Wilderness Laws, Russell Earl Kelly, PHD

Wilderness Laws, Russell Earl Kelly, PHD

Did Israel obey the civil judgments and ceremonial worship statutes for 40 years while in the wilderness?

While it seems evident that Israel offered some sacrifices and offerings for 40 years in the wilderness, it is highly unlikely and even impossible for them to have obeyed the vast majority of them.

1. Deuteronomy 12:1-6 strongly suggests that the civil judgments and worship statutes were especially to be observed “in the land.” “These are the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land [eretz], which the LORD God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth [adamah].”

While Deuteronomy 12:5-6 specifically includes tithes, Leviticus 27:30 limits tithes “to the land” of Canaan. Therefore, the tithing statute of Numbers 18 could not be effectual until Israel reaped land crops form inside Canaan.

Lev 23:10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest unto the priest.

2. PASSOVER: In the wilderness there would be no Unleavened bread for Passover unless it was manna (Lev 23:6), there was no wave sheaf (Lev 23:11), no meal, oil or wine offering (Lev 23:13-14).

3. WEEKS: The Festival of the Wave Sheaf (or Weeks) in Leviticus 23:15-20 could not be observed in the wilderness for the same reasons.

4. GLEANING: The gleaning law of Leviticus 23:22 could not be observed in the wilderness.

5. BOOTHS: The Feast of Booths in Leviticus 23:39-4 could not possibly be observed in the wilderness because they were already dwelling in tents instead of houses.

6. LAND INHERITANCE: The civil judgment inheritance laws could not be observed since nobody has his own land during the 40 years (Leviticus 20; Numbers 34).

7. TITHING: The tithing law of Leviticus 27:30-34 could not be observed because a) they were not in the land and b) the 11 tribes had no inheritance advantage over the Levites and priests while in the wilderness. Like the other 11 tribes, Levites left Egypt with their own share of animals and goods (Numb 18:20).

8. LEVITICAL CITIES: The worship statute of the Levitical cities could not be observed in the wilderness (Numbers 35; Joshua 20-21).

9. CITIES OF REFUGE: The civil-judgment laws of the cities of refuge could not be observed in the wilderness (Numb 35:6-32).

10. SECOND AND THIRD TITHES: The second festival tithe (Deut 12:6-7; Deut 14:23) and third third-year poor tithe (Deut 14:28-29; 26:12-13) could not be observed while in the wilderness.

11. UNCLEAN LAWS: Having a closed communion within the camp of Israel, it is unlike they would have been tempted to willfully touch Gentiles or eat un-sanctified food while in the wilderness.

CONCLUSION: While some kind of animal sacrifice was most like observed during Israel’s 40 years in the wilderness, it is highly unlikely that the exact offerings described in Leviticus occurred at that time because of the lack of material demanded for the embellishments of the meat offerings.