Outside the Camp מִח֖וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה

We are in chapter twenty-nine of Exodus with our word for today which is a phrase used for the first time in the Bible. מִח֖וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה outside the camp. It is used 28 times in the Old Testament. Our phase is used to identify the location of the tent of meeting. Exodus 33:7 Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it מִח֣וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֗ה outside the camp some distance away ... Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting מִח֥וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה outside the camp. We also see our phrase used to describe where those who had the skin disease of leprosy where to live. Leviticus 13:46 As long as they have the disease they remain unclean. They must live alone; they must live מִח֥וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה outside the camp. Numbers 5:2-4 Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone who has a defiling skin disease ... send them מִח֥וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה outside the camp so they will not defile their camp, where I dwell among them.” ... they sent them מִח֖וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה outside the camp (Numbers 12:14-15; Leviticus 14:3). When someone would become unclean for a temporary time period our phrase was used to identify where they were to go during this quarantine time period (Numbers 31:19; Deuteronomy 23:10-11). Our phrase was used to identify where the restrooms were to be located (Deuteronomy 23:12-13). When Aaron’s sons were put to death for their sin our phrase is used to describe where their bodies were taken. Leviticus 10:4-5 "Come here; carry your cousins מִח֖וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה outside the camp, away from the front of the sanctuary.” So they came and carried them, still in their tunics, מִח֖וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה outside the camp. Our phrase is used to describe where capital punishment was to take place. Leviticus 24:14, 23 Take the blasphemer מִחוּץ֙ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה outside the camp. All those who heard him are to lay their hands on his head, and the entire assembly is to stone him … they took the blasphemer מִחוּץ֙ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה outside the camp and stoned him (Numbers 15:35-36). Our phrase is used the most to describe the location of where the sin offering was to be burned. This is how it is used in our chapter today. Exodus 29:10-14 Bring the bull to the front of the tent of meeting, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head. Slaughter it in the Lord’s presence at the entrance to the tent of meeting. Take some of the bull’s blood and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger, and pour out the rest of it at the base of the altar. Then take all the fat on the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, and both kidneys with the fat on them, and burn them on the altar. But burn the bull’s flesh and its hide and its intestines מִח֖וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה outside the camp. It is a sin offering. The uses of our phrase of the place where criminals were executed and the place where the sin offering was to take place point directly to Jesus. He was put to death outside the camp like a criminal and our sacrifice for our sin. We are all guilty of sin but instead of us being punished for our sin outside the camp Jesus takes our place as our sacrifice. I’ll close with this great connection the Holy Spirit makes. Hebrews 13:11-16 The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come. Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.