Leviticus 18 - The World Outside of God, Part II

"You shall not do according to the custom of the land of Egypt, in which you dwelt: neither shall you act according to the manner of the country of Chanaan, into which I will bring you, nor shall you walk in their ordinances." (Leviticus 18:3)

Leviticus 18 further clarifies how people were living outside of God, building upon what began to be revealed in Leviticus 17. Of course, this isn't brand new information. In Genesis we learn of, for example, the Sodomites and their atrocious practices. It was probably pretty commonplace for the ancient Israelites to be aware of what was going on outside their circle. And it appears it was a constant concern that too many of God's chosen ones were being drawn to the pagan lifestyle of the surrounding nations. It's clear that the people outside of God, the Egyptians, the ancient Canaanites, and so on, represent the world. And it is also clear that God does not want His people to be of the world. He wants them to be a holy nation, set apart from the worldly nations around them.

Leviticus 18, on the surface, is nothing but a long list of forbidden marital and sexual practices. It is directly stated that the mentioned acts and customs are practiced by the pagan nations, to which my commentary elaborates: "The Persians married their own mothers, daughters, and sisters [and] the Egyptians took their sisters to wife." God makes it clear that those acts are condemned. They are in violation of the natural law, which is why it is stated: "For all these detestable things, the inhabitants of the land have done that were before you, and have defiled it. Beware then lest in like manner, it vomit you also out, if you do the like things, as it vomited out the nation that was before you" (Leviticus 18:27-28). The imagery in this passage is striking. According to Haydock's notes, it is as if the "earth [is] sick and disgusted with the crimes of its inhabitants." The natural law was violated so heinously that the earth (which is subject to the natural law) became disgusted and "vomited" out the evil-doers.

It is interesting what is going on here. For on the one hand, God clearly declares these corrupt marriages as a violation of a natural code, yet on the other hand, He repeatedly states throughout this chapter, "I am the Lord your God." After many of these ordinances, instead of explaining why a man can't marry his sister, or his step-mom, or his daughter (etc.), He simply says, "I am the Lord your God," as if to say, That is all you need to know. As God, He has a right to make laws and He doesn't have to explain His reasons to us. It is somewhat like a father telling his child "No." The child may want an explanation, but the father may simply reply, "because I said so." Of course, the father does have a reason why he said no, but he doesn't tell his child the reason because maybe the child wouldn't understand or isn't mature enough to appreciate the decision made by the father. So when God tells us "no," who are we to demand a reason why?! However, as previously mentioned, God does leave us with a vision of the earth spitting out those who break the natural law, and so we can get a peak at the severity of such a transgression.

Lastly, there is an enigmatic reference in Leviticus 18 to possibly another known demon of the ancient world, Moloch. After reading up on it, it appears Moloch was possibly a "deity" that demanded children as sacrifice. It is debated, though, just how this was done. Some think living human children were consumed in the flame dedicated to Moloch, while others think the children weren't killed in the ritual, just "passed through" the flame in a sort of initiation rite. At any rate, we see here another glimpse of the horrors of the world outside of God. And the children of Israel are specifically told not to partake in any of these sacrifices that were going on around them. It is also interesting that Moloch (or his concept) seems quite like the deity known as Saturn. Saturn (and his counterparts) was worshipped throughout the pagan lands of that day, and he was known for devouring his children. The images of Moloch are likewise those of a monstrous god consuming children. Could it be the work of a singular evil force? Just something to ponder.

Leviticus 17 - The World Outside of God

I'm always intrigued when I come across a verse in Scripture that seems to hint at what the world was like outside of God's chosen people. Why did the Israelites strive to be "set apart"? Why did God give them a Law that so profoundly differentiated them from the surrounding nations? What was so bad about these pagan gentiles?

One telling sign is just how alluring the lifestyle of the pagans was. Throughout the Torah God is constantly reminding His people not to do the things that the pagans are doing. The biggest temptation was that of idolatry and all it encompasses. Idolatry seems to be the defining feature of the world outside of God. And it came in many forms: worship of graven forms, worship of natural things, worship of living people, etc. It also consisted in deplorable practices: fornication on a massive scale, human sacrifice, violent rituals, drunkenness, etc. One need only read a handful of Greek myths to understand this. The world outside of the camps of God was one in which demons ran free, soaking up the attention they were given. It was a world of debauchery, licentiousness, and overindulgence. No wonder God's people were constantly defecting to the other side!

The passing mention in Leviticus 17 says that the children of Israel "shall no more sacrifice their victims to devils, with whom they have committed fornication." This brief reference to paganism says quite a lot. For one, it implies that the children of Israel were guilty of sacrificing to devils, at one time at least. It also hints at the abominable sexual practices of the pagans (which will eventually be addressed in Leviticus). The true and historic pagan lifestyle is often downplayed in our society (perhaps because it reminds us too much of our Godless society today?). But viewing it as it was makes the Law given by God shine even brighter (which it should). God's law-filled light scares away the devils and puts an end to their abhorrent practices. The exact same thing can be said of our society today, if only we would let His light shine.

One last note, returning to Leviticus 17:7. I found it interesting that the "devils" in this verse comes from the Hebrew word sehirim, which is sometimes translated as "goats" since the word implies "hairy ones." And it is thought by some scholars to more specifically imply the pagan satyrs, or goat-men, found in Greek mythology and revered and worshiped by the Egyptians in the area near the Israelites. It is entirely possible that God is here condemning the worship of a Pan-like god. I am always fascinated when different historical worlds intersect like this.

Leviticus 14-16: The Scapegoat

As a fan of etymology, I was delighted to discover in Leviticus 16 the origin of our word "scapegoat." In these chapters of Leviticus we read of the institution of the Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur. I knew little about the origin of this holy day. In fact, the first time I read Leviticus I must have been completely ignorant of the fact that Yom Kippur is even mentioned. But this time around (taking my time, of course) I was able to dwell on each stipulation and command regarding this special day, which was to be "an everlasting ordinance" on "the seventh month, the tenth day of the month" (Leviticus 16:29). The central feature of Yom Kippur, obviously, is atonement -- a day to have the sins of all the Israelites expiated. The way in which this is to happen was fascinating to me. And now we come to the issue of the "scapegoat." The high priest was to select two goats, one to be sacrificed to God, and one to release into the wilderness. The latter, through translation, came to be known as the "scapegoat," for on it were placed all the sins of God's people, so that when it was released into the wilderness and left to be devoured by wild beasts (or pushed off a precipice, as some think), so went the people's sins, and thus they were atoned. I found this remarkable practice wonderfully symbolic. But what is more, there is an even more profound symbolism going on here. For what did Jesus do but act as our scapegoat?! All of our sins were placed on Him! And through His Passion (as the scapegoat met a violent end in the wilderness) we are atoned! Yom Kippur is simply a sign of things to come. It is an imperfect day of atonement; whereas what happened on Good Friday was a perfect atonement for the sins of all of mankind!

Leviticus 12-13: A Recurrent Theme?

Leviticus 12 and 13 really start to delve deeper into the issue of cleanness/uncleanness. Leviticus 13 especially drives the point home concerning the issue of leprosy. And I thought it appropriate to stop briefly to reflect on the significant role that this particular disease plays in Sacred Scripture.

Leprosy is mentioned several times in both the Old and New Testaments. What I've come to learn is that it is not by accident that this disease figures prominently in the Word. Of course there are literal reasons, the main one being that leprosy was a reality of life in that part of the world at that time in history. It being a reality, a harsh one at that, it needed to be addressed in the Law, thus the Levitical ordinances concerning how to deal with a leper. But it is dealt with in an entirely different manner in the New Testament, wherein it is typically mentioned in regard to healing and repentance. That is because leprosy in Scripture was given as a sign of the damage caused by sin. Sin does to our soul what leprosy does to our body. Leprosy is symbolic of sin, and once viewed this way, its references in Scripture take on a whole new, vastly more significant meaning. This is not to be misunderstood to mean that particular lepers in Scripture were guilty of particular sins. A leper does not signify guilt of a particular sin, but leprosy signifies sin in general. This is why leprosy is always mentioned along with the need for lepers to see a priest. And also why Christ was such a healer of leprosy, as He is the reason our sins are forgiven.

(I'd also like to begin mentioning, every so often, certain saints on their feast days. Today is January 22, the feast of Saint Vincent of Saragossa. This incredible soldier of Christ was martyred in about the year 300. He was imprisoned and tortured because he was a Christian, and was told he would be released only if he would cast Scripture into the fire. He refused and was thus killed. It's important to acknowledge those men and women who died defending the Word of God. I sit comfortably in my home reading from the Bible without fear of punishment because of those saints who died defending God and His Word! Today I pay homage to Saint Vincent.)

Leviticus 11 - Animals

I've always had an affinity for the animal kingdom. As a child animals fascinated me, and to an extent they still do. We learn so much about the natural world from observing them, and they are a testament to the sheer beauty and majesty of God's creation. And so when I reached Leviticus 11 and saw the long list of animal species, I naturally became excited. Here we find the part of the Law that dictates what a Jew may or may not eat. Here are the clean and unclean animals. I found the variety and detail of the list fascinating. Even from a purely secular, scientific perspective, this list would be quite interesting, in that it documents the types of animals that were familiar to the Israelites living in that region of the world thousands of years ago.

The list of clean animals was surprisingly short. It basically boiled down to one criterion: Any animal that "hath the hoof divided, and cheweth the cud among the beasts you shall eat" (Leviticus 11:3). This of course refers to cattle and the like. (One interesting interpretation I read remarked that the divided hoof represents "discretion between good and evil," and the chewing of the cud represents "meditating on the law." Therefore, if an animal doesn't have/do one of those things, it is unclean.) There are a few exceptions, mainly fish and some insects. But what was truly fascinating was the list of unclean animals. As I said, this was a surprisingly varied and detailed list. I feel the need to include it here. The list of unclean animals specifically mentioned by name in the Book of Leviticus are as follows: camel, cherogrillus, hare, swine, eagle, griffon, osprey, kite, vulture, raven, ostrich, owl, larus, hawk, screech-owl, cormorant, ibis, swan, bittern, porphyrion, heron, charadrion, houp, bat, weasel, mouse, crocodile, shrew, chameleon, stellio, lizard, and mole. As you can see, there are many unfamiliar animals in this list. But apparently the reason is that there were some animals whose identity couldn't be known for sure, and so they were left untranslated from either Greek or Latin. The first to catch my eye was the "cherogrillus," which some say may be a rabbit or a hedgehog or even a porcupine. The "griffon" mentioned is a large type of eagle, not the mythical creature. A "porphyrion" is thought to be a pelican, while the "charadrion" is either a heron, a parrot, or a peacock.

My commentary gives four reasons why God mandated that only certain animals were to be eaten:
1. To exercise the people in obedience and temperance
2. To restrain them from the vices of which these animals were symbols
3. Because the things here forbidden were for the most part unwholesome, and not proper to be eaten
4. That the people of God, by being obliged to abstain from things corporally unclean, might be trained up to seek a spiritual cleanness

There seems to be a continual emphasis on separation and distinction of the Israelites in regard to the surrounding gentile nations. They really strove to be set apart from these "outsiders." And according to the Mosaic Law, God Himself sought to set them apart. For in Leviticus 11:44 and 46 He says, "Be holy, because I am holy." As God's chosen people it was extremely important for the Jews to be set apart or "holy" among the nations. And God very clearly required a visible distinction, including how they worshipped and what they ate. They weren't invisibly different from the gentiles; they were visibly different. It seems God always requires this of His people, even still; as Christians are to be visibly distinguished among the people of the world by their good deeds and the glory they show to God. According to St. Basil the Great, when God told Adam and Eve, "Increase and multiply, and fill the earth" (Genesis 1:28), He wanted them (mankind) to fill the earth with visible good works, so that by their actions God would be known to all. Therefore, when gentile nations would see the Jews so obediently and temperately following a strict dietary code, they would see the work of God in His people (for God requires obedience and temperance, both of which are healthy for the soul).

Leviticus 10 - "Strange Fire"

"And Nadab and Abiu, the sons of Aaron, taking their censers, put fire therein, and incense on it, offering before the Lord strange fire: which was not commanded them." (Leviticus 10:1)

Just as God favored Abel's sacrifice over Cain's, we see in Leviticus 10 an example of an unworthy sacrifice to God. Aaron's sons took it upon themselves to basically play by their own rules, using a strange fire during sacrifice and essentially ignoring God's commands. They became infamous examples for us of just how much God wants us to stick to His ordinances.

I think anytime we see someone creating his or her own rules of worship, we see an example of what Nadab and Abiu did. God laid it all out for us -- there is no reason for anyone to come up with something new. He wants us to approach Him in a certain way. He was very specific with Moses on how exactly the Israelites were to worship Him (anyone who has read the Torah can attest to this!). So it therefore is quite outrageous that Aaron's sons disregarded God's very specific commands during worship. Leviticus moves along in a steady stream of rules and guidelines, but for this one chapter at least, God stops to show us what awaits those who pay no attention to those rules and guidelines. It is a striking lesson (especially given the horrible death that befell Nadab and Abiu), but it is probably meant to show us the severity of the crime. Are we following God's commands when we approach Him? Or are we making up our own rules?

Leviticus 9 - "Do This"

"Moses said: This is the word which the Lord hath commanded: do it, and his glory will appear to you." (Leviticus 9:6)

"... And the glory of the Lord appeared to all the multitude:
And behold a fire coming forth from the Lord, devoured the holocaust, and the fat that was upon the altar: which when the multitude saw, they praised the Lord, falling on their faces." (Leviticus 9:23,24)

Notice the action required of God's people. "Do it," the "it" being the proper sacrifice offered to the Lord; and the glory in the form of fire from heaven was the sign that God was pleased in His people's action. Over and over in Scripture we read of commandments and promptings; calls to action. In reference to His Body and Blood, Jesus said "Do this for a commemoration of me" (Luke 22:19). I am thankful that God has given us a well lit path to follow, with many signs along the way, saying "do this" and "do that." How can anyone say "I am lost"?

Leviticus 6-8: Consecrated to God

I've never witnessed in person the consecration of a bishop, but I'm sure it's a magnificent ceremony. I know a little of what it entails: the laying on of hands, the use of holy oils (unction), the presentation of the miter, etc. But, after reading up on it (and as I suspected), I learned the ritual is quite intense and detailed. Oaths are taken, prayers are said, hymns are sung, the crosier is blessed and presented, gloves (in reference to Jacob's blessing) are worn, the Gospel is recited, and so on. It's a four-part ceremony that really stresses the significance of the bishop's role. Every word that is spoken during the consecration ceremony, every gesture, every movement that is made, is all meant to signify something. And so, why, in the middle of reading Leviticus, have I stopped to comment on the consecration of Christian bishops? Because the consecration of Aaron, the high priest, in Leviticus 8, reminded me almost exactly of an episcopal consecration ceremony. Or, to put things in proper order, the episcopal consecration should remind us of the anointing of Aaron. For example:

"[Moses] put also the miter upon [Aaron's] head: and upon the miter over the forehead, he put the plate of gold consecrated with sanctification, as the Lord had commanded him." (Leviticus 8:9)

"He took also the oil of unction, with which he anointed the tabernacle, with all the furniture thereof.
... And he poured it upon Aaron's head, and he anointed and consecrated him." (Leviticus 8:10, 12)

"And after he had offered his sons, he vested them with linen tunics, and girded them with girdles, and put miters on them, as the Lord had commanded." (Leviticus 8:13)

This of course is only a snapshot of the entire elaborate ceremony found in Leviticus, but it shows the undisguised parallels between the two rituals. I'm not an authority on this matter by any means, but I'm sure this is no accident. The Levitical priests and the bishops of the New Law share very similar functions; that is, to oversee and guide the people of God, to keep them always walking with God, to protect Doctrine and Truth, and to keep all things holy. No wonder, given the importance of their role, a deeply dignified and holy ceremony was needed for their consecration to God.