by Ptr. Art Calaguas
Shalom.
Israel had just launched a preemptive strike against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon in reaction to Western intelligence information that some 6,000 rockets were going to be fired at Tel Aviv and other locations in Israel. Even after the destruction of these ready-to-be-fired missiles, Hezbollah still launched 300 drones and rockets into Israel as the 1st stage of their revenge for the assassination of their top military leader Fuad Shukr in Beirut last July 30. Israel is still bracing itself for Iranian direct retaliation for the assassination of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last July 31.
Meanwhile, the negotiations for a hostage-prisoner exchange with a 6-week ceasefire deal recently conducted in Doha by experts from the US, Egypt, Qatar and Israel has resulted in Israel accepting the bridging proposal but Hamas rejecting it.
After the recovery of the bodies of 6 Israelis taken hostage from 2 communities adjacent to Gaza last October 7, 2023 and then later on killed while in captivity, the number of hostages has gone down to “only” 109. Note that taking hostages is a war crime and killing hostages while in captivity is another war crime. Some of these 109 hostages are alive while some are already dead, awaiting proper burial in Israel. They are still held somewhere in Gaza where they have been in captivity for over 10 months since the Hamas attack on Israel last October 7, 2023.
Let us continue to pray for the release of all the remaining hostages and for a just end to the wars against the Jewish nation. Let us continue to stand with Israel and pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6-9).
Last time, we saw Leviticus 20 deal with punishments for the abomination of child sacrifice and sexual immorality. Leviticus chapter 21 narrates the LORD’s instructions to Moses about the holiness of the priesthood, Aaron’s descendants, and reminders of right practices that keep the sacredness of what needs to be holy in the eyes of God. Chapter 22 in turn contain the LORD’s specifications about the offerings and sacrifices that may or may not be acceptable to God as thanksgiving, votive or even freewill offerings.
Leviticus 22:24 in particular, speaks about keeping the animal (e.g., bull, lamb) for sacrifice free of defects, even in its genitals. The verse specifically prohibits any animal which has its testicles bruised, crushed, torn or cut from being offered to the LORD with the injunction that the Israelites “shall not do it within your land.” Whether the animal had a natural defect or was subject to man’s cruelty or some other case, made no difference. The land was to be kept holy and clean and part of it dealt with the appropriateness of any offering. It was therefore very important that any offering should be acceptable to God. To violate this was to treat the LORD with contempt.
Leviticus 23 is the significant chapter of the Old Testament (OT) that specified the holy Feasts of the LORD. They were fixed, appointed times throughout the year and treated as sacred occasions. These legislated observances included the weekly Sabbath (v. 3); the 3 springtime festivals of Passover and Unleavened Bread (vv. 4-8), Firstfruits (vv. 9-14), and Weeks (vv. 15-21, a.k.a. Harvest in Exodus 23:16, שָׁבֻעֹת֙ “Shavuot” in Exodus 34:22, Pentecost in Acts 2:1); and the 3 festivals of Trumpets (vv. 23-25, now celebrated as the New Year, “Rosh HaShanah” feast), Day of Atonement, “Yom Kippur” (vv. 26-32), and Booths/Tabernacles, סֻּכּ֛וֹת “Sukkot” (vv. 33-36) held during the fall season. These festivals also referenced the land promised to the Israelites by the LORD as these occasions, including their holy assemblies or convocations and occupational work suspension, looked forward to the people’s recurring experience in the land they would possess as their inheritance. They were expected to observe these holy festivals and present offerings to God besides their regular, votive and freewill offerings. All the offerings were in recognition of the bounty bestowed by the LORD as the one, true source of all these blessings from the land.
The first mention of the sacred occasion with the land in mind is found in Leviticus 23:3 where the Sabbath to the LORD is a solemn day of rest to be observed in “all your dwelling places.” The next one in verse 10 is more explicit. The Hebrew verse of Leviticus 23:10 is given below (read right to left, top down) with the LORD instructing the Israelites about the appointed Feast of Firstfruits to be observed in the land:
דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם כִּֽי־תָבֹ֣אוּ אֶל־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֤ר אֲנִי֙ נֹתֵ֣ן לָכֶ֔ם וּקְצַרְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־קְצִירָ֑הּ וַהֲבֵאתֶ֥ם אֶת־עֹ֛מֶר רֵאשִׁ֥ית קְצִירְכֶ֖ם אֶל־הַכֹּהֵֽן׃
The New American Standard Bible (NASB) translation is given below:
10“Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you enter the land which I am going to give to you and reap its harvest, then you shall bring in the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest.
It is quite clear the the LORD looks forward to his people to observe the festival in the land (Canaan) given to them.
Completing the reference to the land in the instructions for the Feast of Firstfruits is found in verse 14. In this verse, the LORD specifies that the stipulations for the proper observance of the offerings would be a perpetual statute throughout the generations in all their dwelling places. Once again, the phrase “all your dwelling places” is used, with the added force of everlasting observance through all generations.
The stipulations for the proper observance of the Feast of Weeks also references the land in verse 17. Here, the LORD specifies that the offerings would be brought in from the Israelites’ “dwelling places.” Leviticus 23:21, also within the instructions for the Feast of Weeks, again specifies that the statute should be forever observed in all the dwelling places throughout all generations. The same Hebrew word מוֹשָׁב “moshab” is used for dwellings or dwelling places as in verses 3, 14, and 17. Also, the same Hebrew word דּוֹר “dor” is used for generations as in verse 17. Undoubtedly, these verses have in view the land promised with the perpetual observance of the feasts as well.
We will continue next time.
God bless us all.