Dictionary of Bible Themes: 7424 ritual law

7424 ritual law

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Dictionary of Bible Themes » 7000 God's people » 7300 Institutions and culture of OT » 7424 ritual law

The rules and regulations regarding the conduct of the priests and people of Israel in approaching God, especially in worship. They were to be holy as God is holy. The perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross is seen by NT writers as fulfilling this demand for holiness and obedience.

The ritual law and the priesthood

The priests were to be careful to obey God's commandments

Leviticus 22:9 See also Leviticus 10:10; Leviticus 22:3

The priests had to avoid ceremonial uncleanness

Contact with the dead caused uncleanness and was forbidden to the high priest:

Leviticus 21:1-3,11; Numbers 19:11,14 Leviticus 21:16-23 No-one with a physical defect could serve as a priest; Leviticus 22:20-25 The sacrifices offered by the priests also had to be without defect.

The ritual law and the people of Israel

The people were called to holiness

Leviticus 19:2; Leviticus 20:26 See also Leviticus 11:44-45; Leviticus 20:7; Leviticus 21:8; Leviticus 22:32

The ritual law stipulated what they could eat

Leviticus 11:46-47 See also Genesis 7:2; Genesis 8:20; Leviticus 11:1-23 pp Deuteronomy 14:3-20; Deuteronomy 14:21

The ritual law regarding childbirth

Leviticus 12:1-5; Luke 2:22-24

Jesus Christ's obedience and perfect sacrifice on the cross fulfilled the demands of the ritual law

Hebrews 10:8-10 See also Ephesians 2:15; Colossians 2:14; Hebrews 7:11,18,27; Hebrews 10:1-3,11-14