1. Sins such as 
      1. Sexual immorality
      2. Murder or undue violence 
      3. Not caring for the foreigner 
      4. Etc.
   2. These sins in the camp were seen to defile holy space. Atonement was required to cleans the holy space. 
   3. Cleansed through various sacrifices and by making referendum to person for wrongs. The person would bring their sacrifice to the priest, place their hand on the head of the animal while confessing their sin, then the life of the animal would be taken in place of the person. 
   4. These sacrifices would have been very costly for the ancient Israelite and their families. Offering an animal due to a sin committed might mean that your family didn’t get to eat meat for many more months. Disobedience was costly

1. 1. Reset button for the nation 
      1. Sins accumulated over the year, progressively defiling sacred space. Once a year the high priest took a goat into the holy of holies and sacrificed it at the ark of the covenant. Then the priest took a second goat called the Scapegoat and confessed the sins of the nation over the goat, and sent it out of the camp into the wilderness to die. 
      2. Jesus’ sacrifice was understood primarily through the lens of the Day of Atonement.

1. 1. Unclean Animals 
      1. Made them distinct from the other nations
   2. Skin conditions
   3. Bodily fluid emissions  
      1. Reproductive fluids 
      2. Blood
   4. Dead bodies
   5. Touching mold
      1. Cleansed through wash and wait 
   6. Each of these represented death to the Israelites and thus made them unfit to enter Yahweh’s presence. 
   7. Were theses sinful things?
      1. A person could be ceremonially impure but still be morally pure. They could not be morally impure and ceremonially pure.
      2. These two categories had to be dealt with to be able to enter the temple/tabernacle and sacred space to the presence of Yahweh 
      3. Was Jesus ever unclean so that he couldn’t go to the temple?
   8. Other types of offerings were given as thanksgiving offerings and free will offerings to show gratitude to Yahweh. During this period while Israel was still in a  close proximity to the tabernacle, if they were to slaughter and eat an animal, they would do so at the tabernacle, and would eat and rejoice before Yahweh. They had lots of BBQs at the tabernacle (but kosher BBQs of course; no pork).  Often eating meat only occurred a few times a year for an Israelite family.

1. 1. Connects to Noah’s curse upon his son.