Lev 1:1-16:34

• The Hebrew title for the book is taken from vs 1.1, wayyiqra', translated "And He called." The "and" is a conjunction showing that Leviticus follows from Exodus (Constable, Leviticus, p. 1, 2009)
  
• The English title comes for the Latin, Liver Leviticus. The Latin coming from the Greek title, Leuitikon, meaning "relating to the Levites" (Ibid)
  
  • It would be wrong, however, to describe Leviticus simply as a manual for
    

    priests. It is equally, if not more, concerned with the part the laity should
    

    play in worship (Wenham, Leviticus, p. 3)
    

• Historically the book fits within the one month between God's occupation of the tabernacle (Exod. 40:17, 34-38) and the taking of the census at Sinai (Num. 1:1-3) (Constable, p. 2)
  
• ". . . the Levitical rituals are still of immense relevance. It was in terms of these sacrifices that Jesus himself and the early church understood his atoning death. Leviticus provided the theological models for their understanding. If we wish to walk in our Lord's steps and think his thoughts after him, we must attempt to understand the sacrificial system of Leviticus. It was established by the same God who sent his Son to die for us; and in rediscovering the principles of OT worship written there, we may learn something of the way we should approach a holy God." (Wenham, p. 37)
  
• Outline (Constable, pp. 5-6)
  
  • Public Worship, 1-16
    
    • The laws of sacrifice, 1-7
      
    • The institution of the Aaronic priesthood, 8-10
      
    • Laws relating to ritual cleanliness, 11-15
      
    • The Day of Atonement, 16
      
  • Private Worship, 17-27
    
    • Holiness of conduct on the Israelite's part, 17-20
      
    • Holiness of the priests, gifts, and sacrifices, 21-22
      
    • Sanctification of the Sabbath and the feast of Yahweh, 23
      
    • The preparation of the holy lamps and showbreat, 24:1-9
      
    • The punishment of the blasphemer, 24:10-23
      
    • Sanctification of the possession of land by the sabbatical and jubilee years, 25
      
    • Promises and warnings, 26
      
    • Directions concerning vows, 27
      

  Lev 1:3-9 (NIV) "'If the offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to offer a male without defect. He must present it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting so that it will be acceptable to the Lord. 4 He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him. 5 He is to slaughter the young bull before the Lord, and then Aaron's sons the priests shall bring the blood and sprinkle it against the altar on all sides at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 6 He is to skin the burnt offering and cut it into pieces. 7 The sons of Aaron the priest are to put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. 8 Then Aaron's sons the priests shall arrange the pieces, including the head and the fat, on the burning wood that is on the altar. 9 He is to wash the inner parts and the legs with water, and the priest is to burn all of it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.
  

  Lev 2:1-3 (NIV) When someone brings a grain offering to the Lord, his offering is to be of fine flour. He is to pour oil on it, put incense on it 2 and take it to Aaron's sons the priests. The priest shall take a handful of the fine flour and oil, together with all the incense, and burn this as a memorial portion on the altar, an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the Lord. 3 The rest of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the offerings made to the Lord by fire.
  

• Typically we see that an offering involved three objects
  
  • The offerer
    
  • The offering
    
  • The mediator
    
• We also see differences between the offerings
  
  • Each offering is different from other offerings in terms of the different options of what the offerer could present, how he could present them, and what to do with the all the parts of the offering
    
• What principles of worship do we see in this passage?
  
  • The offering is of your best
    
  • The offerer has responsibilities and work involved in presenting the offering
    
  • The priest has responsibilities, but also assists the offerer
    
  • The priest benefits
    

  Lev 2:11-13 (NIV) "'Every grain offering you bring to the Lord must be made without yeast, for you are not to burn any yeast or honey in an offering made to the Lord by fire. 12 You may bring them to the Lord as an offering of the firstfruits, but they are not to be offered on the altar as a pleasing aroma. 13 Season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings.
  

• What are some additional lessons or pictures of worship that we see here?
  
  • Can't use yeast. Yeast symbolizes sin
    
  • Have to add salt. Salt symbolizes life and preservation
    
  • Jesus calls us the salt of the world. Are we representing life to the world around us? Are we preserving people from sin or participating in such a way as to obscure life from those who need it? Really the question is, how different are we and is it an attractive difference?
    
• Constable, pp. 9-15
  

Chapter		1		2	3
Type		Burnt offerings (most common)		Meal offerings	Peace offering
Thoughts		Soothing aroma (all three)
Distinctive		Purpose was acceptance Offerer gave up life Animal perished completely (except skin)		Offering the fruit of human labor (more so than animals) Bread given to priests and portion (flour) put on altar	All participants fed together (offerer, priest, and God (symbolically))
Variations		Higher the responsibility, the more expensive the animal Butchering varied Washed internals			Several grades of animals including females Multiple reasons for the gift

Lev 4:1-2 (NIV) The Lord said to Moses, 2 "Say to the Israelites: 'When anyone sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord's commands —

Lev 4:13 (NIV) "'If the whole Israelite community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord's commands, even though the community is unaware of the matter, they are guilty.

Lev 4:22 (NIV) "'When a leader sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the commands of the Lord his God, he is guilty.

Lev 5:1 (NIV) "'If a person sins because he does not speak up when he hears a public charge to testify regarding something he has seen or learned about, he will be held responsible.

• The sin offering seems to break into two different groups or classes of sins, what do you see?
  
  • Unintentional sins
    
  • Sins of omission
    
• Also, there are some differences among the unintentional sins
  
  • Three groups: individual, the community, and the leader
    
  • APPLICATION: I think we need to confess, not only our sins, but our community sins. Those are probably best done in a group gathering, because the intent is for the community to recognize them, but I don't think it hurts to confess them privately as well
    
  • Flour is allowed for the poor as an offering
    
• Next follows the trespass offering (5:14-6:7) (Constable, pp. 20-21)
  
  • Sins against anything dedicated to God (tabernacle, furnishings, offerings, house, and land)
    
  • Sins against sacred property
    
  • Sins against swearing falsely
    
  • Additionally, reparation or restitution is required
    
• Next we go back through the offerings and provide additional regulations, to include rules for the priests on what they could and couldn't eat
  
• Chapters 8 through 10 concern the institution of the Aaronic priesthood. The genre switches from legal to narrative material
  

  Lev 9:23-10:3 (NIV) Moses and Aaron then went into the Tent of Meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people; and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. 24 Fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown.
  

  10 Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, contrary to his command. 2 So fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. 3 Moses then said to Aaron, "This is what the Lord spoke of when he said:
  

  "'Among those who approach me // I will show myself holy; // in the sight of all the people // I will be honored.'"
  

  Aaron remained silent.
  

• When you think about Aaron, what comes to mind?
  
  • The golden calf incident -- a very serious event that affected God's relationship with Israel
    
  • Yet, Aaron is forgiven. He is the high priest. He takes it very seriously and follows, to the letter, the commands of God
    
• Nadab and Abihu also do something quite wrong-- why the difference in the response?
  
  • One, we don't know any details about their life up until this point
    
  • Two, they are already consecrated as priests and taught the commands
    
  • Three, God establishes his Holiness very clearly to the people and to the priests and Levites
    
  • Fourth, God is never unjust in taking from us, life, what he gave originally. And if they truly believed in God, then their death is merely a step into another existence
    

  Lev 10:4-11 (NIV) Moses summoned Mishael and Elzaphan, sons of Aaron's uncle Uzziel, and said to them, "Come here; carry your cousins outside the camp, away from the front of the sanctuary." 5 So they came and carried them, still in their tunics, outside the camp, as Moses ordered.
  

  6 Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, "Do not let your hair become unkempt, and do not tear your clothes, or you will die and the Lord will be angry with the whole community. But your relatives, all the house of Israel, may mourn for those the Lord has destroyed by fire. 7 Do not leave the entrance to the Tent of Meeting or you will die, because the Lord's anointing oil is on you." So they did as Moses said.
  

  8 Then the Lord said to Aaron, 9 "You and your sons are not to drink wine or other fermented drink whenever you go into the Tent of Meeting, or you will die. This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. 10 You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean, 11 and you must teach the Israelites all the decrees the Lord has given them through Moses."
  

• From this passage, what is God teaching (or Moses) Aaron?
  
  • I thought the key verses is verse 10, to distinguish between the holy and the common
    
• How is the holy different from the common?
  
  • It takes my best
    
  • It requires sacrifice
    
  • It requires obedience
    
  • It should set me apart from the world
    
• My only question is, since the NT calls us a kingdom of Priests, is, what is not holy? Is there anything that is common?
  

  Lev 10:16-20 (NIV) When Moses inquired about the goat of the sin offering and found that it had been burned up, he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's remaining sons, and asked, 17 "Why didn't you eat the sin offering in the sanctuary area? It is most holy; it was given to you to take away the guilt of the community by making atonement for them before the Lord. 18 Since its blood was not taken into the Holy Place, you should have eaten the goat in the sanctuary area, as I commanded."
  

  19 Aaron replied to Moses, "Today they sacrificed their sin offering and their burnt offering before the Lord, but such things as this have happened to me. Would the Lord have been pleased if I had eaten the sin offering today?" 20 When Moses heard this, he was satisfied.
  

• Eleazar and Ithamar also "mess up." Why is their actions treated differently from their brothers?
  
  • They had the right motive
    
  • Suggests that the motives of their brothers was not correct

Class Notes, Ex 35:1-40:38

Ex 35:4-5, 10 (NIV) Moses said to the whole Israelite community, "This is what the Lord has commanded: 5 From what you have, take an offering for the Lord. Everyone who is willing is to bring to the Lord an offering of gold, silver and bronze; …

10 "All who are skilled among you are to come and make everything the Lord has commanded:

• There are two key aspects of ministry mentioned here
  
  • Willing offerings. This is not the tithe (the tithe is a required offering of the OT law). This is much closer to the NT concept of giving
    
    • 2 Cor 9:6-7 (NIV) Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
      
    • Gal 6:7-10 (NIV) Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
      
    • True ministry is a heartfelt action, and one of the spirit -- not of rule or law
      
  • Skilled and gifted people serving
    
    • 1 Cor 12:7 (NIV) Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
      
    • Each person is given a manifestation of the Spirit
      
    • The gift is not for the individual, but for the common good
      

  Ex 35:20-29 (NIV) Then the whole Israelite community withdrew from Moses' presence, 21 and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved him came and brought an offering to the Lord for the work on the Tent of Meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments. 22 All who were willing, men and women alike, came and brought gold jewelry of all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments. They all presented their gold as a wave offering to the Lord. 23 Everyone who had blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen, or goat hair, ram skins dyed red or hides of sea cows brought them. 24 Those presenting an offering of silver or bronze brought it as an offering to the Lord, and everyone who had acacia wood for any part of the work brought it. 25 Every skilled woman spun with her hands and brought what she had spun — blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen. 26 And all the women who were willing and had the skill spun the goat hair. 27 The leaders brought onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece. 28 They also brought spices and olive oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense. 29 All the Israelite men and women who were willing brought to the Lord freewill offerings for all the work the Lord through Moses had commanded them to do.
  

• What are the key words in this passage, and what is God trying to communicate?
  
  • Willing -- chose to give
    
  • Heart -- response of the heart not based on rule
    
  • To the Lord -- it was given to God not to people
    
  • Many different and unique types of gifts were given. Some created their own gifts (those who spun), others gave from what they owned
    
• Why do some people prefer living to a rule, like 10 percent (which is really not 10 percent but much higher), than a heart response?
  
  • We want to feel we have met our obligation
    
  • It is easier the more you have to give 10 percent. As God gives more, while 10 percent represents a larger amount, it represents less than what is needed when you had less
    
• APPLICATION: Why do we give? Do we give grudgingly? We are no longer under the law?
  

  Ex 35:30-36:5 (NIV) Then Moses said to the Israelites, "See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 31 and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts — 32 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 33 to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic craftsmanship. 34 And he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. 35 He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as craftsmen, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers — all of them master craftsmen and designers.36 So Bezalel, Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the Lord has given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary are to do the work just as the Lord has commanded."
  

  2 Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the Lord had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work. 3 They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. 4 So all the skilled craftsmen who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left their work 5 and said to Moses, "The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the Lord commanded to be done."
  

• What do you note about the skilled men that is different from the offering, and also what is the same?
  
  • Same: Both are willing (36:2)
    
  • Same/Different: God had given the ability
    
  • Different: God has chosen
    
• APPLICATION: What has God chosen you to do? What are you doing for the body of Christ, the common good?
  

  Ex 36:6-7 (NIV) Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: "No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary." And so the people were restrained from bringing more, 7 because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work.
  

• What is the principle from this passage?
  
  • When God's people are obedient, there is no need to ask for more giving, or to run any giving promotions -- the real problem is telling people to stop giving
    
• APPLICATION: I will be honest. I did not pledge any amount for the church debt repayment. I am always pushing my giving to support more and more missionaries. Consequently, I just don't have any more money for long-term things. I can find money for short term things at times, but I've already committed resources to long term things. I'm not saying I am right and everyone else is wrong, but the question that goes through my mind is, if I have more money to give long-term, why haven't I already committed it to something?
  

  Ex 38:1 (NIV) They built the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood, three cubits high; it was square, five cubits long and five cubits wide.
  

  Ex 38:9 (NIV) Next they made the courtyard. The south side was a hundred cubits long and had curtains of finely twisted linen,
  

  Ex 38:21-23 (NIV) These are the amounts of the materials used for the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the Testimony, which were recorded at Moses' command by the Levites under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest. 22 (Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made everything the Lord commanded Moses; 23 with him was Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan — a craftsman and designer, and an embroiderer in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen.)
  

  Ex 38:24-26 (NIV) The total amount of the gold from the wave offering used for all the work on the sanctuary was 29 talents and 730 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel. 25 The silver obtained from those of the community who were counted in the census was 100 talents and 1,775 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel — 26 one beka per person, that is, half a shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, from everyone who had crossed over to those counted, twenty years old or more, a total of 603,550 men
  

  Ex 39:42-43 (NIV) The Israelites had done all the work just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 43 Moses inspected the work and saw that they had done it just as the Lord had commanded. So Moses blessed them.
  

• The bible says that we walk by faith and not by sight, but that doesn't mean you don't use your brain. What are some of the specific things that these leaders did in the building process?
  
  • They used plans, specific measurements
    
  • There was order -- "next," verse 38:9
    
  • There was leadership and direction, "Ithimar"
    
  • There was accounting
    
  • There was inspection, and the inspector was not the leader
    

  Ex 39:7 (NIV) Then they fastened them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel, as the Lord commanded Moses. ...
  

  Ex 39:21 (NIV) They tied the rings of the breastpiece to the rings of the ephod with blue cord, connecting it to the waistband so that the breastpiece would not swing out from the ephod — as the Lord commanded Moses.
  

  Ex 40:17 (NIV) So the tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month in the second year.
  

  Ex 40:36-38 (NIV) In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; 37 but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out — until the day it lifted. 38 So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel during all their travels.
  

• Phrase, "as the Lord commanded" occurs 8 times in Exodus 39. Phrase occurs 33 times in Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers
  
• The result was (39:43) blessing, success, timely completion, and further leading
  
• APPLICATION: Sometimes we won't get the next step, until we have completed what God has commanded
  

Ex 32:1-34:35

Ex 32:1-6 (NIV) When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, "Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don't know what has happened to him."

2 Aaron answered them, "Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me." 3 So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, "These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt."

5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, "Tomorrow there will be a festival to the Lord." 6 So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.

• Let's start with a Aaron's action. Let's start with some positive reasons for his decision, can you think of any? Then, we will discuss negative reasons?
  
  • Positive: maybe Moses was gone (low view of God's sovereignty)
    
  • Mostly negative: Aaron did not create a new god, but rather an idol to represent God (used plural, which might be okay since Hebrew word is plural, but also forgot previous command from God)
    
  • Negative: people pleaser
    
  • Did not stand up for what is right
    
  • Tried to keep the people busy to stall for time
    
• Let's look at it from the people's point of view. What were they thinking?
  
  • Is Moses ever going to return? We need to move on (this is a typical battle most of us deal with God regarding decisions)
    
  • Wanted something tangible to put their faith in -- Jesus tells Thomas and others that those who followed are blessed because they believed without seeing
    
  • They too disobey the previous instruction of God, given before Moses went up the mountain, to not make any graven image
    
• This is not just an incident in the life of Israel. This is a major event. Some of the story in Exodus has parallels to the creation story in Genesis
  
  • The people's sin is the equivalent of Adam's disobedience
    
  • This sin has tremendous repercussions
    
  • When we recognize this fact, we see why Idolatry is such an important issue. APPLICATION: while we don't make graven images, I think we too worship objects of wood, stone, and metal. The worship of anything other than God is a path toward greater sin
    
• Why does the sacrifice to the calf turn into revelry?
  
  • Because sin leads to further sin. That is the whole argument of Romans 1 -- God gives people over to sin when they continually disobey Him
    

  Ex 32:7-14 (NIV) Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. 8 They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, 'These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.'
  

  9 "I have seen these people," the Lord said to Moses, "and they are a stiff-necked people. 10 Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation."
  

  11 But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God. "O Lord," he said, "why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, 'It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth'? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people. 13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: 'I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.'" 14 Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.
  

• On a humorous note, no one wants to lay claim to being the one who brought the people out of Egypt
  
  • The people say Moses
    
  • Aaron says it is the calf
    
  • God says Moses
    
  • Moses say God
    
• The immediate verses are God's response to the people's sin. How does God respond to the sin?
  
  • God is angry
    
  • God is ready to destroy the people
    
  • God says that he will build a new nation from Moses
    
• The word "relented" is difficult to understand. There are two ways to view it
  
  • One, God changes his mind. That violates scripture and the very definition of God himself
    
  • Second, this is the best word to describe the appearance of events
    
    • Moses intercedes for the people
      
    • Moses argues on the basis of God's promise and covenant
      
• I'm sure God knew his covenant and his promise. God also was angry at the sin. Whatever God was going to do, he allowed Moses to intervene through prayer. Therefore, one possibility is ...
  
  • God wanted to teach Moses to intervene for the people in prayer
    
  • God wanted to teach Moses how much he hated sin
    
  • God was creating important leadership skills in Moses that will be essential for the next forty years
    

  Ex 32:15-29 (NIV) Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands. They were inscribed on both sides, front and back. 16 The tablets were the work of God; the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.
  

  17 When Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting, he said to Moses, "There is the sound of war in the camp."
  

  18 Moses replied:
  

  "It is not the sound of victory,
  

  it is not the sound of defeat;
  

  it is the sound of singing that I hear."
  

  19 When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain. 20 And he took the calf they had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made the Israelites drink it.
  

  21 He said to Aaron, "What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?"
  

  22 "Do not be angry, my lord," Aaron answered. "You know how prone these people are to evil. 23 They said to me, 'Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don't know what has happened to him.' 24 So I told them, 'Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.' Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!"
  

  25 Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies. 26 So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, "Whoever is for the Lord, come to me." And all the Levites rallied to him.
  

  27 Then he said to them, "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: 'Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.'" 28 The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died. 29 Then Moses said, "You have been set apart to the Lord today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day."
  

• We see that the tablets that will be placed in the ark are not the original version
  
• What do you think of Aaron's response to Moses?
  
  • It lacked courage
    
  • He did not stand up for what was right
    
  • He tried to placate or please the people
    
• The scripture says that the people were running wild, and out of control. The Levites stand with Moses and kill 3,000 of their own people. Why kill the people, that seems harsh?
  
  • I don't know
    
  • Maybe it was the seriousness of the sin
    
  • Maybe these people would continue to be a trap to lead others into temptation and sin
    
  • APPLICATION: The Levites, in contrast to Aaron (also a Levite), we clearly not people pleasers, and were willing to do what was required for the sake of holiness
    

  Ex 33:1-7 (NIV) Then the Lord said to Moses, "Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, 'I will give it to your descendants.' 2 I will send an angel before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 3 Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way."
  

  4 When the people heard these distressing words, they began to mourn and no one put on any ornaments. 5 For the Lord had said to Moses, "Tell the Israelites, 'You are a stiff-necked people. If I were to go with you even for a moment, I might destroy you. Now take off your ornaments and I will decide what to do with you.'" 6 So the Israelites stripped off their ornaments at Mount Horeb.
  

  7 Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the "tent of meeting." Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp.
  

• The golden calf incident is called a great sin (verse 30), and it has consequences
  
  • One of the consequences is that 3000 die
    
  • Another consequence is a plague strikes the people (verse 35)
    
  • What are some other consequences?
    
    • God says he will not travel with the people (although as a result of Moses' prayer later, his presence does go with them)
      
    • The tent of meeting is moved far outside of the camp (this is different from the tabernacle)
      
    • The gold ornaments, that some had used to make idols, are removed from the people
      
• There are other effects. Note the parallelisms (Constable, 2009)
  

THE GIVING OF THE COVENANT (EXOD. 20—31)	THE RESTORING OF THE COVENANT (EXOD. 33—34)
All the people were to be priests (19:5-6).	Only the Levites would be priests (32:29).
Moses ascended Mt. Sinai and God spoke with him there while the people waited below (19:20).	Moses ascended Mt. Sinai and God spoke with him there while the people waited below (32:31).
God sent His angel to destroy Israel's enemies (23:23).	God sent His angel lest He destroy Israel (33:2-5).
The tabernacle in the center of the camp was to be the "tent of meeting" where God would meet with the people (25:8; 27:21; 28:43; 29:42-43).	Another "tent of meeting" outside the camp was where God met with Moses and Joshua only (33:7).
God displayed His glory for all the people to see on Mt. Sinai (24:16-17).	Only Moses could see God's glory partially (33:18-23), and the people only saw God's glory reflected on Moses' face (34:29).
God wrote the Ten Commandments on stone tablets (Deut. 10:1-4).	Moses wrote the Ten Commandments on stone tablets (34:28).
The structure of the narrative begins and ends with warnings against idolatry (20:22-23; 23:13) and instructions for proper worship (20:24-26; 23:14-19).	The structure of the narrative begins and ends with warnings against idolatry (34:11-17) and instructions for proper worship (34:11-26).

• APPLICATION: Our sin separates us from fellowship with God. It does not terminate it or change our position in Christ, but it creates a barrier between us and God. That is why repentance is so essential for the Christian, to keep the relationship with God free of sin
  

  Ex 33:15-18 (NIV) Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?"
  

  17 And the Lord said to Moses, "I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name."
  

• Verse 5 says that God has not decided what to do with Israel. Why would God need time to decide?
  
  • God was waiting for Moses to intercede
    
• In this section, Moses takes the issue head on. Clearly God could have "decided" what to do with the Israelites (vs 5) in a moment. But God doesn't, possibly because he was waiting for Moses to intervene. What is the lesson?
  
  • There is a lesson for leadership -- good leadership intervenes for the people, and God wants to teach his shepherds to intervene in prayer
    
• APPLICATION: God waits for us to pray. He is looking for partners in ministry. People who will intercede in the lives of others. Why does he do that? I don't know, but I do know he wants us to pray for others, that is one of our roles