Capital Punishment and Other Grave Crimes
20: 1-27

Chapter 20 supplements and reinforces Chapter 18, emphasizing the punishments for various offenses. Whereas the commandments in Chapters 18 and 19 are addressed to would-be offenders and prohibit specific actions. Those in Chapter 20 are addressed to the covenant community and explain the punishments for specific crimes. Except for verses 19-21, the crimes identified in this chapter receive the death penalty (see the commentary on Exodus, to see link click Ea – A Life for a Life, an Eye for an Eye). Though seemingly harsh, this was essential to prevent sin from infecting the community life of God’s people.

The gravest public sins against life, religion, and the family were those which carried the maximum penalty of death, such a premeditated murder (Exodus 21:12; Numbers 35 and Deuteronomy 19), kidnapping (Exodus 21:16 and Deuteronomy 24:7), adultery (Leviticus 20:10 and Deuteronomy 22:22), homosexuality (Leviticus 20:13), blasphemy (Leviticus 24:13-16 and 23), idolatry (Deuteronomy 13:6-10) and persistent disobedience against authority (Deuteronomy 17:12 and 21:18-21). The method of inflicting capital punishment is given twice as stoning (Leviticus 20:2 and 27), and once as burning (Leviticus 20:14), understood by Jewish tradition as hot lead being poured down the throat! The most severe expression of the death penalty, however, is found in verses 3, 5-6, and 17-18, the guilty person would be cut off from the covenant community.³⁴⁴

The basic principles of the Ten Commandments (see the commentary on the Deuteronomy Bk – The Ten Words) are incorporated into Chapters 18 through 20, though not in the same order and not always with the same emphasis.

The Ten Commandments              Leviticus

1-2 No other gods                             18:2 and 19:4

3 Misuse the Name                           19:12

4 Observe Shabbat                           19:3b

5 Honor father/mother                  19:3a

6 Do not murder                                 19:16b

7 No adultery                                       18:20 and 20:20

8 Do not steal                                       19:11a

9 No false witness                             19:16a

10 Do not covet                                  19:18

Conforming to God’s Holiness
19: 19-37

Conforming to God’s holiness DIG: Of all these mitzvot, which seem to apply universally, to all people, and which seem to have their application limited to the ancient Israelites? How do you make the distinction? Who is your neighbor and how should you act towards him or her?

REFLECT: In your own life, how has God delivered you from some sin mentioned here? How does deliverance help you live better with your God? Do you see tattoos today as being reflective of a pagan culture? Why? Why not? How do you honor your body as a temple?

We follow these commandments not to gain our salvation, but as our blueprint for living.

The emphasis now shifts to focus on the proper distinctions that the covenant people should make. They had to follow YHVH, the God of creation (Genesis 1:1). And because He made divisions in all of creation – light from dark, land from sea, day from night, animals from humans, men from women – they had to follow the same principles in their lives.

Observe my statutes (19:19a). Of the many occurrences of the word statutes (Hebrew: hachukkim, meaning to write into law permanently) in Leviticus, there is a constant pattern of applying it specifically to mitzvot that concern religious matters. For this reason, the term refers only to the three indented statutes below.

Crossbreeding: The Israelites learned from these statutes to keep separate what YHVH had divided. Don’t let your livestock mate with those of another kind, don’t sow your field with two different kinds of grain (Genesis 1:11-12), and don’t wear a garment of cloth made with two different kinds of thread (19:19b). These statutes are parallel with the ones in Deuteronomy 22:9-11, which forbid sowing of different seeds together and wearing cloth made out of wool and linen. These statutes for Isra’el’s daily life were not retained in the B’rit Chadashah. Like the regulations for diet and ritual purification, these statutes were temporary, but they reveal eternal truths. The principles of separation, order in creation, and purity in life all emerge in the New Covenant to guide the believer in the way to live.³³³

The betrothed maidservant: In another improper mixture: If a man has sexual relations with a woman who is a slave betrothed to another man, and she has neither been redeemed nor given her freedom, there is to be an investigation. Since betrothal carries the status of full marriage in the Torah, this would ordinarily be construed to be adultery. And adultery meant the death sentence for both the adulterer and the adulteress. However, in this case, the betrothed woman was not a free agent, she was a slave, not yet redeemed, or set free to be married. In that case, the act was not considered tantamount to adultery, but simply a violation of her would be to her husband’s rights. They are not to be put to death, because she was not free.

It would appear that the Torah intends to protect the enslaved woman. In all likelihood, a slave woman be betrothed to be married without her consent. No one consulted her about the decision. Therefore, she would not be treated as an adulteress if she violated her marriage prior to its consummation. Were she to do so after the marriage was consummated, then it would certainly be considered adultery. So, too, if she had freely willingly consented to the marriage. This was the problem Mary faced when she found out that she was pregnant (see the commentary on The Life of Christ, to see link click Al – The Birth of Jesus Foretold to Mary).

Instead of a death sentence, the couple was to be punished and the man was required to bring a guilt offering (see Am – The Guilt Offering: Evidence of Repentance) for the offense of misusing that which lawfully belonged to another. The exact nature of the punishment is not specified. In reparation he is to bring a ram as a guilt offering for himself to the entrance of the tent of meeting. The priest will make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt offering before ADONAI for the sin he committed, and he will be forgiven for the sin he committed (19:20-22). The point of the mitzvah is that the couple was not to be put to death for an indiscretion that happened outside of marriage and proper betrothal. This mitzvah doesn’t tell us how the story ends. Hopefully, the offending couple went on to be married and lived happily ever after.

The mitzvah of the fruit trees: Holy people, called to sanctify and redeem the Land, must obey YHVH by not eating fruit from a forbidden tree. Firstfruits of a newly planted tree are considered unfit and must not be eaten for the first three years. This fruit is referred to as orlah, literally, uncircumcised, unfit like a foreskin. When you enter the land and plant various kinds of fruit trees, you are to regard its fruit is forbidden – for three years it will be forbidden to you and not eaten. In the fourth year all its fruit will be holy, for praising ADONAI. Considered a second tithe, all the fruit is picked and carried up to Jerusalem, and eaten before God amidst praise and thanksgiving. But in the fifth year you may eat its fruit, so that it will produce even more for you. Practicing the mitzvah of orlah weans people away from selfishness. By devoting the fruit exclusively to God’s praise and service, one learns the lessons of prosperity. In this way, the creation is redeemed. Obeying Torah redeems eating fruit from the forbidden tree! The motivation for keeping this mitzvah is expressed by: I am ADONAI your God (19:23-25).³³⁴ The holiness of the Israelites needed to stand in stark contrast to the lifestyle of the idolatrous Gentile nations which would surround their nation. Leviticus 19:26-28, therefore, gave specific instructions which had to do with certain Canaanite practices.

Blood: Do not eat anything with blood (19:26a). This is the fourth time Leviticus commands not to eat meat with the blood still in it (3:17, 7:26-27, and 17:10-14). This basic prohibition of eating blood is found in the Noahic Covenant (see the commentary on Genesis Cz – Whoever Sheds Human Blood, by Humans Shall Their Blood Be Shed), but the expression here is literally, to eat upon the blood. The verb to eat with this idiom occurs only in three other places: First Samuel 14:32-33 and Ezeki’el 33:25. The first two describe a condemned practice by Sha’ul’s warriors, who were famished after a successful battle and ate the enemy’s livestock after butchering them on the ground without a stone or platform that could drain the blood. The Ezeki’el context, however, associate’s idolatry with this practice; therefore, there is more involved than the prohibition of eating meat with blood in it.³³⁵ The Jerusalem Counsel’s letter to Gentile believers said that they should abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. By keeping away from these things, you will do well. Shalom (15:27-29)!

Witchcraft: Do not practice divination or fortune-telling (19:26b). We know ADONAI’s feelings about this (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Dj – God Hates Sorcery), but humans have always been naturally curious about the future, wondering whether blessings or dangers possibly await them. In the pagan world of the ancient Near East many believed that insight into the future was possible through divination and sorcery. This was especially true in Mesopotamia and Egypt. Techniques involved inspection of water in a goblet or water basin (Genesis 44:4), the use of arrows (Ezeki’el 21:26; Hosea 4:12), or dreams (First Samuel 28:6; Genesis 37:5-11 and 41:1-36). The Israelites had access to information about future events only if God chose to reveal it to them. Thus, revelation was diametrically opposed to divination.³³⁶

Haircuts and beards: Don’t round your hair at the temples or mar the edges of your beard (19:27). Among the ancients the hair was often used in divination. The worshipers of the stars and planets cut their hair evenly round, trimming the extremities.³³⁷ Today, observant Jews follow this mitzvah. However, Ha’Shem still wants us, as His representatives today, to look different. If we appear modest in our skin, hair and clothing, we will certainly be different, set apart for holiness.

Tattoos: The Torah expressly forbids cutting one’s flesh or getting tattoos. The text from Leviticus 21:5 is specifically speaking to the priests who served ADONAI in the Tabernacle. Priests must not shave their heads or shave off the edges of their beards or cut their bodies. However, here, the text from Leviticus 19:28 is speaking for all the people of Isra’el, “Don’t cut gashes in your flesh for the dead (Hebrew: nephesh).” In Elijah’s contest with the cult prophets of Ba’al (First Kings 18), the pagan priests gashed themselves as they called upon Ba’al to answer their prayers. The Hebrew word nephesh may connote a dead body as well as a living person. “Or tattoo yourselves; I am ADONAI” (19:28). The custom of cutting the arms, hands, and face as tokens of mourning for the dead is said to have existed among the Babylonians, Syrians, Romans, and practiced by the Arabs of the present day. It was sometimes accompanied by shaving off the hair from the head.

The Orientals were very fond of tattooing. Figures of birds, trees, flowers, temples, and gods were carefully and painfully marked in their flesh with colors by the puncturing of sharp needles. This is still done in India for idolatrous purposes, and, in Moshe’s day, probably had some connection with idolatry.³³⁸ Though tattoos have become enormously popular, they are not for God’s holy people. We are different from the rest of the world (James 1:27; First John 2:15-17). We are to act differently; we are married differently; we are to work differently; live differently, and look differently. This prohibition against tattoos is not a matter of legalism, but a matter of holiness.

Temple Prostitution: These verses contain contrasting commands. Verse 29 prohibited the Israelites from a temptation they faced because of poverty or greed: Do not debase (Hebrew: chol, meaning profaneness or commonness) your daughter by making her a prostitute. To do so was to debase her, the same word used in 19:8 to describe profaning that which is holy. Like every Israelite, daughters were part of ADONAI’s holy people, and needed to be treated as such. They were not to be treated like a common thing that anyone could use. To do so was not only to disregard their holy status but also to set a pattern many others would follow. The entire Land would quickly be infected with that degrading and wicked behavior. So that the Land will not fall into prostitution and become full of shame. The obvious result would be the LORD’s judgment.³³⁹

Pornography is a modern-day form of prostitution. As a holy people we are to be different from the culture around us. We are not to be feasting our eyes on the unclean lewdness of the pagan world or tantalizing our flesh with their lewdness. What has light to do with darkness (see the commentary on Second Corinthians Bi – Do Not be Unequally Yoked with Unbelievers)? David counsels us: I will not allow before my eyes any shameful thing. I hate those who act crookedly; what they do does not attract me (Psalm 101:3).

Instead, the Land was to be filled with those who embraced the covenant from the heart. Keep my Shabbats, and revere my Sanctuary; I am ADONAI (19:29-30). The Sabbath’s are God’s appointed times (see Dw – God’s Appointed Times), and the Temple is God’s appointed place. A proper reverence for God’s Holy House – the Temple – will help us attain a proper reverence for the people of God, the body of Messiah and the eternal, heavenly Sanctuary – all of which are represented by the earthly temple. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies (First Cor 6:19-20).³⁴⁰

The occult: The Israelites were prohibited from consulting with the dead. Do not turn to spirit-mediums or sorcerers; don’t seek them out, to be defiled by them. Isaiah 19:3 and Deuteronomy 18:11 explicitly associate these terms with consultation with dead spirits. The terms for spirit-mediums and sorcerers occur together in similar prohibitions in Leviticus. And Leviticus 20:27 demands the death penalty for any who practice the occult. Manasseh is condemned for his consultation with them (Second Kings 21:6; Second Chronicles 33:6), and King Sha’ul had Samuel brought up (see the commentary on The Life of David Bv – Sha’ul and the Medium at Endor). Josiah, on the other hand, attempted to rid the Land of them (Second Kings 23:24). Again, the expression I am ADONAI your God is nestled in among these verses (19:31).³⁴¹

Rising before the elderly: The commandment to stand up in the presence of a person with gray hair, and to show respect for the old is tied to the fear of ADONAI, which is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10a). When we respect the elderly, it is credited to us as reverence for YHVH. If we are unable to honor our seniors, neither will we find reverence for God within us. Imagine a culture where the young people stood up from their chairs when the elderly entered the room. Imagine a culture where, rather than brazen disrespect for seniors, honor and admiration were accorded them on account of their years of wisdom. Such is the Torah culture. We are to be a holy people. We are to be different. Again, the motivation for obeying this mitzvah is stated: I am ADONAI (19:32).

Love the foreigner: It is not only a mitzvah to love your neighbor as yourself (see Di – Love Your Neighbor as Yourself), it was a mitzvah to love the foreigner as yourself. If a foreigner/stranger stays with you in your Land, do not do him wrong. Rather, treat the foreigner staying with you like the native-born among you – you are to love him as yourself, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. The Israelites were strangers in Egypt, so they were to be sensitive and compassionate to the foreigners who lived among them. Thus, the Jews were commanded to love the Gentiles among them. These are the brothers and sisters from the nations that have chosen the Messiah of Isra’el and the Torah of Isra’el as a matter of choice rather than family heritage. God has a special love for such foreigners who have sacrificed their former ways of life in order to follow His Son and keep His commandments (see the commentary on Ruth An – Your People Will Be My People and Your God My God). Therefore, He tells the Israelites to love the foreigner. Once again, God forcefully states: I am ADONAI your God (19:33-34).

On the other hand, the foreigner could be anyone. This explains the Master’s broadening of Leviticus 19:18, love your neighbor as yourself. When asked: Who is my neighbor, Yeshua pointed to “the stranger” in a parable (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Gw – The Parable of the Good Samaritan). It was not just one’s fellow Jew to whom love must be shown, but also to the strangers. We are therefore responsible to demonstrate an attitude of love to all mankind.

This is an important mitzvah of holiness, perhaps one of the most important. We are markedly different from the rest of the world by our attitudes of love. As Torah-faithful disciples of Messiah, we must excel in this area. We will constantly encounter situations that demand a demonstration of love for strangers, for we have been estranged from the entire world. As we share the gospel of Messiah and goodness of His grace, we must do so with love. As we communicate the Torah as our blueprint for living, we must do so with love. We must hold tightly to our high standards of holiness without passing judgment upon those who do not. We must show acceptance while demonstrating righteousness. For the mitzvah, “Don’t commit adultery,” “Don’t murder,” “Don’t steal,” “Don’t covet,” and any others are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does not do harm to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fullness of Torah (Romans 13:9-10).

Love does no harm to the stranger, but we must also remember that the stranger shouldn’t do any harm to us. When people travel to a foreign land for better financial opportunities or to flee oppression that is one thing. But today, many strangers are coming into your country to sell drugs to your children, to rape your daughters and to murder you and your neighbors. In that case, to protect your country, your neighborhood, your family and yourself, you must not allow them to stay. It is not loving to fail to protect the vulnerable.

Righteous weights and measures: The mitzvot of the Torah are very much concerned with righteous weights and measures. Don’t be dishonest when measuring length, weight or capacity. Rather, use an honest balance-scale, honest weights, an honest bushel dry-measure and an honest gallon liquid-measure; I am ADONAI your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt (19:35-36). Jewish observance of these mitzvot is demanding. The surface of scales are frequently cleansed off less an accumulation of dust or grime tip the scale. Scales and measures are checked and double-checked against a common standard.

In terms of modern application, the commandment is considerably more complicated. We must be scrupulously honest in our business affairs. Prices, discounts, sales, advertising claims and so on must be carefully measured and accurately represented. Holiness demands integrity, and the high level of integrity mandated by the Torah will make you holy. A person who figuratively wipes the dust from his scale will stand out as different from the rest of the world. Everyone else in the world is trying to cheat you. Their main concern in business is to make as much money as possible. A disciple of Messiah’s main concern is that he is not cheating you. He is happier taking a loss than wondering if he might have inadvertently cheated a person.

The demand for righteous weights and measures is a demand for a fair and equitable standard of measure. This is a principle which must be extended into every area of our life. Whether in work, academics, sports, conversation, bible study, politics, or any area of life, we must strive to judge ourselves and others with an equal standard. This is a very difficult task. Our fallen human nature tends to give ourselves a lot of slack while viewing others with a very critical eye. We favor those who are kind to us, and disfavor those we don’t like. We are quick to speak in negative terms or people who have offended us, while letting the same sorts of behaviors slide among others. In our marriages we consider our own blunders to be temporary lapses in judgment and unfortunate mistakes, while we perceive our spouses blunders as serious character flaws and moral failures. Ha’Shem requires us, as a holy people, to rise above the subjective, relativism of the human perspective, and deal with life objectively. We are to be fair and careful, because the measure with which you measure out will be used to measure you (Matthew 7:2b).³⁴²

Then Chapter 19 closes with a general reminder for the people of God to observe all of His statutes and ordinances, and do them; I am ADONAI (19:37). The message of Leviticus 19 is clear and practical. A summary could be worded this way: God’s people must conform to His holiness by keeping His mitzvot (the letter of the Torah), by dealing with others in love (the spirit of the Torah), by living according to His standards of separation in the world, and by demonstrating kindness and justice to others.³⁴³

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You that Your holiness extends to everything that You do. There has never been, nor ever will there ever be, even the tiniest thought or action of Yours that is not totally holy. That means that when You guide me, all that You tell me to do, is for their best! Your holy standards are meant to bring overflowing joy and complete fullness to life!  I have come that they might have life, and have it abundantly (John 10:10c)!

It is such a comfort to trust You with my life. You know exactly what will happen in the future. You may allow a trial so that I will grow stronger in You. Trials have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may result in praise, glory and honor when Yeshua Messiah is revealed (First Peter 1:7).

As Your child, I love You and want to follow You in everything that I do. Loving You means that I want to obey all You say in Your Word. You are the One I long to please. So obeying You is not hard; rather obeying you is like doing what our new Bridegroom asks us to do. May my life be filled with holy thoughts, holy actions and holy plans that bring You much joy and pleasure. In Your holy Yeshua’s name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Love Your Neighbor as Yourself
19: 11-18

Love your neighbor as yourself DIG: Which mitzvah detailed here was quoted by Jesus, Paul, and James? In this context, who is one’s “brother” and “neighbor?” How do you guard against slandering or gossiping against another person? How does keeping this commandment constitute holiness? Under what circumstances is it permissible to speak badly of another?

REFLECT: In your own life, how has God delivered you from some sin mentioned here? How does deliverance help you live better with your God? With your family? Your neighbors? The disadvantaged? How can you avoid carrying the sins of your neighbor? Is 19:18 a mitzvah to forgive? According to the apostle Paul, which commandment is a summary of the Torah?

Love Your Neighbor as Yourself.

The Torah is not a superficial guide to life, it is our blue-print for living. This section of mitzvot deals further with how people are to treat other members of the covenant community and corresponds to the second half of the Ten Words (see the commentary on Deuteronomy, to see link click Bk – The Ten Words). Here the demands for holiness are directed to one’s neighbor, implied throughout 19:11-18: associate, brother, citizen, countryman, friend, neighbor, and person. The pattern builds in the section so that all relationships within the covenant community are drawn into the focus of the mitzvot. This idea of the neighbor/friend stresses community responsibilities. The mitzvot may have specific reference to those close at hand in society, those with whom one lives and works, but ultimately, they apply to anyone with whom one comes into contact or with whom one has dealings. It was always considered righteous to be a good neighbor, not merely to have good neighbors. We follow these commandments not to gain our salvation, but as our blueprint for living.

Integrity (19:11-12): Do not steal from, defraud or lie to each other. If people are going to get along with each other in the redeemed community in a God-honoring way, they need to live honestly with each other. Moreover, they need to be able to trust each other. Stealing is a crime where the breach of trust is most evident. Ha’Shem has chosen you from among the nations to be the representative of His Name. You must, therefore, set the example of a people who are held to a higher standard by God. One of justice, truth, and loyalty. If you tarnish yourselves through dishonesty and lies, you are profaning the name that you bear, and you are undermining the love of ADONAI for whom you must be the messenger.³²⁶ This can be seen in the eighth commandment: Do not steal (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Bs – Do Not Steal). God’s reputation is at stake in our dealings.

Do not swear by my name falsely. This is an idiomatic Hebrew phrase meaning that no one should take or vow a legal oath. Such an oath was often made in a business agreement, as in, “In God’s name, I vow that I will do such-and-such.” If the oath taker broke his promise, it would reflect back badly on the reputation of God. Which would be profaning the name of your God. This can be seen in the third commandment: Do not steal (see Deuteronomy Bn – Do Not Misuse God’s Name). Thus, this practice was forbidden in the Torah.³²⁷ The motivation for avoiding these sins is expressed by: I am ADONAI. This reminds us that our duty is to be like God. And what is God like? He is the God of truth – so we need to deal honestly and faithfully with others.³²⁸

Fraud (19:13): While verses 11 and 12 deal with unjust acts between those who are more or less equals, verses 13 and 14 deal with unjust acts committed by the powerful against those unable to defend themselves. The mitzvot of holiness (see Cy – The Holiness Code) contains this prohibition: Do not defraud or rob your neighbor. Defrauding refers to withholding that which belongs to another (Hosea 12:7), while robbing refers to taking someone’s property by force (Job 20:19). Specifically, you are not to keep back the wages of a hired worker all night until morning. This commandment is reiterated and expanded upon in the Fifth Book of Moshe (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Eo – Protection for Hired Workers). Again, the Torah’s standards of integrity are revelations of God’s nature and person. He is truth. He is honesty. When we violate those standards, we damage His reputation because His Name is upon us. But when we keep these standards, we protect His reputation and we are set apart from the world by His commandments.³²⁹

Concern for the less able (19:14): God’s grace is always toward the helpless. Long before legislation regarding accessibility for the disabled and physically challenged, there was Torah! It is a matter of holiness to treat every person with dignity and respect. The Torah gives us two examples of human cruelty. Do not speak a curse against a deaf person or place an obstacle in the way of a blind person. These mitzvot should be taken as general principles; it is fairly obvious that such commandments are not exhaustive. The deaf and the blind are merely selected examples of everyone whose weaknesses demand that they be respected rather than despised.³³⁰

Cursing a deaf man may be amusing for a wicked person because he can laugh that the deaf man does not hear the curse. To such an evil person, placing a stumbling block before a blind person would be similarly amusing. The issue is taking advantage of another’s weakness. Going out of one’s way to accommodate the needs of the handicapped is part of holiness. From God’s perspective, we are all handicapped in one way or another, yet He delights in assisting us and removing obstacles from before us. Once again, the motivation for obeying these mitzvot is stated: Fear your God; I am ADONAI, for the fear of ADONAI is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of holy ones is understanding (Proverbs 9:10).

Justice (19:15): Verses 15 and 16 prohibit unjust legal acts. Do not be unjust in judging – show neither partiality to the poor nor deference to the mighty, but with justice judge your neighbor. The demand for justice and fair jurisprudence is an ever-present concern in the Torah. Fair and equitable courts are an essential component of the Torah. It is part of being a holy people. The mitzvot of fair and equitable trials actually extend to every human relationship. In a very real sense, we are constantly like judges on a jury, having to weigh motives, decide between opinions, settle disputes and determine fairness. Whether at home or at work, in marriage or in child rearing, in the congregation or out of it, with friends, neighbors, family, employers, employees – regardless of the situation – we find ourselves having to make decisions and judgments. A holy person will take this responsibility very seriously. A wise person will know when to make judgment and when to withhold it.

Gossip and Slander (19:16a): Do not go around gossiping or spreading slander among your people. These sins are most difficult to eliminate. James says that the tongue is unstable and an evil thing, full of death-dealing poison (James 3:5-8). A person who refuses to speak disparagingly of others is certainly unusual. Such a one is set apart indeed. Even if the negative information is true, it is not permissible to speak ill of another person except under certain circumstances, such as protecting another from harm. This can be seen in the ninth commandment (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Bt – Do Not Give False Testimony).

Peter adds his voice to the warning of reigning in our tongues. To sum up, all of you, be one in mind and feeling; love as brothers; and be compassionate and humble-minded, not repaying evil with evil or insult with insult, but, on the contrary, with blessing. For it is to this that you have been called, so that you may receive a blessing. For “Whoever wants to love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit” (First Peter 3:8-10 quoting Psalm 34:12). Yeshua sternly warns us: Moreover, I tell you this: on the Day of Judgment people will have to give an account for every careless word they have spoken; for by your own words, you will be acquitted, and by your own words you will be condemned (Matthew 12:36-37). We are obligated to protect one another from such harm by using our tongue for godly ends. Because of the seriousness of this sin, we are reminded when we pray the Amidah: My God, guard my tongue from evil, and my lips from speaking falsehood.

Rescue (19:16b): But also, don’t stand idly by when your neighbor’s life is at stake. The Hebrew of verse 16 literally says, “Don’t stand upon the blood of your neighbor.” Some rabbis take the Hebrew to mean “to conspire against, or act against.” Thus, Targum Onkelos reads, “Do not rise up against the life of your comrade.” This is similar to the interpretation of rabbis Ibn Ezra, “One ought not to join forces with murderers. This can be seen in the sixth commandment (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Bq – Do Not Murder). When someone’s life is in danger, and it is possible that you may be able to rescue him or her, you are required to make the attempt. One is reminded of the devout believers who sheltered Jews in Nazi Germany, placing themselves and their families at great risk. One is also reminded of the vast majority of European Christendom who silently consented to the mass extermination of the Jewish people. This commandment is paired with the prohibition on spreading slander to teach us that just as it is forbidden to speak evil against another, so too it is forbidden to listen to evil being spoken. To listen to slander or gossip about another person is to “stand upon the blood of your neighbor.” To refuse to listen to gossip is to rescue your neighbor. All of the mitzvot are revelations of the character of ADONAI. The mitzvah of rescuing one’s neighbor is a revelation of the heart of YHVH. He is the God who redeems and rescues, saying: I am ADONAI.³³¹

Hatred (19:17a): Verses 17 and 18 constitute a unit and teach Israelites how to respond when wronged by a fellow believer and/or a fellow Israelite. The context suggests the interpretation that an individual should not allow ill feelings to fester; rather, he should confront his kinsman and admonish him directly, in this way avoiding grudges and vengeance that breed hatred. Do not hate your brother in your heart. Moreover, a proper attitude promotes love for one’s neighbor. The opening statement in verse 17 about hate, contrasts with the conclusion in verse 18 regarding love. This is a matter of holiness. A people that does not nurture hatred is a people set apart.

Rebuking one’s neighbor (19:17b): But rebuke your neighbor frankly, so that you won’t carry sin because of him. As the sages put it, “Woe unto the wicked person, and woe unto his neighbor.” One may eventually suffer by being closely involved with wrongdoers, and it becomes necessary to protect oneself when people go astray. There is also the suggestion that, beyond self-interest, civic responsibility requires a person to rebuke others out of concern for others and for the community as a whole.³³² The Master teaches us the proper method of bringing rebuke when necessary (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Gi – If Brother or Sister Sins, Go and Point Out Their Fault).

Revenge, forgiveness and love (19:18): It is forbidden to avenge oneself, and it is forbidden to carry a grudge. Don’t take vengeance on or carry a grudge against any of your people; and for good measure, declared once again: I am ADONAI. On the contrary we are to love one another. Rather, love your neighbor as yourself. These are among the most difficult of commandments, weighty matters in the Torah, because they are contrary to human nature. And to clarify the mitzvah, Yeshua told the story of the good Samaritan to make His point (see The Life of Christ Gw – The Parable of the Good Samaritan). Additionally, the Master took this prohibition and expanded it to include one’s enemies (see The Life of Christ Dm – You Have Heard it said: Love Your Neighbor). Finally, Paul said: For the whole Torah is summed up in this one sentence, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Galatians 5:14).

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for Your great love! How wise it is of You to watch how people care for others to see if they really care for You. And He said to him, “You shall love Adonai your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The entire Torah and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Mt 22:37-40).

Heaven will be so wonderful to live with You, praising and glorifying You forever! Mere mental knowledge about You is not enough to get one into heaven. You open heaven’s door to the person who’s relationship with You is one of trust and following You as their Lord and Savior. For if you confess with your mouth that Yeshua is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart it is believed for righteousness, and with the mouth it is confessed for salvation (Romans 10:9-10). Confessing You as Lord means to follow what You command: to love our neighbor as ourselves.

Be Holy because ADONAI is Holy
19: 1-10

Be holy because ADONAI is holy DIG: Which three of the Ten Commandments are listed here? What does God expect from us? What is the purpose for each of the mitzvot? What is the motive for doing them and what is the means to be holy? What is sanctification?

REFLECT: How do you view your own holiness? Knowing yourself and your sins as you do, how is it possible for you to be holy? Do any of these mitzvot seem harsh to you? What does the harshness tell you about ADONAI’s standard of holiness? What do you need to change?

Parashah 30: K’doshim (Holy Ones) 19:1 to 20:27
(See my commentary on Deuteronomy, to see link click Af – Parashah)
[In regular years read with Parashah 29, in leap years read separately]

The Key People are Moshe and the whole assembly.

The Scene is the Tabernacle in the wilderness of Sinai.

The Main Events include ADONAI telling Moshe to say, “Be holy because I, ADONAI your God, am holy;” various mitzvot to keep the people holy; and a list of punishments for sin.

In his first epistle, the apostle Peter urges his readers to be holy, quoting from the book of Leviticus. Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Yeshua the Messiah. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You are to be holy because I am holy” (First Peter 1:13-16). The construction: be holy because I am holy is found in Leviticus 11:44, referencing the dietary mitzvot, here, in Leviticus 19:2, referencing the holiness codes, and in Leviticus 20:7, referencing the mitzvot of sexual immorality. If holiness is to be understood as separateness, and ADONAI is proclaimed as the Holy One three times, is it not absurd for Him to challenge human beings to be as holy as He is holy? It seems quite unfair to give mankind a commandment we cannot hope to keep.

What can we do to achieve holiness? One might suppose that a great quest was in order. Some personal feat of prowess or achievement should be necessary to reach holiness. One might suppose that total subjugation of the flesh would be necessary to achieve holiness. One might suppose that complete withdrawal from the mundane world of human beings, living the solitary life of a monk, is necessary to achieve holiness. So, how does one become holy?

Basically, there is only one avenue to holiness, and that is through sanctification. To be set apart, specifically, to the holy use and purposes of YHVH (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Kz – Your Word is Truth). We see the principle at work from the very beginning of Genesis where God sets the seventh day aside as holy (see the commentary on Genesis Aq – By the Seventh Day God Had Finished His Work). The seventh day itself possessed no intrinsic character of holiness. It was not more magnificent than the other six days, nor did it possess any exalted spiritual essence before God designated it as holy. It was made holy solely on the authority of ADONAI, and because He designated it as separate and holy, it is forever after holy and separate. In a similar way, we are set apart as holy unto the LORD.

But, here is the riddle. Normally, the thing to be made holy needs to be separated from its sanctifier. And ADONAI is the sanctifier. But God has chosen to have us participate in this process of sanctification, along with the Ruach Ha’Kodesh who works sanctification in the life of the believer. This continual transformation of our moral and spiritual character actually comes to mirror the standing we already have in God’s sight. While justification is instantaneous at the moment of salvation, sanctification is a lifelong process of making the person holy. However, the state of perfection is never reached in this life. It is a goal that is never reached. It is only when the Lord returns in glory, that He will unite us with our glorified bodies (see the commentary on First Corinthians Dv – Our Resurrection Bodies).

Holiness can be increased by obeying the commandments of ADONAI . . . and it can be decreased by disobeying those commandments. Picture the commandments to be like the walls of protecting the sheep pen. The shepherd places the sheep within the walls, thereby sanctifying them. They have clear boundaries, and they are set apart from the world outside. As long as the sheep stay within those walls, they remain set apart. Should they choose to cross the wall and stray outside, they have left the bounds of holiness. Should they choose to cross back over into the sheep pen, they return to the sanctified status that the shepherd designed for them. It is a commandment for us to be holy.³²¹ We follow these commandments not to gain our salvation, but as our blueprint for living (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Bk – The Ten Words).

Be holy because ADONAI, your God, is holy (9:1-2): ADONAI said to Moshe, “Speak to the entire community of Isra’el; tell them, ‘You are to be holy because I, ADONAI your God, am holy’ (19:1-2).” This is the topic sentence for the whole parashah. It tells us what God expects from us. It tells us the purpose for each of the specific mitzvot in this parashah. It tells us the motive for doing them, and it also tells us the means to be able to do them.

1. What God expects from us: What does God expect from the individual believer? In one word: holiness. God’s definition of holiness is spelled out clearly in this parashah. It encompasses being totally set apart to the Lord in absolutely every area of our lives. Not even one aspect of our lives is held back from Him and uncovered. But I believe there is another dimension to the holiness spoken of in this Torah reading. In 20:32, God reminded Isra’el that He did not want them to live like the nations around them. When they occupied the Promised Land, Ha’Shem did not want Isra’el to live like, worship like, think like, or look like the Canaanites. The holiness of Isra’el was defined by being in complete contrast with the Canaanites. Isra’el was to be radically different.

2. The purpose for each of the specific mitzvah: In light of the statements above, we are to view each of the mitzvot or teaching in this parashah as aids, or helps for us to live a separate life from the idolatrous and immoral Canaanites of our day. The meaning or interpretation of each command is to be considered in light of what it would contribute to the holiness of Isra’el then, or of ourselves today. In other words, when we consider living out these mitzvot, we need to ask ourselves, “How can I do this in such a way as to visibly communicate to those around me that matchless perfection of the God who instructed me to do this to begin with?”

3. The motive for doing them: When we read that God wants us to be holy because He is holy, we also learn the motivation for being holy; in other words, living out the teachings in Leviticus. The only revealed motive is that we are to do so only because our God is holy. We are to seek to be imitators of Him alone (Ephesians 5:1), who called us out of the darkness into His marvelous light. We are not to do so to earn merit with Him. We are not to do so to earn His love. We already possess His love, and we rest totally on the merits of His Son, our Messiah Yeshua. We are to follow these mitzvot only because they reflect Who lives in us.

4. The means to being holy: There is a secret hidden in the words: Be holy because ADONAI your God is holy. If we understand the secret, we will be able to accomplish what these words are asking us to do. The first part of the secret is to understand that in and of ourselves we cannot be holy; we cannot live according to the standards set forth here.

The second part of the secret is to make sure that ADONAI is, in fact, the Lord our God. If Ha’Shem is not our personal God then it is impossible for us to be like Him. Yeshua said that if we receive Him it is the same as receiving the Father: If you have seen Me you have seen the Father (John 14:9b). In other words, how does a person have YHVH, the Creator of the universe, as their personal God? By receiving His Son. When that happens, the Bible tells us that we are made into a new creation (see the commentary on Second Corinthians Bd – A New Creation). Our whole identity is changed from being a slave to sin, to someone who wants to live what the Torah teaches because it is written on our hearts (see the commentary on Jeremiah Eo – I Will Make a New Covenant with the People of Isra’el)! It is naturally a part of our character making us who we are . . . mirrors of God’s righteousness on earth.

That, then, is the secret! We can only be holy if we have trusted in Yeshua. He, then, transforms us into being holy, blameless, righteous and upright – just like He is! For us who are believers, reading this list of holy actions in this parashah is not a checklist of do’s and don’ts (or you’ll be zapped). It’s like reading a description of what we really want to do from our innermost being to please our heavenly Father whom we love so much.³²²

Revering parents (19:3a): The fifth commandment in the Torah is: Every one of you is to revere their father and mother (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Bp – Honor Your Parents). If we are a people who revere our fathers and mothers, we have already separated ourselves from the majority of the population, especially in Western culture. At first, we might think that this commandment is the same as the command in Exodus 10:12 where it says: Honor your father and mother. In that passage the word for honor is the Hebrew kabeid, the same word we sometimes translate as glorify. In this passage, however, the word translated as revere is the Hebrew yara, which means fear. We are to fear our father and mother.

Both these words are used regarding YHVH as well. We are to glorify Him and we are to fear Him. The way we treat our parents is not unrelated to our attitude about God. To understand the meaning of fearing our parents, we need only to consider the iconic, American rebellious teenager who speaks back to his parents, berating them, flaunting disobedience and throwing off their authority. The people of God are not like that. We are holy. We are different. Our teenagers are to be different, and we are to be different. This mitzvah is incumbent upon children and adults, and it refers to small behaviors as well as overall attitudes. Contradicting one’s parents in a disrespectful manner, interrupting their conversation, referring to them by their first names, speaking sarcastically or disrespectfully to them as if one were their peers are behaviors which demonstrate a lack of reverence.

Keeping the sabbaths (19:3b): The fourth commandment of holiness is to keep the LORD’s Shabbats; I am ADONAI your God (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Bo – Observe Uom Shabbat). Notice that it does not say “Sabbath,” instead it says sabbaths. This refers not just to the weekly sabbath, but to all sabbaths of the biblical festivals. In just a few chapters (see Dw – God’s Appointed Times), ADONAI will list those sabbaths for us. For now, He simply says: keep My sabbaths. If we keep the Jewish biblical calendar with all of its festivals and sabbaths, we will certainly find ourselves set apart from others in our community. It is a mitzvah of holiness.

Notice how these first commandments of holiness are linked. Fearing one’s father and mother is tied to keeping the sabbaths of ADONAI. This is to teach us that we must find a way to do both. If one’s father and mother are not sabbath keepers, one must find a way to keep the sabbaths without disrespecting one’s parents. This also teaches us that keeping His sabbaths is one way that we show proper reverence for our Heavenly Father.

Idols (19:4): These are the mitzvot of holiness which can also be seen in the Fifth Book of Moses (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Bl – Have No other Gods). Do not turn to idols, and do not cast metal gods for yourselves; I am ADONAI your God. This was to set Isra’el apart from the other Gentile nations. The absence of polytheism and idols within the worship system of the people of God made them unique. How sad that within only a century or so after Christianity split off from Judaism, that idolatry crept back into the worship system. These commandments reveal YHVH in that they teach us His oneness, and they teach us His indescribable, transcendent nature. He cannot be reduced to an idolatrous representation, and His absoluteness cannot tolerate competing gods.

The Lord’s Table (19:5-8a): When you offer a sacrifice of peace offerings to ADONAI, offer it in a way that will make you accept it. It is to be eaten the same day you offer it and the following day; but if any of it remains until the third day, it is to be burned up completely. Here we learn to put sanctity ahead of pragmatism. To do so will set us apart because common sense dictates that we shouldn’t waste the extra meat. If any of it is eaten on the third day, it will have become a disgusting thing and will not be accepted; moreover, everyone who eats it will bear the consequences of profaning something holy meant for ADONAI. The command to burn up leftover meats reveals God’s concern for life in His worship. His holy sacrifices are not to see decay, “For You will not abandon my soul to sh’ol; nor will you allow your Holy One to undergo decay” (Psalm 16:10).³²³

That person will be cut off from his people (19:8b). In rabbinic literature the penalty is called karet, or “cutting off.” In priestly literature, the penalty of karet was understood to include a series of related punishments at the hand of God, ranging from the immediate death of an offender, as in 20:17, to his premature death at a later time, and even to the death of his descendants. In Mishnah Sanhedrin 9:6 and Mishnah Keritot 1:2, this penalty was characterized as mitah biydei shamayim, or “death at the hands of heaven.” Since in 7:20-21 karet is mentioned in the context as childlessness, there is the implication that it took that course as well.³²⁴

The corners of the field (19:9-10): Caring for the needy is a mitzvah of holiness. When you harvest the ripe crops produced in your land, don’t harvest all the way to corners of your field, and don’t gather the ears of grain left by the harvesters (see the commentary on Ruth Aq – Ruth Gleans in the Field of Bo’az). Likewise, don’t gather the grapes left on the vine or fallen on the ground after harvest; leave them for the poor and the foreigner; I am ADONAI your God. The Torah addresses specifically the industry of agriculture within the land of Isr’ael, but the application of the principle is certainly broader. When reaping the field, the corners are to be left unharvested, and the gleanings are to be left uncollected. In vineyards (and orchards by extension) the harvesters are to be careful to leave fruit for the poor; fallen grapes are not to be gathered. The concept is that the poor and the needy might come in and harvest the gleanings and the corners for themselves. It is charity with dignity. Today, not harvesting the four corners of the field could be giving extra offerings, in being hospitable, praying for others, or calling a brother or sister in distress.

Do these mitzvot apply to other business ventures? Certainly. As we rely on Ha’Shem to prosper our endeavors, we must not forget those that rely on us. Interestingly, the mitzvah the commandment of leaving the corners and gleanings is one of the commandments for which there is no measure. This mitzvah of leaving extra food is completely contrary to good business in a manner that does not try to squeeze every last drop of profitability out of its production is folly in the eyes of the world. One who does business in this manner will stand out as different. That’s holiness.³²⁵

Dear Heavenly Father, How awesome that You are a God of love and holiness! Praise You that Your Kingdom in Your wonderful holy heaven will be a place of complete peace and joy. Perfect holiness is the key to heaven, bought by Messiah’s blood (Ephesians 1:5-7) and received by our faith in Him (Ephesians 1:12-13). You are so gracious to have given Your Holy Ruach to those who love You (John 1:12) both as an inherited seal for heaven (Ephesians 1:13) and as an indwelling Helper (John 14:16-17) providing the strength we need to live holy lives and conquer temptations (First Corinthians 10:13).

Thank You that we have the great joy of Your Holy Ruach living within believers to help us and to guide us. I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper so He may be with you forever –  the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him. You know Him, because He abides with you and will be in you (John 14:16-17). You gave so very much to become our sin bearer and give us Your righteousness (Second Corinthians 5:21). We delight in giving back to You a life full of loving thoughts and actions that please You. We cannot be completely holy till heaven, but we seek to live in holy ways because we keep our eyes fixed on You and eternity. Our trials will soon be over (Romans 8:18). We look with joy to bring You all the glory we can while we live on earth. Soon we will be coming home to be with You forever in heaven. We love You! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Practical Holiness
19: 1-37

When many people think of Torah, they think of it as “The Law!” Which, of course, has a negative connotation. “Don’t break the law!” It sounds strict and unyielding. One reason for this is that many mistakenly understand the Torah to be a long list of “do’s and don’ts.” But the Ruach Ha’Kodesh says: How blessed are those who reject the advice of the wicked, don’t stand in the way of sinners or sit where scoffers sit! Their delight is in ADONAI’s Torah; on His Torah they meditate day and night. They are like trees planted by streams – they bear their fruit in season, their leaves never wither, everything they do succeeds (Psalm 1:1-3). The Torah (Hebrew: teaching) is our blueprint for living. However, the Torah portion before us is one which could certainly leave some with the impression that it is a boring manual of behavior, and a mere list of laws.

At first glance, this truly seems to be the case. I would remind you before we begin that the detailed instructions of Leviticus 19 and 20 are varied and tedious because they represent God’s important and specific instructions to the redeemed community. They concern how we are to walk and how we are to reflect the character of God in this world through His life. These teachings are not to be understood as a grocery list of human behaviors which, if obeyed, will earn one a place in heaven or a “better” standing with the LORD (the Torah was never meant as a means of salvation); or if disobeyed will result in one’s eternity in hell.³¹⁸

The diversity of material in this chapter reflects the diversity of life. All aspects of human affairs are subject to the commandments of YHVH. The holiness of ADONAI is the bedrock supporting the practical holiness promoted by these mitzvot. Though the specific rationale behind some of the commands may not be clear to the modern reader, the ethical commands of this chapter are not arbitrary but are based on the just, humane, and sensitive treatment of the aged, the handicapped, the poor, the resident alien, the laborer, and others. These mitzvot continually reach behind the outward behavior to inward motivation.³¹⁹

Chapter 19 may be characterized as a brief Torah (teaching or instruction). It states the duties incumbent on the Israelites as a people and includes a wide range of commandments that are representative of the basic teachings of the Torah. More specifically, it echoes the Ten Words (see the commentary on Deuteronomy, to see link click Bk – The Ten Words). These features were noted by the ancient sages. In Leviticus Rabba 24, we read the following: Speak to the entire Israelite people and say to them “You shall be holy . . .” Rabbi Hiyya taught, “These words inform us that this section is to be read before the people in an assembly. And why is it to be read before the people in an assembly? Because most of the essential mitzvot of the Torah can be derived from it. Rabbi Levi said, “Because the Ten Words are embodied in it.”³²⁰

The basic principles of the Ten Words are incorporated into Chapters 18 through 20,
though not in the same order and not always with the same emphasis.

The Ten Commandments              Leviticus

1-2 No other gods                             18:2 and 19:4

3 Misuse the Name                           19:12

4 Observe Shabbat                           19:3b

5 Honor father/mother                  19:3a

6 Do not murder                                 19:16b

7 No adultery                                       18:20 and 20:20

8 Do not steal                                       19:11a

9 No false witness                             19:16a

10 Do not covet                                  19:18

Covenant Loyalty to ADONAI
18: 24-30

Covenant loyalty to ADONAI DIG: We bear the inherent, mortal uncleanness with which we were born, but we also bear the uncleanness created by our own wayward affections and lusts (Romans 7:24). How has Yeshua Messiah set you free from your uncleanness?

REFLECT: What have you learned from Chapter 18 about maintaining a correct relationship with a holy and jealous God, who redeems you and calls you to a different life? Think about all the ways your life is different now than before you were saved? Who can you help?

One cannot simply legislate righteous acts, they must flow from loyalty to the covenant.

This concluding epilog warned Isra’el of the dangers of adopting Canaanite practices. If they do, they will pollute themselves and suffer the same punishment as those who occupied the Land before them (18:28). It was customary for ancient treaties (see the commentary on Deuteronomy, to see link click Ah – The Treaty of the Great King), to conclude with a series of curses on those who break them. This pattern is found in Scripture also (see Exodus 23:20-21; Leviticus 26:14ff; Deuteronomy 28:15ff).³¹² Finally, there was the call of witnesses. In the presence of the Gentile nations, the choice before Isra’el is declared, life or death, blessing or cursing. Therefore, these mitzvot (see Cy – The Holiness Code) forced the Israelites to choose between the covenant and sexual sin.

Not every form of sexual immorality is listed in Leviticus 18. Some are learned from other passages of Torah. Others are deduced rationally. A person should beware the rationalization of the flesh. When a person desires to sin, he will ask, “Is it really forbidden in the Torah?” Beware of this tendency. Such a person stops at the letter of the mitzvah, making sure he has not explicitly violated the mitzvah, but then goes on to violate the intention of the commandment. The Master listed several such examples in Matthew 5. We learn that immortality happens first in the heart. Long before the actual commandment is broken, sin is conceived in the heart. No one being tempted should say, “I am being tempted by God.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, and God himself tempts no one. Rather, each person is being tempted whenever he is being dragged off and enticed by the bait of his own desire. Then, having conceived, the desire gives birth to sin; and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death. Don’t delude yourselves, my dear brothers” (James 1:13-16).

Do not make yourselves unclean by means of sexual immorality, because all the Gentile nations which I am expelling ahead of you are defiled with them. The Land has become unclean, and this is why I am punishing it. How so? The Land itself will vomit out its inhabitants (18:24-25). That both the Land and the people can be made unclean through sin like sexual immorality explains the need for the Day of Atonement service (see Co – Yom Kippur: The Removal of All Sin). If the Land itself is rendered unclean, then the Tabernacle/Temple within the Land is polluted. So, once a year, an annual cleansing was necessary by which the Most Holy Place was cleansed and atoned. He will make atonement for the Most Holy Place because of the uncleannesses of the people of Isra’el and because of their transgressions – all their sins; and he is to do the same for the tent of meeting which is there with them right in the middle of their uncleannesses (Leviticus 16:16).³¹³

Though there is not a literal repetition of the first five verses of this chapter, this conclusion reaffirms the same general points and reinforces them with arguments and warnings. While 18:2-3 compared the forbidden practices with customs in Egypt and Canaan, 18:24-25 focuses on the Canaanites as sinners. Here the emphasis is on the implications of sin. The nations that have done such things have defiled the Land and will be driven from it. The Land itself (18:28) becomes an agent independent from the people and able to exercise judgment and cleanse itself.³¹⁴

But you are to keep my statutes (Hebrew: hachukkim, meaning to write into law permanently) and ordinances (Hebrew: hammishpatim, meaning a judgment of the court) and not engage in any of these disgusting practices, neither the citizen nor the foreigner living with you (18:26). As in 18:4, so here, the command to keep God’s mitzvot is repeated and forms the heart of the message in this section. Here the note is added that not only Israelites, but also resident aliens must keep these statues and ordinances. Any violation defies the Land and leads to banishment.

If the Israelites or resident aliens rejected God’s statutes and ordinances, and chose instead to copy the pagan nations who had committed all these abominations, the Land would again be defiled. And if they made the Land unclean, it would vomit them out too, just as it was vomiting out the Canaanites that were there before them (18:27-28). The rabbis cite a parable of a prince to whom was given a loathsome thing to eat. His stomach, being unable to retain it, vomited it out. Similarly, the Holy Land will not be able to contain sinners.

The conclusion reaffirms the warning and commands. It insists that the purity of the Land and Isra’el’s existence there will be threatened by any disobedient citizen unless that person is cut off. For those who engage in any of these disgusting practices, whoever they may be, will be cut off from their people (18:29). In rabbinic literature the penalty is called karet, or “cutting off.” In priestly literature, the penalty of karet was understood to include a series of related punishments at the hand of God, ranging from the immediate death of an offender, as in 20:17, to his premature death at a later time, and even to the death of his descendants. In Mishnah Sanhedrin 9:6 and Mishnah Keritot 1:2, this penalty was characterized as mitah biydei shamayim, or “death at the hands of heaven.” Since in 7:20-21 karet is mentioned in the context as childlessness, there is the implication that it took that course as well.³¹⁵

So keep my charge not to follow any of these abominable customs that others before you have followed and thus defile yourselves by doing them. The sages teach that if Isra’el chose to defile herself with the practices of the Canaanites, and thus remove herself far from God, that He would remove His blessing from her. The message concludes where it began: with a call for people to live in obedience to the mitzvot of YHVH and avoid the detestable practices of the Canaanites – because I am ADONAI your God (18:30).

It is amazing to see how modern trends, even in the supposedly Christian world, seem bent on embracing practices that are not too unlike these ancient abominations. This modern sophisticated world has come to accept adultery, incest, homosexuality and even bestiality, so long as it does not “hurt anyone.” Pagan goddesses, sensual liturgy, and prohibited practices all keep surfacing within religious settings – and if they find acceptance there, then religion will have little reason to call people to repentance and salvation.

Leviticus 18 is not hard to correlate with any age in history and certainly not with today. Many Christians are oblivious to the problem and instead desire to be “loving and accepting.” While these are noble virtues, YHVH wants obedience to His Word, and this requires avoiding wickedness. All the vices listed in this chapter have always been present in the world and are present today as well – even child sacrifice as seen in abortion. Ha’Shem warns His people again and again to remain pure from the world and to keep faith holy. The description of all the individual prohibitions in Chapter 18 must be related to the whole message of covenant loyalty to ADONAI. For one cannot simply legislate righteous acts – they must flow from faithfulness to the covenant. Nevertheless, we must not overlook individual applications along the way and must not fail to correlate them all to the high standards of the B’rit Chadashah.³¹⁶

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for being a covenant-keeping God. Yes, I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your seed after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, in order to be your God and your seed’s God after you. . . God also said to Abraham, “As for you, My covenant you must keep, you and your seed after you throughout their generations. This is My covenant that you must keep between Me and you and your seed after you: all your males must be circumcised” (Genesis 17:7 and 9-10).

God You who are wise and loving, used circumcision as a sign of the love in the heart to follow and obey You. It is no good to have only the outward sign without also having inner love. And He said to him: You shall love ADONAI your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37-38). Thank You for Your wisdom to probe into each person’s heart to see if there is really love for You. Circumcision is indeed worthwhile if you keep the Torah; but if you break the Torah, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. . . For one is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision something visible in the flesh.  Rather, the Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart – in Spirit not in letter. His praise is not from men, but from God (Romans 2:25 and 28-29). I want to keep the covenant by pleasing You, my King, my Lord and my Savior. In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Haftarah Acharei Mot reading (Ezeki’el 22:1–19 (A); 22:1–16 (S):
(see the commentary on Deuteronomy Af – Parashah)

I will scatter you . . . thus I will remove your defilement . . . and you will cause yourselves to be profaned in full view of the Goyim Then you will know that I am ADONAI (Ezeki’el 22:15-16. Eighty times Ezeki’el chastises Isra’el for violating holy prohibitions regarding blood. The people had been debased bloodsuckers in all areas of life. As a result, Ha’Shem personally shortened the community’s length of days in the Land. Judah had become a city of blood (Ezeki’el 22:2). Her sins included child sacrifice during Manasseh’s reign, drunken orgies, open idolatry (Ezeki’el 22:9), bloodshed (Ezeki’el 22:2-4, 6, 9 and 12), and forbidden relationships which uncovered their father’s nakedness (see Dd – Incest and Other Uncleanness). Having succumbed to incest, bestiality, and child sacrifice, Isra’el was judged by YHVH. In captivity among the Babylonians (see the commentary on Jeremiah Gu – Seventy Years of Imperial Babylonian Rule), she was profaned in full view of the Goyim (Ezeki’el 22:15-16). But all was not lost. At Jerusalem, the fires of the siege purified the nation (Ezeki’el 22:16-22 and 23:25-27). Never again would Isra’el collectively approve of child sacrifices to a foreign idol.

B’rit Hadashah reading (First Corinthians 6:20):

You were bought at a price. So, use your bodies to glorify Messiah (First Corinthians 6:20). Greeks viewed the body and the material world as headed for destruction. Only the soul was immortal. The Corinthians thought the body stood for nothing. As a result, sexual matters were transitory and unimportant. Porneia (illicit sex) was widespread in Corinth (First Corinthians 6:9 and 7:2; Second Corinthians 12:21) and condoned by public opinion in Greece and Rome. In fact, the Hellenistic believers in Corinth attacked Paul for his Jewish world view! Rabbi Sha’ul stated that the believer was bought with a price, much in the same way as purchasing a slave at market (First Corinthians 7:23; Romans 6:17). With the change in ownership, believers lack the freedom to practice proneia, and join themselves with prostitutes. Rather, sexual matters fit into an abiding, life-creating moral order. The fallen order will be redeemed and made whole. The body must be treated as holy, the temple of the living God (see the commentary on First Corinthians Bc – Failure to Exercise Sexual Purity).³¹⁷

Homosexuality
Leviticus 18:22-23 and 20:13

Homosexuality DIG: What does God’s Word say about homosexuality? What do you do when your feelings are at odds with God’s Word? Which do you obey? Is homosexuality the unforgivable sin? Why? Why not? How did Adam and Eve turn into Adam and Steve?

REFLECT: How can you protect your family against the homosexual lobby and the assault on our Godly culture? Yeshua said to count the costs when following Him. What will it cost you to uphold the standard of holiness that ADONAI expects from each and every believer?

God holds men, as heads of households, directly accountable for such sins.

Coming on the heels of the high, holy chapters of purity (to see link click Bj – The Mitzvot of Purification), it seems strange to plunge into a litany of forbidden sexual relationships. They are commandments which define sexual morality. The main thrust of the chapter is a lengthy list of detailed statutes (Hebrew: hachukkim, meaning to write into law permanently) and ordinances (Hebrew: hammishpatim, meaning a judgment of the court) about abstaining from the abhorrent sexual acts and the curses resulting from their violation (18:6-23). It is a jarring transition to go from the sublime imagery of the high priest emerging from the Most Holy Place to the blunt prohibitions on incest and other uncleanness. But these are also purity mitzvot. They are different from the previous ones because they come with a moral and ethical component.³⁰⁹

I hold no ill-will against homosexuals; however, a rigorous critique of same-sex intercourse can have the unintended effect of bringing personal pain to homosexuals, some of whom are already prone to self-loathing (see Ae – The Bible and Homosexual Practice). This is why it needs to be stated right up front that to feel homosexual impulses does not make one a bad person. Whatever one thinks about the immorality of homosexual behavior, or about the abhorrent of elements within the homosexual lobby, homosexual impulses are just like all other sinful impulses of the flesh (Romans 7:14-25). A homosexual impulse cannot give birth to sin unless one gives in to it (James 1:13-15). The person with homosexual temptation, or practice, should evoke our concern, sympathy, help, and understanding, not our scorn or hatred.

Homosexuality is not the unforgivable sin. Yeshua said: I tell you that people will be forgiven any sin and blasphemy, but blaspheming the Ruach Ha’Kodesh (the rejection of the Holy Spirit) will not be forgiven (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Em – Whoever Blasphemes Against the Holy Spirit Will Never Be Forgiven). Therefore, according to God’s Word, a person can be a believer, struggle with, and practice homosexuality, and still have that sin forgiven. Now, it doesn’t mean that there won’t be consequences in the sinner’s life, just like any other kind of sin. But we should love the sinner, and hate the sin.

Today, many churches are not teaching that homosexuality is a sin. They want to be “inclusive.” So, they avoid the topic. Jesus didn’t avoid it. Just after describing the destruction of the world by the Flood, Messiah said: Likewise, as it was in the time of Lot – people ate and drank, bought and sold, planted and built; but the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all (see the commentary on Genesis Fa – The LORD Rained Down Burning Sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah). That is how it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed (Luke 17:28-30). This conforms with John’s prophecy that the “church” during the Great Tribulation will be an apostate church, spewing out lies and false doctrine (see the commentary on Revelation Bf – The Church at Laodicea).

Homosexuality (18:22): Homosexuality is forbidden in the strongest of terms. It is condemned more harshly than all other forms of immorality and sexual deviancy forbidden in the Torah, which refers to it as a toevah, meaning an abomination to YHVH. Lesbian activists often point out that the prohibition says nothing in regard to women, but from 18:6 onwards, it is understood that the prohibitions apply to both genders. Paul shows that he is without prejudice or bias by soundly condemning both genders of homosexuality. This is why God has given them up to degrading passions; so that their women exchange natural sexual relations for unnatural; and likewise, the men, giving up natural relations with the opposite sex, burn with passion for one another, men committing shameful acts with other men and receiving in their own persons the penalty appropriate to their perversion. In other words, since they have not considered God worth knowing, God has given them up to worthless ways of thinking; so that they do improper things (Romans 1:26-28).

Yet the progressive thinkers of the modern age often raise the objection that a person does not choose a gay or lesbian lifestyle; they are born with it. But there is no “gay gene.” Wouldn’t it be unfair of YHVH to make human beings homosexual and then forbid them to engage in homosexual behavior? What if someone said they were born with a “rape gene?” Or a “pedophilia gene?” Or a “murder gene?” Would that be Ok? Would society put up with that? People with urges to rape, commit pedophilia, or murder must suppress that urge just like the person with an inclination to commit adultery must suppress that urge. They used the “gay gene” theory to avoid taking responsibility for their sinful choices. But sin is still sin.

In support of their position, apologists for the gay community claim that Messiah never talked about homosexuality. In doing so, they unwittingly or not, separate the godhead, which is, of course, impossible. Yeshua is the author of Leviticus and the Word of God (John 1:1-2). This is what Messiah says about homosexuality: You are not to go to bed with a man as with a woman; it is an abomination (18:22). God holds the men, as heads of households, directly accountable for such sins. Leviticus 18:22a addresses the men in the second person; Leviticus 18:22b addresses the women in the less direct, third person.³¹⁰ But God’s Word went even further in the Dispensation of Torah (see the commentary on Exodus Da – The Dispensation of the Torah), saying: If a man goes to bed with a man as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They must be put to death . . . their blood is on them (Leviticus 20:13). This punishment was reserved for only the most serious of offenses to Ha’Shem.

In addition, a common defense of the gay lobby also claims that it’s only the judgmental, “mean” God of the “Old Testament” who condemns homosexuality; but the loving Yeshua doesn’t say anything about it in the “New Testament.” Nothing could be further from the truth. There are eleven scriptures that directly address homosexuality in the Bible; seven in the TaNaKh (Genesis 19:1-11; Leviticus 18:22, 29-30, and 20:13; Judges 19:16-24; First Kings 14:24 and 15:12; and Second Kings 23:7), and four in the B’rit Chadashah (Romans 1:18-32; First Corinthians 6:9-11; First Timothy 1:8-10; and Jude 7).

These are the words and phrases that God uses to describe this deviant practice: cut off, detestable, wicked, vile, an outrageous thing, godlessness, without excuse, fools, sinful desires, impurity, degrading their bodies, shameful lusts, unnatural relations, penalty, deceived, sexually immoral, sinful, the unholy, irreligious, perversions, a lie exposed as a warning of the everlasting fire awaiting those who must undergo punishment. Lastly, ADONAI has set up the world for healthy things to reproduce. Healthy plants reproduce, healthy animals reproduce, and healthy people reproduce. Homosexuals do not reproduce. This alone is an indictment of their lifestyle. Or as YHVH says: It is an abomination.

Bestiality (18:23): You are not to have sexual relations with any kind of animal. Sexual relations between humans and animals are expressly forbidden and referred to as a perversion (Hebrew: tevel is from the root bll, which means to mix). This indicates that this sexual practice involves improper mixing together of the different species, stepping over the boundaries that YHVH has established (Genesis 1:1 to 2:3). It is significant that the Bible puts sex with animals in the same context as homosexuality. Today, many people think bestiality is unnatural and the Bible equates homosexuality and bestiality.³¹¹ In fact, to show God’s distain for homosexuality, the context of this verse includes all sorts or sexual deviations, including bestiality. By the end of the chapter, Ha’Shem declares: For those who engage in any of these disgusting practices, whoever they may be, will be cut off from their people (18:29). With this, the mitzvot of forbidden sexual activity are complete. The closing section (18:24-30) is an admonition against violating any of the sexual prohibitions stated in this chapter.

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise and thank You that in Your great love to bless all, especially Your children, You have withheld no good thing. No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly (Psalms 84:11c). I am so grateful for Your love that always seeks to give the best. No rule that You make is ever made to hurt anyone but only to bless and You love to bless! You desire to give fullness of life. I have come that they might have life, and have it abundantly (John 10:10)! I know that You work out all that happens in my life for good! Now we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). 

Your love is so deep that you gave the costliest gift that You could give – Your only son to painfully die in our place. He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how shall He not also with Him freely give us all things? Nothing can separate us from God’s great and gracious love! . . . But in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Messiah Yeshua our Lord. Romans 8:27-39). We love you! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of resurrection. Amen

Incest and Other Uncleanness
18: 6-21

Incest and Other Uncleanness DIG: What is the meaning of holiness? Why is Molech listed here in the midst of an entire chapter about sexual immorality? What was so abominable about the worship of Molech? What sin is likened to the sin in the worship of Molech?

REFLECT: Why do you think that all these mitzvot, except Niddah (18:19), are directed at men? It’s not that women are not sinners, but they are often abused. This chapter is very contemporary. Men have not changed much. Women are still abused. Just watch the news.

The way we express our sexuality should draw a clean line of distinction
between us and the rest of the world.

Coming on the heels of the high, holy chapters of purity (to see link click Bj – The Mitzvot of Purification), it seems strange to plunge into a litany of forbidden sexual relationships. They are commandments which define sexual morality. The main thrust of the chapter is a lengthy list of detailed statutes (Hebrew: hachukkim, meaning to write into law permanently) and ordinances (Hebrew: hammishpatim, meaning a judgment of the court) about abstaining from the abhorrent sexual acts and the curses resulting from their violation (18:6-23). It is a jarring transition to go from the sublime imagery of the high priest emerging from the Most Holy Place to the blunt prohibitions on incest and other uncleanness. But these are also purity mitzvot. They are different from the previous ones because they come with a moral and ethical component.

The way we express our sexuality should draw a clean line of distinction between us and the rest of the world. As believers, we are still in the midst of the modern equivalent of Egyptians and Canaanites. Modern society is obsessed with sex, so ADONAI gave us the seventh commandment (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Br – Do Not Commit Adultery). Fed by the media, advertising images, the fashion and entertainment industry, the appetite for sexual display and deviance grows ever hungrier and more twisted. Free access to pornography, whether through the internet, television or print, has seared the conscience and sensibility of our culture. Immodest dress is the standard wardrobe for men and women even within churches and liberal synagogues.

The Torah tells us that the sexual immorality of Egypt and Canaan was practically legislated. This is why God’s Word says: You are not to engage in the practices . . . nor are you to live by their laws (18:3). Rashi explains that their practices refer to matters etched into the fabric of the society, so basic to the culture that they are observed as if they were laws. It is against this backdrop of modern society that ADONAI calls us to not do as the Egyptians and the Canaanites did. We are to be a completely different breed of people.

In the First Century, sexual immorality was intrinsically connected to the popular worship systems. Devotees to the gods followed their sexual exploits and imitated their basic behavior in temple rituals which incorporated “sanctified” prostitution. Roman culture, for all its austere talk of moderation, was one of perversity, indulgence and depredation. In the midst of the sexually charged atmosphere of the First Century, the believers who lived at that time stood out as a people quite set apart.

Abstaining from sexual immorality was one of the warnings of the Jerusalem council and a frequent caution in the epistles. In passage after passage the apostles encouraged the disciples of Yeshua to live set apart and free from immorality. More than that, we are told to dress modestly. We are not to wear clothing that advertises our bodies. Likewise, the women, when they pray, should be dressed modestly and sensibly in respectable attire, not with elaborate hairstyles and gold jewelry, or pearls, or expensive clothes. Rather, they should adorn themselves with what is appropriate for women who claim to be worshiping God, namely, good deeds (First Timothy 2:9-10). Believers are supposed to look different. According to biblical standards, it should be fairly obvious whether a person is one of faith.

Unfortunately, believers within our modern Egypt and Canaan have adopted the dress and behavior of the sexually deprived culture around us. We live in a sex-saturated society today. Sins that used to be kept in the dark are now flaunted in public. Our sense of shame has been replaced with brazen defiance. Norms that used to be accepted are now being challenged; people living abnormal lifestyles now want to be accepted as normal. Sex sells everything today. It is in every industry, all the time, year after year, day after day, every minute, every second. We cannot escape it. Like Lot in Sodom and Gomorrah, we are swimming in an ocean of sexual excess and perversion while trying to stay clean. Sex crimes are at all-time highs, while infidelity, divorce, and perversion are now commonplace. We are obsessed with sex to a degree perhaps never seen before in the world. God’s solution is a total break from this culture. We are to be completely different. We should look different, act different, and be different. That is the meaning of holiness.

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for being a God of Holiness, Wisdom and Love. It is a privilege to meditate on many awesome qualities. You desire Your children to act and to think like You. You are both absolutely just and You never lose control in Your wrath. You do have wrath (Romans 1:18) but You are also patient. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some consider slowness. Rather, He is being patient toward you – not wanting anyone to perish, but for all to come to repentance (Second Peter 3:9). Your patience is not the overlooking of sin but rather to bring people to repentance.

You graciously desire to give life to the full. I have come that they might have life, and have it abundantly (John 10:10)! When people turn away from Your offer of salvation and choose to put themselves first, they store up your wrath for themselves. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. In unrighteousness they suppress the truth, because what can be known about God is plain to them – for God has shown it to them (Romans 1:18-19).

Thank You that in Your desire for us to live holy lives, You do recognize our frailty and our need of having You to help us live pure lives. As a father has compassion on his children,
so Adonai has compassion on those who fear Him. For He knows our frame. He remembers that we are but dust. As for man, his days are like grass – he flourishes like a flower of the field, but when the wind blows over it, it is gone, and its place is no longer known. But the mercy of ADONAI is from everlasting to everlasting on those who revere Him (Psalm 103:13-17b). You are a wonderfully faithful Abba to stand beside Your children to help us resist the temptations of life. No temptation has taken hold of you except what is common to mankind. But God is faithful – He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can handle. But with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape, so you will be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13). Thank You for being such a wonderfully loving and holy Father! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Believers who teach that the Torah has been nullified by the B’rit Chadashah still, paradoxically, point to the Torah when it comes to determining a standard for sexual morality. When necessary to take a stand against homosexuality or some other deviance, they find themselves scrambling to find Leviticus 18. Yet, those who advocate for their own favorite form of immorality will often respond by pointing out that the Torah has been done away with. Needless to say, the Torah has not been done away with, and the commands of sexual morality are still our blueprint for living, with the consequences still in place.

The implication of the mitzvot of Leviticus 18 is not simply that certain sexual relations are prohibited, but that monogamous, heterosexual relations between a husband and wife are permissible and sanctioned by the Torah. This is the reason for the blessing in the traditional Jewish wedding ceremony: Blessed are You, LORD, our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and has commanded us regarding forbidden unions . . . and permitted us to marry women through the chuppah and dedication (Blessing of Betrothal).

Drawing near and nakedness (18:6): The Torah begins the mitzvot of sexual morality with a general statement. None of you is to draw near (Hebrew: karav) to anyone who is a close relative in order to have sexual relations; I am ADONAI (18:6). The rabbis understand it, in this instance, to include both male and female because as Rashi points out, the following verb is cast in the plural, rather than in the singular, as one would expect. A person might otherwise suppose that these prohibitions applied only to men, but not to women. From 18:6 onwards, it has been understood that the prohibitions apply to both genders.

We should also notice that the euphemism the Torah uses here for sexual intimacy in karav, meaning to draw near, the same expression that is used earlier in Leviticus to refer to entering the Presence of God in His Tabernacle. In parashah Vayikra (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Af – Parashah) the same expression is used in 1:2 to refer to entering the Presence of God in His Tabernacle (see Ai – The Burnt Offering: Accepted by God). The book began with the words: If a man will bring near (karav) from you something brought near (korban) . . . From this we learn that entering the presence of YHVH is comparable to this, the most intimate and sacred level of human interaction. The sages understood karav in this context to mean any behavior which might incite sexual activity; for example, even flirting, kissing, or caressing. A second euphemism is the term nakedness (Hebrew: ervah). Uncovering one’s nakedness is understood to mean engaging in sexual relations. In rabbinic language, an ervah is any person with whom sexual relations is forbidden.³⁰⁴

Your father’s nakedness (18:7-8): The Torah euphemistically refers to a man’s wife as his nakedness. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, which is the nakedness of your mother; she is your mother, you shall not uncover her nakedness. Forbidding a man from uncovering his father’s nakedness should probably be understood as a general prohibition against incest with one’s mother or adultery with one’s step-mother. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife; it is your father’s nakedness (18:7-8).

Your sister’s nakedness (18:9): One’s sister is forbidden, whether she is one’s full sister or one’s paternal or maternal sister. You are not to have sexual relations with your sister, the daughter of your father or the daughter of your mother, whether born at home or elsewhere (meaning born out of wedlock). Do not have sexual relations with them. Leviticus 20:17 sheds light on the punishment: The man was to publicly banished from the covenant community, he has dishonored his sister and will be held responsible. And if his sister consented, she would also be banished.

Your children and grandchildren’s nakedness (18:10): You are not to have sexual relations with your son’s daughter or with your daughter’s daughter. Do not have sexual relations with them, because they are your own flesh and blood. Naturally, this implies that sexual relations with his own daughter, a far closer relative, are forbidden as well.

Your half-sister’s nakedness (18:11): Lest one suppose that a daughter born of the union of one’s father and a woman other than one’s mother is permissible, this verse prohibits it. You are not to have sexual relations with your father’s wife’s daughter, brought up in your father’s family, because she is to be viewed as your sister; do not have sexual relations with her. 

Your aunt and uncle’s nakedness (18:12-14): This passage goes on to prohibit relations with one’s aunt, whether paternal or maternal, and the wife of one’s uncle. You are not to have sexual relations with your father’s sister, because she is your father’s close relative. You are not to have sexual relations with your mother’s sister, because she is your mother’s close relative. You are not to disgrace your father’s brother by having sexual relations with his wife, because she is your aunt. Leviticus 20:20 tells us that the penalty is not that they will be put to death, or even exiled, but that, at death, they will not have any descendants within Isra’el to carry on their name.³⁰⁵

Your daughter-in-law’s nakedness (18:15): Relations with a daughter-in-law is prohibited. You are not to have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law; because she is your son’s wife. Do not have sexual relations with her because she had become a close relative through marriage to his son. The prohibition is a great mercy for the daughter-in-law, who is therefore protected from becoming a sexual slave to multiple men in the household.

Your sister-in-law’s nakedness (18:16): Relations with the wife of one’s brother is forbidden. You are not to have sexual relations with your brother’s wife, because this is your brother’s prerogative. This prohibition is understood to extend even if she is divorced. The only exception would be the case of a levirate marriage (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Et – Levirate Marriage).

A woman, her children, and granddaughter’s nakedness (18:17): It is forbidden to have sexual relations with both your wife and any of her offspring. You are not to have sexual relations with both your wife and her daughter, nor are you to have sexual relations with her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter. The daughter and granddaughters were close relatives of hers, and had come under the man’s roof for protection. To exploit them sexually would be shameful.

A sister’s nakedness (18:18): You are not marry a woman to be a rival (Genesis 16:4, 29:21 and 30:24; First Samuel 1:6) with her sister and have sexual relations with her while her sister is still alive. This verse is prohibiting a man from marrying his wife’s sister while his wife is still living. Therefore, this verse is a general prohibition against polygamy.

Niddah (18:19): You are not to approach a woman in order to have sexual relations with her when she is unclean from her time of niddah (see Cn – Female Menstrual Uncleanness: Niddah). This would make him equally ritually impure (15:24 with 15:19-23), thereby increasing the chances of spreading ritual uncleanness in the camp. That was a risk that no-one was to take (15:31.

Adultery and uncleanness (18:20): For good measure, the Torah reminds us that to lie with another man’s wife is adultery, and it is forbidden. This is the seventh commandment (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Br – Do Not Commit Adultery). You are not to go to bed with your neighbor’s wife and thus become unclean with her. To do so is to contaminate oneself. We learn here that ritual uncleanness can be caused by sexual immorality. No purification from uncleanness arising from immorality is given. We will learn before the end of the chapter that uncleanness arising from sexual immorality can defile both the people and the land.³⁰⁶

Molech (18:21): The Torah anticipated the despicable worship of Molech. You are not to let any of your children be sacrificed to Molech, thereby profaning the name of your God; I am ADONAI. Molech was an old Canaanite idol, into whose worship the Israelites gradually became drawn. The usual description given of this god is that of a hollow image made of brass, and having a human body with the head of an ox. The idol was made of bronze with hands extended. In sacrificing it, the image was heated by a fire within. The parents then place their babies into the red-hot hands of the idol, while the noise of drums and cymbals drowned out the cries of the little sufferers. It is also said that there were seven chapels connected with the idol, which were to be entered according to the relative value of the offering presented; only those who offered children being allowed to enter the seventh.³⁰⁷

We must ask, why is this mitzvah listed here in the midst of an entire chapter about sexual immorality? Wouldn’t it be better placed in a passage dealing with idolatry? Obviously, the sacrifice of the children to Molech and the abominable practices of sexual immorality are not completely disconnected. Both were practiced by the Canaanites. Both had defiled the land and the Canaanite nations. Both are reasons why the Canaanites were expelled from the land. But one thing is for sure, the more immoral a society becomes, the more disposable the children of the society become. Today, abortion is the most obvious example of this.

The main reason the Adversary so desires to twist our sexuality away from the healthy, monogamous marital relationships is that he desires to hurt, damage and destroy the nuclear family. To the wicked one, no child is better a conceived one, an illegitimate child is better than a legitimate one, a defected child of incest is better than a whole child and an aborted child is the best of all. The Torah means to teach us that sexual immorality and the sacrifice of children are not at all unrelated issues. To indulge in sexual immorality is to sacrifice children, in one way or another.³⁰⁸

All these mitzvot point to the need of a Savior. And the Torah came into the picture so that the offense would proliferate; but where sin proliferated, grace proliferated even more (Romans 5:20). One of the reasons YHVH gave the Torah was to cause us to sin more (see the commentary on Exodus Dh – ADONAI and the Torah). No matter how great our sin becomes, God’s grace overflows beyond it and abundantly exceeds it. No wonder Paul wrote that God’s grace is enough for us (Second Corinthians 12:9a). The Torah has never been a means of salvation during any Dispensation. Paul has already declared that Abraham was righteous completely apart from any good works he accomplished, and several years before he was circumcised and centuries before the Torah was given by Moshe (see the commentary on Romans Be – The Sign of Justification).

All this happened so that just as sin (Greek: a ‘amaptia, meaning, sin nature) ruled by means of death, so also grace might rule through causing people to be considered righteous, so that they might have eternal life (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ms – The Eternal Security of the Believer), through Yeshua the Messiah, our Lord (Romans 5:21). Here, we see our [sin nature] being personified, since it reigns as king. Thus, two realms or kingdoms are spelled out. No middle ground is given. This prepares us so that, as believers, can live a holy separated life, disengaged from our [sin nature], no longer compelled to obey it.

Avoid Worldly Practices
18: 1-5

Avoid worldly practices DIG: In Chapter 18, Isra’el is called to be different than other nations (18:3, 21, 24-30). What does that tell you about the sexual practices of those other nations? How would not being set apart harm Isra’el’s relationship with ADONAI?

REFLECT: Do you embrace the fact that the Word of God tells us how to live and how to act, or is there a part of you that resents it? If so, where does that attitude come from? Is there any part of your life that is still in Egypt? How can God help you leave Egypt forever?

We are to be easily distinguishable from the secular/pagan culture in which we live.

Chapter 17 opened up a new section of Leviticus by way of the blood we can approach YHVH (to see link click Cy – The Holiness Code). For that purpose, the Messiah died for us. Once this concept is grasped, now Leviticus teaches the reader how to live and how to act. This is the practical aspect of the Torah. What we have here in Chapter 18 was not merely good advice that was being offered to Isra’el here – it was a matter of covenant loyalty. The text of this message follows the pattern of the ancient suzerain-vassal treaties (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Ah – Treaty of the Great King).³⁰¹

Preamble (18:1-2): ADONAI said to Moshe, “Speak to the people of Isra’el; tell them, ‘I am ADONAI your God’ (18:1-2).” This is the main point of the message we need to grasp. When God becomes our Lord, then our lives will be so much easier, and the mitzvot which follows will be the breath of life, not a burden. These words: I am ADONAI your God can be seen in the first commandment: I am ADONAI your God, who brought you out from the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. You are to have no other gods before Me (Deuteronomy 5:6-7). The phrase “no other gods” is emphasized by the mention of Molech in the next file (see Dd – Incest and Other Uncleanness: Molech). The phrase I am ADONAI your God is repeated twelve times in the next three chapters. We also have the words: I am ADONAI, which occur thirteen times in the next three chapters. That’s twenty-five times in the next three chapters. But now, these two verses summed up in the next three verses.

Historical prologue (18:3): The people of Isra’el were on the move. They were leaving Egypt and Canaan. YHVH warned them not to imitate the ways of the Egyptians (don’t turn back to the evil of your past), and He told them not to do as the Canaanites do (don’t be seduced by new temptations). This is the mission of the people of God. We are set apart. We are to be easily distinguishable from the secular/pagan culture in which we live, and one of the most obvious ways in which we can be different is in the area of sexuality, as we shall soon see.³⁰²

You are not to engage in the practices found in the land of Egypt, where you used to live; and you are not to engage in the practices found in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you; nor are you to live by their laws (18:3). But you may be asking yourself, “What does my life have to do with ancient Egypt or Canaan?” Let us first remind ourselves that the history of Egypt and the Israelites themselves have become an example for us to follow, being a reflection of who we are. As Paul reflected on Isra’el’s time in the wilderness, he said: These things happened as an example for us (First Corinthians 10:11-13). It’s as if he were saying, “Go back and read the Torah and see how Ha’Shem dealt with them.” In the same way, God deals with us today. As Isra’el was saved as a nation through the blood of the Lamb, so are we. Egypt and Canaan symbolize the world (First John 2:15-17).

General stipulations (18:4): You are to obey My statutes and ordinances and live accordingly; I am ADONAI your God. The words statutes and ordinances are often seen together in the Torah (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Bb – Hear and Obey), and here repeated twice, the second time in reverse order. We will sometimes see that these statues and ordinances are very harsh and at times, seemingly overly severe to us. For instance, the death penalty for those who violate Shabbat, or the death penalty for a son who insults his father or mother. These might act as a deterrent for some. However, the main reason that they are there is to remind us that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Today, we live in a world that is at odds with God’s statutes (Hebrew: hachukkim, meaning to write into law permanently) and ordinances (Hebrew: hammishpatim, meaning a judgment of the court), which makes this book of Leviticus very contemporary for us. As the people of God, we are expected to imitate God, that is, to be holy. For I am ADONAI your God; therefore, consecrate yourselves and be holy, for I am holy (11:44a).

Blessings (18:5): You are to observe My ordinances and statutes, if a person lives by them, he will have life through them; I am ADONAI (18:5). The word live brings us to consider the power behind the Torah of ADONAI. It has much more value than mere human laws. Torah is our blueprint for living here on the earth, but it also prepares us for the hereafter. Ancient rabbis have understood this. The targum of Jerusalem, Aramaic translations of the Hebrew before the first century, renders this verse, “You are to keep My statutes and ordinances so whoever does so may have eternal life.” The Words of YHVH are eternal and have eternal consequences. This is why it is so important to read the Word of God. Psalm 118:89 demonstrates this truth when David wrote: Your word, LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. This is why the Word says we should live by them. For we must all appear before the bema seat of Messiah, where everyone will receive the good or bad consequences of what he did while he was in the body (see the commentary on Revelation Cc – We Must All Appear Before the Bema Seat of Christ).³⁰³

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for being such a wonderful Father in so many ways. Your love took sin’s penalty of death at the cross and gave Messiah’s righteousness to those who declare with their mouth that Yeshua is Lord, and believe in their hearts that God raised Him from the dead. They will be saved (Romans 10:9).

Everyone wants to live in heaven and you also would like all to enter heaven, but there is a requirement to enter heaven – a heart that loves You as Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9-10). For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. In unrighteousness they suppress the truth, because what can be known about God is plain to them- for God has shown it to them (Romans 1:18-19). Many know about You, even Satan, but that is not good enough. Knowledge must be accompanied by a heart that delights to follow You in love.  And He said to him: You shall love Adonai your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind (Matthew 22:37).

While some think that everyone gets into heaven, you express a very different thought. “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many.  How narrow is the gate and difficult the way that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:13-14). Not even doing many good deeds will allow anyone into heaven.  Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in Your name, and drive out demons in Your name, and perform many miracles in Your name?’  Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Get away from Me, you workers of lawlessness (Matthew 7:21-23)! Lord, I love You and want to live a holy life to please You. You are our joy to live for! In Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Sexual Sin and Covenant Loyalty
18: 1-30

The righteous must be vigilant in maintaining their allegiance to ADONAI Elohim because the wickedness of this world provides an overwhelmingly powerful threat. What is truly amazing is that although the moral impurity of this world is perverse and detestable by any simple standard, the more it is tolerated the more acceptable and appealing it becomes. This is more obvious today than ever before. When Isra’el entered the land of Canaan, they found a people whose ways and beliefs were deplorable; but it was not too long before those ways became their ways, and those beliefs became their beliefs. YHVH judged them for this toleration and assimilation.

So this section of the book moves immediately to warn the righteous of the TaNaKh about the abominations of the world and their consequences. The chapter provides a blunt and disturbing picture of the degrading Canaanite civilization; its emphasis is on sexual practices that should be avoided by those who believe in the holy LORD God. Its literary form is now that of a speech, a message, rather than straightforward legal instructions. The chapter has a dual purpose: to warn Isra’el not to practice the abominations of the Egyptians and the Canaanites, and to warn Isra’el that indulging in such wickedness would prompt Ha’Shem to expel them from the Land as well.

It was not merely good advice that was being offered to Isra’el here – it was a matter of covenant loyalty. The text of this message follows the pattern of the ancient suzerain-vassal treaties (see the commentary on Deuteronomy, to see link click Ah – Treaty of the Great King). For example, identification of the great sovereign (I am ADONAI your God) occurs three times at the beginning (18:2, 4 and 5) and once at the end (18:30), forming a book end effect that is reinforced elsewhere by I am ADONAI (18:6 and 21). Following the preamble (18:1-2), the historical prologue (18:3), general stipulations (18:4), and blessings (18:5), the main thrust of the chapter is a lengthy list of detailed statutes (Hebrew: hachukkim, meaning to write into law permanently) and ordinances (Hebrew: hammishpatim, meaning a judgment of the court) about abstaining from the abhorrent sexual acts and the curses resulting from their violation (18:6-23). Finally, there was the call of witnesses (18:24-30). So, these mitzvot forced the Israelites to choose between the covenant and sexual sin.

Several important theological motifs come to the fore in Leviticus 18. At the outset we have the emphasis on obedience to the will of God. The prospect of a long, productive life is held out to those who live in harmony with the perfect will of ADONAI. This means, of course, that they did not live according to pagan abominations. So, at the center of this chapter is the contrast between holiness and sexual violations. Sexual intimacy is part of the institution ordained by YHVH at creation; any acts that cross the sexual barriers not only desecrate what is holy, but also bring chaos and confusion into human relationships.

Judgment, therefore, is also an important motif here. Those who violate Ha’Shem’s will and distort His plan for sexual intimacy forfeit their right to live and flourish in the Land. Although they attempt to conceal their sexual perversion in religious activity or with theological rationalization, they cannot escape the simple fact that they sought to nullify the LORD’s plan. The chapter underscores this divine mitzvah, and those who willfully rebel against it actually condemned themselves.³⁰⁰

The basic principles of the Ten Commandments (see the commentary on the Deuteronomy Bk – The Ten Words) are incorporated into Chapters 18 through 20, though not in the same order and not always with the same emphasis.

The Ten Commandments Leviticus

1-2   No other gods 18:2 and 19:4

3      Misuse the Name 19:12

4      Observe Shabbat 19:3b

5      Honor father/mother 19:3a

6      Do not murder 19:16b

7      No adultery 18:20 and 20:10

8     Do not steal 19:11a

9     No false witness 19:16a

10   Do not covet 19:18

The Life is in the Blood
17: 1-16

The life is in the blood DIG: What consequences would fall upon those who failed to follow ADONAI’s command regarding the sinful use of blood for a sacrifice? A major theme in Leviticus is that blood covers the people’s sins and reconciles them to God. Why do you think YHVH chose blood to do that? What does that say about the seriousness of sin?

REFLECT: How does this chapter point to Messiah’s blood shed for you? How do you feel about that? Do you take His sacrifice for granted? How so? Do you ever thank Him for His shed blood on your behalf? What is the most important thing you have learned from this chapter about maintaining fellowship with ADONAI? Who can you tell about His shed blood?

Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

All sacrifices brought to the Tabernacle (17:1-4): The mitzvah here concerns the prohibition bringing sacrifices (Hebrew zebach) anywhere other than the Tabernacle. God said to Moshe, speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the people of Isra’el. Tell them that this is what ADONAI has ordered, “When someone from the community of Isra’el slaughters an ox, lamb or goat inside or outside the camp without bringing it to the entrance of the Tabernacle to present it as an offering to ADONAI is to be considered guilty of shedding blood.” There was to be only one place and one God. The idea was that the killing of the animal was imputed, or transferred to the man. The seriousness of this offense is underlined by the fact that the crime is called shedding blood, a phrase used to describe the murder. Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed: for in the image of God has God made mankind (Genesis 9:6). As a result, that person is to be cut off from His people.²⁹⁵

In rabbinic literature the penalty is called karet, or “cutting off.” In priestly literature, the penalty of karet was understood to include a series of related punishments at the hand of God, ranging from the immediate death of an offender, as in 20:17, to his premature death at a later time, and even to the death of his descendants. In Mishnah Sanhedrin 9:6 and Mishnah Keritot 1:2, this penalty was characterized as mitah biydei shamayim, or “death at the hands of heaven.” Since in 7:20-21 karet is mentioned in the context as childlessness, there is the implication that it took that course as well.²⁹⁶

Peace offerings brought before ADONAI (17:5-7): The reason for bringing their offerings to the entrance of the Tabernacle, to the priest, and sacrifice them as peace offerings to ADONAI (to see link click Ak – The Peace Offerings: At Peace with God), was to prevent sacrifices from being made to goat idols instead of the LORD. Thus, the text describes the butchering of meat in the open field as a sacrifice. No longer will they offer sacrifices to the goat-demons, before whom they prostitute themselves (Second Chronicles 11:15; Second Kings 23:8)! They either believed in God or believed in demons! The same is true for us today (First Timothy 4:1). Such an offense would be a violation of the First Commandment (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Bl – Have No Other Gods), which explains why the offender would be cut off. The offense was equivalent to spiritual adultery. The proper procedure for the sacrifice of a peace offering is then given. The priest will splash the blood against the bronze altar in the courtyard of the Tabernacle, and make the fat go up in smoke as a pleasing aroma for ADONAI. The proper place of the blood in sacrifice was to be for atonement. This was to be a permanent regulation for them through all their generations.

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for being so wise and holy! Praise You that since blood is so important for sacrifice, You willingly sacrificed Your own blood on the cross in a bloody and painful tortuous execution. What love! It is easy to look at the sacrifice to goat idols and to dismiss it as not occurring nowadays, but sacrifice to idols still does occur. It may not be as obvious of a sacrifice; but self-centered living is a sacrifice to the god of self. When a person lives their life to please their own desires and wants, it is empty and unfulfilling. You give us a full life as we give you honor. I have come that they might have life, and have it abundantly (John 10:10c).

Sacrifices made to the idol of one’s own heart is an abomination to You. Dear Father, We plead for forgiveness for often putting ourselves above You. We need to set aside time for special worship of You. Our time, money and talents are all gifts from You that we should give graciously back to You. Too often our life gets so busy that meditating on Your Word and praise of Your many gracious attributes is crowded out.

May the wonder and glory of You, be the first thought of our day. Bless Adonai, O my soul. Adonai my God, You are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty – wrapping Yourself in light as a robe (Psalms 104:1-2). May praising You be the last thought of our day. Praise the Lord of lords, for His lovingkindness endures forever, who alone did great wonders, for His lovingkindness endures forever, who made the heavens by wisdom, for His lovingkindness endures forever (Psalms 135:3-5). You are worthy! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Burnt offerings brought before ADONAI (17:8-9): Also tell them, “When someone from the community of Isra’el or one of the foreigners living with you offers a burnt offering or sacrifice without bringing it to the entrance of the tent of meeting to sacrifice it to ADONAI, that person is to be cut off from His people.” These two verses restate the principle regarding the location for the presentation of the offerings. All sacrificial offerings had to be brought to the Tabernacle, that is, before ADONAI. This mitzvah not only applied to the Israelite, but also to any foreigner living among the Israelites.²⁹⁷

Blood ritual and slaughter (17:10-16): In addition to regulations regarding sacrifice, Leviticus 17 warned the Israelites against consuming blood (also see Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 7:26-27; Deuteronomy 12:23; Acts 15:20 and 29). When someone from the community of Isra’el or one of the foreigners living with you eats any kind of blood, I will set myself against that person who eats blood and cut him off from his people. Consuming blood was strictly forbidden, for the life (Hebrew: nefesh, meaning soul) of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the bronze altar; for it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life (17:10-11). 

By saying the life of a creature is in the blood, the Torah speaks of life in the sense of life-force. The Hebrew word nefesh can be used to refer to one’s person, one’s life, one’s consciousness, or one’s eternal essence. Here, in Leviticus 17 it should probably be understood in its simplest form: the nefesh is the life-force. It is the life of the flesh, without which the flesh is dead. Obviously, that life-force is dependent upon the blood. When the blood is drained from the body, the spark of life leaves with it.

This is why I told the people of Isra’el, “None of you is to eat blood, nor is any foreigner living with you to eat blood.” When someone from the community of Isra’el or one of the foreigners living with you hunts and catches game, whether animal or bird that may be eaten, he is to pour out its blood and cover it with earth. For the life of every creature is in the blood. Therefore, I said to the people of Isra’el, “You are not to eat the blood of any creature, because the life of every creature is in the blood. Whoever eats it will be cut off from His people and the Tabernacle/Temple sacrifices (17:12-14). The belief that the nefesh is in the blood is testified to by Abel’s blood which cried out from the ground (see the commentary on Genesis Bj – Your Brother’s Blood Cries Out to Me from the Ground). According to the Torah method of slaughter, even animals that are hunted are to be drained out onto the ground and then covered with earth. This is suggestive of a dignified burial.

In Jewish burial customs, blood is accorded great dignity. That the life is in the blood is the reason behind the Jewish burial practice of collecting and burning even blades of grass stained with Jewish blood. In Jewish burial rituals, embalmment is not practiced. People are buried with the blood still in their bodies rather than having it run down the sewer drain of a mortuary before being pumped with formaldehyde.

Meat with the blood still in it is meat that was not ritually slaughtered in a way that completely drains the blood from the flesh. The traditional procedure for sacrifice is to slit the jugular of the animal so that its pumping heart will continue to beat until it has pumped all of the blood (life) from the body. Of course, some blood inevitably remains in any cut of meat, but the blood containing the life of the animal has been drained because the life departed with the blood. This method of slaughter is called shechita, the Hebrew word for butchering. This traditional method of butchering has been inherited from the sacrificial procedure used in the Temple.

Any meat that has not been bled to death by this method is not considered kosher by observant Jews today because it still has blood in it. They are forbidden meats of animals torn or that have died on their own (Exodus 22:31; Leviticus 22:8). The early Messianic community referred to animals not slaughtered by being bled as the meat of strangled animals (Acts 15:20 and 29). We learn that anyone eating such an animal would be rendered unclean by it. Anyone eating an animal that dies naturally or is torn to death by wild animals, whether he is a citizen or a foreigner, is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening; then he will be clean. But if he doesn’t wash them or bathe his body, he will bear the consequences of his wrongdoing (17:15-16).

Are hunted animals deemed kosher? Obviously, an animal wounded or killed in a hunt cannot be slaughtered by shechita. Therefore, in Orthodox Judaism, hunted animals are not regarded as kosher. But here the Torah allows for them so long as their blood is drained out upon the ground and covered with earth. The implication is that the Jewish tradition of shechita is not the biblical standard of whether or not eating hunted meat is permissible.

Understanding the sanctity of blood and the Torah relationship between life/soul and blood, we can better understand the significance of the Master’s blood. We frequently speak of His blood and that it was shed for us. Being shed means that His life/soul was poured out. It is the precious life/soul of Yeshua which ransoms, cleanses and atones for us.²⁹⁸ The B’rit Chadashah frequently mentions the blood of Messiah as it relates to our salvation. On the night in which He was betrayed He said: This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 26:28). And through him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross (Colossians 1:20).

The purpose of the blood was to symbolize sacrifice for sin, which brought about cleansing from sin. Indeed, without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22b). Forgiveness is very, very costly. The Father doesn’t forgive sin by looking down and saying, “Well, it’s all right. Since I love you so much, I’ll overlook your sin.” ADONAI’s righteousness and holiness will not allow Him to do that. Sin demands payment by death. And the only death great enough to pay for all of the sins of mankind was the death of His Son. YHVH’s great love for us will not lead Him to overlook our sin, but it has led Him to provide the payment for our sin, as John 3:16 so beautifully reminds us. Ha’Shem cannot ignore our sin; but He will forgive our sin if we trust in the death of His Son for that forgiveness.²⁹⁹

Holiness for the People
17:1 to 20:27

Like Chapters 1-16, Leviticus 17 addresses issues related to the proper place of sacrifice (17:4 with 1:3; 3:2; 4:4), the proper use of blood (17:10, 12 and 14 with 3:17 and 7:26), the importance of addressing ritual impurity (17:15-16 with 11:24-25 and 39-40; 15:31; 16:16 and 19), and the application of those mitzvah to resident aliens (17:8, 10, 13 and 15 with 16:29). But like Chapters 18-20, Leviticus 17 also has a prohibition against illicit practices (17:7 with 18:21; 19:4; 20:2). The chapter therefore serves as a smooth transition between Leviticus 1-16 and Leviticus 18-20.²⁹³

Up to this point in Leviticus, most of the mitzvot have focused on matters directly related to the Tabernacle: the sacrifices to be presented there (Leviticus 1-7), the procedures necessary for public worship to begin there (Leviticus 8-10), the procedures for addressing impurity so that it does not pollute the Tabernacle (Leviticus 11-15), the yearly ritual, the Day of Atonement, that cleansed it and the people (Leviticus 16).

Chapters 18-20 now turn to matters related more broadly to living as a kingdom of priests in the Promised Land. Leviticus 18 and 20 focus on the unholy practices of the Canaanites that must be avoided, while Leviticus 19 addresses the unholy practices to be avoided as well as holy practices to obey. If the Israelites were to obey ADONAI in these things, they would prove themselves to be His holy people (20:26) and enjoy life under His favor and blessing.²⁹⁴

The Holiness Code
17:1 to 26:46

It has long been recognized that Leviticus Chapter 17 begins a new section that addresses the everyday affairs and ethics of the Israelite community. And yet, the preceding contents of Leviticus Chapters 1-16 are presumed throughout. In scholarly literature, Leviticus Chapters 17-26 has been called the Holiness Code because of its demand for holiness on the part of the Israelites (19:2; 20:7-8 and 26; 21:6, 8, 15 and 23; 22:9, 16 and 32). As will be illustrated throughout this section, holiness addresses every aspect of life. That such an ethical or practical section would immediately follow the legislation for atonement is not surprising since this is often the pattern in biblical revelation, particularly in the B’rit Chadashah. Although the dominant theme of Leviticus Chapters 1-16 might be encapsulated by the word atonement, the dominant word for the rest of the book is holiness.

In the TaNaKh as in the B’rit Chadashah, a love for holiness and a desire to obey ADONAI are evidence of spiritual life. Holiness is especially to be demonstrated in relationship to other people. Leviticus Chapters 1-16 deals primarily with the issue of the proper relationship that is to exist between Isra’el and Ha’Shem; that is, how Isra’el is to love God with all its soul, mind and strength (see the commentary on Deuteronomy, to see link click Bw – Sh’ma Isra’el). Leviticus Chapters 17-26, on the other hand, focuses primarily on how people are to remain in fellowship with each other. Thus, the Holiness Code is a commentary on the Golden Rule (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Dv – Ask and It Will Be Given to You; Seek and You Will Find; Knock and the Door Will Be Opened to You).

Whereas the contents of the previous sections were addressed to Moshe and Aaron, beginning with Leviticus 17, the LORD addresses the Israelite community at large. The only exception is the priestly instructions of 21:1 to 22:33. Yet even there the theme of holiness for the nation is still dominant because the holiness of the priesthood was vital in maintaining the holiness of the nation at large.

Another distinct feature of Leviticus Chapters 17-26 is that YHVH addresses the nation in the first person, particularly in the phrase: I am ADONAI your God. These words link the revelation of the divine will to the covenant at Mount Sinai (see the commentary on Exodus Di – I Am the LORD, Who Brought You Out of the Land of Slavery), the introduction to the mitzvot of Isra’el. The expression also calls for a divine urgency on the part of Isra’el to comply with those commands. The phrase: I am ADONAI your God is the final, most complete, and sovereign sentence of all Scripture, without exception.²⁹²

Did Yom Kippur Really Work?
16: 29-34

Did Yom Kippur really work DIG: What is the seeming contradiction of the TaNaKh and the B’rit Chadashah regarding the Day of Atonement? Why weren’t the Yom Kippur rituals performed as a means to attain salvation? How does Messiah’s atonement surpass it?

REFLECT: Do you observe the Day of Atonement once a year? Why or why not? Is it only for Jews? What does it mean to deny yourself? Since the modern observance of the Temple-related rituals of Yom Kippur are impossible, why should we bother with it at all?

The atonement affected by Messiah far surpasses the limited and earthly atonement
accomplished by the rituals of Yom Kippur.

But in what sense are we to understand this atonement? Did the rituals of the Day of Atonement really remove the uncleanness, inequity, transgression and sin of Isra’el? If it did, why did the Messiah have to suffer and die? If it didn’t, why does the Torah say that it did? Note the contradiction in the following passages.

For on this day, atonement will be made for you to purify you; you will be clean before ADONAI from all your sins (16:30).

This seems quite explicitly clear. The rituals of the Day of Atonement cleanse from sin. Yet the writer of the book of Hebrews claims that they did not, and could not, cleanse from sin.

For the Torah has in it a shadow of the good things to come, but not the actual manifestation of the originals. Therefore, it can never, by means of the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, bring to the goal those who approach the Holy Place to offer them. Otherwise, wouldn’t the offering of those sacrifices have ceased? For if the people performing the service had been cleansed once and for all, they would no longer have sins on their conscience. No, it is quite the contrary – in these sacrifices is a reminder of sins, year after year. For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins (Hebrews 10:1-4).

How is this contradiction to be reconciled? One says the sacrifices did cleanse; the other says they did not and could not. We have already learned the answer. The writer to the Hebrews speaks regarding the eternal sense (Greek: deuteros, meaning the world to come, or the heavenly Temple), whereas the Torah speaks of the temporal sense (Greek: protos, this present world, or the earthly Temple). The Torah never claimed that the rituals of Yom Kippur cleansed the heavenly Sanctuary or made the way for human beings to enter there before God. The Torah limits concern to the earthly Tabernacle/Temple. It specifically says that you will be clean before ADONAI from all your sins (16:30). The term before ADONAI or in the presence of ADONAI is used in the Torah as a technical term describing the Tabernacle/Temple, and specifically its interior. Thus, the Torah can be understood to mean, you will be clean before ADONAI from all your sins as regards to the Tabernacle/Temple.

Uncleanness, iniquity, sin and transgression needed to be dealt with in the earthly Tabernacle/Temple. But it must also be dealt with in the eternal Tabernacle/Temple. In regard to the earthly Tabernacle/Temple, a shadow of the real one in heaven, the blood of bulls and goats was effective for atonement (to see link click Cu – The Blood of the Bull and Goat). But the atonement was limited to the confines of the Tabernacle/Temple.

It is critically important that we understand this distinction. The Yom Kippur rituals were never performed as a means to attain salvation. They were not brought to clear the sinner’s conscience. They were not brought to provide forgiveness of sins in the court of eternal justice. For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins (Hebrews 10:4). In other scriptures the writer to the Hebrews explains that the sacrifices could not cleanse the conscience because they were only intended to relate to matters of the flesh, not the spirit. This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings – external regulations applying until the time of the new order (Hebrews 9:9-10).

Some make the mistake of assuming that prior to the death and resurrection of Yeshua, people’s sins were actually forgiven and salvation procured through their participation in the rituals of the Day of Atonement. The Torah was never meant for salvation. It is our blueprint for living (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Bk – The Ten Words). Salvation has always been by faith (see the commentary on Genesis Ef – Abram Believed the LORD and He Credited It to Him). If we believe that the rites of animal sacrifice were effective for eternal salvation up until Yeshua’s death, then He didn’t need to die at all! If animal sacrifices were ever sufficient, then Yeshua’s sacrifice and death would be simply a matter of convenience for the Orthodox Jews today. According to that thinking, it would be convenient that they no longer need to come up with two goats once a year (or a chicken as practiced by the Orthodox Jews today). But if not for Yeshua, the goats (or chickens) would suffice. That, however, isn’t true.

So then . . . what then were the rituals of the Day of Atonement meant for? It’s hard for us to understand because there is no Temple in our day. There is no place we can go to enter into a holy space occupied by the discernable presence of YHVH. But if there were, then we would better understand the need for atonement as it pertains to God’s presence in this world. The sacrifices and Temple rituals of the Day of Atonement only pertained to cleansing the nation and Sanctuary. They were the rituals for the Temple in this world. The writer to the Hebrews made that very clear. He argues that if animal sacrifices were effective for cleansing the flesh, how much more effective is Messiah’s sacrifice for cleansing the spirit. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ritually unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Messiah (Isaiah 52:13-53:52; Matthew 26:28; Ephesians 1:7; Romans 5:9), who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God (Hebrews 9:13-14)!

Here we learn that the purification rituals of Yom Kippur and the red heifer (see the commentary on Numbers Df – The Red Heifer) were effective for cleansing the flesh, but could do nothing to cleanse the spirit. Spiritual cleansing could only be accomplished by faith and repentance. Neither the purification offering, nor the guilt offering, nor the Day of Atonement can bring expiation without repentance (Tosefta Yoma 5:9).

Therefore, the atonement affected by Messiah far surpasses the limited and earthly atonement accomplished by the rituals of Yom Kippur. But when Messiah came as High Priest of the good things that are now already here, He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. For He did not enter a Sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence (Hebrews 9:11-12 and 24).²⁹⁰

Keeping the Day of Atonement: It is to be a permanent regulation for you that on the tenth day of the seventh month you are to deny yourselves and not do any kind of work, both the citizen and the foreigner living with you (16:29). Jews have always understood “denying yourself” to refer to fasting from all food and drink and abstaining from sexual relations. In classical Jewish tradition, bathing and washing are also forbidden, but as a result of the halachah of Yeshua Messiah, it is allowed for observant Messianic Jews and Gentiles today: But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face (Matthew 6:17).

It is a Shabbat of complete rest for you. This is a permanent regulation. The priest anointed and consecrated to be priest in his father’s place will make the atonement; he will put on the linen garments, the holy garments; he will make atonement for the Most Holy Place; he will make atonement for the Tabernacle and the bronze altar; and he will make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the community. This is a permanent regulation for you, to make atonement for the people of Isra’el because of all their sins once a year. Moshe did as ADONAI had ordered him (16:31-34).

Mishnah tractate Yoma 6:2 provides the wording of the ancient the confession: O ADONAI, Your people, the house of Isra’el, have committed iniquity, transgressed, and sinned before You. O, by ADONAI, grant atonement, I pray, for the iniquities and transgressions and sins that Your people the house of Isra’el have committed and transgressed and sinned before You, as it is written in the Torah of Your servant Moshe, “For on this day shall atonement be made for you to purify you of all your sins; thus you shall become pure before ADONAI.”

In modern observance, the Temple-related rituals of Yom Kippur are, of course, impossible. One might wonder, “Why should I bother with it at all then?” Since the atonement of Messiah is final, once-and-for-all, why go through the motions of repentance, fasting and contrition on an annual basis?

This would be like a husband asking, “Since I married my wife, it should be obvious to her that I love her. Why should she have to hear it? If something changes, I’ll let her know. Why should we bother with romantic nonsense? It would be like Moses asking, “Since we were liberated from Egypt, and we are still a free people, why should we bother going through the rituals of the Passover again this year?

It is certainly true that Messiah’s atonement is a permanent, final service which secures us atonement and cleansing within the eternal, heavenly Tabernacle/Temple. But we are still very much alive in this present world here and now. While we are declared justified, sinless and pure, before the throne of YHVH, our actual experience of reality is one marred with imperfection. Though the flesh is legally dead, it is not actually dead. We still sin. We still need to confess. We still need to repent. We still need to make amends and reconciliation. We still need to seek the Father. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us (First John 1:9-10).

In Messiah, our final, permanent atonement is an established fact (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ms – The Eternal Security of the Believer). As regards our position in the World to Come, it is a reality. But as we participate in this shifting, temporal world, we must continually remember to realign our lives with the reality of the eternal state. This realignment requires a consistent and continuous pattern of renewal. The annual celebration of Yom Kippur is ideally suited for exactly that.²⁹¹

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for being such an Awesome Father! Praise You that the goal of salvation is not merely living with You in heaven, but it is also a joy that believers live with You now while on earth. You adopt us into Your family. He chose us in the Messiah before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless before Him in love (Ephesians 1:4). How wonderful and amazing that You make those who love You to actually be part of Your family. But whoever did receive Him, those trusting in His name, to these He gave the right to become children of God (John 1:12).

Families are built on relationships that live and thrive together. You have graciously chosen to live within those who love You, having given the promised Holy Ruach to each one who believes in You. After you heard the message of truth – the Good News of your salvation – and when you put your trust in Him, you were sealed with the promised Ruach Ha’Kodesh (Ephesians 1:14). It gives me such joy to know that I am adopted into Your family, and that You are my Heavenly Father.

There may be trials and persecutions on earth for choosing to follow You – but the trials are only momentary compared to the great eternal joy of living with You in heaven forever and ever! For I consider the sufferings of this present time not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18). It is a wonderful deep joy to follow You always, even when circumstances are hard, Your hand of love is outstretched and we run to You in love. In Your holy name and power of Yeshua’s resurrection. Amen

The Cleanser Must be Made Clean
16: 23-28

The cleanser must be made clean DIG: How many times did the high priest need to be immersed in a mikvah on the Day of Atonement? Why? Why did the man who released the goat for Azazel also have to immerse? What was the paradox of purification? How did Yom Kippur demonstrate Yeshua’s work on our behalf? Why were his grave clothes left behind?

REFLECT: How have you been made pure and righteous in the sight of ADONAI at the moment of your salvation (see the commentary on The Life of Christ, to see link click Bw – What God Does for Us at the Moment of Faith)? Does Yeshua then remain in a state of ritual impurity? Does our uncleanness and sin cling to Him forever? What do you think?

So too, in order to cleanse us, the Master became unclean. He took on death itself,
the most contaminating source of uncleanness, in order to cleanse us.

After sending away the goat for Azazel, the high priest prepared the purification offerings for the bronze altar and then immersed a third time, dressed in the high priestly garments and offered rams for the burnt offerings. According to Yoma 7:4, he then immersed a fourth time and put the linen garments back on for reentering the Most Holy Place to remove the incense shovel and ladle he had left there. After a fifth and final immersion he put on the high priestly garments again, signifying that the atonement services were completed. This was probably the practice. Otherwise the accumulation of incense shovels and ladles would fill the Most Holy Place [in the Temple] within a few centuries.

Aaron was to go back into the Tabernacle, where he is to remove the linen garments he put on when he entered the Most Holy Place, and he was to leave them there. Then he is to bathe his body in water in a holy place, put on his other high priestly garments, come out and offer his ‘Olah Offering (see Ao – The ‘Olah Offering: Providing Access to God) and the burnt offering for the people (see Ai – The Burnt Offering: Accepted by God), thus making atonement for himself and for the people. He is to make the fat of the purification offering, the bull and the goat, go up in smoke on the bronze altar (16:23-25).

Similarly, the man who released the goat into the wilderness was required to immerse before returning to the camp. The man who released the Azazel goat into the wilderness (see Cv – The Goat for Azazel) was to wash his clothes and bathe his body in water; only afterwards, would he be able to return to the camp. So too the priest who oversaw the burning of the carcasses of the purification offerings was required to immerse himself before returning to the camp. The bull for the purification offering and the goat for the purification offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the Most Holy Place (see Cu – The Blood of the Bull and Goat), is to be carried outside the camp; there they are to burn up completely their hides, meat and dung. The person burning them was to wash his clothes and bathe his body in water; afterwards, he may return to the camp (16:26-28).²⁸⁸

A comparison with the Red Heifer: According to the Torah, purification from contact with a human corpse could only be could only be accomplished through the sprinkling of living water mixed with the ashes of a red cow. Procuring these ashes was an involved process. A heifer which had never given birth, been ridden or born a yoke, was taken outside of the camp to a ritually clean place (see the commentary on Numbers Df – The Red Heifer). The heifer was slaughtered and its blood was sprinkled in the direction of the Tabernacle seven times. Then the heifer was totally burned. While it was still burning, a scarlet thread (see Ch – The Initial Procedures for Cleansing Leprosy: The leper needed to bring six items), cedarwood and hyssop were added to the fire. The ashes were then gathered and stored in a ritually clean place outside the camp. In most respects the red heifer was treated as a Chatta’ath Offering (see Aq – The Chatta’th Offering: Communicating God’s Forgiveness). Numbers 19:9 explicitly refers to it as such. As with the Day of Atonement rituals, everyone involved in the preparation of the ashes was rendered unclean and needed to immerse in a mikveh before returning to the camp.

When an Israelite became unclean through corpse contamination, he was cleansed through the sprinkling of living water mixed with the ashes of the red heifer. A ritually clean priest mixed the ashes with living water, dipped hyssop into the water/ash mixture and sprinkled it onto the unclean person to effect purification. Again, the priest who mixed the ashes and sprinkled the living water was rendered unclean and needed to immerse in a mikveh.

The cleanser must be made unclean: Previous files had described the Messianic imagery of the Day of Atonement service. No other Tabernacle/Temple service so graphically demonstrated the work of Yeshua on our behalf. For our purposes, we will simply observe how the paradox of impurity is also the paradox of Messiah.

The paradox of purification is that the one cleansing is rendered unclean. Everyone involved in the Yom Kippur service or in the preparation of the ashes of the red heifer or in the sprinkling of the ashes and living water was made unclean. So too, in order to cleanse us, the Master became unclean. In order to liberate us from death, He died. The curse of the Torah is death (see the commentary on Galatians Bk – Cursed is Everyone Who Hangs on a Tree). He became death for us, so that we might be freed from death. Nothing is as contaminating as a dead body. Yeshua took on mortal uncleanness by virtue of His human birth. He took on human uncleanness by virtue of His healing ministry in midst of ritually unclean people in His day. He took on the uncleanness, the iniquity, the transgression and sin of Isra’el in order to cleanse us. He took on death itself, the most contaminating source of uncleanness in order to cleanse us.

Just as the high priest was made unclean through his efforts to cleanse Isra’el, so too the Master was made unclean through His efforts to cleanse us. Just as those administering purification from death were rendered unclean, so too the Messiah was made unclean, even taking on the contaminating impurity of death itself, in order to cleanse us from sin and death.

Does Yeshua then remain in a state of ritual impurity? Does our uncleanness and sin cling to Him yet? Surely not! Just as the high priest was decreed to immerse himself in a mikvah, so too our Lord came out of the grave in perfect purity. He shed the mortal form; and with it, He shed ritual impurity. The Savior came out of the tomb like Adam in the garden, clothed in perfect purity. The unclean grave clothes Messiah left behind Him (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Md – The Empty Tomb).

This is our assurance. One day we shall shed the mortal frame in which we now live and be raised up immortal, alive and pure, a new creation (see the commentary on Second Corinthians Bd – A New Creation). In perfect purity we will enjoy free access to the Divine. That which separates us from ADONAI will be removed.²⁸⁹ I can hardly wait. How about you?

Dear Heavenly Father, It is amazing that You, in great and awesome love, would become unclean, so that You could make those who love You clean! There is no greater love! We bow in humble worship of what Your great and costly sacrifice that You willing made for sinners. We thank You that You are wise, and that though You desire all to come to heaven to live with You, there is a requirement- not works, but there is something else needed. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some consider slowness. Rather, He is being patient toward you – not wanting anyone to perish, but for all to come to repentance (Second Peter 3:9). What is needed is not any work nor any type of a good deed; but in order to receive Your gift of righteousness (Romans 5:17).

Your gracious gift of salvation can only be received by having a repentant heart. Repentance means turning away from sin and turning to You in love, for love is the most important. And He said to him, “You shall love ADONAI your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37-38). We love You and delight in pleasing and in serving You! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Goat for Azazel
16: 20-22

The goat for Azazel DIG: How and why were the sins of Isra’el transferred to the goat? In what way did the goat for Azazel function like the second bird in the leper’s purification ceremony? Why did the tradition of pushing the goat over a high cliff come about?

REFLECT: What is your favorite “scapegoat” when things go wrong? By establishing this process for ancient Isra’el to be reconciled with YHVH, what does that tell you about His yearning for a right relationship with us? What can you do this week to make that happen?

Upon that goat the high priest laid all the wickedness,
rebellion and sins of the people of Isra’el.

Following the blood rituals (to see link click Cu – The Blood of the Bull and Goat), the high priest turned his attention to the remaining goat designed for Azazel, or sometimes called the “scapegoat.” When someone blames an innocent party for a wrongdoing, the accused person is the scapegoat. The false culprit takes the blame and punishment for the sin committed. When he has finished atoning for the Holy Place, the tent of meeting and the altar, he is to present the live goat. He laid his hands on the head of that goat and confessed for Isra’el, not his own sins or those of the priesthood. Those would be atoned for by the blood offering by fire outside the camp (see Cw – The Cleanser Must be Made Clean). The scapegoat atoned for the people only, not the priesthood. Aaron is to lay both his hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the transgressions, crimes and sins of the people of Isra’el (see Psalm 65:4). The people responded in like manner to the pronounced name of YHVH, prostrating themselves and proclaiming, “Blessed be the Name of His Glorious Kingdom forever and ever” (Yoma 6.2). Upon that goat he laid all the wickedness, rebellion and sins of the people of Isra’el. In that way he transferred the people’s sins to the head of the goat. Then a man specifically chosen for the task would release the goat into the wilderness (16:20-21).

The goat for Azazel will bear all their sins away to some remote place, and (at least in the second Temple period) an appointed man shall release it into the wilderness (16:22 NIV). The live goat functions in the same way as the live bird did in the purification of the leper. You may recall from the comments made on Leviticus 14 (see Ch – The Initial Procedures for Cleansing Leprosy) that two birds were used in that purification ritual. The first was offered as a purification offering, the blood of which was sprinkled on the leper to be purified seven times. Then the live bird was released. That symbolized something of an ancient “exorcism.” Rather than exorcizing demons, though, the ritual was meant to remove the Levitical uncleanness left behind by the leprosy. The live bird was released to carry away the impurity (see Cp – The Purity Issue).

The two goats on the Day of Atonement service functioned in an almost identical fashion. The first was offered as a purification offering and its blood was sprinkled in seven-fold applications to remove the impurity of Isra’el from the Sanctuary. Then the uncleanness (the wickedness, rebellion and sins) of Isra’el was transferred by the laying on of hands to the second goat, and released into the wilderness. As with the bird ritual, the direction of the goat ritual is suggestive of exorcism. The association with the Jewish concept of the spirit of Azazel being a demon only adds to that impression. Yet it is not demons that are being exorcized, it was the wickedness, rebellion and sins of Isra’el.

The character of Azazel as a fallen angel is found in the apocryphal book of Enoch, which is not part of the Bible. Those books are accepted by the Roman Catholic church and the Eastern Orthodox church, but Protestant denominations disregard them from the canon of Scripture. In the book of Enoch, Azazel is a leader of other fallen angels and responsible for evil in the world. He has led so much destruction that the book Enoch encourages Jewish readers to ascribe sin to him. This idea is related to the scapegoat as mentioned above and could be the reason “scapegoat” is translated as Azazel in some translations of the Bible. The term Azazel is highly debated, but can be identified as another name of Satan. The Azazel goat of Leviticus is sent into the wilderness, representing the people sending their sins back into the deserted wilderness, representing the people sending their sins back to the place they came from. In both the Bible and Apocrypha, we find Azazel far from the people of Isra’el and the ways of ADONAI. Therefore, it was not demons that were being exorcized, it was the wickedness, rebellion and sins of Isra’el.

According to the Oral Law (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ei – The Oral Law) the goat was taken out to a high cliff and then thrust over the edge. We cannot help but wonder about that innovation of tradition. The Torah says nothing about killing the goat. Rather it was to be released into the wilderness. Those who know goats will understand the necessity of the violent end. Goats are especially hungry animals. A goat released into the wilderness will most likely follow you back. Imagine the dismay of the worshippers in the Temple. As they celebrated the successful atonement of the Sanctuary and the nation, suddenly the goat for Azazel was seen wandering back into their midst! Oh no! This can’t be! It was better to make sure the goat didn’t come back.²⁸⁶

Interestingly, the Mishnah also records that the two goats were differentiated by the means of a scarlet thread. The high priest tied a scarlet thread on the head of the goat which was to be sent out into the wilderness, and turned it around (with its back to the Sanctuary) to face the way it would be sent out (Yoma 4.2). Another scarlet thread was tied to the gate of the Tabernacle or the door of the Temple. Jewish tradition records that when the goat died in the wilderness, the scarlet thread that was tied to the Temple gate turned white. When Isra’el saw this, they knew that YHVH had accepted their sacrifices and all their sins had been forgiven. This may be why the prophet Isaiah said, “Come now, let’s settle this,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like scarlet, I will make them as white as wool (Isaiah 1:18). But around the time of Messiah’s death, it was reported that the scarlet thread on the door of the Temple stopped turning white. “For forty years before the destruction of the Temple the scarlet thread never turned white again but remained red” (Rosh HaShanah 31b, Babylonian Talmud, Soncino Press Edition).

In the Day of Atonement ceremony the first goat pictures the means for atonement (see Cu – The Blood of the Bull and Goat), the shedding of blood in the sacrificial death. The scapegoat pictures the effect of the atonement, the removal of guilt. What is accomplished in the scapegoat ritual is expressed by David in the Psalms: As far as the east is from the west so far has He removed our transgressions from us (Psalm 103:12). Both of these aspects of this special day have their fulfillment in the sacrifice of Yeshua Messiah on the cross. The Lord’s sacrifice there would be the end of Azazel; from that time on, only Messiah’s blood could cover sins. The scapegoat ritual may also have been in Isaiah’s mind when he describe the suffering of the Suffering Servant as bearing the griefs and sins (Isaiah 53:4 and 12).²⁸⁷

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for willingly being both the scapegoat and the goat that died; for You both atoned for our sin and You were a picture of the effect of the atonement – the removal of guilt far away. Thank You for Your pure and holy love that is so very deep that You willingly took on Yourself the painful sacrifice as the Lamb of God so that those You created could be given Your righteousness and so be holy enough to enter Your holy heaven. He made the One who knew no sin to become a sin offering on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (Romans 5:21).

Praise Your deep love that nothing can separate us from. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Messiah Yeshua our Lord Romans 8:38-39). We love You and want to live our lives thanking You! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Blood of the Bull and Goat
16: 14-19

The blood of the bull and goat DIG: Why did the high priest need to slaughter a bull for his own purification? What was different about the Yom Kippur purification offering than the regular purification offerings? What was the best the Levitical cleansing could do?

REFLECT: Is there anything that has become a “holy cow” in your life? How can you get back to worshiping the “holy Messiah?” What is the difference between external and internal cleansing in your life? Do you know someone who needs to hear this?

This was the only occasion in which blood was brought into the Most Holy Place,
which underscored the singular solemnity of that most important day.

The blood of the bull (16:14): Before offering the incense (to see link click Ct – Incense in the Most Holy Place), the high priest had slaughtered the bull for his purification offering (see Al – The Purification Offering: Purified by Blood). Its blood was handed to an assisting priest who stood near the bronze altar (see the commentary on Exodus Fa – Build Altar of Acacia Wood Overlaid with Bronze) stirring it to prevent coagulation, while the incense service was being performed (Yoma 4.3). After the incense service, the high priest emerged from the Sanctuary to retrieve this blood. Then he took it into the Most Holy Place, where the cloud of incense was still billowing up.

The high priest took the blood from the one who had been stirring it. Then he entered a second time into the Most Holy Place and stood in the same spot. Then he sprinkled some of the bull’s blood, one time upwards and seven times downwards. But he did not intentionally splash it upwards or downwards; he did it like one cracks a whip. And thus he counted, One, one on one, one and two, one and three and one and four, one and five, one and six, one and seven.” Then he went out and set down the container of blood on a golden stand [near the altar of incense] in the Sanctuary (Yoma 5.3).

He sprinkled some of the bull’s blood in front of the mercy seat with his finger seven times (see the commentary on Genesis Ae – The Number Seven). This transporting and sprinkling of blood in the Most Holy Place was the most unique feature of the Day of Atonements.

First, the high priest was to take some of the bull’s blood and sprinkle it with his finger on the mercy seat toward the east. The placement of the blood before the place of atonement on the Day of Atonements was no accident. Elsewhere with the purification offering (4:7, 18, 25, 30, 34, and 8:14-15) the blood is placed at the base of the bronze altar in order to sanctify it. The purification offerings of Yom Kippur were different from the regular purification offerings (see Al – The Purification Offering: Purified by Blood) in that they were to make atonement for the Most Holy Place (16:33). So the high priest purified the Sanctuary.²⁸²

The blood of the goat (16:15-19): Following the sprinkling of the bull’s blood, the high priest slaughtered the goat designated as a purification offering for all Isra’el. He immediately took the blood of the goat into the Most Holy Place and sprinkled it in the same way that he had sprinkled the bull’s blood. Next, he is to slaughter the goat of the sin offering which is for the people, bring its blood inside the curtain and do with its blood as he did with the bull’s blood, sprinkling it on the ark-cover and in front of the mercy seat. This was his third entrance. No one is to be present in the tent of meeting from the time he enters the Holy Place to make atonement until the time he comes out, having made atonement for himself, for his household and for the entire community of Isra’el. Under both the TaNaKh and the B’rit Chadashah there is but one mediator between God and man (First Timothy 2:5).

This was the only occasion in which blood was brought into the Most Holy Place, which underscored the singular solemnity of that most important day of the Jewish religious calendar. The Mercy Seat covered the Ark of the Covenant and contained the Ten Words (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Bk – The Ten Words), a gold jar containing manna, and Aaron’s rod that had budded (Hebrews 9:4). The narrative accounts surrounding these items stress the rebellion of the Israelites. Therefore, the cherubim looking down upon the mercy seat only saw evidence of Isra’el’s unfaithfulness. The blood on the mercy seat indicated that Isra’el’s sin was atoned for by a substitutionary death, foreshadowing the Messiah.²⁸³

Backing out of the Most Holy Place, the high priest then took the remaining blood of the bull from the stand in which he had left it and sprinkled it seven times on the inner veil (see the commentary on Exodus Fq – The Inner Veil of the Sanctuary: That is Christ, His Body) and then did the same with the blood of the goat before ADONAI and make atonement for it. Then he mixed the blood of the blood of the bull and the goat together and put the combined bloods on all the four horns of the golden altar (see Exodus Fp – Altar of Incense in the Sanctuary: Christ, Our Advocate with the Father) that stood before the inner veil to make atonement for it. He is to put some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, thus purifying it and setting it apart from the impurity of the people of Isra’el (16:18-19).

Having finished inside the Sanctuary, the high priest came out to the bronze altar and performed similar rites to cleanse and consecrate it. The remainder of the blood was poured out at the base of the bronze altar in the courtyard (see Exodus Ex – The Courtyard and Gate of the Tabernacle). This made the bronze altar fit for use, so the Israelites could confidently draw near to the LORD with their sacrifices throughout the coming year.²⁸⁴

The blood rituals were purification gestures. We have seen the seven-fold sprinkling performed in connection with the purification rite of the purification offering (see Al – The Purification Offering: Purified by Blood), and in conjunction with the leper’s purification (see Ci – The Concluding Purification Ceremony). Therefore, we are to understand the seven-fold sprinklings as accomplishing purifications from the impurity (and sin) of the priesthood and the people. The blood covered (atoned for) the impurity. This is made explicit in 16:16, a passage which ties together the concepts of sin, impurity, purification, and atonement. He will make atonement for the Holy Place because of the impurity of the people of Isra’el and because of their transgressions – all their sins; and he is to do the same for the tent of meeting which is there with them right in the middle of their impurity. 

In Leviticus there was a cleansing, but not enough cleansing. The writer to the Hebrews reminded them that under the Levitical priesthood the best they could hope for was a limited holiness (Hebrew: kedushah), for the blood of goats and bulls could never really accomplish deep internal cleansing. The Tabernacle was a symbol for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered there were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper (Hebrews 9:9).

In addition, there was an extraordinary form of ritual cleansing Moshe was given a regulation that became an increasingly significant part of Isra’el’s worship experience. Numbers 19 describes the ceremony a perfect red cow (Hebrew: parah adumah), which had never been yoked, was slaughtered outside the camp of Isra’el (see the commentary on Numbers Df – The Red Heifer). After sprinkling its blood seven times in front of the Tabernacle, the animal was consumed by fire and its ashes stored for mixing with water. This water of cleansing (Hebrew: me niddah) containing those ashes was applied to those who had been defiled as a result of coming near or touching a dead body. The high priest was no exception; he was sprinkled with the purifying waters twice during the week immediately preceding Yom Kippur (see the commentary on Exodus Go – The Day of Atonement), just in case he unknowingly became ceremonially defiled.

Oddly enough, this is the only sacrifice where God commands that the ashes of the burnt animal be kept. And this was for a unique purpose as the red cow was the key sacrifice for purifying the priesthood and their sacred utensils from sin and impurity. As the Passover lamb was essential to bring the Israelites into covenant relationship with YHVH, the red cow was that which kept them cleansed in their service to God.

After the destruction of the Temple and its bronze altar in 70 AD, the water for these washings could no longer be made. According to the Oral Law (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ei – The Oral Law), the last priest to kill a red cow was the high priest Ishmael ben Phabi ten years before the destruction of Jerusalem. And twelve chapters of the Oral Law (an entire tractate called Parah) are devoted to this ritual!

The Samaritans, who viewed Jerusalem’s Temple indifferently, continued slaying red heifers until the fourteenth century, using those ashes for generations afterwards. Maimonides (a twelfth century scholar) believed that the red cow ritual would be resumed with the coming of the Messiah.

The problem is that this, like so many of Isra’el’s rituals, dealt with the externals of religion. The sometimes elaborate and impressive procedures could not touch the inner defilement that prevented fellowship with the Holy One of Isra’el.²⁸⁵

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise and thank You from an overflowing heart for Your gracious gift of salvation. For if by the one man’s transgression, death reigned through the one, how much more shall those who receive the overflow of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the One, Messiah Yeshua. (Romans 5:17). Also, what a wonderful promise of indwelling by the Holy Ruach. And if the Ruach of the One who raised Yeshua from the dead dwells in you, the One who raised Messiah Yeshua from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Ruach who dwells in you (Romans 8:11).

Father, I want to live my life in grateful worship of Your great gift that cleanses internally! Heaven will last for all eternity and now I have the opportunity to give back my life to You as a love gift. I delight in living for You now and in gifting You by bearing great amounts of fruit for You! Yeshua said: I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for apart from Me, you can do nothing (John 15:5). I love You! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection! Amen

Speaking to the unbelievers in the Messianic congregation the writer says: The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of red [cow] sprinkled on those who are ceremonially clean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean (Hebrews 9:13). Some of the Hebrews in the Diaspora continued to look to the blood of bulls and goats as a means of gaining a right relationship with ADONAI. But that sprinkling only achieved the purifying of the flesh, not the cleansing of the conscience.

There is considerable excitement about the red cow in Isra’el today. There is an organization called the Temple Institute that is dedicated to establishing the Third Temple. Its long term aims are to build the third Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount, on the site currently occupied by the Islamic Dome of Rock and reinstate the Levitical sacrifices. Members of the Temple Institute have been working on this for decades.

In order to carry out this project, the Temple Institute has joined forces with an experienced Israeli cattle rancher who is an expert in the science of animal husbandry, under the halakhic supervision and guidance of the rabbis of the Temple Institute. The cattle rancher is utilizing the technique of implanting the frozen embryos of the Red Angus cattle, which originally come from North America and Israeli domestic cattle. The end result of this program will be the introduction of the Red Angus breed into Isra’el. But before we get too carried away, we need to realize that even if the Temple Institute can produce a perfect red cow, it would still only produce an external cleansing!

While many seem to be caught up in the recent commotion, a question is posed to those of us, Jews and Gentiles, who believe in Yeshua Messiah. What does all this mean to us? On the one hand, I am sure many believers are also excited that things keep moving closer to the end of the present age. As we see some of these events of the Scriptures come into focus, we realize anew that Mashiach is coming! Yet, I believe we miss an important point if we feel the need for a red cow in order to be cleansed before God. In fact, such excitement about the red cow seems to imply that Yeshua is not the Messiah and that the Jews must have the cleansing of their sins through the sacrifices of the rebuilt Temple. The New Covenant scriptures remind us of the opposite truth; namely, that Jesus Himself fulfilled the ministry of the red cow in His first coming to Jerusalem. Significantly, the writer to the Hebrews states: Then how much more will the blood of the Messiah, who through the eternal Holy Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God (Hebrews 9:14). The blood of Jesus does exactly what the blood of the red cow could not do – it cleanses the conscience.

Indeed, the death of Yeshua Messiah is a beautiful fulfillment of the symbolism associated with the red cow. He was sinless and without defects. Like the red cow, Yeshua’s death took place outside the camp. The ongoing effect of His sacrifice, similar to the ashes of the cow, cleanses His people for priestly service. As interesting as all the recent events are, it seems Messianic believers, whether they be Jew or Gentile, have even a better reason to be excited. Instead of getting caught up in the “holy cow“, I hope we are more caught up in the “holy Messiah“! Are you ready for His return? Are you fulfilling your calling as a priest cleansed to serve the Living God?

Incense in the Most Holy Place
16: 11-12

Incense in the Most Holy Place DIG: Why did the high priest prepare a bull to be sacrificed? Why was it so necessary for the high priest to be protected? Had he done anything wrong? What did the high priest bring with him behind the veil and into the Most Holy Place?

REFLECT: Believers are not guaranteed physical protection from God. Fox’s Book of Martyrs describes the history of those who have died for their faith. But our eternal security in the Lord is protected and secured. How can you explain this to another believer or unbeliever?

The high priest dared not enter the Most Holy Place unless he bore some means of protection.

A bull was prepared for a purification offering (16:11): The mitzvot of Leviticus 4:3-21 teach us that the high priest’s purification offering was to be a bull on the Day of Atonements (to see link click Cq – The Day of Atonements). Aaron was to present the bull of the purification offering for himself. Nothing was actually placed on the bronze altar at this point. The Hebrew verb to offer here indicates that the bull was slaughtered in preparation for the sacrifice. He would make atonement for himself and his household; he was to slaughter the bull of the purification offering which was for himself. Here again, the text anticipates the purpose of the purification offering in advance of its actual performance. The actual sacrifice is described later in the process (see Cw – The Cleanser Must be Made Clean).

The high priest entered behind the veil with incense (16:12-13): When the high priest passed through the inner veil (see the commentary on Exodus Fq – The Inner Veil of the Sanctuary: That is Christ, His Body) and entered into the Most Holy Place, his first task was to ignite two handfuls of incense in order to create a cloud of smoke. The prescription for blending this incense is provided in Exodus 30:34-38. The same blend was used for the daily incense offering, ordained in Exodus 30:26. The rabbinic tradition explains that for the rites of purification on Yom Kippur, the incense was ground more finely than usual.

Unlike the strange fire of Nadab and Abihu (see Bh – The Death of Nadab and Abihu), Aaron was instructed by God to take a censer full of burning coals from the bronze altar before ADONAI, and with his hands full of ground, fragrant incense, bring it inside the inner veil. He is to put the incense on the fire before ADONAI, so that the cloud from the incense will cover the Mercy Seat (see Exodus Fs – The Mercy Seat in the Most Holy Place: Christ at the Throne of Grace) which is over the Ark of the Covenant (see Exodus Fr – The Ark of the Covenant in the Most Holy Place: Christ at the Throne of Grace).

We recall that when Moshe entered the Sh’khinah glory on Mount Sinai, he entered the presence of YHVH. No one can see God and live (Exodus 33:20). For this reason, the LORD was hidden within the cloud. The cloud obscured the face of ADONAI, thereby protecting Moses. Entering behind the inner veil was fraught with danger. Ha’Shem was behind the veil. The anointed priest dares not enter therein unless he bore some means of protection. Before entering with the blood, he entered with incense in order that he not die. In Numbers 17:11-13, we read that Moshe instructed Aaron to take his fire pan, put fire from the bronze altar in it, lay incense on it, and hurry with it to the assembly to make atonement for them, and protect the Israelites from a plague sent against them by YHVH, who had become enraged at the rebellion of Korah. Aaron stood with the burning incense between the dead and the living, and the plague stopped.

In the ritual of Yom Kippur, the high priest drew extremely close to God’s throne in the Most Holy Place and was therefore in grave danger – even though he had committed no wrongdoing and was in the Most Holy Place according to Ha’Shem’s instructions. All who would stand in His presence were in need of protection in order to avert His wrath.²⁸⁰

The priest took a long shovel and scooped burning coals from the bronze altar (see Exodus Fa – Build Altar of Acacia Wood Overlaid with Bronze) to be brought into the Most Holy Place. In a ladle he would place two handfuls of finely ground incense. With the shovel and ladle in his hands, he would enter the Most Holy Place. Once inside, he would pour the incense onto the coals. A thick cloud of smoke would appear and fill it. The cloud of incense served to conceal in ADONAI from the high priest just as the cloud on Mount Sinai had concealed the LORD from Moses. Apparently, there was an argument between the Pharisees and the Sadducees as to whether the incense should be ignited before the high priest passed through the veil or after he passed through the veil. The following excerpt from the Talmud relates the argument.

Our rabbis taught, “There was a Sadducean high priest who had ignited the incense before passing through the inner veil and entered the Most Holy Place. He left rejoicing. As he emerged from the Temple, his father met him and rebuked him saying, “My son, although we are Sadducees, we should respect the opinion of the Pharisees.” The son replied, “All my life I was bothered by the verse that says: For I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat. I always wondered when I would have the opportunity to fulfill that verse the way I interpreted it. Now that the opportunity has finally come to me, should I not have it fulfilled?” It was reported that it took only a few days until he died and was thrown on the dung heap and worms came out from his nose. Some say, “He was smitten as he came out of the Most Holy Place.” For Rabbi Chiya taught, “Some sort of noise was heard in the Temple Court, because an angel had come and struck him face down. Some of the priests came in and they found the imprint as of a calf’s hoof on his shoulder (Yoma 19b quoting Leviticus 16:2).

After pouring the incense over the coals with his hands,
the high priest took the ladle and withdrew from the Most Holy Place.²⁸¹

As believers, we are not guaranteed physical protection in this world. Many a believer has been martyred for their faith, and that is still a fact in today’s world more than ever. But we are protected from hell and eternal separation from ADONAI when we accept Yeshua as our Lord and Savior. At the moment of salvation God rescues us from the kingdom of darkness and makes us alive in Messiah. YHVH seals us and baptizes us with the Ruach Ha’Kodesh into the Body of Messiah. He also transfers the righteousness of Messiah to us by faith, which is apart from works and adopts us into His family (see The Life of Christ Bw – What God Does for Us at the Moment of Faith). At His death, the inner veil of the Sanctuary was torn in to (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Lw – Accompanying Signs of Jesus’ Death), and from that time onward those who believe in Him need not fear Him any longer. We are eternally secure in Him (see The Life of Chris Ms – The Eternal Security of the Believer).

This is our protection.

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You that You are our Almighty Father! You are infinitely wise, full of chesed – steadfast loving kindness! You are the powerful protector of Your children and You are also full of wrath for those who persist in evil. Father, Your love is unbelievably gracious, for You knew the very painful and costly price of death that Yeshua would have to pay for redemption and yet with great and tender mercy You allowed Yeshua to pay sin’s painful penalty of death for us. We have an Intercessor with the Father – the righteous Messiah Yeshua. He is the atonement for our sins, and not only for our sins but also for the whole world (First John 2:1c-2). Your love was not just an intellectual plan, but Your love went far beyond the mere knowledge, for You moved into action and Messiah suffered a bloody and excruciating death for all who would choose to love and follow Him as Lord and Savior. For if you confess with your mouth that Yeshua is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart it is believed for righteousness, and with the mouth it is confessed for salvation (Romans 10:9-10).

What a wonderful Father, Son and Holy Ruach You are to bless us with the gift of salvation by paying our penalty and by removing our sins as far as east is from the west. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His mercy for those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so ADONAI has compassion on those who fear Him (Ps 103:11-13).

It is such a great privilege to have the Ruach Ha’Kodesh living within me. After you heard the message of truth – the Good News of your salvation – and when you put your trust in Him, you were sealed with the promised Ruach Ha’Kodesh (Ephesians 1:13). How awesome is God’s precious gift of righteousness that brings the Holy Ruach inside of me and opened the door of heaven to me as well. And if the Ruach of the One who raised Yeshua from the dead dwells in you, the One who raised Messiah Yeshua from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Ruach who dwells in you (Romans 8:11). Father, help me to live my life in humble worship of Your majesty and of Your gracious gifts. Peace and joy in Heaven will endure thru all eternity. I want to focus my eyes not on my momentary trails, but look expectantly to living with You in heaven and gifting You with my life full of love for You in all I think, say and do. For I consider the sufferings of this present time not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18). I love You! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection! Amen