Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!”
— Matthew 8:3
Rules in Leviticus about skin diseases and rashes may not make for the most comfortable reading—especially if we are reading this at mealtime. And there is a lot more here about things that made an Israelite “clean” or “unclean.” This section of Leviticus includes all kinds of requirements about foods, bodily fluids, and sacrifices. These commands describe whether a person was fit for participating in worship as a part of God’s people.These laws didn’t necessarily say that a person had committed a sin, though. Rather, the person had come into contact with something that made them ritually unclean—usually a bodily fluid, a certain kind of animal, or a skin disease. When a person was “defiled,” steps were needed to restore purity—usually bathing, waiting for a period of time, and bringing an offering. An unclean person also had to take care not to touch other people because that would spread the uncleanness. These laws reminded the people that God desired holiness in all areas of life. From eating food to having children to taking care of one’s body, God’s call to holiness was always in view.Yet people could not make themselves holy. Only a priest declared whether that was so.And this is vitally good news for us. When Jesus healed people, their impurities flowed to him, and his purity flowed to them. In the great reversal that makes God’s salvation possible for us through Jesus, we are made pure once for all!
Lord Jesus, thank you that although we are not holy, you make us clean by taking our impurities away. Amen!
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The Anger of God
“[God] said: ‘Among those who approach me I will be proved holy; . . . I will be honored.’”
— Leviticus 10:3
On my first day of work at a McDonald’s restaurant, my cash drawer was short 10 dollars, and my manager wrote me up, leaving me worried about keeping my job. But I was not afraid of being struck dead. We’ve all made mistakes and had some rough days at work, so we might wonder why Nadab and Abihu were struck dead when they began to work as priests. What went wrong?Nadab and Abihu’s sin was not just a minor oversight or a misstep. After God had given detailed instructions about the priests’ responsibilities, Aaron’s sons ignored God’s rules in favor of their own. This is a pattern as old as the human race; sin begins when we decide we know better than God does. But God is holy, and we are not free to improvise our own ways of approaching or relating to God. Tragically, just as “fire came out” and consumed the offering brought by Aaron (Leviticus 9), fire came out against Nadab and Abihu and consumed them. Even Aaron was silent in response, likely indicating that he accepted God’s judgment—though he must have felt deep sorrow.Must we fear the same today? In all of history only one priest, Jesus, was flawless and worthy to enter God’s presence. And when he did that for our sake, he took the wrath of God upon himself as it broke out against him—in our place. But this is good news for us! Jesus’ sacrifice covered all our sin so that we never need to fear God’s judgment.
Holy God, it’s difficult for us to understand your holiness. Thank you for giving us Jesus so that we can be forgiven. Amen.
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The Smile of God
Aaron lifted his hands toward the people and blessed them.
— Leviticus 9:22
Our culture is obsessed with happiness. We seek joy in wealth, in our careers, in sports and leisure, and in a host of other things. Books have been written; research conducted; podcasts, movies, and TV shows produced—all promising a way to contentment. Yet soul-satisfying joy remains out of reach. Worldly happiness is fleeting at best, and it fails to deliver on its lofty promises.That’s because we are created to find our deepest joy in a relationship with God. But our sin keeps us apart from God. How can we be restored to the joy of God’s presence?As a representative of the people to God, the high priest offered sacrifices for the people’s sins. But today’s reading shows that the priest also represented God to the people. After completing the sacrifices Aaron the high priest raised his hands and pronounced God’s blessing on the people. God had accepted the offerings and—through Aaron—spoke a word of grace and comfort to his people.This word of grace is for us too! After his resurrection, Jesus turned to his disciples, “lifted up his hands and blessed them” (Luke 24:50). God had accepted the sacrifice of Jesus’ life and death, so, as our great High Priest, Jesus could speak on God’s behalf and pronounce favor on us. Because of Jesus, God turns his face toward us, and the light of his smile shines on us and gives us peace (see Numbers 6:22-26). There is no greater happiness!
Father, when your people saw your glory, they fell facedown and worshiped you. As you smile on us, may we too offer ourselves in worship. Amen.
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Someone in Your Corner
[Moses] put the tunic on Aaron, tied the sash around him, clothed him with the robe and put the ephod on him.
— Leviticus 8:7
A middle-school student asked why I was studying for eight years to be “ordained.” I explained that the church ordains ministers for special duties, like raising their hands to give the blessing in church. He wasn’t impressed. “That’s a long time to go to school just to be able to raise your hands,” he said.In Leviticus 8 God gives instructions for ordaining Aaron and his sons to serve as priests. The priests’ clothing indicated the privilege and responsibility they bore. Priestly garments were purple and gold, matching the colors of the tabernacle, because the priests performed special duties for the Lord. The high priest’s turban was inscribed with the words “Holy to the Lord” (Exodus 28:36), indicating special service to God. On the ephod—a kind of vest—were 12 stones, one for each tribe of Israel. God’s people would see these stones and remember that the high priest carried their tribe close to his heart and lifted them up in prayer to God.It’s even better for us! Hebrews 7:23-28 assures us that Jesus, our ultimate High Priest, continually lifts us up before God and holds us near to his heart. When grief or sadness weigh us down, Jesus is lifting us up! When Satan nags us about repeated failures, Jesus’ Spirit reminds us that his righteousness covers all our sin. When we don’t know how or what to pray for, Jesus prays on our behalf before the Lord Almighty!
Lord Jesus, we thank and praise you for being our perfect priest. Thank you for representing us, O Savior and King! Amen.
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Making Restitution
“When they . . . realize their guilt, they must . . . make restitution in full, add a fifth of the value to it and give it all to the owner. . . .”
— Leviticus 6:4-5
Recently a jeweler in my city was sentenced to 20 years in prison for defrauding customers. When people brought in their rings for cleaning, he had swapped fake diamonds for their authentic ones, which he then sold. Over the years, he netted over a half-million dollars that way.Perhaps you have been victimized by a scam like that.Or maybe you have been dishonest. Maybe you sold a car without disclosing its problems. Or you found someone’s wallet but made no effort to return it. Or maybe you dented a stranger’s car and drove off without leaving your insurance information.Defrauding or exploiting others tears at the fabric of society by damaging our ability to trust others. In addition, such acts are also sins against God: “If anyone sins and is unfaithful to the Lord by deceiving a neighbor about something. . . .”Thankfully, God provides a solution. Jesus’ death atones for our guilt, ensuring that our fellowship with God is not broken. God also graciously points us to a way of reconciliation with people we have wronged. Restitution is a way to make things right with our neighbor. We are urged to repay what we have taken, plus an added amount to compensate for loss.Is there a relationship with someone in your life that needs repair? What will you do to make things right?
Lord Jesus, thank you for paying the price to make us right with God; help us also to take steps to make things right with others. In your name, Amen.
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