From the House of Israel מִבֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל

We are moving into chapter seventeen of Leviticus with our word for today which is a phrase. מִבֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל from the house of Israel, of the house of Israel. It is used 6 times in the Old Testament, 3 times in our chapter. Let’s start in our chapter since it is the first time it is used in the Bible and the most often. Leviticus 17:3-4, 8-10 If any one מִבֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לof the house of Israel kills an ox or a lamb or a goat in the camp, or kills it outside the camp, and does not bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting to offer it as a gift to the Lord in front of the tabernacle of the Lord, bloodguilt shall be imputed to that man. He has shed blood, and that man shall be cut off from among his people … And you shall say to them, Any one מִבֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לof the house of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn among them, who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice and does not bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting to offer it to the Lord, that man shall be cut off from his people. If any one מִבֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל of the house of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn among them eats any blood, I will set my face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from among his people. So our phrase is used in our chapter in the context of God’s instruction to offer sacrifice just at the tabernacle nowhere else. This was to keep the people from worshiping false gods who were really demons. Our next use points out the need to have an acceptable sacrifice for God. Leviticus 22:18-20 When any one מִבֵּ֨ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֜לof the house of Israel or of the sojourners in Israel presents a burnt offering as his offering, for any of their vows or freewill offerings that they offer to the Lord, if it is to be accepted for you it shall be a male without blemish, of the bulls or the sheep or the goats. You shall not offer anything that has a blemish, for it will not be acceptable for you. Our next uses in Ezekiel show the contrast between the people who’s hearts were connected to Idols instead of the one true God. Ezekiel 14:4-7, 10-11 Therefore speak to them and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Any one מִבֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֡לof the house of Israel who takes his idols into his heart and sets the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and yet comes to the prophet, I the Lord will answer him as he comes with the multitude of his idols, that I may lay hold of the hearts of the בֵּֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל [this is simply the two words of our phrase not in the genitive form] house of Israel, who are all estranged from me through their idols. “Therefore say to the בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֗לhouse of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: Repent and turn away from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations. For any one מִבֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֗לof the house of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn in Israel, who separates himself from me, taking his idols into his heart and putting the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and yet comes to a prophet to consult me through him, I the Lord will answer him myself … And they shall bear their punishment —the punishment of the prophet and the punishment of the inquirer shall be alike— that the בֵּֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙house of Israel may no more go astray from me, nor defile themselves anymore with all their transgressions, but that they may be my people and I may be their God, declares the Lord God.” Did you notice that both the leader and the people were to not participate in the worship of idols because they were leading the people away from the true God. It is interesting to look at how Jesus used this phrase. Matthew 10:5-7 These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ This was before the church started that was given the command to go out into all nations. Before this Jesus started with those from Israel. Did you notice how they were described by Jesus as lost sheep? This is definitely one of the most repeated themes throughout the entire Bible that without God saving people through the work of Christ people are lost and separated from Him. Even during this time before the church’s commandment Jesus is signaling that this is where God is going out to everyone. Matthew 15:21-28 And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” And he answered, “It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.” Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly. Did you catch that? Jesus didn’t say too bad you’re not an Israelite so no help for you. Not at all he pointed to her faith. It is all about faith not where we come from but if we trust in Jesus as our savior. This desire for our hearts to be given to God reminds us of what Jesus affirmed as the greatest commandment. I’ll close with this great reminder. Matthew 22:37-38 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.