Session 03: Sacrifice, Purity & Holiness
Prayer
Blessed are you Lord our God,
for you come to us and seek to make your home in us.
As we study now, let our eyes and our ears be open to you
let our hearts find their rest and their joy in you
that we may grow in grace and live to your glory.
Blessed are you, Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer.
Amen.
Leviticus & Numbers
As we noted in the introductory OT Module, law in the Hebrew Bible was not seen as something to be feared but rather to be celebrated. It issued out of the Covenant between Yaweh and the Israelites and so it was an expression of God's grace, God's care for Israel. This is why it there is so much emphasis on reciting, studying and proclaiming the law. The difference between Israelite law and the legal codes of other ANE cultures exemplifies this care – it does not only extend to some elite members of society but to everyone, perhaps especially the weakest, and indeed to all creation.
Watch Hayes Lecture 9 here
Exercise Make a note of the important difference between OT law and other ANE laws that are very similar. Why is this so important and what does it tell us about Yahweh?
Something Practical To Do
Pay particular attention to the things happening in your church community and in the world at the moment. Where do you see God's grace? How is it being manifested? Can you see any echoes of what you've learned in this session?
Pray
Blessed are you, Lord our God, all things come from you:
from you come our life,
this world and all that we have and are.
Teach us to love and respect your creation
and give glory to you.
Blessed are you, Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer
Amen
Reflect
Spend some time prayerfully thinking about what you have discovered in this session. What are the most significant things for you? How might you use what you have learned in your own faith journey? Write this down in your reflective learning journal.