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Chapter 8. The Law and Entering into the Promised Land Exodus 32-40, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The Golden Calf. As Moses is on the mountain with God, the people fall into sin. They give golden earrings to Aaron and he makes a golden calf. Why a calf?
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Chapter 8 The Law and Entering into the Promised Land Exodus 32-40, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy
The Golden Calf • As Moses is on the mountain with God, the people fall into sin. • They give golden earrings to Aaron and he makes a golden calf. • Why a calf? • It represented Apis, the bull-deity and a god of fertility worshipped by the Egyptians.
Moses Returns • Moses received the tablets of the Law from God Himself • God told Moses what the people were doing and He disowned them. He offered to kill them and raise up a new people for Moses to lead (effectively making Moses a “New Abraham”) • How did Moses respond? • He pleads with God to spare Israel. • When Moses sees for himself what the people of Israel are doing how does he react? • He threw the tablets of the Law on the ground and they smashed into pieces. • This symbolizes Israel breaking the covenant with God.
Moses Returns • Exodus 32:25-29 • Moses realizes the people are not on the Lord’s side • The sons of Levi (Levites) show their loyalty • Moses orders them to kill the idolaters • Moses rewards the Levites by making them priests
After the Fall • Israel lost some of its unique, personal relationship with God • For one, only the Levites assumed the priesthood • Remember in the last chapter when it was said that all the people of Israel were to be priests? That changed. • The law was given to maintain order and teach humility and holiness • Moses goes back up Mt. Sinai bringing with him new tablets to write the commandments on and thus renews the covenant • When he comes down his face is radiant and needs to be covered with a veil
End of the Book of Exodus • The remainder of the Book of Exodus deals with building the Tabernacle and with other concerns (such as priestly garments) • At the very end, God fills the tabernacle and orders the peoples’ travels (Ex. 40:34-38).
Book of Leviticus • Leviticus meaning: • From Latin: “having to do with the Levites” • Why? • Leviticus is a sort of “Manual for Priests” • It is primarily concerned with atonement, ritual purity, and holiness. • Atonement is causing a sin to be forgiven • Ritual Purity is meant to remove specifically defined uncleanliness prior to a worship of God • This is done because in Leviticus it says that God separates himself from things that are “unclean” • Holiness is dependent on the first two in order to dedicate oneself to God • Many laws are listed and they are meant to be taken seriously • See Lv 10: 1-3
Book of Leviticus: Kosher Laws • Other laws included in Leviticus include Kosher laws • Kosher is a Hebrew word meaning “fit [for consumption] • An example of which animals are considered ritually pure are: • Land mammals with a “cloven hoof” and who “chews the cud” • Fish with scales and fins • Certain birds (based on tradition, not on physical criteria)
Book of Leviticus: Various Laws • Other laws included are: • A prohibition against worshipping Moloch: Lv 20: 1-8 • A prohibition to curse one’s parents (punishable by death) • Blasphemy is punishable by death • Leviticus ends by telling the people the rewards they will receive for obedience and the punishments they will suffer for disobedience to these laws. (Leviticus 26)
Book of Numbers • This book is essentially a recounting of Israel’s failure to live up to the Law and to trust in God. • In Hebrew the title of Numbers means “in the wilderness”, which is a more accurate title • This is because throughout the entire book of Numbers, Israel is wandering for 40 years in the desert • Why did it take 40 years when the journey normally took 11 days? • The people failed to trust in God. • Throughout the journey they continually “murmur” (complain) about their hardships and about Moses’ and Aaron’s leadership abilities. • Because of their murmuring, many are destroyed by God throughout the course of the journey.
Nazarite Vow • Numbers 6: 1-21 describes the conditions of the Nazarite Vow. • This was an optional vow taken to commit oneself to the LORD • It included commitments such as not drinking alcohol; not cutting one’s hair; and not going near corpses or graves • We will hear about this again, especially concerning whom? • Samson! • Other famous narizites: Absolom, Samuel, Paul, and John the Baptist
The Spies • When they neared the Promised Land, Moses sent spies out to scope it out and report their findings. • While in the Promised Land they bring back a cluster of grapes so big it had to be carried placed on a pole and carried by two people (Nm 13:23) • When they return the spies give their report: Nm 13: 25-33 • Upon hearing this, the people believed 10/12 spies and said “would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?” • Only Caleb and Joshua believed that Israel could conquer the land. They had faith in God. • How did the people respond to Joshua and Caleb?
Doomed to Death • The people responded by attempting to stone Joshua and Caleb to death. • As punishment for the people’s faithlessness, God decides to let them die in the wilderness: Nm 14:28-31 • Of this generation of people, only Caleb and Joshua would live to enter the Promised Land • Significance of the number 40 – it represented the period of time it took a new generation to arise