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LEVITICUS – LESSON SIX

(Chapter 10)

The event surrounding the death of Aaron’s two sons, Nadab and Abihu, was the consecration days of the priests. The anointing oil was still on them (10:7). The meal offering still remained to be eaten (10:11-12). Moses inquires about the goat offering, which is a sin offering for the people, which was offered on their behalf on the eighth day of consecration (9:3).

As Moses and Aaron are standing before the people who are awed by God sending his consuming fire upon the altar, Nadab and Abihu offer up strange fire and are immediately destroyed by fire from heaven. What a sobering moment!

I. SIN OF NADAB AND ABIHU (Chapter 10)

 A. Nature of their sin (10:1-3)

1. Offered strange fire – God did not command.

a. Fire was to be obtained from the altar (cf. Lev. 16:12-13 Lev. 6:12-13; Exodus 29:38-39)

2. Punishment: Devoured by fire that comes before Jehovah – bodies not consumed, nor coats destroyed with fire (10:5).

3. Lesson: “I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people will I be glorified” (10:3).

4. Aaron holds his peace – God has the right to judge (cf. Psalm 39:9).

 B. Moses’ immediate instructions to the Priests (10:4-7)

1. Mishael and Elzaphan (Nadab and Abihu’s  second cousins – (Exodus 6:18-22) ordered to take the bodies of their brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp.

2. Aaron and sons commanded not to show outward signs of mourning while Israelites mourn the burning.

 a. Hair not to be let loose (cf. Lev. 21:10-11).

 b. Penalty: priest dies, God is wroth with congregation.

3. Priest must fulfill his service even though the death of a loved one has occurred.

a. Must not depart from the door of the tent of meeting in his special service of consecration – anointing oil still on the priest.

b. Penalty: death.

 C. Jehovah instructs Aaron that ministering priests were not to drink wine or strong drink (10:8-11).

1. Purpose: Priests must be able to make a distinction between the holy and common and teach the statutes to Israel.

2. Penalty: death.

 D. Moses’ instructions to Aaron and remaining sons (Eleazar and Ithamar) to eat the sacrifices (10:12-15)

1. Aaron and sons to eat the meal offering in the holy place – the tabernacle.

2. Aaron, sons, and daughters to eat of wave-breast and heave-thigh offerings in a clean place – their part of peace offerings.

  

 E. Moses is angry over uneaten goat of sin-offering (10:16-20)

 1. Blood not brought inside tabernacles – should be eaten.

 2. Reason: by eating, priests “carried away” the sins of the people.

3. Aaron’s response: Would it have been well-pleasing to God to eat in mourning- be unclean? (cf. Deuteronomy 26:14).

4. Aaron’s response accepted by Moses.

QUESTIONS:

1. Why could you call Nadab and Abihu’s sin “presumptuous”?

2. What penalty did Nadab and Abihu suffer for their sin?

3. What principle did the penalty emphasize?

4. Where the bodies of Nadab and Abihu were found, what might this say about their offering?

5. The immediate brothers of Nabad and Abihu were commanded to carry the bodies outside the camp. (T) (F)

6. What were the priests not to do that their brethren of Israel could do?

7. Why do you think that instructions concerning wine and strong drink are mentioned on this occasion?

8. Could Aaron’s daughters partake of any of the offerings?

9. Could Aaron’s sons eat of the peace-offerings in a different place than the meal-offerings?

10. How do you know by the animal of the sin-offering that the events of chapter 10 are tied with the eighth day of the consecration of the priests?

11. With whom was Moses angry and why?

12. Did Aaron have a scriptural response to Moses?

13. Why do you think Moses was well-pleased with Aaron and his response?

14. Does Nadab and Abihu’s sin have any proper application for us today as Christians?

LEVITICUS – LESSON SEVEN

(Chapter 11-15)

In this lesson, we will examine the precepts that declared certain things unclean and the law which allowed them to be declared clean again. The uncleanness from food, childbirth, leprosy upon man, garments and in houses, and issues from the body are all dealt with through legislation from God for the lives of His people.

VII. LEGISLATION CONCERNING PHYSICAL UNCLEANNESS (Chapters 11-15)

 A. Food:  clean and unclean animals (Chapter 11)

  1. Animals that walk on the land (v. 2-8)

  2. Fish of the water (v. 9-12)

  3. 20 birds and species of birds (v. 13-19)

  4. Animals that creep on the land (11:29-30; 41-42)

 B. Cleanness and uncleanness of people, utensils, and food touching carcass of animals (11:24-28, 31-40).

 C. Reason for the Law: people to be holy like their delivering God is holy       (11:43-47).

 D. Childbirth: uncleanness and offering (Chapter 12)

  1. Male child: mother unclean for 7 days and 33 days.

  2. Female child: mother unclean for 14 days and 66 days.

  3. Offerings: burnt offering and sin offering

 E. Leprosy: determining uncleanness and appropriate action taken              (Chapters 13-14).

  1. Leprosy (Heb. SARA-AT) – malignant skin disorders

      a. Spot covering ulcer progresses to scab, disfigurement, and loss of mortified body parts.

      b. Eruptions of skin – rising, scab, bright spot (13:2)

      c. Scall – itching disorders causing one to scratch or tear away at their skin (13:30).

      d. Mildew in clothing and walls of houses (13:47, 14:34)

  2. Tests and observance by priest of risings in skin (13:1-46)

      a. Criteria for leprosy:

          (1). Hair in spot turns white (13:3, 25).

          (2). Spot deeper than being just on the outer skin (13:3, 25).

          (3). Spreading scab (13:8, 22, 27, 36)

          (4). Raw flesh in the erupting spot in the skin (13:10, 14-15)

          (5). Yellow thin hair in itching spot (13:30)

          (6).  White, reddish spot on a bald head (13:43).

      b. Observances: seven-day periods during which suspecting person is shut up (13:4, 5, 21, 31-33).

      c. Action of the leper (13:45-46)

   3. Test and observance of leprosy in clothing (13:46-59)

      a. Criteria for leprosy:

          (1). Greenish or reddish substance in garments of wool, linen, or skin (v. 46 -49)

          (2). Spreading in fabric of skin of garment (v. 51, 56-57).

          (3). No change of color after washing (v. 55, 56).

     b. Observances: seven-day periods (v. 50, 54)

     c. Action taken by priest – garment burned if unclean, washed if  clean (v. 52, 55, 57, 58)

   4. Procedure for one declared cleansed from leprosy (14:1-32).

     a. Procedure of two clean birds, cedar wood, scarlet, hyssop, earthen vessel, and running water – sprinkling blood of one          bird, the other bird is let loose in open field (v.1-7).

     b. Shaven and washed person tarries out of tent for seven days – shaves and washes again on the seventh day (v. 8, 9).

     c. On the eighth day, one presents to the priest two he lambs, one ewe lamb, fine flour mingled with oil, one log of oil (v.10-          32).

         (1). Trespass, wave, sin, burnt, and meal offerings offered.

         (2). Blood of trespass offering, and part of oil placed on right ear, right thumb, and right big toe of the person.

         (3). Part of oil sprinkled seven times before Jehovah.

         (4). Rest of oil poured on head of person.

         (5). Provisions for poor:  lamb-trespass offering, two turtle doves, or two young pigeons – one for sin offering and the other                for burnt offering.

    5. Test and observance for leprosy in house (14:33-48).

        a. Spreading greenish or reddish substance (v. 37, 39)

        b. Observance: seven -day periods (v. 38)

        c. Action taken:

            (1). House is emptied for priest to inspect.

            (2). Take away stones and mortar of discolored place in wall and replace with new section.

            (3). If discolor continues to persist, the entire house is taken down and replaced.

            (4). If substance does not spread, house is declared clean.

        d. Procedure for atonement for house: (14:49-53).

           (1). Two birds, cedar wood, scarlet, hyssop, earthen vessel, running water – blood of one bird sprinkled seven times on                  house, other bird let loose in open field.

 F. Uncleanness in connection with fleshly discharges from men and women

(Chapter 15).

     1.  Discharges of male make him, everything he touches, the people who touch him, or upon whom he spits or who touches           what he touches is unclean (v. 1-18)

a. People who come in contact with him or touches what he touches bathes body and washes clothes to be clean.

b. Female who lies with him – bathes in water to be clean.

c. Man, when cleansed from discharge, counts seven days upon which he bathes body and washes clothes – eighth day                 he presents to priest two turtle doves or two young pigeons for sin offering and burnt offering.

     2. Discharges of female make her, everything she lies and sits upon, the people who touch her or what she touches unclean          (v.19-33).

a. People who touch what she touches bathes body and washes cloths to be clean.

b. Male who lays with her is unclean seven days.

c. Woman when cleansed form discharge counts seven days to be clean – eighth day she presents to priest two turtle                  doves or two young pigeons for sin offering and burnt offering.

QUESTIONS:

1. What criteria determined edible food for the Israelites in the following animal groups:

 a. Four footed land animals:

 b. Fish

2. As an Israelite, distinguish among the following the foods you could eat and not eat – tell why:

 a. Camel

 b. Rabbit

 c. Pork

 d. Catfish

 e. Oysters

 f. Duck

 g. Crow

 h. Lizard

 i. Snake

 j. Caterpillars

3. Seed was automatically unclean if a dead mouse fell on it. (T)  (F)

4. To touch a carcass of clean and unclean animals mad one unclean. (T)  (F)  

5. As for as time of uncleanness is concerned, what was the difference between having a male child and a female child?

6. What does 12:8 tell us about Mary, the mother of Jesus?

7. What is leprosy in chapters 13 & 14?

8. Why was much time given to observe burnt places and boils on the skin?

9. Was baldness considered unclean?

10. Where was the leper kept?

11. Into what two categories of events could you divide all the proceedings regarding the leper when the priest declared him clean?

12. What two offerings were offered by male and female when cleansed from their respective discharges?

13. What was the divine purpose behind the cleansing of the fleshly discharge among God’s people?