Vayikra — God Grades on a Bell Curve, and His Relative Judgement Is His Greatest Greatness

The Principle That Almost Nobody Preaches

It's sad to me that for the 60-plus years that I have been teaching the Word of God I have never heard a sermon or a teaching on what is for me one of the most important principles in the entire book of Leviticus. It is a principle that is a revelation of God's character and consideration for the human element in worship, in service, and in status within the community. This was my Bar Mitzvah reading — and it continues to amaze me every year.

The principle is this: God judges us relatively, not absolutely. He does not expect from us more than what we are able to do. He grades us on the bell curve — and He expects us to grade each other the same way.

The Text That Demonstrates It — In Full

Four Implications of This Torah Truth

Here is a short list of the implications of this principle: First, God knows us and doesn't expect from us more than what we are able to do, and more than we are able to pay for our sins and mistakes. Second, God honors our social and economic status, and doesn't expect from us the same price for our sins as someone who is rich and powerful. Third, the lamb, the goat, or the pigeons each have the same value for our atonement. This is an indication that what atones for our sins is the intent of our heart and not the blood of bulls and goats. In fact, from those who are really very poor and can't afford even two pigeons, a handful of wheat anointed with oil will suffice and bring the same atonement for the sinner. Fourth, if I translate these principles from Leviticus to the supreme sacrifice of Yeshua our Messiah, I would say clearly that Yeshua's ultimate and absolute sacrifice has the power to atone for all the generations of sinful humanity on the basis of our heart — anointed with faith, hope and love, and changed by the circumcision of our hearts with sincerity and confession that Yeshua is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God of Israel.

When Mary and Joseph came to dedicate baby Yeshua in the temple in Jerusalem in Luke chapter two, they didn't bring a sheep or a goat or a bull or a cow. They brought two turtle doves. This tells us that while they were not the poorest of the poor, they were certainly not wealthy.

The Relativity of God Is His Supreme Greatness Over All Idols

The relativity with which God judges His children is actually for me the supreme and ultimate greatness of the God of Israel over all the idols and fake deities of the nations. He, the Creator, is our Father. He put His Holy Spirit and the Spirit of Life into us and we are His children. The relativity of God is an indication of His personal knowledge of each of His children and His personal care for us as individuals. This makes me appreciate the Lord more and more, and also makes me want to please Him and partner with Him who created the Heavens and the Earth.

Yeshua Practiced the Same Principle — and James Demanded It

Here is the same principle as Yeshua Himself presented to His disciples:

We even have a clear warning in the New Testament against treating the rich differently than we treat the less financially fortunate. I have not seen a church or synagogue that I have ever visited around the world practicing what James commands:

The Four Elements of Sukkot — Bound Together

We need to be like the four elements of Sukkot. We take the palm branch, the willow branch, the myrtle branch, and the citron — the Italian wild lemon — bound together, fulfilling each other's weaknesses, and enjoying each other's benefits and blessings. Looking into our fortunes as God's grace, and looking at the misfortune of our brothers as a test and a challenge from God for us. Today we might be on top of the horse, and tomorrow those walking beside the horse might be on top, and we would be walking on the ground. The grace and the judgement of God come in the same package.

Let us lean into God's grace and strive to treat our fellows with the same grace and understanding with which He treats us.