"mlsoft, The questions are very serious. If you are incapable of a worthy response you lose all creditabilty. As does your message of hate for those who do not believe as you."
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jbennett...
I choose to think that you are not so ignorant as to believe that the questions were serious rather than a means of derision - I can only assume that you choose to participate in that derision if you want to characterize them as "serious".
I could care less about my "credibility" on this board - all I have attempted to do is present a biblical response to some of the twisted mischaracterizations of Christian thought that is presented here as "fact".
But just in case someone wanted a brief answer for the general idea behind each of the questions, I will give one but it will not be in depth at all.
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a) When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord (Lev. 1:9). The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?
--- Sacrifices were instituted as a type (foreshadowing) of the finished work of Jesus on the Cross. Once the Lord had accomplished by His death the one sacrifice that is sufficient for all, there was no further need for animal sacrifices and indeed God saw to it that it was no longer possible for them to be made by having the Temple destroyed in 70 AD.
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b) I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?
--- Slavery was not condoned in either the Old Testament or the New, but it was tolerated in both. God is far more interested in our heart that our positions as slaves or free men.
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c) I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev. 15:19-24). The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offence.
--- Israel was a theocracy, and the Levitical (priestly) laws are like the civil and criminal laws of our nation. Since no nation (including Israel) is now a theocracy, the Levitical laws no longer apply. It should be noted though, that most of the Levitical laws were not only for the governing of the nation, they were also instructional, to teach Israel about the Holiness and Righteousness of God as opposed to the sinfulness of men. Many of the things that the Levitical laws called "unclean" were unclean only because God declared them to be so, and they were there to be a stumbling block to show how important it is for men to understand that they could not attain salvation by obeying the law - no one could possibly obey all the laws, so they demonstrated man's inherent sinfulness.
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d) Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't
I own Canadians?
--- Again, a Levitical law that recognizes slavery but does not condone it. It was not right to "own" a fellow Israelite because he was one of God's people as a child of the promise of Abraham.
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e) I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?
--- another Levitical law, not applicable as a law today, although the principal of setting aside a day to honor God is still operable as part of the ten commandments. The New Testament church did so on Sundays, the day the Lord arose from the dead.
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f) A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an Abomination (Lev. 11:10), it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?
--- Eating shellfish (unclean, see above) was another part of the Levitical law and no longer applicable. They were "unclean" only because God declared them so, and God specifically reversed those rules in Acts, Chapter 10.
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g) Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?
--- Another Levitical law, no longer applicable. This particular law (and other similar ones) were to show that only those who are perfect (without unforgiven sin) can approach the most Holy God.
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h) Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?
--- Again, a Levitical law, not applicable today.
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i) I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?
--- Yet another Levitical law, to show that even associating with unclean things (sin) is sin, the penalty for which is death. Sin prevents us from approaching God.
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j) My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of
getting the whole town together to stone them? (Lev. 24:10-16) Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)
--- Same answer, Levitical laws and not applicable today. These laws were to show that the worship of God and the worship of idols are not compatible and the result is death (loss of salvation). To blaspheme God is against the ten commandments and reiterated in the New Testament, so it is operable today. The penalty of unforgiven sin is death.
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"Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging."
God's word is is indeed eternal and unchanging, but it is often addressed to specific needs, such as the theocracy of Israel. When the theocracy ended, so did the Levitical statutes. For what it is worth, I believe that the Bible teaches that in the Millennial Kingdom the Jews will be restored to Israel and will be again a favored nation by God and uniquely God's chosen people. I find strong evidence that the sacrifices and laws will be reinstated, but this time in honor and remembrance of the completed sacrifice of Jesus, much as our rite of the Lord's Supper does today.
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