17:7 This was because Yahweh knew that Israel were already into devil worship.
17:10 The eating of blood was part of the devil worship.

18:5 which ... shall live in them Romans 10:5 Galatians 3:12 This passage, whilst appearing to state that Israel had to keep the letter of the law in fact is showing that 'the law is not of faith' Galatians 3:12 but contrasts with 'the righteousness of faith' Romans 10:5
18:6 - 19 The repetition of 'nakedness' repeatedly draws on the fallen state of Adam and Eve who were ashamed of their nakedness. Not because it is a sin to be naked but that an awareness of nakedness is a consequence of sin. The nakedness of others should not be uncovered because we cover our nakedness to advertise our sin and it is not for others to judge us in this matter.
18:25 The concept of the land vomiting out the wicked inhabitants is the basis for the warning to Laodicea in Revelation 3:16.

17:11 So because the life is in the blood it is the blood that makes atonement. There is a relationship between the two which points to the 'blood of Christ' [1 John 1:7]

18:25 In speaking of spewing lukewarm disciples out of his mouth [Revelation 3:16] Jesus is drawing on the warning that Moses gives to Israel that if they are unfaithful they will be vomited out of the land. So Jesus' warning is stark in telling those he rejects that they will not be in the kingdom.

17:1-3 So we see that even the killing of animals for consumption as food was regulated by the law of Moses.

ch 18 - A number of times the language of this chapter is re-presented in Ezekiel 22 to condemn the Elders of Israel in captivity. Each of the prohibitions given here that is used in Ezekiel is shown to have been violated

:7 Ezekiel 22:10
:9 Ezekiel 22:11
:15 Ezekiel 22:11
:19 Ezekiel 22:10
:20 Ezekiel 22:11

17:8-9 The requirement that all sacrifices be offered at the tabernacle marks the point that sacrifice has to be according to God’s decree. It is not left to the individual to devise offerings that are simply convenient to him. The journey to the tabernacle to offer the sacrifice demonstrates that sacrifice requires some degree of effort on the part of the offerer.

18:23-24 These things condemned are a violation of God’s law. However we learn also that they are a means whereby man can be defiled.  So we see the principle which is developed by Paul (1Cor 3:17) that our sins defile the ecclesia – the congregation in Leviticus and bring about our destruction.

17:1-5 The centralization of sacrifice had a two-fold effect.

Firstly, it was a matter of communal solidarity.  We do well to consider this.  We are not loose cannons, thus the ecclesia should be the central pivot of our activity.

Secondly, it made sure that all sacrifices were acceptable.  And so to, we should work within the framework of the ecclesia with its checks and balances.  

17:11 Our Heavenly Father, as creater and sustainer of all life, reserved the blood to Himself and allowed man only one use of it; for sacrifices. This clearly shows why the direction from the Jerusalem council was issued to the Gentiles. "That they abstain from blood" Acts 15:29

17:11    There is nothing intrinsically special abut the blood. It is what it stands for that is significant. The blood represents the life of the animal whose blood was shed.

17:11 That it is the life and not the actual blood is caught in the way in which Isa 53:12 where Jesus is spoken of as having purred out his soul unto death – not his blood.

Lev 17:7 - No sacrifices to [Heb. "saiyr" (8163) translated "devils"(KJV) or "goat idols" (NIV) and meaning "a he-goat, a faun, devil, goat, hairy, kid, rough, satyr"]. This reminds us of Esau who followed the ways of the flesh and was hairy like a goat (Gen 27:6-13).

Lev 17:10-14 - The animal doesn't come to life like Christ. We aren't to injest the blood of the beast (i.e. sin), rather we are to injest that of Christ as it represents life. We are saved by Christ's blood and having Christ in us not the beast. Believers symbolically drink the blood of Christ in remembrance of him and his sacrifice which offers life.

17:13-14 It was not at all uncommon amongst the nations round abut Israel and living in the land to see the drinking of the blood of hunted animals as a means whereby the one who drank the blood might achieve some of the power of the beast slain. Clearly such an attitude was abominable to God, if only because it ascribe strength to association with animals rather than association with God

Lev 17:11 - "...the life of the flesh is in the blood...".  Blood carries water, nourishment and oxygen to cells; blood removes waste material from cells; blood maintains the body's temperature. It wasn't until the 1600's science 'discovered' blood circulation was the key factor in physical life. George Washington died from from the misguided practice of bloodletting.

At the start of ch17 we read the following scenario: If you wanted to have a nice Sunday roast, took a lamb and slaughtered it, prepared and roasted it in the fire, then ate it with your family, you would be guilty of murdering that lamb (v4). Furthermore you would be an outcast from your nation. Does that seem fair to you?

So what's behind this law? Notice in these verses there's only two options presented when you want to eat meat: 1) Offer it to God. 2) Offer it to idols. So where's option 3) just eat it? We can see from this law that life was very different back then. Offering animals to deities, before you ate them, had become such common practice, that it was impossible to seperate the people from this. So God recognised that allowing the people to eat meat anywhere other than at the door of His tabernacle would cause them to worship idols in the process.

This sheds and enormous amount of light on the tricky new testament passage of 1Cor 8. Here for the first time in history there is a group who have the ability to seperate idol worship from meat eating. Finally there is an option 3) Just eat it!, but it has to be used carefully around those who still feel influenced by options 1) or 2).

119:41-42            The Psalmist wants to benefit from God salvation so he can answer God’s critics. His desire is not selfish. Rather it is God centred. Why do we want to be in the kingdom? Is it for our benefit or for God’s?

V44 - NIV "I will always obey your law, for ever and ever" - this would seem to have prophetic application to Christ.

119:41 12 times the Psalmist says that things are ‘according to thy word’ in this Psalm.

:9 cleanse his way

:25 quicken thou me

:28 strengthen thou me

:41 thy salvation,

:58 I be merciful unto me

:65 dealt well with thy servant.

:76 thy merciful kindness

:107 quicken

116 Uphold me

:154 quicken me

:169 give me understanding

:170 deliver me

Thus we see the extent to which david aw the word of God as being relevant in his life.

119:45 Do we think that as believers who try to keep Christ’s commandments we are at ‘liberty’? Gal 5:1 actually does say we have ‘liberty’ but not the liberty of one who can do as he pleases.

v.6 People named 'just' / 'righteous' individuals by God: Genesis 6:9 - Noah Matthew 1:19 - Joseph [Mary's husband] Mark 6:20 - John the Baptist Luke 1:6 - Zacharias & Elizabeth Luke 2:25 - Simeon Luke 23:50 - Joseph of Arithamaea Acts 10:22 - Cornelius Hebrews 11:4 - Abel 1Peter 3:18 - Jesus 2Peter 2:7 - Lot. Righteousness is through faith Genesis 15:6 therefore we can conclude that all these were waiting for the promised seed.
v.18 Notice that whilst both Zacharias and Mary ask almost identical questions. v.18,34. The response to them differs considerably. Whilst Zacharias was struck dumb Mary received an explanation. This indicates that the state of mind of the two was different. Whilst Zacharias did not believe Mary did not doubt but wanted an explanation. The angel, which knew the hearts of both individuals, responded accordingly. We should realise that the angels know our thoughts also.
v. 28 the Greek 5487 translated 'highly favoured' is only found in one other place in Scripture: Eph.1:6, where it speaks of our exalted position in Christ as being like that of Mary.
v.39 tells us the Mary went to see Elizabeth in 'the hill country' to a 'city of Judah' This seeming casual detail tells us where Zacharias and Elizabeth lived for Joshua 21:11 tells us that Hebron was in the inheritance of Judah and was in the hill country.  The use of the precise language of Joshua tells us exactly where Mary went.

Below are listed Parables and Miracles as they appear in Luke's Gospel and where the parallel records are to be found. They provide a useful background to the study of this gospel

The gospel account of Luke forms the third synoptic (seeing together) gospel account with Matthew and Mark.

It equates with the prophecy of Ezekiel as it emphasizes the Lord's humanity (symbolized by the face of a man, one of Ezekiel's living creatures Eze 1:10).

More miracles and parables are recorded in Luke than any other gospel.  
The angel Gabriel who appeared to Zacharias (v.19) and Mary (v.26) also appeared to Daniel twice (Dan 8:16, 9:21).

Gabriel, whose name means Warrior of God is concerned with heralding the Messiah. It would not be inconsistent to think that Gabriel would be the one to herald the Lord's return (1Thess 4:16).  His name is significant also in the fact that Yahweh Sabaoth is the God of hosts (armies).  Gabriel will be instrumental with the Lord in destroying His enemies when he returns.

Mary is called “favoured one” (Luke 1:28, NRSV). She is chosen because she has four important credentials. Mary is:
1. Descended from David, from whom the Messiah was promised to come (2 Samuel 7: 12-16);
2. A woman of great faith;
3. A “virgin”;
4. Humble and of a contrite spirit.

Picking up on the third point here, it is important to reflect on the Bible’s description of Mary as a virgin. This fact not only reveals the miraculous nature of Jesus’ birth, but also tells us more about Mary. She had obviously grown up with a sense of personal responsibility and dignity. God values sexual faithfulness, and this is another great lesson from Mary’s example in our age of sexual promiscuity. We too should share her moral integrity.

1:72 'mercy' is the meaning of 'John' and 'remember' is the meaning of Zacharias.

1:1 That ‘many’ had written accounts of Jesus’ life and ministry required that an inspired account be provided. That we only have four accounts indicates that most of the ‘many’ accounts have disappeared – indicating that they were not the work of inspiration.

1:10   The time of incense answers to a time of prayer – see Psa 141:2 – so it is fitting that Zacharias was told that his prayer was heard at just that time.

1:1 Whilst Luke says ‘set forth in order’ <392> we should not presume that Luke is giving us a chronological account of the life of Jesus. The word translated ‘set forth in order’ – it is one word – carries the sense of ‘composed’ and not necessarily chronological. We will see as we read through Luke that things are certainly not in Chronological order.

V.31 Jesus would have been known by His Hebrew name Yeshua (or Yehoshua) which means savior.  It is the same name as Joshua.

Vs.32,33 cf. Isa 9:6,7 The scriptures could not be more plain in telling us that Jesus is coming back to earth to rule.  The reward of His faithful followers will be to rule with him (Rev 20:6).  The so-called reward of souls floating off to heaven, at death, is to be found nowhere in scripture. 

V.60 John would have been known by his Hebrew name Yohanan which means Yahweh's gift.

1:4 Luke’s explanation of the reason for his writing echoes Prov 22:21 where the wise man is talking about knowing the word of God so that it can be explained to others.