This study coincides with the first day of Lent, and it is a great way to begin the Lenten season. After all, the Christian calendar -- Advent, Epiphany etc -- is meant to help us think through the life of Christ, and this study on blood helps us link Leviticus to the work of Christ. We sing so much about blood sometimes ("What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus!"), and somehow in the Christian belief, blood is for washing, and makes us white and clean. This is somewhat counterintuitive, because certainly we don't use it for washing in our daily lives, and we know that blood stains!
Lev 17 helps shed light on the significance of blood to the Christian belief.
(A) Blood is used in tabernacle worship: communal, not individualistic (Lev 17:1-4)
Lev 17 is the start of another section, marked out by the phrase, "and the Lord spoke to Moses saying" (Lev 17:1). This people were to be instructed that sacrifices of worship needed to be done in a certain place and way. This section is not about the general killing of any animal, but is specifically about worship and sacrifice. Why would an Israelite kill any animal as they wished, for this is what this passage implies? Idol worship was common, and it could also be also against any one who attempts some sort of personal sacrifice and worship (i.e. anyone who decides that they would want to be their own priest).
Lev 17:4b shows us a consequence of “shed[ding] blood”. It tells us that "bloodguilt shall be imputed" and "that man shall be cut off from among the people". These are serious consequences, and shows us something about the way the ceremonial law, and the whole Bible is designed. Remember that in Leviticus, God's people have been called out of Egypt and are to travel together as His people. They had a corporate identity, and this is perhaps slightly different from what we're used to thinking of. One of the worst things that could happen to them was to be cut off from their community and be left alone. In our day and age, we don't quite think of being cut off from God's people as much of a serious thing. We're used to thinking of ourselves as individuals with rights and choices. We assume that if we're cut off from one group, we can always join another. In fact, sometimes we'd even choose to leave groups that don't suit us, in search of other more favourable groups. But remember that when for a people in the wilderness, to be cut off means an end to security and relationship, and a limited access to resources. Most importantly, they would have no access to God. Right here in Leviticus 17, we learn that God has laid out a system of worship, and how to think of community. Therefore, to ignore that and to devise our own systems is to ignore God.
What does this mean for us? We live in an age of individualism and authenticity. We demand that we need to feel it to believe in it. We are tempted to make God in our own image, and make Him approve the things we champion, disapprove of the things we abhor, and tend to pray the things we want and we expect Him to answer our prayers according to our will (c.f. Ps 50:21). But this passage operates in a completely different manner -- God has given the form, and that is it. God has placed His tabernacle in the middle of their camp, and this is how He demands that they relate to Him. God's worship here is also communal. It is not individualistic, because He has made it that way.
Who is God? Again and again, we need to tell ourselves that God is outside of us and reigns above and beyond. He is the one with authority and rules. We are but His creatures, and are to follow His direction and will, not the other way around. What have you done with God's worship? Have you made it about you, even in the most subtle of ways?
(B) Blood is used for God's own worship: pure, not idolatrous (Lev 17:5-9)
In Lev 17:5, God speaks about how the people are to bring the sacrifices to the Lord, and specifically tells us what the “end” of this law is. It appears that people are offering sacrifices in the open field, hence, this instruction is aimed at introducing a system. This attempts to bring together diverse people and different practices to establish a norm and standard procedure. This also helps us see something about the Levitical context and the surrounding nations. It appears that not only do the people worship at their own time, they are also worshipping other gods ("goat demons"). The Bible also describes it as a whoring after these idols (aka prostitute). It describes it in rather graphic terms, doesn't it? Idolatry here is simply described as adultery against God, an offering of flesh to someone that you have not covenanted with. In Lev 17, God is also saying that their use of blood could also be idolatrous. This points out the local context and the idolatry of the day. It is sobering when we consider how the Israelites are now at the foot of Mt. Sinai and are a people that have seen God rescue the powerfully from Egypt, and have also witnessed the giving of the law. Yet they still approach God on their own terms, or offer themselves to other gods. This merely serves to verify what John Calvin says, that our hearts are idol factories.
We need to be honest and ask ourselves if we have whored ourselves to other God. How do you know what your desires are? Look at your Instagram or tweets. Do you think that's anything less than a goat demon? What do your last 15 text messages reflect? What are the last 10 cash transactions you have made? What do these things show about your heart? Idolatry runs through the all human hearts like a poison that we cannot detect, until God's Word shines on it. Col 3:5 tells us what to do with idolatry. It doesn't tell us to manage it or be accountable to a friend. It tells us clearly to put it to death. As John Owen says, be killing sin or it will be killing you, and this principle aptly applies to idolatry too! Today, if you find something in your heart that is more precious that Jesus, don't just try to do less of it but see it as a rival love and an act of whoring and deal with it like a cancer.
(C) Blood is used for sacred worship: holy, not pagan/unclean (Lev 17:10-16)
In this section, two sets of practical laws are given for the eating of blood. Study them using the table below:
| First Set | Second Set | |
| Warning and instruction | V.10 Anyone residing in the community is not to eat blood. Anyone that is part of the community of God regardless of their race had to abide by these laws. | V.13 It speaks of how blood is to be treated when they encounter dead animals. The way the Israelites are to respond to blood is to communicate a reverence for life. God has designed for life to be sacred and precious. What does this mean for the way Christians think about other lives? |
| Reason | V.11-12 Life is in the blood and the blood has been given to make atonement. God is laying down His claims for what blood is for. These are His instructions and His Word. It is about identity consolidation and setting them apart from the neighboring nations as they move around and meet new communities. As they see new practices and cultures, they will be tempted to make adjustments in order to assimilate. They were God's people on a mission, but Leviticus is a reminder that they are not to live passively, but actively live out their identity as God's people in the practical decisions everyday. | V.14 Life is in the blood, and blood has been given for life. |
| Practical application | N.A. | V.15 The respect for life extends to idea of clean and unclean. |
As we come to the end of Lev 17, we remember that this chapter is part of the larger context of Leviticus. This entire section of Leviticus 11-17 has been explaining the idea of clean and unclean. What's the overall concern? What's the worst thing that can happen to the people? The main idea is that if God's people did not comply with these ceremonial laws (from Lev 11-17), they will be considered unclean ("bear his iniquity"). The people of God needed to be taught to be mindful of what it means to be clean and unclean, because the worst thing that can happen to the people of God is to be unclean before God. This is what it means to have Leviticus shape our minds. This changes our priorities, because our greatest fear should not be to miss out on the good things in this life but that we should be found unclean before God. Our greatest desire than, should be that we are clean and holy enough to be dwelling in the presence of God. There are so many followup questions we can be asking ourselves, and these are just a few to start us off:
Practically, how would we pray if these are our concerns?
Is our worship pagan or sacred?
Are we interested in asking God to serve our will, or are we interested in seeking to live out God's will?
As we read and reflect, perhaps God's Word has shed But what if we feel that we are not clean, and being weighed down by the burden of our sins? Zechariah 3 shows us the gospel. In this passage, the high priest finds himself unclean, and this marks a failure of the entire Levitical system. He is unable to come before God, and therefore, God's people cannot come before God. Satan stands there to accuse him, and reminds us that humans can try to keep the law, but they cannot and they will fail. But in Zech 3:6, God assures the high priest that the Branch will come to remove the iniquity of this land in a single day. Indeed, Leviticus cannot be kept by us and continues to show us our iniquities, but in doing so, it points forward to the one who can deal with all our sins. Heb 9:11-14 tell us that the blood of bulls and goats function as a sign, but the blood of the Savior washes us from our sins once for all. What can wash away our sins? Not of good that we have done. Nothing but the blood of Jesus. We have no hope and security apart from this blood!