Leviticus 24:1-23
Q.1. How did Jesus supersede the perpetual offerings by the priests in the sanctuary? – (Lev.24:1-9)
Priests would minister daily in the Holy Place, as Israel’s representatives before a holy God. The Holy of Holies, where God dwelt among His people, was shrouded by the Shekinah Glory of His presence. However, the Holy Place had perpetual light which was provided by the seven-lamp Menorah (Lev.24:2-3 c.f. Ex.25:37). Every Sabbath the priests were to bake twelve fresh loaves of bread – set in order before the Lord continually; it is an everlasting covenant for the sons of Israel (Lev.24:8). All these pointed forward to our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ, Who provides light and life to us forever – Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life’ (Jn.8:12). Jesus also said to them – I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst (Jn.6:35).
Q.2. What impact would the stoning of a blasphemer have on God’s people? – (Lev.24:10-16)
It was understandable to have laws that imposed the cost of paying for damage done to others, including the death penalty if it was deserved. However, implementing the death penalty for using the Lord’s name as a swear word, was hard even for Moses (Lev.24:10-12 c.f. Exo.20:7). Taking another person’s life was murder … so how was the death penalty in this case, not murder? After seeking clarity from God, Moses was told to take the perpetrator outside the camp (Lev.24:14) – … the one who blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall certainly stone him. The alien as well as the native, when he blasphemes the Name shall be put to death (Lev.24:16). As the substitute for sinners – 12 Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate (Heb.13:12).
Q.3. How was a loss to be compensated? What did God’s justice look like? Why was man treated as special? – (Lev.24:17-23)
Almost every day we are reminded through the media of how people suffer because of a lack of justice in the application of our laws. God’s whole Law had a logical foundation, expressed this way – 17 `If a man takes the life of any human being, he shall surely be put to death. 18 The one who takes the life of an animal shall make it good, life for life. 19 If a man injures his neighbour, just as he has done, so it shall be done to him: 20 fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; just as he has injured a man, so it shall be inflicted on him (Lev.24:17-20). This was not applied equally to the death or harm done to an animal, because man is made in the image and likeness of God (Gen.1:26-27; 9:5-6). However, God still gave us people the responsibility of looking after all creation, including all the animals (Gen.1:28; 2:15; Prov.12:10).