Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Leviticus 11:9-12

9 These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat.

10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you:

11 They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination.

12 Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.

Yesterday we considered the symbolism of clean and unclean land animals, and how the clean animals represented qualities of righteous and faithful followers of God. But it was not only land animals that had rules of cleanliness. Today we hear the rules for which animals of the sea could be eaten, and which could not.

As with the land animals, there are two important criteria. To be a clean sea creature, it must have scales and fins. This obviously matches up with what typically comes to mind when we say “fish.” Salmon, trout, swordfish, carp, these would all be included. It would not include things like clams, octopuses, or lobsters.

Part of the symbolism of clean sea creatures has to do with the context that they live in. The water is not where man lives, it is not fit for him to dwell there, only to make brief visits to it. It is mysterious and its depths are hidden. The sea could be seen as an analogy for the world, something distinct and different from the heavenly spirit that lives in all of us. Something that we all interact with, but only on a temporary basis, until we return to our eternal home up above.

Given that context, the presence of fins would suggest purposeful, directed, and constant movement. Be in the world to achieve what you need to achieve and then move on, not stopping and becoming attached to it. Not crawling along its darker depths. The scales can represent a boundary or a protection. A wall that keeps the foreign world out. A wall that keeps us shaped the way God made us, not amorphous or filled with the surrounding atmosphere like a jelly fish.

Thus, even with the sea creatures, the rules of cleanliness and uncleanliness once again serve as a symbolic reminder of the qualities that we must strive for to maintain a healthy separation from the world and consecrated to the Lord.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Leviticus 11:1-8

1 And the Lord spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them,

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth.

3 Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.

4 Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

5 And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

6 And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

7 And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.

8 Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you.

In this chapter we start to hear the details for which animals would be clean or unclean to ancient Israel. We already saw back in the story of Noah that animal cleanliness was related to which ones could be offered as a sacrifice to the Lord, and today we see that it also determined which animals the people could eat. That is what most people know of these laws as, a dietary restriction, and even Orthodox Jews today are careful to observe these restrictions.

Many have pointed out that having unclean meat is a symbol for the unclean life. Just as the ancient Israelites were to avoid certain flesh, we are meant to avoid certain inappropriate influences, cultures, and trends. We must be careful to not contaminate our spirits with things that erode and confuse them.

But how do the parameters for clean and unclean beasts factor into that symbol? What is it about cloven hooves and chewing cud that reminds one of following a clean lifestyle? Let’s take a closer look.

First, let us consider the cloven hoof. This means that any animal with a paw was forbidden, which would include most predators, such as wolves and lions. Also, anything with a solid hoof, such as a horse was also out. Cloven feet are well suited to uneven terrain, able to flex in the middle between different elevations. They might represent being able to both live in the world and in the covenant, being able to navigate the challenges of making moral decisions.

Chewing the cud means chewing and swallowing food, partially digesting it in the stomach, then regurgitating it and chewing again to break it down further. Though an unseemly eating practice, this can be seen as constantly returning to and reflecting on the principles of the gospel. We take God’s word in once, digest it as best we can at the time, but then pondering on it again to gain even more insights. It can also represent being discerning, not accepting everything that is presented to us, but being able to bring back up anything that feels wrong so that we do not integrate corrupted ideas.

These are powerful symbols when taking individually, but when we combine them together and look at the class of animals that fit these criteria, there is even more to learn. Animals that chew the cud and have cloven hooves include the most docile herd animals, the most easily domesticated, and the most familiar to our species. It includes the cow, the sheep, and the goat. Carnivorous predators and stranger beasts are excluded. We see in these animals a sign that we should also herd together in our churches, that we should work together for the good of the whole, that we should follow a good shepherd, and that we should submit to our master.

When one first reads the laws of clean and unclean beasts it might seem antiquated and strange, but upon closer inspection we saw that the symbolism and lessons embedded in these laws were truly inspired.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Leviticus 10:19-20

19 And Aaron said unto Moses, Behold, this day have they offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the Lord; and such things have befallen me: and if I had eaten the sin offering to day, should it have been accepted in the sight of the Lord?

20 And when Moses heard that, he was content.

When we heard of the trespass of Nadab and Abihu, I made the case that their sin seemed more egregious and intentional than just performing part of the ritual incorrectly, given that when Eleazer and Ithamar made such an error, they faced no such divine retribution.

Aaron gives an explanation to Moses as to why the priests’ portion was not eaten of the sin offering. At first, it is hard to follow what exactly he is saying, probably due to awkwardness in translation. The general consensus among scholars, though, is that when he says, “such things have befallen me” he is referring to the destruction of Nadab and Abihu, and the grief he and his sons were feeling as a result. Perhaps he means that they felt unworthy to partake with the Lord when they were so near to His wrath, or that in their grief they had been unable to remember all of the steps of the ritual.

Grim of a thought as it is, one might also consider the sin offering to have already been fulfilled by the conflagration of Nadab and Abihu. They were burned for their sins, after all, and one could hardly assume Aaron and his sons to feast on the remains of that! Perhaps Nadab and Abihu’s death rendered the animal offering redundant.

It is interesting to note that as in the case of the golden calf, Aaron stands between Moses and the people. Not justifying error, not saying that Moses’s expectations are wrong, but to be the voice of others and give explanation for why they went astray. Moses also stands between Israel and God, representing more of the law and power of God, while Aaron stands between Israel and God, representing more the flaws and foibles of the people. Thus, in the two brothers is the meeting of both worlds. It was very appropriate, therefore, that Aaron was chosen for his role as the High Priest, making propitiation for Israel to God. And in this case, as with that of the golden calf, Moses heard his explanation, had respect to it, and was content.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Leviticus 10:16-18

16 And Moses diligently sought the goat of the sin offering, and, behold, it was burnt: and he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron which were left alive, saying,

17 Wherefore have ye not eaten the sin offering in the holy place, seeing it is most holy, and God hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the Lord?

18 Behold, the blood of it was not brought in within the holy place: ye should indeed have eaten it in the holy place, as I commanded.

Moses examined the work of the priests’ first sin offering, and it appears that an error was made. A portion of the sin offering was to be burned upon the altar, and a portion given to the priests to eat. From the sound of it, Eleazar and Ithamar had burned the entirety of the offering and had not eaten any of it, and Moses was not pleased at all with this turn of events.

Interestingly, Moses here reinforces one of the symbols meant by the priest eating their portion of the sin offering: to bear the iniquity of the congregation. It is clear that eating the sin offering is eating the sin, it is taking the follies of others as your own burden, which is exactly what every great leader must do. They must bear the flaws of their people, to then find a way to atone and make things right again.

What is more, it sounds as though the blood was not spread upon the horns of the altar, as was also required. This was, no doubt, a tense moment, given the dramatic condemnation brought upon Nadab and Abihu for their earlier trespass. But as we will see in tomorrow’s verses, Aaron has an explanation that will calm the tension down.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Leviticus 10:12-15

12 And Moses spake unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons that were left, Take the meat offering that remaineth of the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and eat it without leaven beside the altar: for it is most holy:

13 And ye shall eat it in the holy place, because it is thy due, and thy sons’ due, of the sacrifices of the Lord made by fire: for so I am commanded.

14 And the wave breast and heave shoulder shall ye eat in a clean place; thou, and thy sons, and thy daughters with thee: for they be thy due, and thy sons’ due, which are given out of the sacrifices of peace offerings of the children of Israel.

15 The heave shoulder and the wave breast shall they bring with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave offering before the Lord; and it shall be thine, and thy sons’ with thee, by a statute for ever; as the Lord hath commanded.

Moses gave Aaron and his sons some instructions on eating their portion of the sacrifices. Some of this information we already knew, and some of it is new. First, they were told that the portion of the meat offering that fell to them was required to be eaten in the tabernacle courtyard, beside the altar. As we have already seen, the priests eating their portion was not only a privilege, but an obligation, a part of the ritual itself, and with strict guidelines as to how it could be performed.

Their portion for the wave breast and heave shoulder had a different set of instructions, though. As a reminder, the wave and heave offerings were separate from the meat offerings, first introduced to us in connection with the peace offering. The most distinctive quality we learned earlier about the wave and heave offerings were that the offeror would also eat a portion of. It thus became a shared meal between God and offeror, a symbol of unity and peace.

But that was for the common Israelite. Today’s verses seem to be continuing the initial rituals that Aaron and his sons performed for themselves. They are not offering a wave and a heave offering for another Israelite, but on their own behalf. And this was not required to be eaten within the tabernacle courtyard beside the altar, it just needed to be eaten in a clean place. And the priests did not have to eat it alone, their families, sons and daughters, could partake of it as well. This makes it even more clear that the wave and the heave offerings were a blessing in the lives of those who made it. Other offerings may have been focused on atonement or glorification of God, but this one was about being one with God and rejoicing in that, and one’s own household could take part in that same joy.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Leviticus 10:8-11

8 And the Lord spake unto Aaron, saying,

9 Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:

10 And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;

11 And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the Lord hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.

The prohibition of alcohol when the priests went to the tabernacle is intriguing. We have heard many of God’s commandments to Israel already, but nothing against the general use of alcohol, yet God is forbidding it in this specific case. And note, it isn’t just a ceremonial act, like wearing the priestly clothes, it seems to have moral implications as God explicitly says that this has to do with the difference between “holy and unholy, unclean and clean.” If that is the case, then why not prohibit alcohol as a general rule?

I see two explanations.

  1. Some things are not generally wrong, but only in certain contexts. Drinking alcohol, a woman being on her period, a man having a night-time emission, these were not damning sins that would ruin a soul’s standing before God, but they were all things that God said should not overlap with attendance at the tabernacle. Some things, while not strictly evil, are just particularly worldly, particularly mortal, and therefore should remain in that domain. Being sweaty and smelly after attending the gym does not make one a sinner, but we all know it is best for us to shower and change our clothes before coming to church.
  2. As Paul taught, the law “was a schoolmaster,” fit for where the Israelites were at the time, but meant to prepare them for greater laws to come. Just as how Christ enhanced the prohibitions against adultery and murder to include lust and anger, perhaps abstinence from alcohol was a higher form of the Lord’s dietary laws.

I see both explanations as credible, though my personal beliefs are aligned with the second point. In either case, it becomes clear that just because God set firm restrictions or requirements in one time and place, does not mean there cannot be further nuance and variation at other times and places.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Leviticus 10:3-7

3 Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.

4 And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp.

5 So they went near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp; as Moses had said.

6 And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the Lord hath kindled.

7 And ye shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: for the anointing oil of the Lord is upon you. And they did according to the word of Moses.

The loss of his sons must have been a terrible blow to Aaron, but wisely he accepted the Lord’s judgment and held his peace. The totality of God’s path is absolute. On the one hand, no one is forbidden from coming to Him, but also no one is excused from betraying Him. It does not matter our status, God’s laws apply just as much to the king as to the beggar, as much to the priest as to the pagan.

No doubt the weight of this reality rested on the minds of Aaron and his two surviving sons as Moses forbade them from performing the traditional rituals of mourning. It seems as though Nadab and Abihu’s betrayal took place sometime during the initiation process. The priests were staying in the sanctuary day and night for a full week, so there was plenty of opportunity for it to have occurred.

It was imperative that Aaron and his sons not abandon their purification process partway through. They were still acting in their divine office; they were still standing in as representatives of God, and it would not do for the representative of God to bewail the judgment of God. That would be contradictory.

Even so, Moses assured them that the people of Israel would mourn for them. Just as the priests must stand as representatives of God to the people, the people would stand as representatives of the brokenhearted men to God.

Aaron and his sons accepted their solemn duty, and “did according to the word of Moses.” Each of them would fulfill this initiation, commit themselves sincerely, and live out the rest of their lives without causing such a breach as Nadab and Abihu had done.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Leviticus 10:1-2

1 And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not.

2 And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord.

3 Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.

We have gone for a while without hearing of any rebellion from the Israelites, but sadly that streak comes to an end. Nadab and Abihu offer “strange fire” to the Lord, which clearly seems to mean some sort of idolatrous ritual.

I should note that not all commentators agree on that point. Some suppose that “strange fire” merely means the fire didn’t come from the correct place (the outer altar) or was offered at a wrong time in a ritual. However I see two pieces of evidence that make idolatry more likely. First is that the word used for “strange” is זָרָ֔ה (zarah), the same that is used when referencing “strange gods.” Secondly, is that later in this chapter we will see an actual minor error in ritual observation, and it does not incur any penalty. The severity of God’s punishment suggests a more serious infraction.

And that punishment certainly was severe! It is one thing to be slain by the Lord, to collapse dead in a moment, but Nadab and Abihu were consumed by miraculous fire! This was obviously an unforgettable lesson to the Israelites of the seriousness of their offense. Clearly God was not merely displeased, He was furious, and the dramatic execution calls to mind the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

But that is not all. The verses that immediately preceded these described divine fire of the Lord consuming the meat offering, accepting it in miraculous fashion. Well now Nadab and Abihu were the ones being consumed by divine fire, this time out of rejection. It is two sides of the same coin. It is something we have seen a few times already in the books of Moses: God’s glory purifies and God’s glory destroys. God’s judgment exalts the righteous and God’s judgment decimates the wicked. God’s words empower the campaign of the truthful, and God’s words breaks the schemes of the liar. God is great and God is terrible. All of our works, all of our offerings, all of ourselves are offerings to the Most High, consumed in His fire either to joy or to fearful destruction.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Leviticus 9:23-24

23 And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the people.

24 And there came a fire out from before the Lord, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.

Here we have the only private moment in the ritual, where Moses and Aaron enter into the tabernacle and disappear from the view of all of Israel. Not only was it not seen what transpired in there, it isn’t described in the instructions given to Moses for this moment. At the very least, it seems likely that Moses and Aaron would have gone through the inner-tabernacle rituals, such as lighting the lamps, burning incense, arranging the shewbread, and sprinkling blood. Did Aaron also commune with God directly? Did he speak with God face to face, as Moses had? We do not know. This moment has been kept private from all the world, just as our most sacred moments are typically kept private.

We do know that after they emerged, God responded in a grand show of divine approval. A heavenly flame went forth and consumed the offerings upon the altar. A few chapters ago we heard that the flame of the altar was never to go out. Fresh fuel had to be added to it in perpetuity. It seems that the flame that they had to keep burning was this same divine flame! This is obviously symbolic of the divine flame that lives in each of us, put in us by the grace of Christ, but which must be regularly nourished.

The significance of this miraculous flame is clear. When the Israelites had finished the construction of the tabernacle, the cloud of the Lord covered it and His presence claimed and accepted it. But that had just been the acceptance of the physical structure. Now God is accepting the priests and their labor. Thus, the body of the tabernacle and its soul are deemed acceptable to the Lord, and what transpired there would be imbued with His authority.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Leviticus 9:15-22

15 And he brought the people’s offering, and took the goat, which was the sin offering for the people, and slew it, and offered it for sin, as the first.

16 And he brought the burnt offering, and offered it according to the manner.

17 And he brought the meat offering, and took an handful thereof, and burnt it upon the altar, beside the burnt sacrifice of the morning.

18 He slew also the bullock and the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings, which was for the people: and Aaron’s sons presented unto him the blood, which he sprinkled upon the altar round about,

19 And the fat of the bullock and of the ram, the rump, and that which covereth the inwards, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver:

20 And they put the fat upon the breasts, and he burnt the fat upon the altar:

21 And the breasts and the right shoulder Aaron waved for a wave offering before the Lord; as Moses commanded.

22 And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people, and blessed them, and came down from offering of the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and peace offerings.

In the last section Aaron performed the offerings for himself, with the help of his sons, and next he performed the offerings for the general population of Israel. Once again, his sons assisted by presenting the blood for sprinkling. Now, at last, everyone had been sanctified. Everyone had been committed to the Lord.

Admittedly, Moses was perhaps an outlier in this moment. I suppose he could be considered part of the body of Israel, a subject of this general offering that Aaron just completed. On the other hand, we could definitely say that his sanctification and purification had already transpired during one of his visits to the mountain. He did appear once with a shining face after all, which sounds pretty sanctified! Thus, by one way or another, Moses, Aaron, the priests, and all the Israelites were now one in God.

Aaron commemorated this moment by pronouncing a blessing upon the people. We do not read the words that he said, but this further shows the fatherly relationship he had to the great Israelite family.