Starting the Process - Leviticus 8

TB and the IM both note that chapters 8, 9, and 10 are all just records of Moses carrying out the instructions that had been given by God in the previous chapters starting all the way back starting in Exodus 25 and onward. I’m not going to go over very much because it’s already been covered in such depth previously, so I’ll only hit the highlights. First, I think that it was important to note that TB goes over the time line saying that the time that has past between Leviticus chapter 7 and chapter 8 is significant. While we read these chapters consecutively now at whatever rate we want, he says that the time that passes between the two “the Golden Calf Incident occurred and the Wilderness Tabernacle was constructed, so a lot has happened between the close of chapter 7 and the beginning of chapter .”

Significantly, at the beginning of chapter 8, Aaron and his sons are being washed and cleaned prior to beginning their work in the temple. TB notes that this is significant because just a few verses ago these same men were rebelling against God and creating the Golden Calf and here they are just a short time later being made holy and ready to officiate in the tabernacle ordinances representing the atonement. TB uses the example of that monster Yassar Arafat, the father of modern day terrorism, if he had only moments before his heart stopped given over his life to Yeshua, he would now be fully forgiven, and standing in Yehoveh’s holy presence.” I disagree with many parts of this statement, such as Arafat being the father of terrorism and that he could only be forgiven and made right with God if he accepted Jesus as his Savior before his mortal death.

First, was he a monster? Of course. Was he the worst person to ever live? I doubt it. I’ve been pro-Palestinian for 20 years, it’s been a very unpopular opinion to have, no one is going to convince me that Arafat is worst than Netanyahu. Anyway, but my main disagreement is that you have to “repent” and accept Jesus before your mortal death in order to be reconciled to God. And in the opposite direction as well, just because you accept Christ as your God before your mortal death doesn’t automatically give you a free pass to move on spiritually. There is a spiritual accounting that has to be done where you’re reconciled with Christ but also forgiven of your sins to the point that you can move on spiritually. The repentance process that reconciles you with God is much more involved than simply saying “I believe.” And in the example here, it works both ways, you don’t have to accept the divinity of Christ before your mortal death, but it also takes much more than that to be reconciled with God as well.

The last topic TB brings up that I think is important is that holiness and unholiness are both contagious. He uses the example of what the consecrated offerings can be put on to eat afterward like the plates and all that. He says, “the main principle is that sin is universal, and it pollutes everything it touches… it is CONTAGIOUS. Sin’s roots go deeply into the world and into mankind. After the fall in the Garden of Eden, mankind became incorrigible… We, by now, should be recognizing that the Torah has no ‘once and for all’ remedy for sin… But even the High Priest was no different than any other man in regard to his sin nature and in his propensity to commit sins.” There is a way for anyone to be forgiven for sins, but it’s also a continuous process that takes time and constant effort and work to achieve. Holiness is the pursuit of a lifetime.