Leviticus 22 and 23 for today’s reading. More about laws and special festivals in these chapters.
Chapter 22 –
The priests were responsible to deal respectfully with the holy offerings in order not to profane God’s holy name. Again he reiterates “I am the Lord who sets them apart. If a mistake was made and an Israelite ate a holy offering in error, he was to add a fifth to its value and give the holy offering to the priest.
All animals presented must be without blemish or defect of any nature. The Israelites needed no better reason to serve the Lord than the fact He had brought them out of Egypt.
Chapter 23 –
Leviticus 23 is about an emphasis on Israel’s holy days and festivals – the times of the Lord that they were to proclaim as sacred assemblies. Perhaps the most important and well known is Passover commemorating their deliverance out of Egypt.
Connected to Passover was the Festival of Unleavened Bread, during which the people were to eat unleavened bread for seven days a reminder they had left Egypt rather quickly. During the week they were to bring the first sheath of the barley harvest to the priest who give an offering to God.
After seven complete weeks starting from the day after the Sabbath day (they) brought the sheath of the presentation offering fifty days after the Feast of Firstfruits. Then on the first day of the seventh month, the people held a sacred assembly with rest, commemoration, and trumpet blasts.
Ten days after the Festival of the Trumpets was the Day of Atonement. This is when the high priest would enter the most holy place on the day to make atonement for the sins of the people. Lastly, the Festival of Shelters which was observed for seven days.
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