Day 10 ~ having one arm longer than the other may be a good thing

Well, I've completed 10% of the challenge so far. It hasn't been a struggle as of yet, and for that I'm thankful to God.

• 17:11 ..."for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul" - this struck me as the first time that blood was actually sited as the "key" to the atonement. I did a quick search, and it was (in the NKJV anyway). Only Jesus' blood, a perfect sacrifice, was good enough to atone and create the new covenant.
• Finally, some boundaries are placed on the sexual behavior in chapter 18. These boundaries are basically the same ones we use today for acceptable moral behavior (except on television, where the exact opposite seems to be true). The rules for the sin have changed, however - They don't kill you for adultery anymore.
• Molech was a false god who is mentioned 5 times in today's passage. Apparently the worshippers of this false god sacrificed a family member to it by fire. A quick internet search revealed it was a god of the Ammonites, decendants of Lot. We'll hear more about Molech later, when a once wise Solomon builds a temple to him in I Kings.
• Leaving grain around the fields for the poor to collect is a rule that paves the way again for the coming Christ. Ruth picked grain from the fields of Boaz, she became his wife, and they were the great-grandparents of King David, who carries the line on to Christ.
• 19:19 - wonder why you can't mix wool and linen in a garment? Apparently, to the Jews, this is called "shatnez," and is categorized as a "chok" -- a law whose logic is not evident. Well, the old testament is chock full of these types of rules.
• 19:27 - no shaving fancy shapes into your beard or hair on the side of your head. Another one to add to the chok list. I like this one and will keep it marked for future discussions with my daughter should it become necessary: You shall not...tattoo any marks on you
• 20:22 - what a pretty word picture
• You know that trick you use on little kids where you swing your arm around and stretch it out full and it looks like you've got one arm longer than the other? Perfecting this trick would have been a real temptation to a young man in the tribe of Levi, because you would be exempt from service in the tabernacle if you have one limb too long. 21:18. Oh, come on, didn't that strike anyone else as the perfect way out of an impossible job?
• 22:33 gives an example of how less-than-perfect animals could be used for some sacrificial rites.
• Chapter 23 is dedicated to the further description of feasts: Passover/Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Weeks, Trumpets, Atonement, Tabernacles (kind of a little camping trip feast). These last three occur in the same month.
• Keep the lampstand burning - for some odd reason, this phrase is reminding me of some REO Speedwagon song. I listened to the Hi Infidelity 8-track tape so much that I could hear both sides playing at one time. Did the same thing with one of the Carpenter's 8-tracks, too. Maybe I should go out to my car and dig out the CD to find out why I can't get it out of my head.
• The oft-quoted "eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth" passage is found in 24:20.
• A year of rest is to be given to the land every seven years, and every forty-nine years a year of jubilee is to be observed. It looks like the year of rest would be two years in year 49 and year 50.
• Property and the Jubilee can become tricky. If I read this correctly, once the Hebrews take the promised land, whomever first "owns" (God is really the owner - 25:23) the property is the owner perpetually, and any exchange of money for the property is basically a pro-rated leasing program based on the time after or until a year of Jubilee. They must have kept good records. However, there is a one year time limit on redemption before "ownership" transfers within the walled city. Outside the city wall was a different story. Bet lots of people built walls around their properties.
• Our society is the exact opposite of 25:35 - if someone can't afford something, and has bad credit, they are more likely to get credit at a higher rate of usury.
• When does it become unacceptable to have a slave. There were slaves in the New Testament. Is it Biblically acceptable to own slaves?
• Blessings for obedience are described in chapter 26, a nice change from the consequences for disobedience. Well, for 13 verses, anyway, then back to the consequences.
• Confession leads to Restoration is described starting with 26:40. This is a key point of these passages - it also fits with the upcoming "Identity Theft" sermon series that starts September 9.