A BIBLE COMPANION, VOLUME 2
by Richard Burkard
For an introduction and explanation of this series, see Volume 1.
LEVITICUS
LEVITICUS 1
If Jesus is the "true sacrifice" as the Bible Reading Program indicates, why would sacrifices need to be offered in the millennial temple? Isn't this the same sort of reasoning used by "Jesus is our rest" opponents of the seventh-day Sabbath? Could the temple Ezekiel saw be symbolic, and not literal?
Are Christians "built priests" now (I Pet. 2:5, KJV) -- or "BEING built" into them (NIV)?
Do passages in Psalms (17:10, 92:14, 119:70) referenced by B.R.P. refer to "fat" (KJV) -- or "hearts/fresh/callous" (NIV)?
LEVITICUS 2
If "bruised bread" of Isaiah 28:28 refers to Christ as B.R.P. indicates, what is the symbolism of the caraway seed just before it?
Does "they will be a burnt offering...." (23:18) refer to the lambs only, or the bread as well?
LEVITICUS 3
How does Lev. 7 prove all the peace offering points stated in the Nelson Study Bible notes -- "times of feasting, drinking, talking, singing, and enjoying salvation?"
How do we know from this chapter that offerers could eat peace offerings, as B.R.P. says they could?
How far does the prohibition on eating fat (3:17) go, in this era of or butter cookies and fattening foods?
LEVITICUS 5
B.R.P. writes in this chapter: "Though the trespass offering is sometimes called a sin offering (compare 5:6-9), there is a general distinction to be made between sin and trespass." Why does 5:6-12 not repudiate that argument?
Isn't 5:1 a reminder to Christians to be "witnesses" of Jesus -- and they're guilty if they aren't speaking about Him?
LEVITICUS 6
The B.R.P. quotes the Nelson Study Bible regarding 6:9, 12-13: "Perpetual fire symbolized the perpetual worship of God." How could there be "perpetual worship of God" if God is only to be worshiped on Saturday and not Sunday, s so many Church of God ministers claim?
LEVITICUS 8
B.R.P. says in this chapter: "when God forgives, He forgives us completely." How can God's forgiveness be called "complete" when punishment for actions remains -- e.g. David losing his baby?
B.R.P. says in this chapter the resurrection will bring for believers a "sinless new self." Hasn't the Church of God taught over the years that "the sinless new self" after the resurrection might still have sinful tendencies, unless overcoming is accomplished in this life now -- or else the self won't be in the first resurrection at all?
What is the meaning of a "wave offering?" (8:29)
LEVITICUS 9
Why do most ministers in Churches of God not follow Aaron's example of lifting hands and blessing people (9:22)?
LEVITICUS 10
Does Scriptural silence on a rule (e.g. 10:8-11) show God had it in place all along, before first mention? (Such as also the commands in Genesis?) Or does it mean the specific instruction never was pronounced before?
Which translation presents 10:3 as B.R.P. does, "I MUST be regarded as holy" ? KJV/NIV do not (BUT CEV: "I demand respect")
B.R.P. says regarding lev. 10:6: "Aaron and his remaining sons were not allowed to show any outward sign of grievance--they were required to maintain their composure and to continue their priestly duties to illustrate the justice and righteousness of God's wrath." Do passages such as this reflect the lack of emotion at so many Church of God services? Was God against them even crying?
B.R.P. quotes the Nelson Study Bible as saying of 10:16-19: "Aaron did not eat of the sacrificial meat because he was afraid of what more God might do." Did Aaron decline to eat the sin offering because he was too grief-stricken to eat it?
LEVITICUS 11
Does the mere mention of a distinction between clean and unclean animals (Genesis 7) necessarily mean the dietary laws exist -- pre-Flood AND post-Calvary? Are they used simply as identifiers?
How does UCG explain Romans 14:1-7, compared with this chapter?
B.R.P. writes in this chapter: "frogs are still viewed as 'unclean' at the very end of the Bible, along with certain birds...." Aren't the unclean items in Rev. 16:13 "SPIRITS, like frogs...." ?
Does Isa. 65:4 speak only of the end-time, as B.R.P. indicates here -- or is there duality to Isaiah's day, with "pigs/unclean meat" referring to something SPIRITUAL at the end-time?
If the dietary laws are eternal, as B.R.P. suggests concerning Isaiah 66:15-17, why isn't the New Moon observance in 66:23 considered "eternal?" If Hebrews 13:8 applies to one, why does it not apply to the other? (Or, for that matter, to the "circumcision" rule of Lev. 12?)
Why do the "unclean till evening" rules of 11:24-25 seemingly not apply today? Should people who pet dogs or cats on Friday night be barred from Sabbath services? Why does part of the chapter still seem to be in force, but not the other?
LEVITICUS 13
Were God's people aware of the mildew rules before Lev. 13:47-59? If not, how can we say they knew of the dietary rules?
LEVITICUS 14
Lev. 14:34 says, "I put a spreading mildew in a house in that land...." Why/how does God choose to do this? Is this a promise that a "plague of leprosy" (KJV) WILL come, because people will disobey?
LEVITICUS 15
What sort of "bodily discharge" is meant in 15:1-11? Does "running" (KJV margin) = diarrhea?
Why is Lev. 15:16-18 not enforced in the church today? Does this mean there should be no sex on Sabbath (sim. Ex. 19:15)?
LEVITICUS 17
B.R.P. refers to Exodus 30:37-38 in this chapter and says: "the incense made to burn on the altar of incense was holy and the mixture was not to be duplicated for common use." By extension, is it wrong for fragrance companies to make "knockoffs" of famous names?
B.R.P. says "God enacted a centralization of sacrifice" -- but it goes on to add: In the Church of God today, the lesson does not imply rigid control of outlying areas...." Does the presence of the Holy Spirit in believers and the scattering of believers around the world suggest the Church era is a DE-centralized one? (Or does Acts 15 make the case for centralization?)
LEVITICUS 18
B.R.P. admits in this chapter: "these prohibitions, had they been enacted earlier, would have prohibited the marriages of any of Adam and Eve's children...." Doesn't the changing of "family sex" standards from Genesis to Leviticus show God's "decrees, laws and ordinances" (Lev. 18:5, 30) ARE changeable?
B.R.P. says concerning 18:19: "God's giving of this law may also be tied to the special role of blood for the atoning of sin, as blood seems to be the major concern in Leviticus 20:18." Is this suggesting the menstrual blood is a result of Eve's sin?
How did Adam's sin corrupt the plant nature, as B.R.P. contends?
LEVITICUS 19
Doesn't Israel's history show even when the people separated themselves to truth and justice, dangers to peace still lurked from without?
Lev. 19:31 warns against mediums and spiritualists, which B.R.P. describes as a "prognostication based on pagan practice." What is the difference between this, and prophesying by a church minister?
B.R.P. refers to I Cor. 6:20 in this chapter to oppose body piercing and tattoos. Doesn't this verse refer to sexual sins -- not tattoos and piercings (v. 12-19)? Further: are "cuttings in your flesh" (Lev. 19:28) permissible if they're NOT "for the dead" -- such as nose rings, etc?
Was the WCG by extension cursed when Joseph Tkach Sr. became Pastor-General, because he had tattoos on his arm? Or does "God's love cover a multitude of sins" (I Pet. 4:8)?
How do the cross-breeding and "mix and matching" instructions of 19:19, 37 apply today? Are cotton/polyester ties sin? (SEE NOTES ON DEUT. 22)
LEVITICUS 20
How do Jesus's encounters with people such as Zaccheus (Lk. 19:5-10) fit with the "distinct separation" principle espoused by B.R.P. in this chapter?
Would UCG endorse the execution of homosexuals/lesbians today? (20:13) If not, why would other instructions in the chapter (including meats) still be considered binding?
Is there a difference between the phrases "put to death" and "cut off?" If so, what? (20:16-17)
If families in wrong relationships HAD children in Old Testament times, were the children put up for adoption (20:20-21)?
LEVITICUS 21
If the Church is to be "cleansed, without spot, and holy" as this chapter describes, how can ministers and speakers with backgrounds some consider "sinful" (rom gambling to adultery) be allowed in leadership roles?
Might some misconstrue 21:17-21 to think God discriminates against disabled people?
LEVITICUS 23
B.R.P. calls the Holy Days in this chapter "His appointed times to show Him proper appreciation, respect and honor." Does this mean there are times when we should NOT show God proper appreciation, respect and honor?
Why are the wave-sheaf offering rules about eating (23:14) not enforced in UCG today, while the rest of the chapter tends to be?
LEVITICUS 24
Are we wiser than God, in analyzing or reasoning around His clear statements about punishing criminals? How much leeway did a judge have?
LEVITICUS 25
B.R.P. notes in this chapter a decision by "the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly in 1751 to proclaim the Jubilee year." Should UCG have marked a jubilee year in 2001, based on the Pennsylvania dating?
B.R.P. notes the words of 25:10 recur in Isaiah 61:1, then explains the "opening of the prison" in that verse refers to people in "the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will," based on II Timothy 2:26. Shouldn't there be an OLD Testament understanding of Isa. 61:1 as well, independent of II Timothy? (Else readers in Isaiah's day never could have understood it.)
Doesn't the "loss" of Adam and Eve at Eden, referred to from the Nelson Study Bible in this chapter, refer to a sinless state and full communion with God -- rather than seemingly physical things, such as eating from the tree of life?
Is the "land Sabbath" (25:2-7) still binding in the Church today? (Does it apply to gardens, as well as farms?) If not, why not?
LEVITICUS 26
Did Israel's descendants ever possess "gates of their enemies" once entering the promised land?
B.R.P. explains God's blessings in this chapter: "He committed Himself to bestow them on their descendants to remain true to His Word. However, God had not as yet bound Himself to any time frame...." Does God mislead a people by promise blessings for obedience, then delaying the blessing for generations even if a people obey?
How does "seven times more" (26:18) mean prophetic years, while "yet seven times" (26:24) refer only to intensity as B.R.P. suggests? "Times" isn't even in the Hebrew in EITHER case! (And "more" is the same in verses 18 and 21)
Did the U.S. and British Empire keep God's statutes and commandments around 1800 (v. 2-3), when the birthright blessings supposedly came upon them?
LEVITICUS 27
B.R.P. claims the redemption prices in this chapter are "a practical valuation of how useful the various classes of people would be in carrying out the heavy work of the tabernacle." How do we know redemption prices for humans were based on value to tabernacle work?
NUMBERS
NUMBERS 2
Is it fair to say "Christ was at the center" of Israel, based on the positioning of the tabernacle and the Levites in chapter 2 -- in location, in movement and in worship?
NUMBERS 5
Why is the husband innocent of wrongdoing if his suspicions are wrong about a cheating wife (5:31)? Could he not be in violation of the "false witness" commandment?
NUMBERS 6
Why is the priestly blessing of 6:23-26 not repeated in Churches of God today, outside an occasional work of special music? Is it vain repetition, even though God commanded it? Is it a "once-only" blessing?
B.R.P. says concerning this chapter: "Jesus was not a Nazirite, for He drank wine (Matthew 11:18-19) " Does Jesus saying he came "drinking" necessarily mean he drank wine? Weren't the people who accused Him of this exaggerating -- as Jesus seemed to point out at the end of Matt. 11:19?
Is it acceptable for Christians to make Nazarite-style vows to God today, along the lines of what Paul did in Acts 18:18?
NUMBERS 8
Is there anything intrinsically wrong with "waving holy hands" during a church service today -- e.g. presenting a "sacrifice of praise", similar to 8:11-14?
Based on 8:10, isn't the Worldwide Church of God Biblical when it has entire congregations lay hands on a newly-ordained minister?
NUMBERS 9
Is 9:8 a key to proper Christian leadership skills -- when in doubt, wait for God's guidance?
Did God give warning about when the cloud would leave the camp -- to show He's not a God of whimsy, but of planning and foresight (9:20-23)?
NUMBERS 10
Will one trumpet or two sound at Christ's return? Will it be for assembling "leaders" - or for gathering to war? (Or will it be for rejoicing, at a "Feast of Trumpets?")
B.R.P. describes the time of King Solomon as one "whose peaceful kingdom pictured the coming Kingdom of God...." Can Solomon's kingdom truly picture a "peaceful" Kingdom of God, given how Solomon sinned while king?
Is a deeper lesson of Hobab in this chapter one of God granting blessings on ALL who obey - to Israelite and non-Israelite alike? (And sharing them with all?)
NUMBERS 11
Num. 11:15 in NIV quotes Moses as saying, "….if I have found favor in your eyes…. do not let me face MY OWN ruin." Was there not some Job-like personal soul-searching here?
Was the division of the Spirit in 11:24-25 a one-time event? Or were the elders allowed to "keep" the Holy Spirit for life?
NUMBERS 12
B.R.P. warns in this chapter against "resisting God-ordained authority." But what does a believer do when "God-ordained authority" speaks inaccurate or wrong information? How can we distinguish between people presumptuously speaking for God, and people "inspired by God" to offer ideas? (Do we take them to God in prayer for guidance!?)
B.R.P. notes Moses "did nothing to refute his sister and brother." Did Moses keep quiet in response to his "moaning" in Numbers 11:11-22?
Did illnesses and unclean people prevent or hinder Israel's promise toward the promised land (12:15)?
NUMBERS 14
B.R.P. notes in 14:3, the people of Israel "accuse God of intentionally putting them and their families in harm's way to kill them." Wasn't Jesus "intentionally put in harm's way" by God so HE could die - for our sins?
Is the lesson of Numbers 13-14 discouragement - or fear? (Or both?)
NUMBERS 15
Does the United Church of God still punish people for Sabbath-breaking today, similar to 15:32-36? Have the "wages of sin" (Rom. 6:23) replaced Old Testament execution?
Why doesn't "throughout your generations" (15:38) apply to tassels, as B.R.P. claims, as it does to other things in the Torah? Where is the verse saying tassels are abolished or replaced?
Was the "same rules for all" principle of 15:15-16 changed in Acts 15?
NUMBERS 16
B.R.P. says concerning 16:26: "The scriptures are clear that God disqualifies leaders who refuse to repent of overt sin in their lives." Where is the condemnation by Church of God ministers against the publicized sins of Herbert Armstrong? Did God disqualify him for not repenting of overt sin? What about Joseph Tkach Sr.?
Does 16:15 show God accepts prayers of anger, when the heart of the person praying and the facts are right?
B.R.P. notes "not all of Korah's family followed him in this rebellion." Were the children and "little ones" of Dathan and Abiram swallowed up as well (16:27)?
Why would the censers be considered holy in 16:38, when the rebellious people presenting them obviously are not considered that way?
NUMBERS 17
B.R.P. says in this chapter that the case of Korah exposed "the heresy that just any Israelite could serve in God's priesthood...." Does the lesson of this "heresy" apply today -- or is there a "priesthood" or "ministry of all believers?" (I Pet. 2:9/ Rev. 1:6 - KJV OR 5:10?)
NUMBERS 18
B.R.P. quotes James 3:1 in this chapter, concerning teachers. But are not ALL Christians "teachers" to some extent -- whether parents teaching children, or members sharing their faith with others?
B.R.P. claims because of tabernacle offerings, "this required Aaron and his sons to live by faith." But since some offerings of Israel were mandatory and regular, how much "living by faith" did Aaron's family really need?
Why was the covenant with Aaron and Levites called a "covenant of salt' (18:19)? (See notes on II Sam. 7.)
NUMBERS 19
B.R.P. says in this chapter: "the heifer was a representation of Israel in the Scriptures." How does a heifer represent Israel in the Bible (e.g. Hos. 10:11)?
NUMBERS 20
How do we know Aaron's death is only four months after the rock-pounding incident (20:25-28)? Could it not have occurred years later?
Doesn't this chapter show God CAN change His mind about how He does things, such as accomplishing miracles (20:8, 11 vs. Ex. 17:6)?
B.R.P. argues about what happened to Moses and Aaron in this chapter: "they didn't believe that these warnings applied to them--as if their closeness to God gave them some leeway." Is it presumptuous to claim this?
NUMBERS 21
Why did God allow Israel to win the battle at Hormah (21:1-3), after Israel had turned away from Edom in 20:21? Since Bible maps show Hormah became part of Simeon later on, does this battle show Moses DID enter the promised land, at least in part? Did the victory at Hormah turn a peace-seeking people into a more aggressive one?
Which translation of 21:5 calls the manna "worthless," as cited by B.R.P.? (KJV has "light;" NIV has "miserable;" Moffatt has "wretched;" CEV has "awful.")
NUMBERS 22
Did God require Balaam to wait to be called in 22:20, as KJV indicates? Or did He actually get angry at Balaam for doing what He supposedly allowed (NIV/CEV, etc.)?
NUMBERS 23
Does 23:21 endorse shouting in religion -- especially if the NIV is accurate, and God/Jesus is the One shouting in this verse?
NUMBERS 25
B.R.P. contends while commenting on 25:1-3: "Such worship often included human sacrifice--the word 'cannibal' actually being derived from Cahna-Bal, meaning 'the priest of Baal' (Alexander Hislop, The Two Babylons, 1959, p. 232)." Yet two major dictionaries (American Heritage and Webster's New World) trace the word "cannibal" to Columbus's encounter with man-eating peoples in Cuba and Haiti, the "Caribe" people. Which is accurate?
B.R.P. claims in 25:14-17: "Cozbi, who was probably a temple prostitute...." Can we prove this?
If "greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world," (I Jhn. 4:4) do the warnings about not dating women of other "tribes" apply to Christians today?
NUMBERS 26
If Manasseh is the modern-day USA, as Churches of God claim, can we determine which clans are which within the USA (26:34-36)?
NUMBERS 30
How much time had to elapse before a husband became responsible for the guilt of a wife's vow (30:10-12)?
NUMBERS 31
B.R.P. says concering 31:6: "Phinehas also goes to war with the Ark of the Covenant and the two silver trumpets." How do we know Phineas's "articles from the sanctuary" referred to the Ark of the Covenant?
Does 31:28-30 apply to modern-day victories today -- e.g. court cases and contests?
NUMBERS 35
B.R.P. claims regarding 35:1-6 the Levites "are assigned to 48 cities, each about the size of a football stadium surrounded by around 750 acres of 'common-land '" How do we know the size of the cities given the Levites?
VOLUME 3: DEUTERONOMY-JOSHUA
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© 2006 Richard Burkard, All Rights Reserved.