The Book of Leviticus
- First Impressions
1.1 What do you see in this book that tells you
about the Original Reader?
-
The original reader of the book was the people of
Israel who escaped from Egypt and camped at Mt. Sinai. Although they witnessed
God’s miraculous signs and wonders, they did not know how to interact with God.
That is the reason why God gave the detailed instructions on the offerings and
how to keep them clean through Moses.
-
Lev 1:2, 11:2, 18:2, 27:34
1.2 What do you see in this book that tells you
about the author?
-
The author of this book is Moses.
-
Lev 1:1, 4:1, 6:1, 6:24, 8:1, 7:38
1.3 Main themes, repeated ideas and main idea
- There are several themes
repeated in the book of Leviticus: the offering of an animal with no defect
(Lev 1:3, 3:1, 4:3, 5:15); God’s command, “Be holy because I am holy.” (Lev
11:44-45, 19:2, 20:26); God’s reiteration of who He is, “I am the Lord you
God.” He practically repeats this statement at the end of every command He gave
to the Israelites. (Lev 18:2, 4-5, 21, 30, 19:3-4, 10, 16, 25)
- This book is about teaching the
Israelites how to approach God and walk with God.
1.4 What is the primary reason this book was written?
-
Moses wrote this book, in accordance with the command of God, to teach
the people of Israel to distinguish between what is sacred and what is common,
between what is ceremonially unclean and what is clean.
- Lev 10:10-11, 18:2-5, 18:27-30,
20:22, 25:18-19
- Theme Tracing
2.1 What does this book show about the Character and Nature of God?
- In the episode of Aaron’s sons
Nadab and Abihu (Lev 10:1-3), I found that not just God is holy but how serious
God is about His being holy and teaching this nature to His people. Of course I
don’t think that God caused them to commit the sin in order to make his point
to all the other Israelites (they died of their own sin) but he used this event
to demonstrate who He is to the people of Israel. Here I can see one of the
characteristics of the interaction between God and humans that He does not
cause us to sin, which means He does not tamper with our freewill, but is able
to turn things around either for the good or bad to fulfill His purpose. Later
on in this episode, I also found that God is sympathetic with human emotions
(because we are created in His own image) in that He understood how Aaron must
have felt on the loss of his own sons (Lev 19:20).
Another characteristic of God I
found in the instructions regarding harvest crops is that He is a compassionate
god who takes care of the weak such as the poor and foreigners (Lev 23:22).
Also the command of Sabbath year of the land shows God provides according to
his abundance because He promised to provide the Israelites three years worth
of crop which is more than enough to cover the year of Sabbath and the
following year when they should wait for the new croup to grow for harvest.
2.2 What does this book show you about God’s redemptive plan for mankind?
- Every offering of an animal
prescribed by God foreshadows the crucifixion of Jesus Christ in the New
Testament, with the blood sprinkled in front of the atonement cover symbolizing
the blood of Jesus (Lev 16:14). Especially, both the two goats that Aaron
should present to the Load at the entrance of the Tabernacle, I think,
foreshadow Jesus in a detailed manner. One goat is to be sacrificed to the Lord
as an offering (that is typical), and the other goat is to be sent to the
wilderness of Azazel (Lev 16:7-10), which reminds me of Jesus who was described
by John the Baptist to be the lamb of God who carries the sins of the people
and later was sent to the wilderness for 40 days.
Along with all the instructions
regarding the offerings, God strictly prevented any offering in the open fields
(Lev 17:3-5). That, I think, reveals that God will only accept a sacrifice
dedicated through His chosen priest who is the shadow of Jesus Christ, the
perfect priest.
- Application
3.1 Personal application
- While I was reading through the
book of Leviticus, the first thought that crossed my mind was that God
speaks…and speaks long. As a beginner in having a fellowship with God, talking
and listening to him, I have not had this kind of long conversation with him
yet. In that sense, I envied Moses even though the content of the conversation
is not all pleasant. Also I was surprised to find the book of Leviticus is full
of types which foreshadow Jesus in His instructions on the offerings and being
clean. Despite all the different rules and regulations repeated over and over, it
seems to me that God has only one point to make through all of these. “For
everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard (Rom 3:23).”
No matter how hard we try to keep the all laws given by God, by the end of the
day we are to find ourselves unable to do it. That is why we need a redeemer,
the Lamb of God. And we have him, Jesus Christ. Hallelujah!!!
The Book of Numbers
- First Impressions
1.1 What do you see in this book that tells you
about the Original Reader?
-
The original reader of the book of Numbers is the
people of Israel while they were camped on the plains of Moab before they
entered the Promised Land.
-
Num 9:2, 28:2-3, 29:40, 36:13
1.2 What do you see in this book that tells you
about the author?
-
The author of this book is Moses.
-
Num 8:1-2, 33:2
1.3 Main themes, repeated ideas and main idea
-
Throughout the book, the cycle of the Israelites’
complaint-God’s judgment-Moses’ intercession-relief is repeated over and over
(Num 11:1-34, 14:4-45, 16:1-19, 16:41-50, 20:2-12, 21:4-5).
-
God disciplined His people in the wilderness which
foreshadows what the life of church is like to be.
1.4 What is the primary reason this book was written?
- Moses wrote this book to give the
Israelites and its future generations so that they would remember and obey all
the commands of God and remind them of their identity as a chosen nation by God
(Num 15:23, 38-40, 23:8-10, 24: 5-9, 17-19).
- Theme Tracing
2.1 What does this book show about the Character and Nature of God?
- God is powerful, slow to anger,
filled with unfailing love and forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion but he
is righteous, not excusing the guilty (Num 14:17-19). But he is not pleased
with even the death of the wicked and knows our sinfulness so he gives us
warnings (Num 17:10). God is not human so does not change his mind and lie.
Whatever he says, he carries it through (Num 23:19). God’s election is not
based on the merits of the chosen but solely by His sovereignty (Num 23:8-9).
Also the Spirit of God can come upon anyone whom he chooses to fulfill his
purpose (Num 24:2).
2.2 What does this book show you about God’s redemptive plan for mankind?
- The pillar of cloud/fire that
led the Israelites in the wilderness symbolizes Jesus whom the church follows
wherever he goes (Num 9:15-23).
- Moses foretold the birth of the
church in New Testament in his wishing all the Lord’s people were prophets and
the Lord would put his Spirit upon them all (Num 11:29).
- Aaron’s being the mediator
between the dead and the living foreshows Jesus who stands between God and
humans as a perfect mediator (Num 16:48). Also the bronze snake lifted on the
pole through which God healed his people of the plaque symbolizes Jesus who was
hang on the tree to pay for our sins to save us (Num 12:8-9). His coming was
also prophesied by Balaam in his message to Balak to be described as a star, a
scepter, and a ruler rising in Jacob (Num 24:17-19).
- Application
3.1 Personal application
While I was reading through this
book, there was one statement of God that really eluded me all along. It was
Num 20:12, “But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me
enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead
them into the land I am giving them.” And it was repeated in the book more than
once. I could not understand what God meant by saying to Moses that he failed
to demonstrate His holiness. How does the act of Moses’ striking the rock to
make water gush out of it have anything to do with representing God’s holiness?
How is it possible for a mere mortal to demonstrate God’s holiness? What is the
holiness of God in the first place?
I just gave up on finding an
answer and went to the Thursday night gathering. I was sitting there while
Lauren was speaking, finding hard to focus what he was saying. Then came a
revelation in the form of conviction by the Holy Spirit. God reminded me of
what I have been telling to people around me on why I came to Kona for DBS. I
told people in a joking manner that I ran away from my father who is so pushy
about my not getting married. However I know it is not true. Maybe it could be
one of the benefits I can enjoy while I stay away from him. The truth is that
it was God who put this desire to learn His Word in my heart. It was also God
who provided me with a job when I got back to Korea so that I could pay the
tuition. It was God who took (and is still taking) all the garbage out of my
mind so that I have nothing to desire but Him. Despite all that, I have failed
to demonstrate what God has been doing in my life so wonderfully, so amazingly,
so beyond my imagination to other people. That is what He meant by saying to
Moses “you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of
Israel.” I was so convicted of my sinfulness but at the same time so grateful
to my God who corrects me so gently, so tenderly. It is just mind-blowing to
think that God decided to use us to show His holiness to the world. He could
have shown Himself and His holiness to people like he did at Mt. Sinai but he
chose us to do that. My response to this is nothing but gratitude and praise to
Him!
The Book of Deuteronomy
- First Impressions
1.1 What do you see in this book that tells you
about the Original Reader?
-
The original reader of this book is the people of
Israel while they were in the wilderness east of the Jordan River. Also the
author intended this book to be read by the descendant of the Israelites so
that not the just the current generation but also the next generations to come
would keep all the laws, decrees, and regulations given by God. In the book,
Moses (the author) repeated to the Israelites to keep and pass on these
instructions to their descendants over and over again.
-
Deu 1:1,3; 4:44; 6:4-7; 6:20-21; 29:1
1.2 What do you see in this book that tells you
about the author?
-
This book clearly states that Moses wrote this entire
body of instructions in a book more than twice.
-
Deu 31:9; 31:19, 22, 24
1.3 Main themes, repeated ideas and main idea
- The author reiterates God’s
command to keep all the laws, decrees, and regulations given to the Israelites
(Deu 4:1, 5:1; 8:1; 11:8, 18; 27:1) as a covenant, along with their identity as
a nation to be a special treasure set apart by God (Deu 4:2; 7:6; 26:18).
1.4 What is the primary reason this book was written?
-
God gave these specific instructions to the Israelites before they
entered the land of Canaan and the reasons for that are specifically stated in
Ch. 4. God wanted to demonstrate His holiness through the Israelites’ obeying
His laws completely because His wisdom, righteousness, fairness, and
intelligence (i.e. His nature and character) is well reflected in His laws (Deu
4:5-8). Also God commanded Moses to write this book lest the future generations
as well as the current Israelites forget who God is, what God has done to
redeem them from the slavery in Egypt as well as their identity as a covenanted
nation with God (Deu 4:9-15; 29:14-15). Yet another reason follows in the next verse
that Moses warned the Israelites against any temptation for idol worship which
was rampant in Egypt and Canaan, emphasizing how God hates idolatry (Deu 4:15-25).
- Theme Tracing
2.1 What does this book show about the Character and Nature of God?
- Deu Ch. 4 also gives a detailed
account of God: the LORD is God both in heaven and on earth, and there is no
other (Deu 4:39). He is a covenant-giving God who is faithful to keep it
through even though the other party (His people) cannot (Deu 4:31). And He
wants to reveal himself to his people so He speaks to them and guide them (Deu
4:36). I also got the hint of His sense of humor from how He describe the Israelites
to Moses in His anger “the people you (Moses) brought out of Egypt have
corrupted themselves (Deu 9:12) after repeating over and over that it was Him
who set them free from the bondage!
In Deuteronomy, I could also find
several evidence verses supporting His election of His people based on His
sovereignty. God himself clearly states that He did not choose the Israelites
for any of their own merits. Of all the people on earth, the LORD has chosen
Israel (and us) to be his own special and there is nothing that is attributable
to His decision (Deu 7:6-8, 10:14-15, 32:8). God also reflected His character
being merciful and compassionate for the week in His decrees (Due 10:17-18,
15:7-11).
2.2 What does this book show you about God’s redemptive plan for mankind?
- In Deuteronomy, there are
several verses in which God seems to have already known the Israelites’ fall
for idolatry and disobedience and rebellion. In fact, at the end of the book,
He prophesied their rebellion. (Deu 31:16-18). To our relief, however, He also
mentioned a few survivors, the remnants) amid his foretold curses (Deu 4:27). However
I am not 100% sure that this particular verse is meant to refer to those who
are spared through His redemptive plan which is more clearly stated in other
parts of the OT.
More clear reference for GRP in
this book is found in Ch. 18:15 where Moses prophesied the coming of a prophet
like him, Jesus Christ. More interesting statement following the verse is
Moses’ command, “You must listen to him.” This particular command is later
repeated in Matthew Ch.17:5 in the NT where a voice from the cloud spoke to the
three disciples on Mt. of transfiguration.
- Application
3.1 Personal application
The constant rebellion of the
Israelites depicted in Pentateuch is just a reflection of who I am before God.
Most of the times, I don’t want to follow Him and even when I want to do it
badly, I am just ended up admitting I am not able. Hence I need a Messiah who
has fulfilled all the requirements for being righteous with God and transferred
his righteousness to me. I need this gracious, merciful Messiah everyday.
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