James M. Gray · 17 of 93

Leviticus · Part 4

Exceptional Cases.

The exception as to walled cities is peculiar (29-34). If a man sold a dwelling there, might he ever get it back again (29)? If the opportunity was not availed of, what then (30)? Did this apply to other than walled cities (31)? Was there any exception as to the owners of dwellings in walled cities (32)?

The reason for exempting houses in walled cities seems to be that there was no land here which might be used agriculturally for man's support. In the case of unwalled towns or villages it was otherwise, hence the exception there. The inhabitants of such towns or villages were the cultivators of the soil, and their houses belonged to their farms. The case of the Levites is explained by the fact that according to the divine command, earlier recorded, they had no other possession than their houses.

The Question of Slavery.

The question of slavery comes again before us in this chapter (vv. 39-55).

What kind of a slave is referred to in v. 39, voluntary or involuntary? A Hebrew or an alien? What difference must be made in his case? How did the Jubilee year effect him (40, 41)?

What other kind of slave is allowed for in vv. 44, 45?

Provided that a Hebrew sold himself to an alien, what then (vv. 47-49)?

We wonder at Jehovah permitting slavery. But if we carefully considered the laws governing it in Israel, we must have see" how different it was from modern slavery, how just and equitable, and even how desirable for those whose circumstances made it necessary. We shall see also that these laws had such an educational power as to altogether banish slavery from the Hebrew people.

The Typical and Symbolical Aspect.

The Sabbatic year and Jubilee year are the last two members of the Sabbatic system of septenary periods all of which have a typical significance. Each brings out some aspect of redemption through Christ, and all combined form a progressive revelation in type of the results of Christ's work for the world.

These last two periods began on the great Day of Atonement in which all Israel was to afflict their souls in penitence for sin; and on that day they both began when the high priest came out from within the veil, where, from the time of offering the sin-offering, he had been hidden from the sight of Israel. Both also were ushered in with a trumpet blast. We have in both a type of the final repentance of Israel in the latter days, and their re-establishment in their own land, of which all the prophets speak. The earlier restoration from their Babylonian captivity was doubtless prefigured here as well; and yet the ultimate reference must be to that event still in the future vs. 11:11.

The World Fulfillment.

The type, however, reaches beyond Israel and includes the whole earth. See Peter's reference in Acts 3:19-21, when Jesus Christ the heavenly High Priest shall come forth and when the last trumpet shall sound and He shall appear "the second time without sin unto salvation" (Heb. 9:28; Rom. 8:19-22).

Questions.

1. Name four practical reasons for the Sabbatic year.

2. When did the civil year of Israel begin?

3. Who owned the land of Israel?

4. Can you explain the exemption of "walled cities"?

5. What effect has God's law about slavery had upon that institution among the Hebrews?

6. On what day of the year did the Sabbatic and Jubilee years begin?

7. Of what are both these years a type?

8. How far beyond Israel's history does the type of the Jubilee year extend?

THE GREAT PROPHECY

Chapter 26

This chapter opens with injunctions (vv. 1 and 2), which practically cover the first table of the law, and then follow (1), promises of blessing in the case of obedience (3-13): (2), warnings of judgment in case of disobedience (14-39); and (3), a prophecy of ultimate repentance and restoration to divine favor in the latter days.

The Promised Blessings, vv. 3-13.

These blessings include (1), fruitful seasons (3-5); (2), internal security (6-8); (3), multiplication of numbers and the increased harvest necessary to support them (9-10); and (4), the abiding presence of God with them (11-12). All these promises are based on and grow out of their original redemption from Egypt and God's covenant with them at that time? (13).

Warnings of Judgment, vv. 14-39.

The judgments are first spoken of in general terms, and include physical disease, bereavement, famine, conquest and dispersion (14-17).

Then there follow, as Kellogg shows four series of warnings, each conditioned on the supposition that they did not repent as the result of the preceding experiences. Each series is prefaced by the formula, "I will punish you seven times more for your sins" (vv. 18, 21, 24, 28). The thought is that each new display of impenitence on Israel's part shall be marked by increasing severity. Notice (1), that the rains will be withheld (19-20): (2), wild beasts will destroy their children and cattle {22); (3), war, pestilence and famine shall follow (25-26); (4), all these calamities will come upon them with increasing terror, so that they shall eat the flesh of their sons and daughters, and their city shall become waste and their land desolate to that extent that their enemies shall be astonished at it. Moreover, they will be scattered among the Gentile peoples (29-33).

The importance of this prophecy is that all the later prophecies concerning the judgments upon Israel are a kind of application of it to the later conditions. It is also an epitome of Israel's history from the death of Joshua, say, until the present time.

This chapter, is of great importance as proof of the divine origin of the Bible. We have here an evidence of foreknowledge, and therefore, of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, which cannot be gainsaid.

Repentance and Restoration. vv. 40-46.

The word "If" at the beginning of verse 40 is in the R. V. "And." It thus becomes a positive statement of God that Israel shall confess her iniquity and be humbled before Him; and that in consequence, the Lord will remember His covenant with Jacob (42).

These words had a partial fulfillment in the return from the Babylonian captivity, but this did not exhaust the prophecy. Israel again forgot Jehovah and committed her greatest sin in crucifying her Messiah. As the result her people are now scattered among the nations, and her land is desolate. Nevertheless, God's covenant with her fathers is not forgotten. The promises to her were renewed after the return from Babylon with reference to events that shall take place in her history at the end of this age (Zechariah 12:8-14 and 13:1). See also Paul's epistle to the Romans (chapter 11:2 and 25-29).

Observe that the promises for the future pertain to the land as well as the people of Israel (42). Compare Luke 21:24. The inference is clear that Israel shall not only be restored to God in repentance through faith in her Messiah, but she shall also be restored to Palestine, whose fruitfulness will be greater than ever.

Questions.

1. Give a general outline of this chapter.

2. What blessings are promised on Israel's obedience?

3. How does this chapter prove the divinity of the Bible?

4. How does verse 40 become a positive statement?

5. Have you read Romans 11

VOWS AND TITHES

Chapter 27

We have in this closing chapter a supplement to the whole book. Hitherto we dealt with obligations and duties resting on all Israelites alike, but now we come to vows of an additional and voluntary character. (Deut. 23:22.)

Persons Might be Vowed, vv. 1-8.

The thought is, that persons might be vowed for service in the sanctuary; but since service could not be found for so large a number, and especially for young children, who might be vowed, there might be a money equivalent for them. This equivalent, which was to be paid into the treasury of the sanctuary, was determined by the labor value of the person vowed as based on sex and age. It was always low enough not to burden the poor.

Domestic Animals Might be Vowed. vv. 9-13.

If the animal were suitable for sacrifice, it might be accepted for the service; but if otherwise, the priest must set a price on it for which it might be sold by the owner and the money placed in the treasury. In this case one-fifth more was to be added to the price, as a check perhaps, on rashness in vowing.

Exclusions from Vow. vv. 26-33.

Houses and fields might be vowed (14-25), upon the same principles as the foregoing. But three kinds of property could not be vowed, the firstlings of the beasts (26); a "devoted thing," in the sense of an accursed thing like the property in Jericho, (28, 29 compared with Joshua 7:17); and "the tithe of the land" (30).

The reason for these prohibitions was that these things already belonged to God and hence their human possessors had no right to them.

There is a serious matter here in the devotement or accursing of human beings, but we postpone its consideration till we meet with a conspicuous application of the principle at a later period.

Law of the Tithe.

The "tithe" was one of the things belonging to God in any event, and which could not be voluntarily vowed.

This is specially interesting as raising the question whether the tithe is binding upon Christians at the present time. In our judgment it is not; but that does not mean that Christians may give according to impulse or caprice, since the New Testament lays down the principle of giving a fixed portion of our income to the Lord as He hath prospered us. (1 Cor. 16:1, 2; 2 Cor. 8:7-9.)

It is customary under the Gospel to leave much to the individual conscience regarding the details of worship and conduct, which, under the Mosaic law was regulated by rule. Paul gives the explanation in Galatians 4:1-5.

Christian Vows.

Has a vow of any kind a place in the practical life of Christians? It seems not forbidden in the New Testament, but neither is it approved.

As Kellogg says, "the true conception of Christian life and duty leaves no room for a promise to God of what is not due, inasmuch as through the transcendent obligation of grateful love to Him for our redemption," everything is due. (2 Cor. 5:14, 15.)

The question is not speculative, since it constitutes one of the distinctions between Romanism and Protestantism. The Romish theory of works of supererogation comes in here, and closely associated with it, the doctrine of purgatory. Here is the germ of the celibate life of the clergy, of sisterhoods and monasticism, the tendency of which is towards legalism on the one hand and moral declension on the other. (Gal. 4:9; Col. 2:16-23).

Questions.

1. What particular kind of vows is dealt with here?

2. For what service were persons vowed?

3. What properties could not be vowed, and why?

4 Quote 1 Corinthians 16:1-2.

5. Is a vow normal in the Christian life?

LAW OF THE TITHE

(Abridged from "The Expositor's Bible.")

The "tithe" or the dedication of the tenth of one's possessions to God, is a practice of antiquity, and a question arises as to whether the obligation is still resting upon those who would serve God in this dispensation? An answer was given in the last lesson, but it is desirable to enlarge upon it.

While we hear nothing of the tithe in the first Christian centuries, it came into practice in the 4th century, and later on was established as a law of the church for some centuries.

The modern spirit has become more and more averse to it, until under the present voluntaryism it has seemed likely to disappear altogether.

In consequence of this there has been a revival of interest in it of late as necessary for the maintenance and extension of the church, those who would revive it holding that the principle is still binding on the Christian.

In settling the question, it is to be remembered that the moral obligation is one thing and the legal another. Morally it is our duty to set apart for God a fixed proportion of our income, but the precise proportion is a subject on which the New Testament is silent. For the moral obligation see 1 Corinthians 16:1, 2, where no reference, is made to the legal obligation. If the tithe had been still binding as to the letter, this would have been the place for the apostle to have mentioned it.

As a matter of fact, it is commonly found in the New Testament, that the individual is left at liberty regarding the details of worship and conduct as compared with conditions under the Mosaic law. (Gal. 4:1-5.)

One author however, calls attention to a matter of importance not commonly considered in the discussion of this subject. For example, the people of Israel were under a theocratic government, where God Himself ruled, where the whole system of law was divinely instituted and supposed to be divinely executed. When thus carried out this system would have prevented excessive accumulation of wealth in the hands of individuals, as we have seen in the consideration of earlier chapters of this book. There would thus have been secured an equal distribution of property, such as the world has never seen, and doubtless never will until the millennium. Under such circumstances it would have been possible to exact a certain proportion of income for sacred purposes with a certainty that it would have worked with perfect fairness to all.

But with us it is different. Wealth is unequally distributed in our economy, and no law of the tithe could be made to work as in Israel. To the poor it would be a heavy burden, and to the rich a tax so small as to amount to exemption. The poor man would sometimes be required to take bread out of the mouths of wife and children, while the millionaire would still have thousands to spend in luxuries. The latter might often more easily give nine-tenths of his income than the former one-twentieth.

While, therefore, the law of the tithe would not seem to be binding upon us as to the letter, let us not forget that from the moral point of view it is still in force. It forbids the Christian to give simply according to impulse or caprice. He is to lay by in store as the Lord hath prospered him. Let there be systematic giving to the Lord's work under the law of a fixed proportion of gifts to income, and under the inspiration of the memory of God's grace to us (2 Cor. 7:9), and the Lord's treasury will never be empty, nor will the Lord Himself be robbed of His due.

Questions.

1. Is the "tithe" a Biblical conception only?

2. What is the difference between the moral and legal obligation in this matter?

3. Why could the tithe operate successfully in Israel?

4. Why not in our system of political economy?

5. What obligation of giving rests on Christians?