By now I think you should understand that one of the main reasons we study Scripture is to extract from all of the stories, rituals, and commands the underlying heavenly or spiritual principles upon which they are based.
For instance, some folks may think it’s not necessary to study Leviticus because “I’m not Jewish” or “We don’t have to offer up animal sacrifices anymore”.
As true as that may be, they’re missing the point because, again, the point of studying Scripture is to gain a solid understanding of how the mind of God works and absorb and internalize the spiritual principles that existed even before the foundation of the world.
YHVH is communicating how both the physical and spiritual realms of this universe function through all of the rituals, commands, and stories in Scripture.
I’m talking about wisdom, real Godly wisdom, that will enable you to prosper in this world and the next.
Maybe if you would approach some of what is considered the more “boring” parts of Bible from this perspective, you might find the study of Scripture, ALL of Scripture, to be much more exciting.
With that said, let’s look at one of the main underlying principles communicated to us in Leviticus.
The Psalmist articulated it quite well when he wrote the following:
“All have turned aside,
they have together become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.”
-Psalm 14:3
What’s being communicated here is that uncleanliness and sin are universal.
Heck, we’ve just seen that the future High Priest of Israel (Aaron) was no different than any other man in terms of his unclean or sin nature.
Even Aaron and his sons had to be purified before beginning their service for the Lord.
In addition, we learned that uncleanliness and sin are contagious, like a disease.
Now one point most folks have difficulty understanding is that the Levitical sacrificial system was never intended to be a “once and for all” cure for sin.
Sure there were sacrifices that allowed for the forgiveness of certain individual sins (called “unintentional sins” in Torah).
And there were the sacrifices that covered men’s corrupt natures so that one could approach God.
But the Lord never intended the Levitical sacrificial system to be the final remedy for man’s sin.
The Levitical sacrificial system could NOT remove man’s corrupt nature, but it was never intended to.
Misunderstanding this crucial point is what has led many to misunderstand Paul when he said “Christ is better than the Law”.
His whole point was that ONLY the sacrifice of Yeshua is capable of atoning for man’s sinful nature.
When Paul said that the Levitical priests could not remove the corrupt nature of men, it wasn’t a criticism nor a condemnation of the Levitical sacrificial system.
It was a pointed observation.
His whole point was the sacrificial system couldn’t remedy man’s sin problem BECAUSE it wasn’t designed for that purpose.
This is what Paul meant when he said “Christ is better than the Law”.
He was saying that Christ could do what the Law couldn’t.
It wasn’t a negative comparison to the Law.
He wasn’t saying the Law or the sacrificial system failed.
The purpose of the Law was to teach man what sin and righteousness is.
The purpose of the Law was NEVER to save man.
That was the purpose of the sacrifice of Yeshua (whose name means salvation by the way).
Got it?
Think of it like this.
Would you curse and criticize your refrigerator because it isn’t capable of heating up your TV dinner?
Of course not, right?
And why?
Because you very well know (at least I hope you do) that the purpose of a refrigerator is not to heat up food but to preserve food via the medium of coldness.
It’s the same thing with the Law and/or the Levitical sacrificial system.
To curse or criticize the Law because it couldn’t “save” men is the same thing as cursing and criticizing your refrigerator because it isn’t capable of heating up your TV dinner.
It was never intended for that purpose.
Salvation was Yeshua’s job and He accomplished it!
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“But now the work Yeshua has been given to do
is far superior to theirs,
just as the covenant he mediates is better.
For this covenant has been given as Torah
on the basis of better promises.
Indeed, if the first covenant had not given ground
for faultfinding, there would have been no need
for a second one.”
-Hebrews 8:6-7
NEXT TIME WE BEGIN LEVITICUS CHAPTER 9
I don’t understand something here. You said that there was no new covenant in another posting and Gentiles were saved under the law covenant. I stated there were two covenants, one two the Jews and one to the Gentiles. Yet you quote that there is a new and better covenant in Christ. ?????? What have I missed here?
It was better because YahuSha (Yahu from the Dead Sea scrolls and Sha meaning delivers/salvation) came and accomplished the first part of what He came to do. He accomplished His first set of appointed days of Lev 23. He is coming again to accomplish the second part of His appointed days which almost fully completes His plan of Salvation. YHWH is Behold the Hand Behold the Nail, The Y is a “working hand” in Ancient Hebrew. He’s not done working. Then We will all take the 7000th year sabbath then He will judge all sin. The Law convicts, the Sacrificed Lamb brings Salvation but it was from the beginning, because the way we see time is not the way His time is. And He is coming for His bride on the Day of Atonement to Tabernacle with Her. So it will be even better when He comes the second time even though He still isn’t finished. So it will be an even better covenant! And the “greatest ending covenant” is the one 8th day/eternity where we no longer ever have to put up with any sin effecting us in any way ever again!
But it’s the “same” Covenant /Marriage agreement/Ketubah of the Appointed Days of Lev 23 and then onto the 8th day/eternity!
It’s only better because He came and did what He said He would.
Thank you for sharing. I like how you stressed that it’s the “same” covenant. Because indeed it is! Shalom.
How can it be the same covenant if it is better????
The covenant was never the problem – the people were. The Renewed covenant is being written on our hearts and minds, so that the evil inclination to sin is being eroded. There is no ‘new’ covenant in the sense that the ‘first one’ has been done away with. Yeshua, came to ‘RENEW’ it, not to abolish it.
I don’t like the phrase “done away with” nor “renew”. The former presupposes a “replacement” occurred, which is NOT true. The latter presupposes a covenant “upgrade” occurred, which is also NOT true. The Abrahamic Covenant, the Mosaic Covenant, and the Yeshua Covenant were each for different purposes and each one remains valid today. Thanks for reading. Shalom.
There are many “Covenants” mentioned in scripture. The scripture says the covenants are forever. One covenant is not replacing another. The covenant of Jesus does not replace the covenant of Abraham nor Moses. They are all valid. The problem lies in the meaning of “A New Covenant in Christ”. The Greek can be misleading as well as the translation. Christ was not replacing any covenant and could have been adding too or renewing as some think. Renewing does not mean an upgrade, but a “Reviving” of the original. The original is not being revived because it failed, but because the people failed to up keep it their part of the deal. Hence, God “writing His word on their heart” as a form of reviving the covenant with a stronger enforcement. I am still waiting to hear what the “Yeshua Covenant” is compared to the Abrahamic and Mosaic covenants. It doesn’t have to be lengthy. And what covenant is Paul speaking about that is going to fade away.
Are you saying Christ is improving on the old covenant. And if so what covenant is Paul speaking about when he states it will fade away?