Journeying Well

Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy

By Paul GibsonUniversity of Louisville BCM

2013

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Where we left off…

34 Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35 Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Exodus 40:34-35 (NIV)

Bob Seger--Against the Wind

“And I guess I lost my wayThere were oh so many roadsI was living to run and running to liveNever worried about paying or even how much I owedMoving eight miles a minute for months at a timeBreaking all of the rules that would bendI began to find myself searchingSearching for shelter again and againAgainst the windA little something against the windI found myself seeking shelter against the wind.”

Ever Feel Like You’re Journeying Through the Wilderness?

The Journey towards the promised land continued for the Children of Israel.

Google Maps Approach

1. Outlines2. Characters3. Verses4. Themes5. A story to highlight themes

A Quick Look at the Torah

• “Torah”—“law,” the narrative to which both pre-Christ and post-Christ Jews look to find meaning and instruction as a “people of God”

• Main Character in Torah—Moses

Genesis 1.1-11.32—Creation NarrativeGenesis 12.1-Exodus 18.27—The road to SinaiExodus 19.1-Numbers 10.10—The receiving of Law/InstructionNumbers 11.1-Deuteronomy—The road to the Promised Land

Leviticus--Outline

1-16—Holiness within the Israelite community

1-7—Catalog of Sacrifices8-10--Office of the Priest11-15—Focus on Impurities16—Atonement

17-26—Holiness Code (focus on loving neighbor)17-24—Holiness Code25—Jubilee26-27—Cause and Effect

Leviticus—Key Characters

• Moses • Aaron• Nadab• Abihu

Leviticus—Key Verses3 Moses then said to Aaron, "This is what the LORD spoke of when he said: "'Among those who approach

me I will show myself holy; in the sight of all the people I will be honored.'" Aaron remained silent. Leviticus 10:3 (NIV)

45 I am the LORD who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy. Leviticus 11:45 (NIV)

1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'I am the LORD your God. 3 You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices. 4 You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the LORD your God. 5 Keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them. I am the LORD. Leviticus 18:1-5 (NIV)

2 "Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: 'Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy. Leviticus 19:2 (NIV)

18 "'Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. Leviticus 19:18 (NIV)

Levitcus—Key Themes

• The holiness of God• How to dwell with a holy God in an unholy

land• Sacrifices

Leviticus provides instruction to the Israelites so that they may know how to dwell with a Holy

God.

Numbers--Outline

1.1-10.1—The Wilderness of Sinai10.11-20.13—Around Kadesh20.14-36.13—From Kadesh to Moab

Geographical entrance on journey towards the promised land.

Numbers—Key Characters

• Moses• Aaron• Balaam—Balak• Joshua• Caleb• Miriam• Sihon• Og

Numbers—Key Verses24 "' "The LORD bless you and keep you; 25 the LORD make his face shine upon you and be

gracious to you; 26 the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace."' Numbers 6:24-26 (NIV)

Numbers 14

12 But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them." Numbers 20:12 (NIV)

17 "I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth. Numbers 24:17 (NIV)

23 "But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the LORD; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out. Numbers 32:23 (NIV)

Numbers—Key Themes

• Disobedience• Grumbling, punishment, intercession, forgiveness• Salvation through one person (Moses, Caleb, Joshua)• Sojurn Continues• Battle

Disobedience is costly in the pursuit of the promise. However, due to God’s mercy and commitment, his

promise to Abraham will be fulfilled.

Deuteronomy—Outline

Resembles ancient Near Eastern Treaty

1.1-1.5—Preamble1.6-3.29—Historical Prologue4-26—Core/Presentation of the Law27-31—Legal Material

32-34—Narrative/Prose (Succession Arrangements)

Deuteronomy—Key Characters

• Moses• Joshua

Deuteronomy—Key Verses29 But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all

your soul. Deuteronomy 4:29 (NIV)

4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7

Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Deuteronomy 6:4-8 (NIV)

3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Deuteronomy 8:3 (NIV)

15 The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him. Deuteronomy 18:15 (NIV)

10 Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, 11 who did all those miraculous signs and wonders the LORD sent him to do in Egypt--to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. 12 For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel. Deuteronomy 34:10-12 (NIV)

Deuteronomy—Key Themes

• Obedience—If/then• Fulfillment• Next Generation

God is forming a binding contract of protection and provision as long as the Children of Israel serve

and pledge their loyalty to him.

A Closer Look at the Shema3 Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it

may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you. 4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.

A Closer Look at the Shema

7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:3-9 (NIV)

SHEMA (Shə mä´)

Transliteration of Hebrew imperative meaning “hear” (Deut. 6:4) and applied to 6:4-9 as the basic statement of the Jewish law. The Shema became for the people of God a confession of faith by which they acknowledged the one true God and His commandments for them.

Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary.

Two Commands…

1. Hear, O Israel2. Love the Lord Your God with all your

1. Heart—labab—inner person2. Soul—nephesh—whole self3. Might—medo—force

The Israelites were called to love God...

• From the deepest part of their being• With all of their being• With as much force as possible

Such God-Ordained holistic living does not lend itself to compartmentalized living.

Heart—Soul—Might

JOURNEYING WELL

Our intentions are not to be polytheistic; our purpose is to serve one God—Yhwh.

4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Deuteronomy 6:4 (NIV)

JOURNEYING WELL

Our actions cannot be compartmentalized; every action provides us with the opportunity to respond with or without love towards God.

5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7

Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Deuteronomy 6:5-7 (NIV)

JOURNEYING WELLChrist-like change begins in the heart or inner being.

33 "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." Jeremiah 31:33-34 (NIV)

JOURNEYING WELL

We are to live out the Shema “so that it may go well with us in the land we are going over to possess.”

3 Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you. Deuteronomy 6:3 (NIV)

God continues to provide provision and protection for his people as long as we serve and pledge our holistic loyalty to Jesus the

Lord.