In response to the deaths of Nadab and Abihu (see previous post) God tells Mosses to tell Aaron that He cannot come to the Tent of Meeting whenever he wants, and that when he does come, he must bathe and clothe himself in sacred garments and bring a sin offering for himself. He must also bring two goats, one to be sacrificed as a sin offering for the people and the other to be carry the sins of the people into the desert (the origin of the scapegoat). He must then wash and put on his regular clothes and present a burnt offering for himself and a burnt offering for the people. Here we see most clearly how Jesus' sacrifice replaced the offerings of the old covenant, as he took the place of the goats, taking our sins and then dying to make atonement for us. This is what Jesus meant when He said He came to fulfil the Law.
God then sets up the day of atonement. On the tenth day of the seventh month, the people were to fast and refrain from work, because on that day they would be made clean before God. The high priest was to make atonement for - or purify - the Most Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting, the altar, the priests and the community. This may seem a little redundant given that the people were meant to atone for their sins as they happened, and Aaron had just been told to offer a sin offering every time he entered the Tent of Meeting, but God knew that the people would grow lazy or forgetful. Knowing this, He makes a date with His people, just as He already has with the festivals, because He knows they'll remember that much. And it worked - Zach Braff's character in Garden State jokes that synagogues are made with moveable walls so that they can fit all the people who come just for the day of atonement. God knows us and He works around us.
God then reminds Moses that all sacrifices are to be brought to Him, because it seems not everybody has been paying attention. Some people must have been sacrificing animals off their own back, but anyone who kills an animal and does not bring it to the tabernacle is guilty of bloodshed and must be cut off from his people - the people are only allowed to kill and eat meat because they first give God His due. Some others have been sacrificing to goat idols, but God likens this to "prostituting themselves", presumably because they are giving the idols their worship, something which does not belong to them. God also reminds Moses that the people are not to eat blood, because this is the life of the animal, or meat which has been found dead torn by wild animals.
Now God moves onto unlawful sexual relations. A number of examples are given, but essentially the rules are these: do not sleep with any of your close blood relatives or the wives of any of your close relatives; do not sleep with a woman and her daughter; do not marry two sisters; do not have sex with a woman while she is menstruating; do not sleep with your neighbour's wife; do not sleep with another man as with a woman; and do not have sex with an animal. It's interesting that all but the last are written specifically for men. Are women here being denied their sexuality? Or does this imply an assumption that men are more likely to indulge in unlawful sexual acts? I don't think either is particularly fair, although I assume that the equivalent rules do also apply to women.
But what does the Law have to do with our sex lives anyway? They're private, aren't they? Yes they are, or at least they should be, but they can still have an impact on others. It's that impact that these laws are really interested in. They're about maintaining peace (adultery can cause great pain and lead to discord and violence, and we've already seen from Jacob the damage that marrying two sisters can do) and protecting the gene pool (there are serious health issues associated with children born of incest). Essentially, they're about protecting the community. And bestiality is forbidden because it is goes against the whole point of sex and relationships - pets are great but we were made to relate primarily and most intimately to other humans, which is why God made Adam a human companion.
That all seems fair enough and thus far there's little to argue with, but then we come to the issue of homosexuality. It's too big an issue to go into properly here, but it's also too important to ignore, so for now I will just say this. I have no problem with homosexuality. For twenty years I was told that it was wrong, but then I started to think for myself and the arguments began to fall apart. One of the main arguments against it is that it is "unnatural". It's the same argument used against bestiality and incest, and some will be quick to point out that theses sexual practices are condemned together, but we have already seen the reasons for forbidding bestiality and incest. Homosexuality is about a relationship between two people, and the fact that same-sex couples cannot reproduce unaided does not damage but only limits the gene pool, so there is a world of difference. Perhaps most importantly, unlike adultery, homosexuality hurts no one. It may offend some people, but we can't ban everything that offends someone. We'd live very sterile lives if we did. I can't argue with the fact that it is forbidden here, but why do we stick so firmly to this law and ignore others, such as the one in the following chapter that forbids clothing made of two different materials? When Jesus said "what you loose on earth will be loosed in Heaven, what you bind on earth will be bound in Heaven" He gave us permission to change the rules. It's a dangerous business and it can and has been grossly misused, but as long as we make the rules in accordance with the nature of God, I think we're okay. God is a god of love, and what is homosexuality about if not love? Surely He would see the sense in retracting this law, which has only succeeded in causing misery and heartache for many.
Finally we come to a mixed bag of various laws. Many are reminders of commands already given, because God know how often we need reminding of these things. We need to remind ourselves too. Of the others, I will just pick up on a few - you can read the rest for yourself. God decrees that farmers must not reap to the edges of their fields, and vineyard owners must not go over their vines a second time. Anything left is for the poor and the alien to gather as food for themselves. God is providing for the weak and the vulnerable, but it relies on the people keeping His commands. It's always amazing to see how people step up to the mark in times of disaster - the amount of money donated after the recent flood in Pakistan is truly remarkable and a wonderful testament to the generosity of the human spirit - but we have a social responsibility in the quiet times too. We need to care for those in our community who are in need everyday.
God has already said "Thou shalt not kill", but now He goes a step further and tells the people not to endanger the life of another. This would presumably cover offences such as reckless behaviour and grievous bodily harm. Stopping short of murder is not enough, we must not hurt any one in any way. God then goes even further and says "Do not hate your brother in your heart". Jesus said something similar and it was called revolutionary, but it has its roots right here. Jesus was not saying anything the Jewish people hadn't heard before, but they had forgotten it and so Jesus was bringing them back to the point. God also forbids the use of mediums and sorcery, dishonest practice in business and tattooing. He demands respect for the elderly and reverence for Himself; and He declares that foreigners are to be loved and treated as natives. This last seems particularly pertinent given the wonderful patchwork society we live in, and perhaps we would do well to remember it next time we hear someone complaining about "those foreigners".
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