Hi,
Why did the LORD command that people be killed for working on the Sabbath? Is it so bad that it deserves death? Did the jews really kill people for working on the sabbath??
Kill People for Working on the Sabbath
The LORD then gave these further instructions to Moses: 'Tell the people of Israel to keep my Sabbath day, for the Sabbath is a sign of the covenant between me and you forever. It helps you to remember that I am the LORD, who makes you holy. Yes, keep the Sabbath day, for it is holy. Anyone who desecrates it must die; anyone who works on that day will be cut off from the community. Work six days only, but the seventh day must be a day of total rest. I repeat: Because the LORD considers it a holy day, anyone who works on the Sabbath must be put to death.' (Exodus 31:12-15 NLT)
Kill Anyone who Approaches the Tabernacle
For the LORD had said to Moses, 'Exempt the tribe of Levi from the census; do not include them when you count the rest of the Israelites. You must put the Levites in charge of the Tabernacle of the Covenant, along with its furnishings and equipment. They must carry the Tabernacle and its equipment as you travel, and they must care for it and camp around it. Whenever the Tabernacle is moved, the Levites will take it down and set it up again. Anyone else who goes too near the Tabernacle will be executed.' (Numbers 1:48-51 NLT)
OK.. let's say that someone accidentally walks in the Tabernacle. Does that mean he should be put to death .Did any jew actually get killed for that!??
I'm gonna be adding more questions to this thread as time goes by.
I would really appreciate your answers.
THANKS
Comments
The second point about approaching the tabernacle..look the tabernacle isnt like an invisible thing anyone could simply go on, NO its a big tent which was known for ALL people as the most sacred place ever..so obviously whoever is guna go in there is going on purpose and not like "wopps didnt mean to" i hope that helped a bit..
GBU
sandra
I agree with you and everything, but there are a couple parts that you missed about the tabernacle.
a) Only Levites can enter
b) Only Priests can enter the Holies
c) Only the High Priest can enter the Holy of Holies once a year (for Atonement)
Anyone that cannot follow those rules must be killed. Anyone that touched the Tabernacle that wasn't a Levite or a priest (even if it was falling down) can not try to touch it or else they died. God was very strict in the Old Testament whatever He said, goes, because the Old Testament is known mostly as a time of crisis between Man and God (Gate of Heaven: closed). The New Testament is known mostly as a time of rejoicing because God and Man have reconciled once more (Gate of Heaven: opened). You can also look at it like Jesus was the Gate. When He was crucified, the Gate of Heaven was opened to anyone who believed in Him and to those who died for Him.
All these regulations - however harsh they may seem - provided the necessary context in which the Incarnation took place.
We must also bear in mind that the burden of proof was so high that these death penalties were very rarely carried out. I remember a Rabbi once saying that if the Sanhedrin sentenced more than 3 people to death in a single year, this would be considered a "bloody court."
We should not and cannot look at the Old Testament without taking into consideration its fulfillment by Christ. That's a bit like asking "what if someone accidentally walks into a bank vault?" You couldn't just stroll in there, let alone by accident.
well this might not have to do with this specificly. but i guess it does. The Old Testemant wassnt all correct. Jesus Christ came and corrected things, he made us Christians for an example.....
Theologically speaking, this cannot be true. If Christ is the Word of God, then He spoke to the prophets and the people of Israel and Moses. He spoke to them. If God created the world through His Son, it means He also spoke to the Prophets THROUGH His Son. His Son, the Logos, will not say one thing and then change His mind afterwards. That's not on.
But that's the excuse I always give whenever I find myself in that situation. "I was just passing by".
Anyway, thanks for the answers. Could you answer all the questions below though mate? Cheers, and keep in touch. Haven't seen u in the longest time.
a bishop said once to me....god had to be strong to the people in the old testament cause he wantet to make a strong population a strong and godfearing poulation where he can rise "his son" out of them....
i hope u got it...my english is bad now....hope u forgive me
pp4m
aripsalin
The NT is the story of the Incarnation and of the taking of the Word of God to the whole world, so its whole thrust is in a different direction. Both show us what God thinks it needful for us to know. The history of humanity since Apostolic times shows us, rather as the OT does, the consequences of our disobedience. Our inability to learn is perhaps an example of why we needed the Incarnation - and why we need the Church.
In Christ,
Anglian
This is exactly what we learned today in pre-servants! anyways..God never commanded whoever WORKS on the sabath day should be killed..he simply said who ever desecrates its should be dead..but if you work on it "he should be cut off the community" not killed.
The second point about approaching the tabernacle..look the tabernacle isnt like an invisible thing anyone could simply go on, NO its a big tent which was known for ALL people as the most sacred place ever..so obviously whoever is guna go in there is going on purpose and not like "wopps didnt mean to" i hope that helped a bit..
GBU
sandra
Sandra,
where are u reading from? It says "whoever desecrates it must die" - period.
That is exactly what Sandra said!
Well that's just dandy clay!
Then isn't that a tad bit violent??
If you were to make the New Testament proportionate to the Old Testament, how much more violence would you find?
For example, what about Ananias and Sapphira who sold property and gave most of the money to the church, but were slain for lying about withholding a portion of it? What about Elymas who was struck blind for his opposition to Paul?
What about the book of Revelation? Wow! Lots of violence, torment, etc.
What about Jesus' teaching about being cast into gehenna (hell), where the fire is not quenched, and the worm never dies?
What about Jesus' casting out of the "goats" for not doing good to the "least of these," damning them to an eternal hell prepared for the devil and his angels?
What about Jesus' sermon against the cities of Galilee in Matt 11: "I tell you, it will be better for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for you."
What about Jesus' condemnation of the Pharisees? "You snakes! You hypocrites! How will you escape from being condemned to hell!" Just read the entire chapter of Matt 23.
I'm not sure you can assume that the Old Testament is so much more violent than the New Testament.
Look at it like this, you have a little child, and you want to teach him to fast Lent.
Are you going to start making Him fast ALL 40 days?
Of course not you start with small steps.
Thats exactly wat God did, he took what man messed up and worked with it, he took one nation and worked with them, and brought them up and eventually those who wished to continue became Christian
I am new to this site. This is my first time reply to a question that I asked my father of confession 5 years ago. I asked him why God was so hard on His people in the old testament and I personally broke His commandments but He did not gave up on me?.
The answer that when our kids were little, he had to teach them and punish them to grow up disciplined. Now our kids are grown and we treat them in a different way.
God was disciplining His people but He had mercy on them.
It's not God who's different between the OT and the NT, but rather the people.
Back then, religion as in monotheism serving JHWH was threatened by many tribes worshipping statues and things like that. God had to be strict with them to perserve his people from falling and being tempted by this grave danger, he had to discipline them and be strict on them, otherwise they all would have fell to pagan religions.
God Bless
Please pray for me, a sinner