Monday, February 25, 2013

Leviticus 24

So in my haste to leave Leviticus, yes I would like to move on as well, I forgot chapter 24. Within the chapter, we hear of stipulations to keep a lamp lite in the presence of the Lord. Proper measures are to be taken to insure that enough oil is available so that the lamp is lite from evening until morning. While the light given by the lamp provided light, not just for the Tent of Presence, but the entire community, so the light of Israel was to shine in the world.

Similar instructions are given regarding the Bread of Presence. Each Sabbath day twelve loaves, the same number of tribes, was to be placed on the table in the Tent of Presence. Priests would consume the old loaves at the end of the week.

The second half of the chapter involves the issue of blasphemy, a very serious charge that will lead to death. The placement of the story of the blasphemer has befuddled historians, it is an odd placement for the passage. Clearly no one is to blaspheme in the community, it will not be tolerated by a member of Israel or alien in their midst. Penalty is to bear the sin of the community and be put to death.

The chapter also contains instructions against murder as well as laws of restitution for those who have destroyed the property of others.

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