The book of Leviticus is certainly not one of the easiest reading books
in the Bible! It may be the most difficult which is the reason why so
many Christians do not bother to read it.
It is also one of the most important books in the Bible, laying the
foundation for our understanding of the final sacrifice of Christ. It
was this book that gives the key to understanding fully the work of
Christ on our behalf. The New Testament is contained here is seed form.
I suggest that you read it through once or twice in a modern translation
and then go back to the sections that I have emphasized. You might
consider reading the Epistle to the Hebrews – sections of it are the
Holy Spirit’s commentary on this book.
OUTLINE OF LEVITICUS
1:1-7:38 THE SACRIFICES
+————–+——————–+—————-+—————–+
| ### Offering | ### The Israelite | ### Christ | ### Christian |
+==============+====================+================+=================+
| **Sweet | | | |
| Savor | | | |
| Offerings** | | | |
+————–+——————–+—————-+—————–+
| Burnt | Choosing to devote | Presenting | Living as the |
| | all to God through | Himself to the | total |
| | the purifying fire | Father to do | possession of |
| | | His will | God Romans |
| | | | 12:1-2 |
+————–+——————–+—————-+—————–+
| Cereal | Praising God and | Serving the | Walking worthy |
| | offering their | Father and man | of the Christ |
| | lives for His | | who lives as |
| | service | | servant within |
| | | | us |
+————–+——————–+—————-+—————–+
| Peace | Participating with | Meeting point | Fellowshipping |
| | God in fellowship | of God and man | with God and |
| | — a sacrifice of | in praise and | each other in |
| | praise | fellowship | worship and |
| | | | praise in |
| | | | Christ |
+————–+——————–+—————-+—————–+
| **Non Sweet | | | |
| Savor | | | |
| Offerings** | | | |
+————–+——————–+—————-+—————–+
| Sin | Forgiving their | Atoning for | Putting the old |
| | sin | the guilt of | man to death in |
| | | our sin | Christ |
+————–+——————–+—————-+—————–+
| Trespass | Forgiving their | Atoning for | Living in the |
| | individual sins | all the | continual |
| | against God and | results of our | cleansing of |
| | man | sin | His blood |
+————–+——————–+—————-+—————–+
8:1 – 10:20 THE CONSECRATION OF AARON AND HIS SONS
- As you read this section understand that Aaron was the shadow of
8:1-36 THE SONS OF AARON PRESENTED FOR CONSECRATION.
9:1-24 AARON ASSUMES HIS OFFICE.
10:1-20 THE CONSEQUENCES OF SACRILEGE.
11:1 – 15:33 LAWS REGARDING UNCLEANNESS
This section deals with the way in which the Israelite was to be holy,
i.e., different from his neighbors, set apart to God, in his physical
life. As you read, realize much of this has only been discovered by
medical science in the last 100 years! The disease-bearing flesh of
certain animals; the need to wash after contact with disease; the most
basic sanitary observances. God imparted His wisdom concerning these
things to His people 4,000 years ago. Do not dismiss what you read here.
Although we do not live under the laws of the Old Testament, we
recognize these chapters to be an expression of God’s wisdom. A thing
is not right because God said it, but God said it because it is right.
11:1-47 CLEAN AND UNCLEAN ANIMALS.
12:1-8 RITUAL CLEANSING AFTER CHILDBIRTH.
13:1 – 14:57 UNCLEANNESS DUE TO LEPROSY AND ITS CLEANSING.
In these verses, look for a picture of the death/resurrection of Jesus
that brings cleansing to us who are leprous with sin.
15:1-33 UNCLEANNESS AND PURIFICATION FOLLOWING BODILY SECRETIONS.
16:1-34 THE DAY OF ATONEMENT
Verses:
1-10 Aaron’s preparations
11-14 Sin offering for the priests
15-19 Sin offering for the people
20-22 The scapegoat
23-28 Completion of the offering
29-34 Final instructions
Read carefully in as many translations as possible Hebrews 8-9. Jesus
has summed up the Day of Atonement in His once-for-all sacrifice having
put away sin forever.
The scapegoat: The one goat’s blood was taken into the Holy of Holies
and placed on the mercy seat. The people did not see that but accepted
it as a fact. The other goat was the visible acting out of that
invisible fact before the people. They saw the goat bearing their sin
taken to the desert and lost. They knew with their senses that their sin
was carried away. So Christ’s blood taking away our sin is presented to
the Father – and then the Spirit comes to tell us so, witnessing in our
hearts that because of the blood we are accepted.
17:1 – 25:55 VARIOUS LAWS
17:1-16 THE SANCTITY OF THE BLOOD
- This chapter is the foundation of our understanding that blood must be
18:1 – 20:27 SINS AGAINST THE MORAL LAW.
21:1 – 22:33 THE WAY TO PRIESTLY HOLINESS.
23:1-44 THE HOLY FEASTS
- Christ has fulfilled these feasts. He is our Sabbath rest (Hebrews 4).
24:1-23 SACRED THINGS AND THE SIN OF BLASPHEMY.
25:1-55 THE SABBATICAL YEARS AND JUBILEE YEARS.
26:1-46 THE BLESSINGS AND THE CURSES
27:1-34 THE VOWS AND THE TITHES
DAY OF ATONEMENT:
The concept of “Diatheke” (unequal covenant), “Syntheke” (equal
covenant)
Day of Atonement was the day all of the regular sacrifices and offerings
were consummated in this one celebration.
God had taken it upon Himself to make it possible for His people to
celebrate covenant with Him.
HIGH PRIEST:
Had to be a man – one like me who could understand my need.
An angel wouldn’t understand having a bad day.
Had stones on his breastplate and shoulders which represented each of
the twelve tribes.
He carries me on his heart and his shoulders
On day of atonement he laid aside his usual priestly garments to be even
more like us.
ACTIVITY OF A DAY OF ATONEMENT:
Priest arrives (without his priestly robes) and as he walks by you
wonder if it is really him.
He offers sacrifice for himself first.
He too is a sinner
He offers a sin offering.
Makes me right with God
He offers a trespass offering.
Makes me right with my brother
He brings two goats – the one chosen by lot is the sin offering.
Should you ask what he is doing he would explain, “I am going into the
presence of the Father, to bear His people into His fellowship. In me
today, you will walk into the presence of God Himself.”
He leans on the goat chosen to be sin offering.
Confesses all of our sin
I watch as the goat becomes polluted with my sin and guilt
His knife flashes, and the goat is killed
He takes some of the blood of the goat, and enters into the Holy of
Holies, where He sprinkles it on the ark of the covenant.
He may never sit down, because he work is not ever done. He will be back
next year.
He returns and takes the second goat and leans on it and once again
confesses all of my sin.
This time the goat is led into the desert to die
When the sacrifice is finished, the priest puts on his priestly garments
again.
He offers a peace offering, and I celebrate before the Lord that I have
been accepted into His presence.
Then he offers a burnt offering which is my giving of myself entirely
away to God.
INSUFFICIENCIES:
Priest was too much like me.
Changed from time to time because of death
Some good ones, some bad ones
Sacrifice was not like me.
How can an amoral goat with no ability to choose atone for me when I
have CHOSEN to go my own way.
But the shadow is the evidence that the reality exists.
FULFILLMENT:
Heb. 8:8
John 13 – 17
We celebrate the covenant meal – I Cor. 11:23-28