Leviticus 24 Summary: A Short Breakdown in 5 Minutes

Leviticus 24 Summary - A Quick Overview

WHEN:

• Leviticus picks up where Exodus left off. The children of Israel are on their way through the wilderness to the Canaan land.

• According to Leviticus 8, the Tabernacle had already been erected, which would place the year at approximately 1490 B.C. (one year after the Israelites left Egypt).

DEFINITIONS:

• Stranger (Sojourner) - The Bible uses the word “strangers” to describe foreigners (people who weren’t descendants of the 12 sons of Jacob) who lived amongst the Israelites, both in the wilderness and in Canaan.

TABERNACLE DIAGRAM

OUTLINE:

• THE GOLDEN LAMPSTAND (24:1-4):

  • The priests was to manage the lamps on the golden lampstand in the Tabernacle each day.

  • The lights were to be kept burning continually, “from evening to morning.”

• THE BREAD FOR THE GOLDEN TABLE (24:5-9):

  • Each week, bread was prepared and placed on the golden table in the Tabernacle.

  • The bread was replaced each Sabbath day and the old bread was given to the priests.

  • 12 loaves of bread were made each week. They were arranged in 2 piles and frankincense was placed on top of each pile.

• PUNISHMENT FOR BLASPHEMY (24:10-16):

  • These verses describe a situation where a young man blasphemed the name of the Lord during a fight with another man.

  • The young man who blasphemed was arrested.

  • Moses asked the Lord what needed to be done with the blasphemer and the Lord told Moses he was to be killed for his disrespect.

  • The Israelites took the man out of the camp and stoned him.

  • Moses warned the people, saying, “Whoever curses his God shall bear his sin.”

• THE REQUIREMENTS OF JUSTICE (24:17-23):

  • These verses speak to God’s demand for justice and the prescribed punishment for criminals.

  • If a man murdered another man, the murderer was to be put to death.

  • If a man killed an animal which belonged to another, he was to replace the animal with an equivalent.

  • If a person injured their neighbor through violence, the injury inflicted on the victim would be inflicted on the aggressor.

APPLICATION:

• In this chapter, we see the natural punishment for sin, and we see what grace saves us from.

• Death was the penalty for disrespecting the God who created this young man’s life and sustained his life.

• The privilege of life was taken away from him because he mocked the life giver.

• It’s actually incredible that God allows any of us to continue living considering we regularly disrespect Him, do things that corrupt His good creation, and lead others away from honoring Him.

• We have all lived in the Creator’s world without honoring Him.

• We walk around like we have a right to life, like our continuation on this earth is somehow owed to us.

• But the Bible says, “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).

• This story reveals what we deserve.

• But God is gracious and tolerates a lot!

• Take a moment and thank God for His patience and toleration of us.