Leviticus 24 – Living in holiness for the Lord

In Leviticus 23, we learned about keeping the Sabbath and the Feasts of the LORD for different times of the year. A casual reading of Leviticus 24 gives us the impression that there’s an abrupt change in topics. It seems as if the Lord suddenly turned to give instructions on the making of the oil to keep the Golden Lampstand burning perpetually; and matters pertaining to the 12 loaves for the table of shewbread; and the punishment of the alien who blasphemed God. On deeper reflection, we’ll see the connection. The change was not an afterthought of God. In the last chapter, we read about the ingathering of the harvest and the involvement of foreigners. Thus, it seems natural for God to instruct that a portion of the harvest be used for making the oil for the Golden Lampstand and the loaves for the Table of Shewbread in the Holy place. The punishment of the alien who blasphemed God would tie in neatly with the call to include the alien in the previous chapter. In this way the change in topics makes sense.  

The making of the oil for the Golden Lampstand was a repetition of the instructions given in Exodus 27:20-21. While it was the priest who attended to the Golden Lampstand keeping it burning perpetually, it was the people who collaborated by providing the material for the production of the oil. In a sense, it is both the priest and the people rendering their devotion to God. This suggests that God wants our lives and witness to be perpetually shinning and showing the direction to people in the lost world. We can only do so effectively when we are constantly being filled with the Holy Spirit.

The twelve loaves on the Golden Table of Shewbread were neatly placed in two stacks, six in each stack. And on each sabbath day, new loaves would be placed on the table because the priest would eat the loaves of the previous week. Verse 7 instructs the priest saying, “You shall put pure frankincense on each row that it may be a memorial portion for the bread, even an offering by fire to the Lord.” The frankincense speaks of prayer. The description of the loaves and the offering of frankincense suggest that both our physical and spiritual food should be sanctified by prayer and be gratefully taken.

Holiness must be observed but in verses 10-23 we see that holiness could be defiled. When a person blasphemes the name of the LORD, he had defiled the holiness of God. The stoning of a blasphemous man, though no longer practiced in our day, tells us how serious God takes the matter. It behooves us therefore never to take the name of the LORD in vain. We must seek to reverence Him at all times. In the few closing verses, we also see a God who is just and fair. A person must not over exact revenge for an injury inflicted on him. The rule of thumb is: “ fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; just as he has injured a man, so it shall be inflicted on him.” But in the New Testament Jesus advocates that we be magnanimous. We seek to forgive rather than seek vengeance. As followers of Christ, our lives must demonstrate our trust in Him. Our aim should be to live it in such a way that we demonstrate not only the love but also the holiness of God. In so doing we can make our world a better place. Let’s go for it!