Today I’ll be sharing some notes on Leviticus and Acts.

Moses slaughtered the ram and took some of its blood and put it on the lobe of Aaron’s right ear, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot.

Leviticus 8:23 (NIV)

This act of putting the blood on Aaron’s right ear, thumb, and foot was part of Aaron becoming the high priest. Therefore, blood has a symbolic meaning. The right ear indicates that as a mediator between God and the people, it was Aaron’s responsibility to do what the Lord said and to teach the people to do the same. The blood on the right thumb further indicates that Aaron was to do God’s work, and the blood on his right foot indicates he was to walk in the ways of the Lord. 

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. 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 (emphasis added).

Leviticus 9:23-24 (NIV)

In verse 23, this is the last time Moses would enter the tent of meeting as the high priest. For Aaron, it would be the first time. The fire in verse 24 reveals the Lord’s blessing on this change of office. Hence, the people shouting for joy and falling prostrate before the Lord. 

Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.”

Acts 15:1 (NIV)

Acts 15 takes place around 48-50 AD, almost 20 years since Jesus’ glorification, yet people still questioned the requirements for salvation. It’s easy to understand that not everyone “got the memo” back then, but it’s still an issue today, nearly 2,000 years later.

Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses” (emphasis added).

Acts 15:5 (NIV)

Whenever I think of the Pharisees, I think of the self-righteous religious rulers who thought they were better than everyone else. I don’t think about them as being saved. Yet, Acts 15:5 reveals that some Pharisees had been saved. Albeit, some of them were still following the law. The irony, of course, in my thinking is that Paul was a Pharisee before he was saved, which tells me that hanging onto stereotypes is never good. 

Those are my notes for today. Thanks for stopping by!

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