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 AND OFFERINGS
| Offering | The Israelite | Christ | Christian |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweet Savor Offerings | |||
| Burnt | Choosing to devote all to God through the purifying fire | Presenting Himself to the Father to do His will | Living as the total possession of God (Romans 12:1-2) |
| Cereal | Praising God and offering their lives for His service | Serving the Father and man | Walking worthy of the Christ who lives as servant in us |
| Peace | Participating with God in fellowship — a sacrifice of praise | Meeting point of God and man in praise and fellowship | Fellowshipping with God and each other in worship |
| Non-Sweet Savor Offerings | |||
| Sin | Forgiving their sin | Atoning for the guilt of our sin | Putting the old man to death in Christ |
| Trespass | Forgiving their individual sins against God and man | Atoning for all the results of our sin | Living in the continual cleansing of 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 Jesus, our High Priest, who has fulfilled all. We who are joined to Jesus are priests with no need of an earthly mediator to stand between us and God. Our life is to offer praise to God. Read carefully I Peter 2:9.
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 shed for sin to be dealt with.
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). He is our Passover (ICorinthians 5:7). His is risen fulfilling the Feast of Firstfruits (Corinthians 15:20). In Him Pentecost is fully come (Acts 2:1). The Feast of Tabernacles is the rejoicing believers now know in the Spirit. John 7:37-38 was spoken at the Feast of Tabernacles. This feast will be consummated in the coming of the Lord Jesus describing our eternal state.
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