Conclusion Of The Law

Leviticus 27:26-34

“Only the firstling of the beasts, which should be the LORD'S firstling, no man shall sanctify it; whether it be ox, or sheep: it is the LORD'S.

And if it be of an unclean beast, then he shall redeem it according to thine estimation, and shall add a fifth part of it thereto: or if it be not redeemed, then it shall be sold according to thy estimation.” (Leviticus 27:26-27)

The first born male of any animal automatically belonged to God.  It wasn’t theirs to use.  They could not use it even for other sacrifices.  Clean animals had to be sacrificed, while unclean animals were to be redeemed or killed.  Once again they were to pay twenty percent more than the assessed value of the animal.  The other choice was to sell it and donate the proceeds of the sale to God.  

“Notwithstanding no devoted thing, that a man shall devote unto the LORD of all that he hath, both of man and beast, and of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed: every devoted thing is most holy unto the LORD.  None devoted, which shall be devoted of men, shall be redeemed; but shall surely be put to death.” (Leviticus 27:28-29)

Nothing that belonged to God could be redeemed, whether man or beast or real property, nor could it be sold.  It was holy and was not to be used for worldly purposes.  Things given as part of a vow were different in that they were given as temporary gift rather than as his actual property.

  

“And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD'S: it is holy unto the LORD.  And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof.” (Leviticus 27:30-31)

One tenth of everything a person gained belonged to God as his right for causing it to grow.  If a person wished to exchange it for something else, he was to add an extra twenty percent to it.

“And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD.  He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.” (Leviticus 27:32-33)

 The tenth animal belonged to God, whether good or bad. They were not to reject one as not good enough, nor were they to try to save the best for themselves.  If they chose to change it, both the designated one and the replacement were to be given.  Because it already belonged to God, it could not be redeemed.

“These are the commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Sinai.” (Leviticus 27:34)

These were the laws Israel was to keep as their part of the covenant or contract with God.  In Matthew 5:17-20, Jesus made it very clear that these standards still apply in our day.  “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.  For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.  Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.”

Romans 4:18-25 compares our salvation with that of Abraham,  “Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.  And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb:  He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.  And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;  Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”

Because he was delivered for our offences, Romans 10:4 tells us, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”  Although the standard of the law is still in force, Romans 8:1-4 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.   For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.  For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

In Matthew 22:37-40, Jesus responded to a question about the law.  “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”  The law shows how to demonstrate our love for God and for other people, and as Jesus said in John 14:15, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”  It doesn’t give access to heaven.  That comes only through faith in Christ.

Pledges To God

Leviticus 27:1-25

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When a man shall make a singular vow, the persons shall be for the LORD by thy estimation.  And thy estimation shall be of the male from twenty years old even unto sixty years old, even thy estimation shall be fifty shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary.  And if it be a female, then thy estimation shall be thirty shekels.

And if it be from five years old even unto twenty years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male twenty shekels, and for the female ten shekels.  And if it be from a month old even unto five years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male five shekels of silver, and for the female thy estimation shall be three shekels of silver.  And if it be from sixty years old and above; if it be a male, then thy estimation shall be fifteen shekels, and for the female ten shekels.

But if he be poorer than thy estimation, then he shall present himself before the priest, and the priest shall value him; according to his ability that vowed shall the priest value him.” (Leviticus 27:1-8)

If a person made a special vow dedicating someone to God, whether it was to be a servant or one of his children, it was to be assigned a cash value according to the abilities and skills of the person.  The value had nothing to do with the person’s social or economic standing.  The king’s son was of the same value as that of a beggar.  This established a value for redemption.  Special allowance was made for a person who wanted to give more but couldn’t afford to pay the redemption fee.

“And if it be a beast, whereof men bring an offering unto the LORD, all that any man giveth of such unto the LORD shall be holy.  He shall not alter it, nor change it, a good for a bad, or a bad for a good: and if he shall at all change beast for beast, then it and the exchange thereof shall be holy.

And if it be any unclean beast, of which they do not offer a sacrifice unto the LORD, then he shall present the beast before the priest: And the priest shall value it, whether it be good or bad: as thou valuest it, who art the priest, so shall it be.  But if he will at all redeem it, then he shall add a fifth part thereof unto thy estimation. ” (Leviticus 27:9-13)

Many times the pledge or vow was made before the animals birth or while it was still a baby.  When it grew up it might be turn out to be either better or worse than originally expected.  In either case a person might wish to exchange it for a different animal.  If the animal was an animal that could be used for sacrifices, then it was to sacrificed, and if the giver felt it wasn’t enough he could give an additional animal.

If it was a non-sacrificial animal, the priest was to set a value for it and if the person wished to keep it, they could buy it back for twenty percent premium, or allow the priests to sell it for whatever they could.

“And when a man shall sanctify his house to be holy unto the LORD, then the priest shall estimate it, whether it be good or bad: as the priest shall estimate it, so shall it stand.  And if he that sanctified it will redeem his house, then he shall add the fifth part of the money of thy estimation unto it, and it shall be his.” (Leviticus 27:14-15)

A person could donate their house, and the priest would place a value on it.  If the person wished to buy the house back he could give twenty percent over the valuation or the priests could sell the house for more.

“And if a man shall sanctify unto the LORD some part of a field of his possession, then thy estimation shall be according to the seed thereof: an homer of barley seed shall be valued at fifty shekels of silver.

If he sanctify his field from the year of jubilee, according to thy estimation it shall stand.  But if he sanctify his field after the jubilee, then the priest shall reckon unto him the money according to the years that remain, even unto the year of the jubilee, and it shall be abated from thy estimation.  And if he that sanctified the field will in any wise redeem it, then he shall add the fifth part of the money of thy estimation unto it, and it shall be assured to him.

And if he will not redeem the field, or if he have sold the field to another man, it shall not be redeemed any more.  But the field, when it goeth out in the jubilee, shall be holy unto the LORD, as a field devoted; the possession thereof shall be the priest's.” (Leviticus 27:16-21)

The value of field that was dedicated to the lord was to be based on the number of years until the year of Jubilee and the amount of seed required to plant the land.  He could reclaim the land by paying off the remaining time and a twenty percent fee at any time unless he had leased it out to someone else.  If the land had not been reclaimed, or if it had been leased out during the period, then it became property of the priests in the year of Jubilee.

“And if a man sanctify unto the LORD a field which he hath bought, which is not of the fields of his possession; Then the priest shall reckon unto him the worth of thy estimation, even unto the year of the jubilee: and he shall give thine estimation in that day, as a holy thing unto the LORD.  In the year of the jubilee the field shall return unto him of whom it was bought, even to him to whom the possession of the land did belong.” (Leviticus 27:22-24)

If a person donated a field that he had bought from someone else, he was to be credited with donating until the year of Jubilee, but land automatically returned to the owner’s family in the year of Jubilee.

“And all thy estimations shall be according to the shekel of the sanctuary: twenty gerahs shall be the shekel.” (Leviticus 27:25)

Throughout history, governments have tried to inflate the value of money by changing the weight or the precious metal content.   The same standard was to apply in all Israel’s dealings with God.  

Confession Of Sin

Leviticus 26:40-46

“If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me; And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity: Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land.” (Leviticus 26:40-42)

God promised Israel that if they would admit to being wrong, that it was not just a simple mistake but an ongoing pattern from generation to generation, and that it was the result of deliberate choices to ignore God’s plan, and acknowledge that it was God who had caused them to find themselves in such straits, recognizing they deserved such punishment, then God would forgive them and keep the promises he had made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Human beings do not like to admit they are wrong.  It goes against our very nature, and many people see it as a sign of weakness.  As a result, in our day, people are taught that success requires you never admit to being wrong.  Unfortunately, such an approach encourages denial of responsibility for problem, so they don’t get dealt with.  Instead, we take the approach of the two kids who were playing with matches in their bed, seeing how much light they made.  When the bed caught fire, they tried pouring cups of water on it, but when the fire kept spreading, they pushed the mattress and blankets out the window where it landed on the picnic table, which also caught on fire. 

A neighbor saw the smoke coming from the bedroom window and called the fire department.  The firemen insisted on being sure there was no fire in the house before they worried about the burning picnic table so it was destroyed.  The girl insisted it was not their fault the table burned because the firemen wouldn’t listen to her, completely ignoring the fact that there would have been no fire if they had not played with matches.  Far too often we try to shift the blame to someone else.

“The land also shall be left of them, and shall enjoy her sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them: and they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity: because, even because they despised my judgments, and because their soul abhorred my statutes.” (Leviticus 26:43)

If a person caused an accident that resulted in another person being killed, saying you are sorry and asking forgiveness does not remove the consequences of the actions.  The person would still be dead, even if his family forgives you completely.  In the same way, God said that even though he forgave Israel for their sin, the consequences would remain.  They were to accept those consequences as the result of their not honoring God by refusing to obey.  They would still have to serve their sentence.  This goes directly contrary to what many today teach.

“And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the LORD their God.  But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the heathen, that I might be their God: I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 26:44-45)

While they were serving their sentence, God would not forget his promise to them, but would protect them from harm or break his promise to them.  He would keep in mind his covenant and remember how much he had invested in them.  Ultimately, he would fulfill those promises.  

The Nation of Israel had rebelled so completely that they were taken into captivity under Nebuchadnezzar and had to serve out the entire seventy years God had prophesied, yet he forgave the ones who acknowledged the captivity came from God, and restored them at the end of the time, blessing them richly.  Those who refused to acknowledge that it was God who was taking them into captivity were later killed.

“These are the statutes and judgments and laws, which the LORD made between him and the children of Israel in mount Sinai by the hand of Moses.” (Leviticus 26:46)

These are the overriding principles or laws which Israel was to operate by, the Ten Commandments.  Various statutes or rules as to how to keep them were given, as well as the penalties or judgments for violating them.  They are the terms of the contract or covenant God made with Israel.

The same concept of accepting responsibility for our sin and accepting God’s judgment for it is critical to our salvation and ongoing forgiveness in the New Testament.  I John 1:8-10.  ”If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

If we refuse to admit that we have done wrong or acknowledge that the consequences are from God, we are effectively calling God a liar, and clearly, we do not have Christ in our hearts.  On the other hand, if we will acknowledge our sin and God’s right to punish us, he will forgive us and cleanse us, placing the Holy spirit into our hearts, as John 14:15 promises.  “If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”  

The Consequences Of Disobedience

Leviticus 26:14-39

 John 14:24 warns disobedience indicates a lack of love for God.  “He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.”  Deliberate disobedience indicates a disdain for him.  Here God warns of the consequences of such an attitude.

“But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments; And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant: I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.  And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you.” (Leviticus 26:14-17)

If they refused to obey his commands, considering them too demanding or unfair, God would send diseases among them like plagues.  He would also send enemies among them to rob them and fight them, giving the enemy victories.

“And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.  And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass: And your strength shall be spent in vain: for your land shall not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits.” (Leviticus 26:18-20)

If they still refused to obey, God would increase the pressure seven time, causing the heaven to be like iron, incapable of rain, and the earth to be as unyielding as brass, producing nothing despite their best efforts to farm it.  Neither crops nor orchards would produce anything. 

In his journal detailing his experiences as a missionary to the American Indians, David Brainerd repeatedly describes spending hours in prayer, concluding that the heavens were like brass and God did not answer.  Apparently he missed the point about it being because they would not obey.

“And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins.  I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number; and your high ways shall be desolate.” (Leviticus 26:21-22)

Continued disobedience would lead to a sevenfold increase in the number of disease related to the sins they committed.  In addition they would experience depredations of their herds by wild animals, which would even attack their children.  It would reach a point where people were afraid to travel.

“And if ye will not be reformed by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me; Then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins.  And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant: and when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy.  And when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver you your bread again by weight: and ye shall eat, and not be satisfied.” (Leviticus 26:23-26)

If they still refused to listen, God would turn on them and increase their punishment seven times.  Their enemies would kill them for their refusal to accept god’s covenant.  Concentrations of people in cities or large gatherings would become an opportunity for the spread of disease among them, and God would not protect them.  Even when they produce something, it will not produce satisfactory results.  Ten women will not be able to bake enough bread to satisfy one person.

“And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me; Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins.  And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat

And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your carcases upon the carcases of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you.  And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours.  And I will bring the land into desolation: and your enemies which dwell therein shall be astonished at it.  And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste.

Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths, as long as it lieth desolate, and ye be in your enemies' land; even then shall the land rest, and enjoy her sabbaths.  As long as it lieth desolate it shall rest; because it did not rest in your sabbaths, when ye dwelt upon it.” (Leviticus 26:27-35)

If they still refused to listen, the famine would reach such proportions they would be forced into cannibalism to survive.  All their places of worship would be destroyed, and the churches destroyed.  People would flee the cities and God would ignore all their sacrifices and prayers.   God would give the land the years of rest they had refused to give it. 

   

“And upon them that are left alive of you I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies; and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee, as fleeing from a sword; and they shall fall when none pursueth.  And they shall fall one upon another, as it were before a sword, when none pursueth: and ye shall have no power to stand before your enemies.” (Leviticus 26:36-37)

Fear and discontent will lead to civil war and fighting mong themselves even when no enemy is involved.   Thousands will die as a result of the infighting.

“And ye shall perish among the heathen, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up.   And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies' lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them.” (Leviticus 26:38-39)

They will die as slaves in other lands, of over work and despair, suffering the consequences of their own and their ancestor’s sin and still practicing them.  The consequences of refusing to listen were quite severe. Unfortunately, Israel would see even the most extreme of those consequences as a result of their refusal to obey.

Reward For Loving God

Leviticus 26:1-13

“Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God. 

Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 26:1-2)

In Matthew 22:36 one of the Pharisee’s lawyers asked, “Master, which is the great commandment in the law?"  Literally he was asking what is the most important of God’s commands.  “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment,” in Matthew 22:37-38.  While loving other people comes in a close second, love for God is the most important thing a person can do.

In John 14:21, Jesus said obedience to his commands was evidence of our love.  “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me…”  While many of the commands deal with our relationship to other people, these are specifically about our relationship to God.  Just as a man who truly loves his wife will not go out looking for somebody else, a person who loves God will not be messing around with other gods.  If a person loves their spouse, they will take time to spend with them, and will show respect toward them.  If a person loves God they will take time for him and show due respect toward him.

In Ephesians 5:28. Paul said, “…He that loveth his wife loveth himself.”  Demonstrating love for one’s spouse pays off  physically and emotionally.  Demonstrating their love for God would pay off handsomely in much the same way for Israel.


“If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.  And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely. 

And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land. 

And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.  And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.

For I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you.  And ye shall eat old store, and bring forth the old because of the new. ” (Leviticus 26:3-10)

If Israel would demonstrate their love by keeping God’s commands, he would bless them physically in many ways.  God would cause the weather to be consistent and cooperative, allowing them to always produce good crops.   He would also make their crops productive, so that they would never run short, even during the winter months, but would always have a surplus so that they had to dispose of part of it to have room for the new crop.  He would eliminate crime so they had no reason to fear, and would drive away dangerous animals so they were not a threat.  When they were attacked by other groups, God would give them the victory regardless how out numbered they might be.

“And I will set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you.  And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people. 

I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright.” (Leviticus 26:11-13)

Not only would they experience his physical blessings, they would experience a personal relationship with God.  He would live among them walking with them and guiding and assisting them in every situation.  They had assurance he could keep this promise as it was only a few weeks before that God had brought them out of Egypt and destroyed the Egyptian army, feeding them with manna and providing water from the rock.  Jesus made a similar promise to Christians in John 14:15-23.

“If ye love me, keep my commandments.  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 

Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.  At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.  He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 

Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 

Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” (John 14:15-23) 

Just as it was with Israel, the promise depends on our loving God enough to obey him.  If we will, he promises to demonstrate his love to us by living in us, guiding and assisting us in our daily lives and letting us know his presence. The next couple of chapters explain more about those benefits.

John 14:24 is very clear however, when it warns, “He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.”  A person who doesn’t bother to obey does not love either God or Christ.

Treatment of Debtors and Employees

Leviticus 25:44-55

“Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you; of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids. Moreover of the children of the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy, and of their families that are with you, which they begat in your land: and they shall be your possession.  And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them for a possession; they shall be your bondmen for ever: but over your brethren the children of Israel, ye shall not rule one over another with rigour.” (Leviticus 25:44-46) 

The Jews were never to take their own people as permanent bondservants or slaves.  People of other groups could be held permanently, as part of a family’s inheritance, but their own people were never to be considered property, or treated as lesser people.  A similar principle is described for Christians in Ephesians 6:5-9 and Colossians 3:22-4:1.

“And if a sojourner or stranger wax rich by thee, and thy brother that dwelleth by him wax poor, and sell himself unto the stranger or sojourner by thee, or to the stock of the stranger's family: After that he is sold he may be redeemed again; one of his brethren may redeem him: Either his uncle, or his uncle's son, may redeem him, or any that is nigh of kin unto him of his family may redeem him; or if he be able, he may redeem himself.” (Leviticus 25:47-49) 

The Jews were to make a special effort to keep their people from being enslaved by the ungodly around them.   If a Jew had become indebted to a non believer, his family had the right to redeem him from that slavery, or if the person was able he could pay off the debt early and be free from the slavery.

“And he shall reckon with him that bought him from the year that he was sold to him unto the year of jubilee: and the price of his sale shall be according unto the number of years, according to the time of an hired servant shall it be with him.  If there be yet many years behind, according unto them he shall give again the price of his redemption out of the money that he was bought for.  And if there remain but few years unto the year of jubilee, then he shall count with him, and according unto his years shall he give him again the price of his redemption.” (Leviticus 25:50-52)

Payoff was to be based on how much was still owed.  If the redemption was very early they might charge the full amount, but if not, it was to be prorated according to how much time was left of the time of service.

In modern America few people realize how this relates to Christians, but Proverbs 22:7 warns, “The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.”  Many Christians are enslaved by debt today, ignoring Paul’s advice in Romans 13:8, “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another…”  In I Corinthians 7 Paul advised Christians to get free from enslavement because as h said in I Corinthians 7:23, “Ye are bought with a price be not ye the servants of men.”

“And as a yearly hired servant shall he be with him: and the other shall not rule with rigour over him in thy sight.  And if he be not redeemed in these years, then he shall go out in the year of jubilee, both he, and his children with him.  For unto me the children of Israel are servants; they are my servants whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.” (Leviticus 25:53-55)

While it was preferable that the Jew be free it was not a mandatory situation.  He was still to go free in the year of Jubilee,.  Even non Jewish masters were not permitted to abuse God’s people. They belong to God.

Again Paul addresses a similar situation in I Corinthians 7:21-22.  “Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.  For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.”  

Taking Advantage of Misfortune Prohibited

Leviticus 25:23-43

“The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me.  And in all the land of your possession ye shall grant a redemption for the land.” (Leviticus 25:23-24)

The land belonged to God, not to the individual.  The individual was granted the right to use it however he might choose, but it belonged to God.   He was just allowing them to use it, and they could not sell it.  If a person had leased it out then wanted it back, they were required to let him redeem it.   In any case it was to be restored the original family in the year of Jubilee.  This insured that neither the government or powerful families could seize the land and enslave the people, as had happened in Egypt four hundred years before.  Every family would have the opportunity to produce food and support themselves, even though they might go through some difficult times.

“If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away some of his possession, and if any of his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother sold.  And if the man have none to redeem it, and himself be able to redeem it; Then let him count the years of the sale thereof, and restore the overplus unto the man to whom he sold it; that he may return unto his possession. 

But if he be not able to restore it to him, then that which is sold shall remain in the hand of him that hath bought it until the year of jubilee: and in the jubilee it shall go out, and he shall return unto his possession.” (Leviticus 25:25-28) 

If a person was forced to sell the use of his property to pay debts, he, or his relatives had the right to redeem it at any time, just by paying off the unused portion of the lease.  If he was unable to do so, the land was to be returned during the year of jubilee.

About 4 BC, shortly after Jesus birth, Hillel had started a school broadening the interpretation of the Law.  One of the decrees was that loans using real property as collateral were not necessarily subject to return during the year of jubilee.   Whether they were returned was to be determined by a court.  It was viewed as a major step for making economic progress.  Jesus condemned the practice as a way of ripping off people while pretending to serve God in Matthew 23:14 and various other passages.

“And if a man sell a dwelling house in a walled city, then he may redeem it within a whole year after it is sold; within a full year may he redeem it.  And if it be not redeemed within the space of a full year, then the house that is in the walled city shall be established for ever to him that bought it throughout his generations: it shall not go out in the jubilee. 

But the houses of the villages which have no wall round about them shall be counted as the fields of the country: they may be redeemed, and they shall go out in the jubilee.” (Leviticus 25:29-31) 

Because farmland and homes in small farming communities were necessary to support a family, and were part of the property designated for each family, they could not be sold, only leased or rented.  City homes, on the other hand, were not an integral part of what God had given.  They could be sold, but even they were subject to a one year trial period in case the seller discovered he didn’t want to get rid of it.

“Notwithstanding the cities of the Levites, and the houses of the cities of their possession, may the Levites redeem at any time.  And if a man purchase of the Levites, then the house that was sold, and the city of his possession, shall go out in the year of jubilee: for the houses of the cities of the Levites are their possession among the children of Israel.  But the field of the suburbs of their cities may not be sold; for it is their perpetual possession.” (Leviticus 25:32-34)

The Levite cities were their inheritance.  As a result even houses in their cities could not be sold, but only leased until the year of jubilee, and the lease could be canceled at any time.  Their gardens in the suburbs could not even be leased out to others.

“And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee.  Take thou no usury of him, or increase: but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with thee.  Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend him thy victuals for increase.   I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God.” (Leviticus 25:35-38)

They were to help those who were struggling economically, whether he was a Jew or not.  They were to trust God to provide for them and loan without charging any interest.  As Proverbs 19:17 says, “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.”
 
“And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant: But as an hired servant, and as a sojourner, he shall be with thee, and shall serve thee unto the year of jubilee: And then shall he depart from thee, both he and his children with him, and shall return unto his own family, and unto the possession of his fathers shall he return.  For they are my servants, which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen.  Thou shalt not rule over him with rigour; but shalt fear thy God.” (Leviticus 25:39-43) 

They were not to use a person’s indebtedness to enslave him.  He could not be forced to work without pay.  He was to be treated as an employee, with equal wages and freedoms, and his indebtedness was to be canceled in the year of jubilee, leaving him free to return to his family and property.  They were to remember what it had been like when they were slaves in Egypt and not sell their own people into slavery to other people.  They were not to be abusive or demanding in any case, but to demonstrate proper respect.

The Sabbaticals

Leviticus 25:1-22

The Seventh Year

“And the LORD spake unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying,  Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath unto the LORD. 

Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof; But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the LORD: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.  That which groweth of its own accord of thy harvest thou shalt not reap, neither gather the grapes of thy vine undressed: for it is a year of rest unto the land.  And the sabbath of the land shall be meat for you; for thee, and for thy servant, and for thy maid, and for thy hired servant, and for thy stranger that sojourneth with thee, And for thy cattle, and for the beast that are in thy land, shall all the increase thereof be meat.” (Leviticus 25:1-7)

 When they got to the land of Israel where they could, the Jews were to let the land lie fallow every seventh year.  During that year they were to live on what they had stored up from previous years.  They were not to plow or plant or even to harvest what came up naturally.  It was to be year’s vacation, for the owner, his employees, and his working livestock. What ever grew naturally was to supply food for them, their animals, their servants , and those who didn’t have land of their own, but they were only to pick as needed.

Scientific studies have shown that allowing land to lie fallow periodically actually improves it’s productivity.   Plants bring a wide variety of minerals and nutrients to the surface, using what they need and leaving the others in the soil.  Since different plants have different requirements, what they leave behind varies.  

Growing the same crop year after year depletes the soil of the nutrients that crop needs, while leaving a surplus of other nutrients.  When the land lies fallow, a great many weed seeds sprout, each with different requirements.  Those which need the surplus nutrients and don’t need the depleted ones outgrow the others.  Since most weeds have far deeper root systems than most crops, they reach farther down, to bring up nutrients, leaving those the crops need when they die and removing the things which might prevent crop growth.   In effect the weeds fertilize the soil with exactly the nutrients that are needed to continue productivity.

Careful pruning of a tree of vine can greatly increase the amount of fruit produced by leaving only branches that are producing fruit, forcing the plant to grow more and larger fruit.  Unfortunately, this also limits the tree’s ability to grow and repair itself.  By allowing them to grow naturally periodically, the tree is able to grow stronger, ensuring increased output in the future.

Historically, countries that practices such a program have been able to farm the same fields for hundreds or even thousands of years.  The lands of those who did not have steadily become less productive.  Modern commercial farming techniques require ever increasing amounts of fertilizers to maintain production. By observing these Sabbaths every seven years, they would be able to ensure the productivity of the land and vineyards for centuries with little extra investment.  Unfortunately greed frequently ignores long term benefits.

The Year of Jubilee

“And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years.  Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.  And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.

A jubilee shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed.  For it is the jubilee; it shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field.  In the year of this jubilee ye shall return every man unto his possession. 
” (Leviticus 25:8-13) 

On the day of atonement, in the forty ninth year they were to sound a trumpet and proclaim the following year a year of Jubilee, a year of celebration, marked by blowing trumpets and rejoicing.  The entire fiftieth year was to be a holy year, dedicated to God.

All Jewish bond servants or slaves were to be freed and allowed to return to their families and farms.  The year was to be considered a Sabbath, and they were not to plant or reap, just eating what they needed from the field each day.

“And if thou sell ought unto thy neighbour, or buyest ought of thy neighbour's hand, ye shall not oppress one another: According to the number of years after the jubilee thou shalt buy of thy neighbour, and according unto the number of years of the fruits he shall sell unto thee: According to the multitude of years thou shalt increase the price thereof, and according to the fewness of years thou shalt diminish the price of it: for according to the number of the years of the fruits doth he sell unto thee.   Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God: for I am the LORD your God.” (Leviticus 25:14-17)

The land itself was not to be sold, but they could sell the use of it, or lease it.  Every lease was to expire on the year of jubilee and the terms of the lease was to be based on the amount of time the owner was giving up the use of it.  They were not to try to take advantage  of each other in the terms of those leases.

“Wherefore ye shall do my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; and ye shall dwell in the land in safety.  And the land shall yield her fruit, and ye shall eat your fill, and dwell therein in safety. 

And if ye shall say, What shall we eat the seventh year? behold, we shall not sow, nor gather in our increase: Then I will command my blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years.  And ye shall sow the eighth year, and eat yet of old fruit until the ninth year; until her fruits come in ye shall eat of the old store.” (Leviticus 25:18-22) 

By keeping these statutes, including the Sabbaths, Israel could live in the land without fear of attack, and ensure that their crops would always be productive as God had promised.  While they might be afraid to not plant or harvest in seventh year, God promised that he would take care of them in the short term.  Not only would they experience the long term benefits of  letting the land lie fallow, God promised to intervene to cause the sixth years crop to produce enough for three years.  That would give them enough to survive the present year, the entire Sabbath year, and until after the harvest the following year.

Leviticus 26:3-4 promises, “If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.”  God literally promised to intervene in their weather to ensure the crops would grow if they would obey his laws.

I was born in eastern Colorado, near both the Kansas and Oklahoma borders.  In that area, records indicate seven year crop cycle.  On the average, during the seven years there is one year  that produces a bumper crop and farmers get rich, There is a year where almost nothing grows, and farmers lose their shirts because of drought and a depressed market as a result of surpluses from the previous year.  One year they about break even, and four years they have good crops, and make a small profit, assuming the market is fairly stable.  The cycle has been observed for about a hundred forty years.  Since the weather and the fertilization play such a large part in what they produce, one can only wonder what would happen if they were to follow God’s plan.  

Establishing Penalties For Crimes

Leviticus 24:1-23

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamps to burn continually. 

Without the veil of the testimony, in the tabernacle of the congregation, shall Aaron order it from the evening unto the morning before the LORD continually: it shall be a statute for ever in your generations.  He shall order the lamps upon the pure candlestick before the LORD continually.” (Leviticus 24:1-4)

Pure olive oil was to be provided to keep the lamps on the golden candlestick burning continuously, with them filled every evening to go all night.  The high priest was responsible to see they were cleaned and filled to burn forever.

“And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof: two tenth deals shall be in one cake.  And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure table before the LORD.  And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each row, that it may be on the bread for a memorial, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD. 

Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant. And it shall be Aaron's and his sons'; and they shall eat it in the holy place: for it is most holy unto him of the offerings of the LORD made by fire by a perpetual statute.” (Leviticus 24:5-9) 

Every Sabbath, twelve unleavened cakes consisting of about two and half quarts of flour were to be placed on the table of shew bread in two rows of six.  Frankincense was them placed on each row.  They were to serve as food for the priests, after another loaf was burned as a burnt offering.  Again this was a perpetual; statute, that there was always to be show bread on the table for the priests.

“And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel: and this son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp; And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name of the LORD, and cursed. 

And they brought him unto Moses: (and his mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan:) And they put him in ward, that the mind of the LORD might be showed them.” (Leviticus 24:10-12)

Right after the law was given, an Israelite and a man of mixed blood, half Egyptian and half Israelite got into a fight.  The half Egyptian began to curse and swear, using God’s name.  He was arrested and held until they could find out what penalty God would require, since the penalties for breaking the law had not yet been established..

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him.  And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin. 

And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the LORD, shall be put to death.” (Leviticus 24:13-16)

Everyone who heard the man curse was to place their hand on his head, identifying themselves as witnesses to his crime.  Then the entire congregation was to stone him to death.  He was responsible for his own death, and the same penalty applied whether the person was a foreign visitor or a native born citizen.  Blaspheming God’s name indicated disrespect for God and death was the mandatory sentence.

“And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death.” (Leviticus 24:17)

Justice demands that the person pay the same as he took from the other person.  If he took a person’s life, he should pay with his own life.  It is only fair he pay the same as he took.  Provision was made for accidentally causing someone’s death with the cities of refuge, but even with those a person gave up the life he had had before.  It was up to him to get to the city of refuge before he was caught.  If he failed, he was executed on the spot.

 “And he that killeth a beast shall make it good; beast for beast.” (Leviticus 24:18)

If a person killed another man’s animal, he was required to replace it with an animal of equal value.

“And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him; Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again.” (Leviticus 24:19-20)

If a person caused another to be injured, they were to do the same thing to him as he had done to the other person.  That way he paid the same price as the one he injured.  Justice had been done, even though the injury had not been reversed.  Jesus said the same standard of Justice remains today in Matthew 5:18.  “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”

His comments in Matthew 5:38-39 did not replace that standard of justice.  “Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.”  Instead, Christians were to voluntarily demonstrate God’s love for others by foregoing their right to justice in minor cases where no serious injury occurred.  It did call for a total reversal of the attitude of getting even many of the Jews harbored in Jesus’ day.  Retaliation tends to only make things worse.

“And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it: and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death.  Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I am the LORD your God.” (Leviticus 24:21-22) 

The same standard of justice was to apply to nonresidents as to citizens.  People who came to visit were to respect and obey the laws of the nation.  There was to be no diplomatic immunity or deportation if they broke the law.

“And Moses spake to the children of Israel, that they should bring forth him that had cursed out of the camp, and stone him with stones. And the children of Israel did as the LORD commanded Moses.” (Leviticus 24:23)

With the penalties for crimes established, Moses ordered the half Egyptian who had blasphemed God executed, and the people performed the execution as commanded.

More Jewish Holidays

Leviticus 23:33-44

The Feast Of Tabernacles

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD.  On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.  Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein.” (Leviticus 23:33-36) 

Starting five days after the day of atonement, Israel was to celebrate the feast of tabernacles.  The first day was to be treated as a Sabbath, doing no servile work, or work for other people.  They were to meet together for worship instead.  Every day during the feast they were to offer special offerings to the Lord.  The eighth day of the feast was to again be a special day of worship and meeting together.

“These are the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day: Beside the sabbaths of the LORD, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the LORD.” (Leviticus 23:37-38) 

Each of these feasts were to celebrated in addition to the daily offerings and observances of Sabbaths that might fall on the same day.  Gifts and vows proceeded just like any other day.  There was no need to “fix” any of them, as originally designed.

“Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.  And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.  And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month. 

Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.” (Leviticus 23:39-43) 

The feast of Tabernacles was to be a week long national campout to commemorate the forty years of camping in the wilderness after they escaped from Egypt to remind them again of God’s blessing and the need for obeying him.  They were to build brush shelters and stay in them during that week and spend the days just rejoicing that they now had a lond of their own.  They were to celebrate this feast every year for ever.  Deuteronomy 16:13-15 makes it clear everyone was to participate.

“Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine: And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates.  Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD shall choose: because the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands, therefore thou shalt surely rejoice.” (Deuteronomy 16:13-15)

“And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of the LORD.” Leviticus 23:44)

Deuteronomy 16:16-17 commanded, “Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty: Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee.” 

God’s intention was to continually remind the people of how they had been blessed and what their responsibilities were.  Time after time Israel stopped celebrating these feasts, and before long they even forgot they were supposed to.   As a result the people turned away from the Lord.  Time after time, we find the people surprised when they read the law under a good king and found out how they were to celebrate these feasts.  

Elaborate rituals for celebrating Sukkot have been developed for traditional Jews, but many less traditional Jews don’t celebrate the holiday.

Other Holidays

In addition to the holidays God commanded, many Jews celebrate other holidays.  Perhaps the best known, Hanukah, or Chanukah was started to celebrate the rededication of the temple after the Maccabean revolt and  the defeat of the Selucid  Empire about 166-167 BC, resulting in religious freedom being granted by Antiochus V.

Purim celebrates the defeat of Haman’s plot to destroy the Jews in Esther,  It’s institution is found in Esther 9, during the reign of Cambyses, also known as Ahaseurus, about 530 BC. There are many other, less well known holidays celebrating other events, but they were not prescribed by God.

The Jewish Holidays Continued

Leviticus 23:23-32

Rosh Hashanah

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.  Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.” (Leviticus 23:23-25)

The first day of the seventh month, the year was officially half over.  The summer’s work was done and most of the crops were harvested and stored.  The people knew how much God had blessed their work.  God instructed them to devote that day to him as a memorial, blowing the trumpets to get the people’s attention.  Numbers 29:1-6 describes the offerings that were to be made.

“And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you.  And ye shall offer a burnt offering for a sweet savour unto the LORD; one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year without blemish: And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals for a bullock, and two tenth deals for a ram, And one tenth deal for one lamb, throughout the seven lambs: And one kid of the goats for a sin offering, to make an atonement for you: Beside the burnt offering of the month, and his meat offering, and the daily burnt offering, and his meat offering, and their drink offerings, according unto their manner, for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD.” (Numbers 29:1-6)

The first day of every month, Israel was to offer a special sacrifice in addition to the daily sacrifices and those of the Sabbath if the first of the month should fall on a Sabbath.  The offerings and celebration of the first day of the seventh month were to be in addition to the regular offerings  the first of every month.

Prior to his speaking to the people from Mount Sinai in Exodus 19, God directed them to spend three days preparing themselves to meet with him.  The assembly on the first day of the seventh month gave them a similar opportunity to prepare themselves for the day of atonement.   Nehemiah 8:2-8 describes the way it was celebrated in Ezra’s day, about 480 BC.

“And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.  And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law. 

And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.  

And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up: And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground. 

 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place.  So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.” (Nehemiah 8:2-8)

Understanding what was required of them, the people were then able to prepare themselves emotionally and spiritually for the day of atonement.  As Nehemiah describes, they spent the next several days reviewing God’s commandments and fulfilling them in a way they hadn’t done in over a hundred years.

Today, Rosh Hashanah is celebrated as the Jewish New Year even though it is considered the seventh month.  Other than taking it as day in which they do not work, the celebration today has little resemblance to that commanded in the Law.  It occurs in  September or early October according to our calendar.

The Day Of Atonement

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,  Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD. 

And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God.  For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people.  And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people.  Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.  It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.” (Leviticus 23:26-32) 

Nine days after celebrating the first day of the seventh month, Israel was to celebrate the day of atonement.  While no servile work was to be done on other Sabbaths and holidays, on the day of atonement, there was to be no work at all.  It was to be a day spent wholly in making things right with God.  Leviticus 16 describes the sacrifices and rituals that were to be followed on the day of atonement.  Leviticus 16:34 commands, “And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year…”

Today the holiday is known as Yom Kippur.  It is often observed by a twenty five hour period of fasting, and is the

The Jewish Holidays

Leviticus 23:1-22

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts. 

Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings. 

These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.” (Leviticus 23:1-4)

God designated certain holidays that Israel was to celebrate.  Each one was a specific reminder of what God had done for them, and the way of celebrating it was designed to remind them of what happened.  Each one was to be a day reserved solely for remembering what God had done.

The Sabbath

The first one was the Sabbath or Saturday.  It was to be a day or rest and worship, and no servile work was to be done, although it was specified that animals could be taken to water or the sick cared for.  It was a reminder that God rested when his work was finished, and that man needed time to rest as well.  In Mark 2:27, Jesus said, “The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.”  It was for man’s spiritual, emotional and physical health.  Unfortunately, over time it became solely about ritual observance rather than man’s benefit.

Each of the holidays were to be a holy convocation or time of assembling together specifically to worship.

Passover

“In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord's passover.” (Leviticus 23:5) 

The Jewish calendar is based on the movement of the moon around the earth.  Each month starts with the new moon.  Since the lunar movements do not exactly coincide with the movement of the sun around the earth, the exact date of the new moon varies from year to year, although it can be readily calculated.  To compensate the Jews used a complex combinations of twelve and thirteen month years. The month Nissan thus starts shortly after the spring equinox which occurs on March twenty first.  Fourteen days later, they were to celebrate the Passover.  As a result Passover nearly always falls in April.

A similar method is used to determine Easter, but since it is celebrated on the Sunday after the first new moon the spring equinox, Easter‘s date varies far more.  Thanks to the different ways of calculating, Easter can fall the same week, or up to a month before Passover.

Instructions for the celebration of Passover are found in Exodus 12.  It is celebrating the death angel passing over and sparing the Jews when he killed the firstborn of Egypt.  The instructions are a re-enactment of what the Jews did that night.   Passover is still celebrated, although in a modified form.

Feast Of Unleavened Bread

“And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.  In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.  But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.” (Leviticus 23:6-8)

Immediately after the death angel passed through Egypt, Pharaoh ordered the Jews out of the land, but after thinking about it changed his mind and ordered the army to bring them back.  For six days, the Jews fled across the Sinai peninsula to escape Pharaoh’s army, only stopping to prepare a quick meal of unleavened bread similar to a corn tortilla but made of wheat.  On the seventh day, they crossed the Gulf of Aqaba, a branch of the Red Sea, at Baalzephon, where the Egyptian army drowned.

The feast of unleavened bread was to commemorate that seven days of flight from the Egyptians culminating on the seventh day with the crossing the Red Sea and the destruction of the Egyptian army. They were to assemble on the seventh day to celebrate their deliverance from Egypt.

Feast of Ingathering or First Fruits

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. 

And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the LORD.  And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the LORD for a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin.  And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.” (Leviticus 23:9-14)

When they began to harvest their crops, they were to take the first bundle or sheaf to the priest, who would wave it before the Lord as an appreciation for what he was going to provide.  It was to be offered on the first day of the week, on the first day of harvest.  Along with the first fruits, they were to offer a yearling lamb for a burnt offering, a food offering of flour mixed with olive oil, and a drink offering.  None of the  crop was to be eaten until the sacrifices had been offered.  God commanded them practice this forever, but it in seldom practiced today.  

Feast Of Weeks

“And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD. 

Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD.  And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the LORD, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the LORD.  Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings.  And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits for a wave offering before the LORD with the two lambs: they shall be holy to the LORD for the priest.  And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.” (Leviticus 23:15-21)

Seven weeks after they offered the first fruits of their harvest the Jews were to come before the Lord with a new food offering to thank God for what he was providing.  It was to consist of two leavened loaves of bread as the first fruits of what was produced from the crops.  Along with them they were to offer seven yearling lambs, a young bull and two rams as a burnt offering, along with the specified food and drink offerings as a sweet smell of thanksgiving.  This was to be followed with a sin offering and peace offerings which were waved before the Lord along with the two loaves of leavened bread before being given to the priest.  This also was to be performed forever.

By Jesus’ day the feast of weeks was known as Pentecost, and was dated from Passover, rather than the first day of harvest.  Today it is called Shavuot, and is celebrated as a commemoration of the giving of the Torah or law on Mount Sinai, rather than as a thanksgiving for the food God provides.

“And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God.” (Leviticus 23:22)

No effort was to be made to get every bit of the crop.  Anything that was missed or hard to get was to be left behind for those who might need it.  They were to trust God to provide enough without worrying.

Guidelines For Priests

Leviticus 22:1-33

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, and that they profane not my holy name in those things which they hallow unto me: I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 22:1-2)

Moses was to instruct Aaron and the priests to distinguish between themselves and the holy things to prevent profaning them before the people.  They were to keep the things offered to God at arms length to prevent beginning to treat them as their own, or people from feeling like it just belonged to them.  If they treated those things as their own, they might use them improperly.

Over the years I have seen a lot of ministries use money that was given for a specific purpose for to buy jet skis, or pay for expensive vacations instead.  Donors who had given up their own pleasures and comforts were seriously offended as a result, making it far harder for legitimate ministries to obtain needed help.

 “Say unto them, Whosoever he be of all your seed among your generations, that goeth unto the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from my presence: I am the LORD.  What man soever of the seed of Aaron is a leper, or hath a running issue; he shall not eat of the holy things, until he be clean. 

And whoso toucheth any thing that is unclean by the dead, or a man whose seed goeth from him; Or whosoever toucheth any creeping thing, whereby he may be made unclean, or a man of whom he may take uncleanness, whatsoever uncleanness he hath; The soul which hath touched any such shall be unclean until even, and shall not eat of the holy things, unless he wash his flesh with water.  And when the sun is down, he shall be clean, and shall afterward eat of the holy things; because it is his food.” (Leviticus 22:3-7)

The same health guidelines for uncleanness applied to the priests as well.  During the time they were unclean, they were to be isolated from the tabernacle and were not permitted to serve as priests or partake of the offerings until they were again clean to prevent the spread of disease.  Once they were clean they could resume their duties.

“That which dieth of itself, or is torn with beasts, he shall not eat to defile himself therewith: I am the LORD.  They shall therefore keep mine ordinance, lest they bear sin for it, and die therefore, if they profane it: I the LORD do sanctify them.” (Leviticus 22:8-9) 

While ordinary people could eat normally clean animals which had died of natural causes, just taking precautions to protect others, the priest were prohibited from doing so because of their position before God and their constant contact with other people.  Failure to do so could result in death of the priest.

“There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing: a sojourner of the priest, or an hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing.  But if the priest buy any soul with his money, he shall eat of it, and he that is born in his house: they shall eat of his meat.” (Leviticus 22:10-11) 

The things dedicated to God were to be given to the priests for their personal use and that of their immediate families.  They were not to be shared with other people, not even the priest’s visitors or employees, although his own family and slaves could since they were his responsibility.

“If the priest's daughter also be married unto a stranger, she may not eat of an offering of the holy things.  But if the priest's daughter be a widow, or divorced, and have no child, and is returned unto her father's house, as in her youth, she shall eat of her father's meat: but there shall no stranger eat thereof.” (Leviticus 22:12-13)

If the priest’s daughter was married to someone who was not a priest, she was not permitted to eat the holy things because her father was no longer responsible to support her.  If she was divorced or her husband died, and she was forced to go home as a dependent of her father, she was allowed to partake, but if she had a child she was responsible for she could no longer be fully dependent on her father.  She had to take responsibility for her child.

“And if a man eat of the holy thing unwittingly, then he shall put the fifth part thereof unto it, and shall give it unto the priest with the holy thing.” (Leviticus 22:14)

If a person accidentally ate some of the holy things, he was to replace it and add twenty percent of its value to make up for their not having it.

 “And they shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, which they offer unto the LORD; Or suffer them to bear the iniquity of trespass, when they eat their holy things: for I the LORD do sanctify them.” (Leviticus 22:15-16)

While the holy things were designated to be given to the priests, they were to receive it seriously as belonging to God.  They were not to partake, without first taking care of their own sin.

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them, Whatsoever he be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, that will offer his oblation for all his vows, and for all his freewill offerings, which they will offer unto the LORD for a burnt offering; Ye shall offer at your own will a male without blemish, of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats.  But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you.” (Leviticus 22:17-20) 

Any offering to God other than the various sin offerings were voluntary gifts.  There could be no pressure to give them., but they had to be given with respect to God.  Offering him something less than their best was an insult to him.

“And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD to accomplish his vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein.  Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the LORD, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the LORD. 

Either a bullock or a lamb that hath any thing superfluous or lacking in his parts, that mayest thou offer for a freewill offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted. 

Ye shall not offer unto the LORD that which is bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut; neither shall ye make any offering thereof in your land.” (Leviticus 22:21-24)

An animal that had a birth defect could be given as a freewill offering as it was the way God had made it. Although it was not acceptable for replacement for something a person had promised to God.  Diseased or injured animals were not acceptable at all, either at the tabernacle or anywhere else.

 “Neither from a stranger's hand shall ye offer the bread of your God of any of these; because their corruption is in them, and blemishes be in them: they shall not be accepted for you.” (Leviticus 22:25)

They were not to buy their offerings from non Jews because there was no way of knowing what diseases or injuries they might have contracted.  Thus, such sacrifices would not be acceptable.

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, When a bullock, or a sheep, or a goat, is brought forth, then it shall be seven days under the dam; and from the eighth day and thenceforth it shall be accepted for an offering made by fire unto the LORD.  And whether it be cow or ewe, ye shall not kill it and her young both in one day.” (Leviticus 22:26-28) 

No animal less than eight days old was acceptable as a burnt sacrifice, and in any case they were not to sacrifice both the mother and her offspring in the same day.

“And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the LORD, offer it at your own will.  On the same day it shall be eaten up; ye shall leave none of it until the morrow: I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 22:29-30) 

Thanksgiving sacrifices were to be completely voluntary, and the priests and people offering them were to eat them completely that same day.  Nothing was to be left over or saved for the priests.

“Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: I am the LORD.  Neither shall ye profane my holy name; but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I am the LORD which hallow you, That brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 22:31-33)

Every effort was to be made to show respect toward God, and appreciation for his delivering them from slavery in Egypt.  By demonstrating such respect, their children and grandchildren would learn to show similar respect.