Given that there is not much narrative in this passage, I will give a brief outline/summary of what I read. Moses is at mount Sinai and is receiving instruction for the Israelite people. Everything from what the priests should wear, to how the holy tent and everything in it is to be designed, even what the Israelites can and cannot eat, are all specifically outlined by God. In this passage, God is forming a new covenant with his chosen people. He consecrates Aaron and his descendants to be his priests who will intercede on behalf of Israel, and make attoneing sacrifices to make Israel right with God. These practices are clearly, explicitly and finitely instructed by YHWH himself through Moses. And to illustrate how serious this is, when two of Aaron's sons make a mistake and burn the wrong incense, God consumes them with fire! God ain't playin'. This is life or death. The expectation: you are God's people therefore you must be holy as God is holy.
It is always striking to see what the sacrificial system looks like. There are very specific animal sacrifices for specific people and events. If you want to praise God for something you give a peace offering, on the day of atonement you give a sin offering and drive a scapegoat (a goat that escapes with the sins of the community on its head) out of the community. It is interesting to draw the parallel between this form of sacrifice and the sacrifice of Christ, who was both the sin offering and, as he was resurrected and ascended to heaven, was also the scapegoat for all humanity.
It also fascinates me to read about what would make a person "ceremonially unclean" as it says in my translation. (NLT) Things like a woman's time of the month, having sex with your wife, or even a man having a wet dream all made people temporarily ceremonially unclean. They had to take a special bath, wash their clothes and then be pronounced clean by a priest after a specific allotment of time. I suppose this is fascinating to me because the instances I mentioned are considered normal by even the most conservative religious person today. And yet at that time, to be unclean in this way meant that you were outside the community and could not share in all the benefits and privileges thereof. At least that is what I gleaned from my reading today.
There is no question that we live in a different age today than the Israelites of the old covenant of Moses. Even Judaism does not practice the same sacrificial system that was in place in their ancient religion. Now the customs of the day of atonement are very different. And from what I understand, it in large part due to the destruction of Solomon's temple in 70CE.
But I digress. I have much more reading to do before the day is out. I hope you enjoyed this post. Be sure to continue to check back here often for further updates on my reading through the scriptures in 30 days.
DH out.
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