Lesson 58.3-59 Lev 11-18 Thurs 11-12 speed digging

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Lesson 58.3-59 Lev 11-18 Thurs 11-12 speed digging

  Opening hymn: I Stand All Amazed

III. Leviticus 11

The Lord reveals His dietary laws for the Israelites

1.

Discussion (all together?):

---Have you purchased something to eat from a food vendor or restaurant recently? What did you order to eat?

---Were there items on the menu you might choose not to eat or drink if they were placed in front of you?

---What are some of these items?

---Which items on the menu would you choose not to eat or drink for religious reasons?

---The law of Moses included commandments concerning which animals were considered clean and fit for the children of Israel to eat and which were unclean and not proper to eat. In our day, people refer to these laws as kosher laws--from a Hebrew word that means “fit” or “proper.”

---Imagine you lived during the time of Moses and planned to eat at an ancient restaurant.


***

  

2.  (break into groups?)
Menu

(click to view larger)

Appetizers		Main Dishes
Raven	Stork	Lizard	Ferret
Locust	Pig (Pork, Bacon)	Camel	Mouse
Coney	Octopus	Eagle	Beetles
Tortoise	Tuna	Cow (Beef, Steak)	Snails

---Search Leviticus 11:1-43, looking for the characteristics of clean and unclean beasts.
---Read Leviticus 11:2–4 aloud.
         ---What are the characteristics of clean beasts?
         ---What are the characteristics of unclean beasts?
 ---Use what you learned to select items from the menu that you would be allowed to eat under the law of Moses.
 (Answers include locusts, tuna, beef, and beetles.)

2.  *****

---Read Leviticus 11:24–27 aloud and look for what else could make an Israelite unclean.
                ---Why do you think the Israelites were to avoid even touching the carcasses of unclean animals?

---What principle could we identify from this command to not even touch the carcasses of unclean animals?

If we associate with unclean influences...
( they can cause us to become unclean.)

---Although the Bible does not record detailed reasons for why the Lord gave these dietary laws, faithful Israelites showed their belief in and obedience to the Lord by following them even though they may not have known all the reasons for them.

---What dietary laws has the Lord given us through living prophets in our day?

---Open up to D&C 89 and answer the following questions:

---What substances has the Lord commanded us not to take into our bodies?

---What foods has He encouraged us to use?

3. *****

Leviticus 11. Video presentation—“A Brand New Year: Physical Health”

To help students feel the truth and importance of the principle about obeying the Lord’s law of health, you may want to show the video “A Brand New Year: Physical Health” (7:28) as part of this lesson. You could use this video after the discussion of the statement by President Ezra Taft Benson. The video features youth from around the world discussing the blessings of following the Lord’s law of physical health. This video can be found on LDS.org.
---Besides the Word or Wisdom guidelines, what other health advice was given in this video clip? 

Leviticus 11. The Lord will bless those who obey His commandments on health

President Ezra Taft Benson taught:
“The Word of Wisdom is one of the recognized and distinctive practices of members of the Church. Generally, others not of our faith acknowledge that members in good standing abstain from tobacco, coffee, tea, and all alcoholic beverages. …
“One principle of the gospel that all young people of the Church should understand is this: God, our Heavenly Father, governs His children by law. He has instituted laws for our perfection. If we obey His laws, we receive the blessings pertaining to those laws. If we do not obey, we receive the consequences.
“The Word of Wisdom is a law—a principle with promise. If we obey the provisions of the law, we receive the promises. If we do not, there will be both temporal and spiritual consequences” (“A Principle with a Promise,” Ensign, May 1983, 53).
Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:
“The Lord gave one dietary direction to ancient Israel. Much later, because of the ‘evils and designs’ that exist in these ‘last days’ (D&C 89:4), He has given us a Word of Wisdom suited to the circumstances of our time, accompanied by the promised blessings we need in our time” (“Timing” [Brigham Young University devotional, Jan. 29, 2002], 3; speeches.byu.edu).


4. *****
---Read Leviticus 11:44–45 looking for one reason the Lord commanded the Israelites not to eat certain animals.

---What was one purpose of the Lord’s dietary laws for the Israelites?

---What does it mean to be holy?

---Based on what we have learned about the purpose of Israel’s law of health, what can happen to us as we obey the Lord’s law of health in our day?

Following the Lord’s health commandments helps us ...
(become holy.)

---How can obedience to the Word of Wisdom help us to become more holy?

---Read aloud the following statement by President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. and look for how obeying the Word of Wisdom allows us to be more sensitive to the delicate feelings of the Holy Ghost and thus helps us become holy.

“Our physical body is the instrument of our spirit. In that marvelous revelation, the Word of Wisdom, we are told how to keep our bodies free from impurities which might dull, even destroy, those delicate physical senses which have to do with spiritual communication. …
“… [The Word of Wisdom] is [our] armor and will protect [us] from habits which obstruct the channels of personal revelation” (“Revelation in a Changing World,” Ensign, Nov. 1989, 14).

---How has living the Word of Wisdom helped you to not defile yourself?

---Why is it important for us to become holy?

---In what other ways have you or those you know been blessed by living the Word of Wisdom?

 

5. *****

Commentary and Background Information

Leviticus 11. Why did the Lord designate “clean” and “unclean” animals?

“Doubtless sanitary and nutritional factors were among the criteria for designating clean and unclean flesh, but all the reasons are not known. Almost all the ‘unclean’ beasts and fowl were carnivores. Some flesh can cause diseases unless it is thoroughly cooked, and that may have been a factor” (Ellis T. Rasmussen, A Latter-day Saint Commentary on the Old Testament [1993], 132).
However, as with the Lord’s laws of health in our day, there are also spiritual implications. In the revelation establishing the Word of Wisdom, the Lord explained that those who obey this law of health “shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures” (D&C 89:19) and that “the destroying angel shall pass by them” (D&C 89:21). Though the Lord does not always explain the exact reasons why He gives laws of health, it is evident that He expects us to follow them and thereby demonstrate our faith in Him.


6. *****

Lesson 59: Leviticus 12–18

Old Testament Seminary Teacher Manual, 2014
 https://www.lds.org/manual/old-testament-seminary-teacher-manual/introduction-to-the-book-of-leviticus/lesson-59-leviticus-12-18?lang=eng

Introduction

The Lord gave the children of Israel laws and ordinances that would bless them. If they would follow these laws and ordinances, they would be physically clean and clean from the sins of the world. The Lord also instructed Israel concerning the Day of Atonement. He further commanded the Israelites not to follow the wicked practices of the Egyptians and the Canaanites.

Suggestions for Teaching

Leviticus 12–15

The Lord gives laws and ordinances that pertain to physical cleanliness and sanitation

---Think of a time when you were physically very dirty. Ponder that experience as you read the following account by President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, in which he and other soldiers during World War II were transported across the United States in boxcars on a freight train:

“We had no change of clothing during the six-day trip. It was very hot. … Smoke and cinders from the engine made it very uncomfortable. There was no way to bathe or wash our uniforms. We rolled into Los Angeles one morning. …
“We thought first of food. The 10 of us in our crew pooled our money and headed for the best restaurant we could find.
“It was crowded, and so we joined a long line waiting to be seated. I was first, just behind some well-dressed women. Even without turning around, the stately woman in front of me soon became aware that we were there.
“She turned and looked at us. Then she turned and looked me over from head to toe. There I stood in that sweaty, dirty, sooty, wrinkled uniform. She said in a tone of disgust, ‘My, what untidy men!’ All eyes turned to us.
“No doubt she wished we were not there; I shared her wish. I felt as dirty as I was, uncomfortable, and ashamed” (“Washed Clean,” Ensign, May 1997, 9).

---How might the feelings we experience when we are spiritually unclean be similar to the feelings we have when we are physically unclean?

(You may want to clarify that even though we may feel ashamed by our sins, we can feel hope and know that the power of the Atonement can redeem us.)
---Ponder how you feel about being spiritually clean before the Lord.
---Look for truths as you study Leviticus 12–15 that can help us learn how to become clean from our sins.

7. ***

---Read Leviticus 13:1–3 aloud
         ---What is another circumstance that caused a person to be pronounced unclean under the law of Moses?
         ---In the Old Testament, the term leprosy refers to a variety of skin diseases and conditions. The instructions in Leviticus 13 provided the priests with ways to diagnose leprosy and guidelines to help them determine when someone was no longer infected and contagious.
---Read Leviticus 13:45–46 aloud looking for what was required when someone had leprosy.

---What was required of someone who had leprosy?

---Why might separation from the camp of Israel be required?

---Although individuals diagnosed with leprosy were not necessarily spiritually unclean, the laws regarding leprosy can teach about sin symbolically.

---For a moment, we will liken leprosy to sin.

---How do the instructions for a leper in verses 45–46 also relate to committing sin?

(After students respond, write the following truth on the board: Our sins make us unclean and unable to dwell in God’s presence.)
---Read aloud the following statement by President Boyd K. Packer, in which he likens his experience of being in a nice restaurant while wearing filthy clothes to the experience of feeling the shame of sin:

“When I began a serious study of the scriptures, I noticed references to being spiritually clean. One verse says, ‘Ye would be more miserable to dwell with a holy and just God, under a consciousness of your filthiness before him, than ye would to dwell with the damned souls in hell’ [Mormon 9:4].
“I could understand that. I remembered how I felt that day in Los Angeles. I reasoned that to be spiritually unclean would bring shame and humiliation immeasurably more intense than I felt then” (“Washed Clean,” 9).

---Why do you think that no unclean thing or person can dwell in God’s presence? (refer to 1 Nephi 15:33.)

---Many of the skin diseases and conditions described as leprosy in Leviticus 13 would heal with time. However, before a leper could be considered clean under the law of Moses, he or she needed to participate in two rituals outlined in Leviticus 14. One reason these rituals were given was to teach about the Savior’s Atonement and to help them understand principles of repentance.

8. ***

---Read Leviticus 14:1–3 aloud looking for who lepers went to for help so they could be pronounced clean.

---Who may the priest represent in our own experiences seeking to be cleansed from our sins?

---The priest is like a bishop or branch president.
---Summary of Leviticus 14:4–32 :The leper was required to bring two birds, three lambs, flour, and oil to the priest as offerings to the Lord. If the leper could not afford to bring lambs, he or she could bring pigeons or turtledoves instead. In one of the rituals required to cleanse a leper, the priest sacrificed a bird. He then dipped another bird in the blood of the sacrificed bird and set it free (see Leviticus 14:4–7).
---Read Leviticus 14:13–14, 19–20 aloud and look for what was done with the lambs that the leper brought to the priest.

---What can the rituals with the birds and the lambs teach us about the Savior and what He does for those who repent?

---The offerings are like our repentance.

9. ***

---What can we learn from these rituals about what we must do to be cleansed from our sins?

(Help students identify the following principle: To be forgiven of our sins, we must turn to the Lord and obey the conditions of repentance He has given.)
---Lepers were not allowed to perform these offerings for themselves. It was necessary to go to the priest. Similarly, repentance for some sins may require that we seek help from our bishop or branch president.

---How can a bishop or branch president help an individual to receive the blessing of forgiveness through the Savior’s Atonement?

(You might want to explain that if a person has committed serious sin, such as sexual transgression or indulging in pornography, those sins must be confessed to the bishop. The bishop holds priesthood keys and has the authority to receive revelation to help the individual through the process of repentance.)
---Testify that repentance is a gift from the Lord that helps us to experience the joy of Heavenly Father’s forgiveness through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ. Seek this gift as often as you need it.
---Summary of Leviticus 14:33–57 :The Lord set forth additional procedures to cleanse houses that contained mildew and mold that could threaten the health of the individuals living there. Leviticus 15 contains additional laws, rites, and sacrifices that were set forth to help priests know how to cleanse other types of uncleanliness.

Leviticus 16–18

The Lord instructs Israel concerning the Day of Atonement and commands them not to follow the wicked practices of other nations

 10. ***

Display the following pictures: Jesus Praying in Gethsemane (Gospel Art Book [2009], no. 56; see also LDS.org) and The Crucifixion (Gospel Art Book, no. 57; see also LDS.org).
---Imagine you have the opportunity to teach another person who does not know what the Atonement is.

---Which of these pictures would you use to teach this person what the Atonement of Jesus Christ is? Why?

---In Leviticus 16, the Lord gave instruction that helped Israel learn about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. This chapter describes a sacred ceremony the Israelites were commanded to perform on one day each year called the Day of Atonement (also known today as Yom Kippur which was September 22-23 this year). On this day the high priest offered sacrifice for all the people.
---Consider as you study Leviticus 16 what this chapter can teach them about the Savior’s Atonement.
---Summary of Leviticus 16:1–6 :Aaron, who served as the high priest, was required to change into simple white linen clothing and offer sacrifice for himself before he could enter the tabernacle and perform the sacrifices the Lord required on the Day of Atonement.

11. ***
 
---Picture of two goats on the board.
---Write Leviticus 16:15–16 next to one goat and Leviticus 16:21–22 next to the other goat.
---Read these verses looking for how the rituals involving these two goats could teach the children of Israel about the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

---What can the ritual described in verses 15–16 teach us about the Atonement of Jesus Christ?

---What can the ritual described in verses 21–22 teach us about the Atonement of Jesus Christ?

---How would you summarize what the Atonement of Jesus Christ included?

(Students may use different words, but they should identify doctrines similar to the following: Through the Atonement, Jesus Christ took away the sins of the world by taking them upon Himself. Jesus Christ’s Atonement included His infinite suffering and the shedding of His blood in Gethsemane and on the cross.)
---The Savior’s Atonement also included His Resurrection, which enables all mankind to be resurrected and overcome physical death. Refer to the pictures you displayed earlier.

---Based on what you have learned, which of these pictures could you use to teach about the Atonement of Jesus Christ?

(Both of them.)

---To conclude this lesson, invite students to sing “I Stand All Amazed” (Hymns, no. 193). Ask them to look for phrases in the song that relate to what they have learned today.

---Summary of Leviticus 17–18 :The Lord commanded the people to avoid idolatrous practices, forbade marriages of close relatives, and identified homosexual behavior and other sexual perversions as an abomination. Israel was to keep God’s ordinances and remain undefiled.

Commentary and Background Information

Leviticus 12–15. Clean and unclean

Throughout the scriptures, the word unclean can refer to both physical and spiritual uncleanliness. Additionally, in the law of Moses, “uncleanness referred to being ceremonially or ritually unclean” (Bible Dictionary, “Clean and unclean”). For example, Leviticus 12 teaches that women who underwent childbirth were to be pronounced unclean. This does not mean the mother was unworthy because of sins or misdeeds. Rather, the purification time would allow the mother time to recuperate from childbirth. During this time she would be in seclusion and separated from the rest of the camp. After the designated period of time passed, she would bring the appropriate animal sacrifice to the tabernacle. The priest would then make an offering, after which she would be pronounced clean. She was then able to again participate in the ceremonies and rituals of the law of Moses.

 

12. ***

Leviticus 16. The Day of Atonement

The Day of Atonement was the most sacred and holy day of the year for the Israelites. It was a day of fasting, prayer, and deep contemplation of the mission of the Messiah (Jesus Christ).
“On [the Day of Atonement] Israel’s high priest … enter[ed] the Holy of Holies in the house of the Lord, to … make an atonement for the sins of the people. … Sacrificial animals were slain and their blood sprinkled on the mercy seat and before the altar; incense was burned, and all of the imagery and symbolism of the ransoming ordinances was carried out. … Two goats were selected, lots were cast, and the name of Jehovah was placed upon one goat; the other was called … the scapegoat. The Lord’s goat was then sacrificed as the Great Jehovah would be in due course, but upon the scapegoat were placed all of the sins of the people, which burden the scapegoat then carried away into the wilderness. The high priest, as the law required, ‘lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat’ and confessed ‘over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat’ [Leviticus 16:21]. The goat then bore upon him ‘all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited’ [Leviticus 16:22], even as the Promised Messiah should bear the sins of many” (Bruce R. McConkie, The Promised Messiah [1978], 435–37; see also Bible Dictionary, “Fasts”; Old Testament Student Manual: Genesis–2 Samuel, 3rd ed. [Church Educational System manual, 2003], 182–83).