"The Imperfection of Levi" Sermon: Hebrews 7:11-14

“The Imperfection of Levi” [Hebrews 7:11-14] September 30, 2012 Second Reformed Church A friend of mine who is practicing Judaism these days posted on her Facebook that she didn't need Jesus, because she has Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement. The message was a short but important one: if we can do something to make ourselves right with God, do we need Jesus? This past Tuesday evening began the twenty-five hour holiday of Yom Kippur in the Jewish tradition. Yom Kippur is “the Day of Atonement” which God commanded believers in Ancient Israel to keep every year. We have a description of what is to be done on the day of Yom Kippur in Leviticus 16. Let me summarize it for us: God commanded Aaron, who was the high priest at that time, not to go into the Holy of Holies or he would die. But on one day a year, on Yom Kippur, the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies after the following was done: the high priest was to take a bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering for himself. Then he was to bathe and put on the priestly garments that God had given to the high priest. Then he was to take two male goats for a sin offering and one ram for a burnt offering for the people. Then he would take the two goats chosen for the people and cast lots – one goat would be given to God and one goat would be given to the devil. Then he would slaughter the animals that he chose for himself to make atonement for his sins and his family’s sins. Then he would take a censor full of coals and placed two handfuls of incense on them and slide the incense into the Holy of Holies between the veils. Then he would take blood from the sacrifice and sprinkle it on the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant – that box which contained the Ten Commandments among other things. Then he would kill the goat of the sin offering for the people and bring the blood from the goat into the Holy of Holies and spread it on the Mercy Seat to make atonement for the people of God – to make the people of God right with God – that God would forgive their sins. Then he would come out and lay his hands on the live goat – which was called “the scapegoat”– and symbolically transferred all the sins of the people of Israel onto the goat, which they then released into the wilderness to the devil to die. After all this, the high priest and those helping him with the animals would bathe themselves and their clothes and burn the remaining parts of the animals. This was the Levitical Ceremonial Law for becoming right with God. As you might imagine, this does not happen in modern-day Judaism. Why not? For a number of reasons: there is no more Temple, there is no more Holy of Holies, there is no more Ark of Covenant, and there is no longer an offering of animals as blood sacrifices in Jewish worship. So what do modern Jews do for Yom Kippur? You may be aware that there are different traditions in Judaism today, but generally speaking, on the day of Yom Kippur, modern Jews do not work, they fast, and they attend services at synagogue. Their understanding is that in doing this, all of the sins they committed against God during the previous year are forgiven. (In checking the current Jewish understanding, one author noted that Yom Kippur has no effect as far as sins between you and another person – the celebration of Yom Kippur is only for the forgiveness of your sins against God.) [http://www.jewfaq.org/holiday4.htm, accessed 9/29/12]. That being said, we might question how they came to the conclusion that this was an acceptable substitute to what God has instituted. Nevertheless, we are faced with the question of whether or not there is another way to become right with God other than through Jesus Alone – we might also ask if the Levitical Ceremonial Law, which was instituted by the God we confess we believe in, is just as good as, or even preferable, to faith in Jesus Alone. (You may have heard – I have certainly heard – people say that there are two ways of salvation – keeping the Law for the Jews, and faith in Jesus Alone for everyone else.) That question is at the heart of what the Hebrew Christians were wondering: under persecution, they were asking themselves whether it was wise to continue in their confession of faith in Jesus Alone for salvation, or did it make more sense to turn back to what they knew to be God's way of becoming right with God – which Israel had observed for thousands of years – through the Levitical Ceremonies – including Yom Kippur. We saw that the author of Hebrews argues in chapter seven that it is foolish to return to Levitical laws. The author of Hebrews explains that there are two priesthoods that have been ordained by God: the priesthood, which began with Abram and ran through Aaron and Levi and the Levites, and the priesthood of Melchizedek. We saw the author of Hebrews argue that the priesthood of Melchizedek is of a higher order than the priesthood of Levi – and thus is to be preferred. He argues this is so for a number of reasons: when Abram and Melchizedek met after the slaughter of the kings, Melchizedek blessed Abram, Abram gave the tithe to Melchizedek, the priesthood of Abram through the Levites is one of succession, whereas the priesthood of Melchizedek is one of direct appointment by God, and thus the priesthood of the Levites ends, whereas the priesthood of Melchizedek is eternal, and all of these things show that the priesthood of Melchizedek is greater than the priesthood of Levi. The problem for humans is and always was and will always be, how can a person become right with God? In this morning’s Scripture, the author of Hebrews argues that perfection is not attainable through the Levitical Law – through the Levitical Sacrifices. What does God require to be right with God? Holiness. Perfection. Sinlessness. “Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron?” The problem is sin. How can sinners become right with God? God provided a way through the Levitical priesthood to become right with God in a relative sort of way through the sacrifices on the Day of Atonement. The reason we say it is in a relative sort of way is twofold: First, this sacrifice did not pay for the sins between people – it only made an individual right with God. Second, the blood that was shed to pay for the sins of the people was the blood of an animal – and an animal cannot rightly, fully, wholly take the place of a human being. For example: a number of people in this congregation have had children. Would there have been any problem, if, after the rigors of delivery, the doctor brought you a bull? Or ram? Would your expectation have been upset if you did not receive a human baby? Would you believe that a bull or ram is just as good – just as appropriate – just as fulfilling as a human child? Now, some of us have pets – and some of us like me who have pets have never had children, but as much as I love my pet, I know she is not really a human being. There is something lacking in my relationship with her that would be there in a relationship with a human child. Similarly, the author of Hebrews tells us that perfection was not attainable through the Levitical priesthood. It is not possible to become sinless and righteous through the keeping of the Levitical Law. It is not possible that a partial, temporary, being made right with God would be enough to make us truly right with Him on the Day of Judgment. In other words, let's say the animal sacrifice showed a person's willingness to repent, and then God had mercy upon the person, despite the fact that human blood was not shed for a human. Yet, in order for the atonement sacrifice to be complete and eternal, the blood that was shed had to be from a human who had never sinned, and who had perfectly kept all of God's Law. Do you see the problem? The author of Hebrews explains that God gave Israel the Levitical priesthood and the Levitical Law, but at the right time, God raised up another priest of the order of Melchizedek. The fact that God raised up another priest of the higher order of Melchizedek shows that the Levitical priesthood and the Levitical Law could not – and in fact was never intended – to truly, eternally make a person right with God. For example: If you have a desk lamp and you put a fifteen watt light bulb in it, and you realize that a fifteen watt light bulb will not give you enough light to do your work, it doesn't matter how long you use the fifteen watt light bulb, it will never be enough. It will always be imperfect for that job. But if you take a sixty watt light bulb and put it in the desk lamp and the light shines brightly and you can do the work that you need to do – that is proof that the fifteen watt light bulb was not enough. It was imperfect for the job, and it proves that the sixty watt light bulb was of a higher order. It was greater than the fifteen watt light bulb in being able to do the job required. Similarly, the author of Hebrews says, if the Levitical priesthood and its Law had been enough – if it had been perfect for what the Hebrews needed – for what the people of God needed, then God would not have sent another priest after the order of Melchizedek. But since God did send another priest after the order of Melchizedek, it is proof that the Levitical priesthood and its Law was not enough to make the people right with God – it was not enough to make atonement. Does that make sense? The author of Hebrews continues by considering what the consequences are that a new priest of the order of Melchizedek would arise rather than a new priest from the order of Levi – a son of Aaron. And he says: “For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well.” The two priesthoods have different laws. The laws of the Levitical priesthood were partial and temporary in their effect, whereas the laws of Melchizedek's priesthood are complete and eternal in their effect. With the rising up of a new priest after the order of Melchizedek – a priest of the higher order of Melchizedek – he takes preeminence over the Ceremonial Law. Why? Because as we have said the order of Melchizedek is a greater order of priesthood than the order of Levi. If we have a priest of the order of Levi and a new priest after the order of Melchizedek and the order of Melchizedek is greater than the order of Levi, so the priest of Melchizedek is greater than the priest of Levi. So, if there has been a change in the priesthood, then there is a change in the law, and the old law is no longer valid. The old law was an imperfect shadow of the new law, which is perfect and real. Are you with me? During the election – such as we are coming up upon – one candidate promises to do this and another candidate promises to do that and we believe that the candidate who promises to do this will do this if he is elected and the candidate who does promises to do that will do that if he is elected. If the one who currently holds the office does not continue in his position, the expectation is that the person who takes his office will do things differently. In a similar way, we see the two priesthoods: the Levitical priesthood, which does things in one way, and the priesthood of Melchizedek, which does things in another way – and we are told in the Scripture that the priesthood of Melchizedek – as the author of Hebrews is arguing throughout this chapter – is of greater order of priesthood – it is a more perfect, a more whole, a more complete priesthood. “For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar.” Not only is there a change in the priesthood, the author of Hebrews explains, but the priest now comes from a tribe where a priest has never come before. From the earliest days of the nation of Israel, God said the priest shall come from the tribe of Levi, but the priest who arose after the order of Melchizedek did not come from the tribe of Levi. This would have been revolutionary: you don't just take a priest from any tribe – God said the priest shall come from the tribe of Levi, but not so with the priest of the order of Melchizedek. It's like saying that the governor of New Jersey has always been a New Jersey resident, and suddenly the person who is elected governor of New Jersey is someone who lives in Missouri. A change has occurred. As far as the priest who arose after the order of Melchizedek, the change was to fulfill the prophecies made from the beginning of the Savior Who God would send to make all of His people eternally right with Him. “For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.” Jesus, the Incarnate God, was born into the tribe of Judah, not the tribe of Levi, and He is a priest after the order of Melchizedek. Christ's Priesthood – after the order of Melchizedek – replaces the Levitical priesthood – He does not continue to serve under the Levitical priesthood, but He does away with it by faith. And here we have another difference between the two priesthoods: the priesthood of Levi was effectively a priesthood of works – works that no mere human being, born after Adam, could ever perform completely and sinlessly. The Priesthood of Jesus Christ – after the order of Melchizedek – is a priesthood of faith – of faith in Jesus Alone, in His Works, in His Sinless Life, in His keeping of all of God's Law on our behalf. So again the author of Hebrews is turning to his brothers and sisters in the faith who are suffering persecution and saying to them, “Look, the priesthood of Levi is imperfect; it could never completely and eternally make atonement with God – no one could ever be right with God for eternity through the keeping of the Levitical Law. But through Jesus, who is a high priest after the order of Melchizedek – of the tribe of Judah and not of the tribe of Levi – He came to earth, God Himself in human flesh, to live sinlessly under God's Law, to die for the sins of everyone who would ever believe in Him, that we might have atonement with God through Him, that we might be made right with God eternally through Him. That's why it doesn't make sense to turn back to the Levitical Law – that's why it doesn't make sense to try to work your way to heaven – it cannot be done. At the very best, through the Levitical Law, a person is partially, temporarily made right with God, and that is not enough. Paul wrote, “Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for [the Jews] is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Romans 10:1-4, ESV). And again Paul wrote in his letter to the Philippians, “Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:2-11, ESV). Then what's the point of the Law today? What is the point of the Levitical sacrifices? Does it mean we can throw out the Old Testament? Is it all a waste of paper, since we know Jesus has come? No. The Old Testament Law still has a number of purposes – one of which Paul describes while denying that we can be saved through the Levitical Law: “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in [God’s] sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:20, ESV). Well, why didn't God just stick with Melchizedek’s priesthood from the beginning? Why did God give the Levitical priesthood to Abram? Why did God confuse the issue of how to become right with Him? He didn't. God's promise from the beginning was that salvation would come through God the Savior, not our works – even Abram knew that: “For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith” (Romans 4:13, ESV). The author of Hebrews continues to argue his point that Jesus, high priest of the order of Melchizedek, is a greater high priest than Abram and Aaron and Levi and all of the Levitical priests. The point he is making to the Hebrews and all of us who read this is that no matter what happens to us for the sake of Christ, believing and following and obeying Him, is the greater path and our only sure hope. God promised from the Garden that He would send the Savior, and the prophets recorded that the Savior would come from the tribe of Judah. The prophets also told that the Savior would come as a high priest of the order of Melchizedek. And we continue to see that the order of the high priesthood of Melchizedek is higher than the order of Levi. Today we saw that the priesthood of Levi is imperfect because it is temporary and partial, whereas the priesthood of Melchizedek is complete and eternal. And since Jesus came from a different tribe and a different priesthood, we are now under a different law, so it is foolish and useless to return to the Levitical Law in search of salvation. And some ask, “Well, who would do that?” I told you, my friend on Facebook said that she doesn’t need Jesus, because she has Yom Kippur. I’m sure many of us have friends who say they don’t need Jesus because they are better than most people – they are good people, they don’t need a Savior. In one way or another, everyone who denies Jesus to be God the Savior is saying that they believe they can make it on their own. It’s a fool’s wager. God requires holiness. Let us pray: Almighty God, we thank You for Jesus, High Priest after the order of Melchizedek for His people. We thank You that You took the work of salvation upon Yourself and did not leave us in our sin. Help us to understand that You are the Holy God Who cannot tolerate sin in Your Presence. And help us to understand the depths of the wickedness of sin. And spur us on to let others know that there is salvation, but only through Jesus. For it is in His Name we pray, Amen.