Leviticus: "Book of Thud" or a Book That Speaks Anew in Every Age?

LEVITICUS: "BOOK OF THUD" OR THE BOOK THAT SPEAKS IN EVERY AGE?

Does the book really matter? Frankly, I've never heard sermons on this ever. I understand Mr. (Rev.) Danny Hyde in a Reformed Church, Oceanside United Reformed Church, CA, did a series;  I understand that Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) Allen Ross, a solid Episcopal Churchman, has published an excellent volume on it; we will probably secure and review that.  I suppose there are some places that have considered Leviticus. But, largely, I can't remember it ever being read in divine worship. Can you?  Is it that unimportant? (rhetorical of course) Is it the "Book of Thud" or does it speak anew, afresh and with continuing force? (again, rhetorical)

Authorship: Moses, somewhere between 1446-1406 B.C. Throughout Leviticus, Moses refers to the “Word” or “Words” of God. As for larger issues of authorship, we’ll deal with that more largely elsewhere.

Most critical and liberal scholars put the authorship in the 6th century B.C., but that doesn’t fit the period, doesn’t reflect the Prophets, nor does it account for Levitical references in Amos (8th century B.C.) or Ezekiel (6th century B.C.), to mention a few.

Ergo, for the present purpose: Leviticus represents the ideals of worship and holiness from Moses (15th century B.C.) to 587/586 B.C., shy of one millennium.

Characteristics and Themes:

• Enshrines and teaches the theological loci of systematic theology: God, humanity (Israel and the nations), Christ, salvation (covenant of works/covenant of grace, justification by faith alone, repentance unto life, assurance of forgiveness), church (Israel, covenant) and eschatology (Messiah, New Covenant)

• Historically, Leviticus is anchored to Sinai in the wilderness; establishes instructions for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness

• God elects one nation and not all nations. He shall, as promised in the gracious covenant, dwell with His elected people on "His non-negotiated terms." It's not "worship-on-a-wing-and-a-fly." They're not Hillbilly ecstatic Babblers or invokers of departed saints. God is holy, perfect, and the Source and Focus of all life, love, instruction, pardon and forgiveness. All worship throughout Leviticus is "to the LORD." It's not about me, principally. God initiates and covenants to dwell with His people. By the way, there isn’t the slightest of any hint of invoking departed saints as Tractoes, Romanists and Greeks abominably practice; the ACNA is manifestly wicked for tolerating Misters Iker, Ackerman and other enablers--wicked and they need to repent.

• Mankind, including Israel, are universally depraved and sinful. This includes all, leaders and priests included. This theme is manifested since the fall and to Moses' times. In Deuteronomy, Moses notes that many Israelites will get worse too. While Israel holds the unique status as an elected and redeemed nation, others do not sustain the same redemptive relationship. If Israel and Israelites need atonement and reconciliation, quite inferably, by extension, so do the nations. But God did not elect them. Universal depravity is taught by Jesus and Paul (Rom. 3.9ff.), inter alia.

• Leviticus is a worship manual for the nation as regulated by ordained clerics: worship is ordered, regulated, disciplined and quite the reverse of “make-it-up-on-the-fly.”

• Necessity of atonement. A sacrificial system of offerings (1-7) governs, presided over by ordained priests (8-10; 21-22) along with weekly Sabbaths and national festivals (16; 23; 25). Israel, like all, is caught between sin and the holy God: atonement is essential; atonement is not optional and is not dismissible. It's not negotiable. It's judicial, real, and very practical. The Day of Atonement, not to mention the sacrifices, underscore this. Mr. (Bp.) John Ryle, Liverpool, wisely noted that this--atonement--is a "touchstone" or "benchmark" of fidelity. Waffle on this and other related doctrines fall or get diluted.

• Ethics: necessity of holiness. “Be ye holy for I am holy” (11.45). This encompasses a nation, varied dietary holdings, medical rulings, and more.

• Eschatology: the shadows, concrete symbols and liturgical acts teach and school the people; further, it hearkens backwards to the Protevangelium (and more), but looks forward; Levitical doctrines are presupposed in the theology of the New Covenant; Levitical shadows, with fulfillments in Christ, look forward to the New Heavens and New Earth. These shadows and doctrines give rise to New Covenant theology:

1. The Lamb that takes away the sins of the world (nations, ethnic groups), Jn. 1.29. Christ's atonement is co-extensive with His High Priestly prayer (Jn. 17) and consonant with unconditional election.

2. Christ the ransom for the sins of many (the elect), Mk. 10.45

3. Blood cleanses from all sins, 1 Jn. 1.7

4. The High Priest of the old Tabernacle/Temple (Lev. 16) gives rises to the High Priest, Christ, who ministers in the New Heavenly Temple (Heb. 9; 10)

5. Rending of the veil of the Temple—opening of the doors to God by Christ’s work to believers, Mt, 27.15; Heb. 10.19, 20

6. The same God of Leviticus is the same God in Christ, the Son of God, reconciling His people to Himself

J.H. Kurtz: "Offerings, Sacrifices, and Worship in the Old Testament"

Kurtz, J.H. Offerings, Sacrifices, and Worship in the Old Testament (trans. James Martin). Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1998.

Available at:

http://www.amazon.com/Offerings-Sacrifices-Worship-Old-Testament/dp/1565633954/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1376532149&sr=1-1&keywords=J.+H.+Kurtz+Offerings%2C+Sacrifices%2C+and+Worship+in+the+Old+Testament...

J. H. Kurtz (1809-1890) was a prominent German scholar and church historian. He served as professor of church history and Old Testament at the University of Dorpat.

Did the “slaughtering of expiatory sacrifices have signification of poenia vicaria" is the issue Mr. Kurtz seeks to address. He notes that theologians are “widely separated” (10). We are not sure what the antecedent is to which Mr. Kurtz refers, but we suspect it to be incipient and blossoming liberal theology.

Over 453 pages, Mr. Kurtz constructs Four Books.

Book One: The General Basis of Sacrificial Worship in the Old Testament

1. Persons sacrificing: people and priests
2. Place of sacrifice
3. Various kinds of sacrifice

Book Two: Bleeding Sacrifices

1. Ritual of sacrifices
2. Varieties of bleeding sacrifices: theological and ritual characteristics, similarities and distinctions in sin offerings, burnt offerings, peace offerings, and trespass offerings.

Book Three: Bloodless Sacrifices

1. Material of bloodless sacrifices
2. Minchah of the fore-court
3. Minchah of the Holy Place

Book Four: Modification of Sacrificial Worship in Connection with Special Seasons and Circumstances

1. Consecration of people, priests and Levites
2. Adaptation to special seasons and feasts:
 
a. Mosaic idea of Feast
b. Daily, weekly and monthly sacrifices
c. Passover
d. Pentecost
e. Tabernacle
f. Day of Atonement

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4MKOP-vhQ0

A good hymn for Lent and Holy Communion at any day. We do our bounden duty and offer our "sacrifice of praise, thanksgiving," and our bodies and minds as a "reasonable service and sacrifice" in response to the final, sufficient, abiding, definitive and abidingly valid offering and oblation of Christ for His people. Does anyone suggest less than this love to God and our fellow Churchmen as we kneel together?

1. Ah, holy Jesus, how hast Thou offended,
That man to judge Thee hath in hate pretended?
By foes derided, by Thine own rejected,
O most afflicted.

2. Who was the guilty? Who brought this upon Thee?
Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone Thee.
’Twas I, Lord, Jesus, I it was denied Thee!
I crucified Thee.

3. Lo, the Good Shepherd for the sheep is offered;
The slave hath sinned, and the Son hath suffered;
For man’s atonement, while he nothing heedeth,
God intercedeth.

4. For me, kind Jesus, was Thy incarnation,
Thy mortal sorrow, and Thy life’s oblation;
Thy death of anguish and Thy bitter passion,
For my salvation.

5. Therefore, kind Jesus, since I cannot pay Thee,
I do adore Thee, and will ever pray Thee,
Think on Thy pity and Thy love unswerving,
Not my deserving.

Shiloh, Israel: Photos, Storyline, Judges, Samuel, Leviticus

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.jidaily.com/oMcn/e

 

Shiloh, Israel's Capital for 400 Years, Being Uncovered

Archaeologists and volunteers are digging up the site of Shiloh, where the Sanctuary once stood.

 

By Gil Ronen

First Publish: 7/28/2010, 10:03 PM / Last Update: 7/28/2010, 9:53 PM

 

Shiloh

 

As Israel's enemies attempt to deny the nation's connection to its homeland, archaeologists keep digging at the facts.


In Shiloh, north of Beit El, excavations are currently being carried out under the auspices of the Archaeological Staff Officer for Judea and Samaria in the IDF Civilian Administration Antiquities Unit and the Binyamin local authority.


Shiloh was where the Holy Sanctuary – precursor to the Holy Temple – stood for about 400 years during the era of the Judges. It is first mentioned in the Book of Joshua, which also states that the Holy Sanctuary was built there. In the Book of Samuel, Shiloh is mentioned as a religious center, where Elkana and his family go to give sacrifices to G-d. During that pilgrimage, Elkana's wife, Hana, asks G-d to give her a son – and eventually gives birth to Samuel the Prophet.


Shiloh is believed by researchers to have fallen into ruin after the Israelites' unsuccessful war with the Philistines, in which the enemy took the Holy Ark captive. The Ark was soon returned to Israel, but was never brought back to Shiloh. Instead, it was taken to Kiryat Yearim until King David had it delivered to Jerusalem.


Archaeological findings indicate that a Jewish presence continued at Shiloh until the year 722 BCE, when the Kingdom of Israel was defeated by Assyria. According to the Book of Judges and the Mishna, unwed Jewish women traditionally went to the vineyards of Shiloh to dance on Tu B'Av.