How does Leviticus 15:14 connect to New Testament teachings on purity? Scripture Snapshot: Leviticus 15:14 “On the eighth day he must take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, come before the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, and give them to the priest.” Old-Covenant Picture of Purity • The discharge rendered the man ceremonially unclean (15:1–13). • Waiting eight days showed the need for complete restoration, not a quick fix. • Two birds—one for a sin offering, one for a burnt offering—declared: – Sin must be atoned for (Leviticus 4:27-31). – Whole-life consecration follows forgiveness (Leviticus 1:3-4). • The priest mediated the process, underscoring our inability to cleanse ourselves. From Shadows to Substance: Fulfillment in Christ • Jesus is the true High Priest who offers Himself (Hebrews 9:11-14). • His single sacrifice removes all uncleanness, not merely ceremonial (Hebrews 10:10-14). • The eighth-day timing hints at resurrection life—Jesus rose on “the first day of the week,” the eighth in Jewish reckoning, inaugurating new creation purity (Luke 24:1). • External rituals pointed forward to inner cleansing: – “Nothing that enters a man from outside can defile him… What comes out of a man, that is what defiles him.” (Mark 7:18-23) – “If we walk in the light…the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7) Living the New-Covenant Purity • Receive Christ’s finished work; there are no more animal offerings (John 19:30). • Keep short accounts with God—confess quickly (1 John 1:9). • Pursue whole-life consecration: – Present your bodies as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1). – Flee sexual impurity; your body is the Spirit’s temple (1 Corinthians 6:18-20). • Practice community accountability—believers now serve one another as “a royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9). Key Takeaways • Leviticus 15:14 illustrates that purity requires atonement plus consecration. • The Old-Testament pattern finds its completion in Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice. • New-Testament purity moves from external ritual to internal transformation while retaining the call to holiness in every area of life. |
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