English language Bible study series from Trinity International Baptist Church in Athens, Greece

The Annual Day of Atonement

I. How to avoid death on the job (1,2)

II. How to dress for the occasion and what to do after you get there (3-10)

III. Making the place smell good (11-15)

IV. Acquiring God’s approval of the workplace (16-19)

V. Placing the blame on the scapegoat and sending him out (20-22)

VI. Punishing the one who stayed (23-25)

VI. A dirty job, but somebody has to do it (26-28)

VII. A mandatory, annual event (29-34)

Meditation Points:

• Nadab and Abihu died for their defiant entrance into God’s presence; if Aaron and the others would avoid a similar end, they must follow these rules.
• The theme of this chapter is the annual Day of Atonement. The sacrifices of this day were for sins past, and they opened up the door to a new year of sin which must be followed by its own day of atonement. As a picture, or type, of a much greater and spiritual event, the mere repetition of an atonement day is far overshadowed by the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ for the sins past and future!
• The priest must offer sacrifices for himself and for the people.  Jesus had no need of a sacrifice for Himself, as He knew no sin in His character or life.
• Two goats were required: one to picture the dying sacrifice, and the other to picture the living sacrifice. One for crucifixion, and another for resurrection.
• The casting of lots, which Proverbs 16:33 says is always controlled by God, reminds us that only God can say what sacrifice He requires; as He said in Isaiah 28:16 … 

Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.

• This method of allowing God to show His will is found also in Joshua 7:16-17; Joshua 14:2; and Acts 1:26.

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English language Bible study notes from Trinity International Baptist Church in Athens, Greece.

This chapter treats of uncleanness issues in men and women.

I. Uncleanness in men

   A. He is defiled; what he touches is defiled; and whatever touches what he touches is defiled (Leviticus 15:1-12)

   B. Cleansing of the unclean man (Leviticus 15:13-15)

   C. Defiled by semen (Leviticus 15:16-18)

II. Uncleanness in women

   A. Ordinary, menstrual uncleanness (Leviticus 15:19-24)

   B. Extraordinary uncleanness (Leviticus 15:25-27)

   C. Cleansing the unclean woman (Leviticus 15:28-31)

III. Uncleanness restated (Leviticus 15:32-33)

Meditation Points:

• The biggest lesson here is that runny noses, oozing sores, a woman’s monthly period and other issues of bodily fluids seeping or flowing from the body, all of these normal and routine events in life, are used by God to illustrate the ease with which a person can become defiled and unfit for communion with God.  While theologians discuss big sins and little sins, sins which might call for immediate and eternal damnation and sins which can be brushed aside with a few rote prayers, God wants us to know that every sin, however big or little in our estimation, is a damnable sin.  Do we not see that the regularity with which we have these various bodily issues teaches us that with equal regularity we stand unclean before the thrice holy God?
• The second lesson here is the ease with which we are contaminated by another person’s issues. Secondary ecclesiastical separation has been denied by many and vehemently opposed by more than a few so-called evangelicals who wish be remain on good terms with unbelieving religionists; but the truth still stands –if I am unclean, you become unclean by associating with me; and once you become unclean, then he who associates with you becomes unclean as well. And all of this from my uncleanness! Read  II Corinthians 6:14-17.

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English language Bible study notes from our three-year, through-the-Bible, reading program.

In Leviticus 14 we discover the two step process whereby a leper who has been cleansed is restored.

I. Restored to the camp (Lev. 3-9)

II. Restored to the tabernacle (Lev. 10-32)

• General rule (10- 20)
• Exception for the poor (21-32)

III. Concerning contaminated houses (33-53)

Meditation Points:

• The examining priest must go outside the camp to determine whether the leper has been healed (3). So the believer is to go out into the world, among the leprous, seeking those whom the Lord would cleanse.
• Like the priest as his anointing, the cleansed leper must be touched on his ear, and hand, and foot by blood from his sacrifice.
• God makes provision for the poor. And He bids us to be compassionate also.
• Verses 1-32, concerning discernment of condition of men, are given to Moses alone; verses 33-53, concerning judging houses, are given to both Moses and Aaron.
• A house may be so unclean that it must be destroyed; other houses may require reconstruction. So also, some men will be destroyed in their sin, and others will be regenerated.

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Chapters 13, along with chapter 14, discusses leprosy-how to identify it and how to treat it. The following outline is not precise, there is much overlapping of ideas between sections.

I.  Bright spots and scabs (1-3)

II. Swelling and ulcers (4-17)

III. Inflammation (18-28)

IV. Bright spots and blisters in the hair and beard (29-37)

V. Hair loss and baldness (38-39)

VI. What the leper must do, and what must be done to him (40-46)

VII. What must be done to garments that display leprous signs (47-59)

Meditation Points:

• At this late date, it may be impossible to identify with certainty the exact physical condition called leprosy in these chapters. For sure it is not the same as what modern medicine identifies as leprosy.
• This was, indeed, a physical condition; but it seems not to have been a contagious disease. Biblical leprosy was cleansed, not cured by a physician. God could remove it as it as quickly or as subtly as it had appeared.
• Moses was familiar with leprosy, and so were the Egyptians (Exodus 4:6-7). Perhaps this provides a clue to our understanding of the condition–it was a means whereby God arrested the attention of men. See also Miriam (Numbers 12:10), Gehazi ( 2 Kings 5:27); and King Uzziah ( 2 Chronicles 26:20).
• The large lesson is to see leprosy as a figure of moral pollution requiring cleansing. Moreover, we should learn to examine ourselves for signs of this pollution, and we should be able to discern the difference between that which calls for radical isolation and purification, and that which is merely incidental to being in a world of sin.
• The examination of leprosy required time to determine whether the pollution was spreading or not. The health examiner looked to see how deep the pollution sank. Was the leprosy localized or had it already run its course over the whole body? Were there indications of current hot spots, bright spots, off-color hair? Sin is a pervasive plague; and leprosy is a fit figure thereof.
• See the leper covering his lip, and confessing his uncleanness everywhere he goes ( Leviticus 13:45)? The leper is unfit for society and he should be banished until he becomes clean again ( Leviticus 13:46). What if churches were to practice such discipline with members living in open and obvious sin?

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