Leviticus 9

Leviticus 9:23

Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting.  When they came out and blessed the people, the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people.

I've always wondered what the glory of the Lord is.  I've heard all kinds of ideas and theories and explanations, but it seems to all be guesswork.  Even some Jews I've heard explain it will couch their explanations in hypotheticals.  It seems that no one knows what this consisted of.

From what I've read in other passages, I think it is at least partially a great light, given the reaction people had to Moses' face.  But somehow I don't think that's all.  I think there must be some kind of special spiritual quality to His glory, though I can't imagine what that would mean.  I've never been one who is able to describe a spiritual presence, so maybe I just won't understand until I experience it.  But how I look forward to that time when I do.

Leviticus 8

Leviticus 8:33

You shall not go outside the doorway of the tent of meeting for seven days, until the day that the period of your ordination is fulfilled; for he will ordain you through seven days.

This verse leads me to a couple of basic questions.  First, why is the ordination period seven days?  I realize the significance of a week, but why does it take a week?

The second question might answer the first, if I knew the answer to it:  what happens during this week of ordination?  The text makes it sound like they're supposed to just sit around doing basically nothing for that week.  Do they spend it in prayer?  In worship?  In some kind of service?  What's happening during that time?

Leviticus 7

Leviticus 7:25

For whoever eats the fat of the animal from which an offering by fire is offered to the Lord, even the person who eats shall be cut off from his people.

Wow, a pretty harsh punishment for someone who eats something.  Why is this such a big deal?  My theory is that it is because they are told that all the fat is to be offered up on the altar, so there should be none left for anyone to eat.

My other question:  what does it mean to be cut off from the people?  Is this permanent exile?  Or is it merely being declared unclean, and having to go through proper procedure to be cleansed again?  My personal opinion, in no way cross-checked, would point towards exile.  Again, this seems extreme, but it would also probably be effective in teaching the lesson that what is God's is for Him, not for man.

Leviticus 6

Leviticus 6:5

or anything about which he swore falsely; he shall make restitution for it in full and add to it one-fifth more.  He shall give it to the one to whom it belongs on the day he presents his guilt offering.

Today, a lot of debate goes into determining what punishment is effective for a given crime, especially property crimes like theft.  I find it somewhat refreshing to know that God had this figured out quite simply.  You forfeit the theft, plus a 20% "penalty" to the one you wronged.  Then you make the proper sacrifice, and that's it.  An almost clinical formula, but I can see how it works well.

I also like that you have to pay up the same day that you present your guilt offering.  I wonder if some people had to delay the offering because they couldn't pay the penalty at the time.  If that's the case, could they participate in the camp until then?  I don't think I've run across anything yet that says what one's supposed to do between when a sin is committed and it is discovered.  How many would just keep on living their lives, offering up the other required sacrifices until they were found out?  How many couldn't go to God until they had become right?  It would make for a different kind of punishment, knowing that you're holding out against God while appearing to go through all the right motions.  Not too different from many in church today.

Leviticus 5

Levitucus 5:4

Or if a person swears thoughtlessly with his lips to do evil or to do good, in whatever matter a man may speak thoughtlessly with an oath, and it is hidden from him, and then he comes to know it, he will be guilty in one of these.

My first thought in this is wondering how someone doesn't realize they've sworn?  Is this supposed to be one of those situations where they thought they were just thinking it, but realized it popped out their mouth too?  That's the only situation I can think of, but I wonder if there's some other possibility, like a Freudian slip or some such.

I also find it interesting that the reason for the swearing doesn't matter.  It can be for good (cursing someone who's done a serious wrong) or bad (insert example here, let your imaginations make one up). Either way, it is forbidden.  Intent has nothing to do with whether something is wrong.  I always found intentions vs. actions to be an interesting divergence in modern culture, where supposedly someone can do the wrong thing for the right reasons.  Never could figure the logic of that school of thought myself.

Leviticus 4

Leviticus 4:22

'When a leader sins and unintentionally does any one of all the things which the Lord your God has commanded not to be done, and he becomes guilty,

I've always been interested in the topic of unintentional sin.  I've had very heartfelt discussions of what counts as sin, especially when you don't know it is a sin (and the other way around is even more interesting discussions, but I digress).  Some people think that something can only be a sin if it is done on purpose.  I've always had a problem with that, because in the law there is such a thing as culpability through negligence.  You should have done something, but didn't, therefore you are guilty.

However, in these case, what tends to be harder to define is where the difference between sin and unintentional/accidental lies.  For a way-out-there example, if it were a sin to step on a crack, but I couldn't see where I was going (say, because I was carrying something large) and stepped on one, would that be a sin?  Yes, because it's said "thou shalt not step on cracks."  But what about the times where there is no way to avoid a sin?  Using the same outlandish example, if I were on a ladder that slipped, and fell off onto a crack, how am I to prevent that from happening?  Am I still guilty for something I had no direct control over?

The reason this gets to me is partially the tangential issue of childhood innocence.  There's a big debate over whether children are considered innocent by God if they die, and if so to what age.  Unintentional sin could be the deciding factor in this discussion.  If a 1-yr old is told not to do something and then does it anyway, is that sin?  At what point do they understand what "wrong" is?  And at what point does that lead to condemnation?  Not a question I've ever found an answer to, but not for lack of wondering.

Sorry if this seems random, my ADD must be in high swing today.

Leviticus 3

Leviticus 3:17

It is a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings:  you shall not eat any fat or any blood.'"

I always knew there was a reason I didn't like fat on my meat.

Seriously, why is fat forbidden?  I understand about the blood, as that's explained elsewhere.  The life is in the blood, which is quite true.  And the idea of drinking blood or eating bloody food has no appeal to me.

But why is fat similarly outlawed?  This doesn't appear to just be for sacrifices or offerings, it's at all times and all circumstances.  Is there a religious significance to this, or is it God's giving them hygiene and/or fitness instruction?

Leviticus 2

Leviticus 2:13

Every grain offering of yours, moreover, you shall season with salt, so that the salt of the covenant of your God shall not be lacking from you grain offering; with all you offerings you shall offer salt.

 Okay, I'm just going to say to this, "huh?"  What is this talking about?  I will admit I'm not a world-class Bible scholar, but what is the significance of salt in the covenant?  I don't recall any mention of salt before.  I realize the value and importance of salt in this climate, but why put salt in your grains?

So why did God include salt here?  My only guess is that it's something similar to how the New Testament (specific reference isn't coming to me) uses the expression of salt as a way of showing how Christians are unique from the rest of the world.  That salt sets us apart from everyone else, and makes us noticeable.  I know I'm reaching here, but might that be the reference to the salt of the covenant?

Leviticus 1

Leviticus 1:2

"Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, 'When any man of you brings an offering to the Lord, you shall bring your offering of animals from the herd or the flock.

Okay, I'm not promising any extremely insightful things for the next month or so.

First, I always find it interesting where the term "offering" is used.  The implication, at least in modern context, is that this is not any type of requirement or necessity.  This is when someone chooses to give to God in appreciation, or as part of a request, or perhaps non-required atonement.  Today, we always use the term offering, because we are under no law or compulsion.  For them, that term meant something special.

I wonder sometimes if people would react differently if it were translated "bring a gift to the Lord."  Would people pay any more attention to this oft-neglected book?

Exodus 40

Exodus 40:35

Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

Okay, I'm confused again.  Before, Moses was the only person who was able to approach God in His glory, but now we're told that he couldn't approach God because of His glory?

Maybe this is because when Moses saw God's glory before, he was seeing only a part; he was not permitted to see the fullness of God, for he would have died.  So if now God is fully filling the tabernacle, that is a greater extent which would kill Moses if he beheld it?  To think of a tent, constructed by men, assembled by men, to be so special that God would fill it with Himself, so that those same men could never even see what was happening, is something I don't know that I'll ever understand until the day I get to experience it firsthand.

Exodus 39

Exodus 39:43

And Moses examined all the work and behold, they had done it; just as the Lord had commanded, this they had done.  So Moses blessed them.

 I've previously made the point about how they followed God's instructions precisely, so I'll go on to the final bit of this verse.

Moses here blesses the craftsmen for making what they had been instructed to make.  They did it all perfectly, to exact specifications.  I don't know how detailed they were given, but obviously the work was magnificent.

I wonder what would've happened if something in the collection would have been only "okay."  Would Moses have simply withheld his blessing?  Or would he have cursed them, or have made them start over?  I know I'm often tempted, and too frequently succumb, to just getting by with doing what's necessary, not doing the best possible.  Knowing that I'm doing work for God does help with those temptations, though, even if I do not see the direct use of my efforts for Him.