Book of Leviticus
The book of Exodus closed with an account of the ‘glory of the Lord filling the tabernacle’ (Exodus 40:34-35). It is confirmed to the people that God lived amongst them. The book Leviticus follows this with instructions about how the Israelites were to worship the God who was with them. It gives rules for ritual, worship and conduct which were to be administrated by the Levitical priests( descendent of Levi, one of Jacob’s sons). This explains the name for this book.
Author: Moses was the author of the Book of Leviticus.
Date of Writing: The Book of Leviticus was written between 1440 and 1400 B.C.
Purpose of Writing: Because the Israelites had been held captive in Egypt for 400 years, the concept of God had been distorted by the polytheistic, pagan Egyptians. The purpose of Leviticus is to provide instruction and laws to guide a sinful, yet redeemed people in their relationship with a holy God. There is an emphasis in Leviticus on the need for personal holiness in response to a holy God. Sin must be atoned for through the offering of proper sacrifices (chapters 8-10). Other topics covered in the book are diets (clean and unclean foods), childbirth, and diseases which are carefully regulated (chapters 11-15). Chapter 16 describes the Day of Atonement when an annual sacrifice is made for the cumulative sin of the people. Furthermore, the people of God are to be circumspect in their personal, moral, and social living, in contrast to the then-current practices of the heathen roundabout them (chapters 17-22).
Key Verses: Leviticus 1:4, "He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him."
Leviticus 17:11, "For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life."
Leviticus 19:18, "'Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD."
Brief Summary:
Date of Writing: The Book of Leviticus was written between 1440 and 1400 B.C.
Purpose of Writing: Because the Israelites had been held captive in Egypt for 400 years, the concept of God had been distorted by the polytheistic, pagan Egyptians. The purpose of Leviticus is to provide instruction and laws to guide a sinful, yet redeemed people in their relationship with a holy God. There is an emphasis in Leviticus on the need for personal holiness in response to a holy God. Sin must be atoned for through the offering of proper sacrifices (chapters 8-10). Other topics covered in the book are diets (clean and unclean foods), childbirth, and diseases which are carefully regulated (chapters 11-15). Chapter 16 describes the Day of Atonement when an annual sacrifice is made for the cumulative sin of the people. Furthermore, the people of God are to be circumspect in their personal, moral, and social living, in contrast to the then-current practices of the heathen roundabout them (chapters 17-22).
Key Verses: Leviticus 1:4, "He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him."
Leviticus 17:11, "For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life."
Leviticus 19:18, "'Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD."
Brief Summary:
- Rules about offerings: Chapters 1-7 outline the offerings required of both the laity and the priesthood.
Five different kind of offerings
· The burnt offerings( Chapter 1:1-17; 6:8-13), also first mentioned in Genesis 8:20
· The cereal or meal offering( chapter 2:1-16; 6:14-18)
· The fellowship or peace offering(Chapter 3:1-17; 7:11-36)
· The sin offering( chapter 4:1-5:13; 6:24-30)
· The guilt offering( Chapter 5:14-6:7;7:1-10)
- Rules about services: Chapters 8-10 describe the consecration of Aaron and his sons to the priesthood. This introduces the priests, the ‘the men in the middle’ who mediated between a holy God and his sinful people.
The final 10 chapters are God’s guidelines to His people for practical holiness. Various feasts were instituted in the people's worship of Jehovah God, convened and practiced according to God's laws.
- Rules about daily living: Chapters 11-15 are the prescriptions for various types of uncleanness.
Chapter 11 shows God’s interest in healthy diets.
Chapter 12-15 shows God’s concern over our physically healthy bodies.
- Rules about the Day of Atonement: Chapter 16 Aaron obtained forgiveness for his own sin then entered the innermost part of the tabernacle and made an offering for the nation’s sins. An usual and highly significant ritual was the confession of sin over a live goat(verses 20-22) which was then sent into the desert to die. This foreshadowed the complete removal of sin from the camp by God’s appointed substitute.
- Rules, promises and warnings: Chapters 17-127: Blessings or curses would accompany either the keeping or neglect of God's commandments (chapter 26). Vows to the Lord are covered in Chapter 27.
The primary theme of Leviticus is holiness. God's demand for holiness in His people is based on His own holy nature. A corresponding theme is that of atonement. Holiness must be maintained before God, and holiness can only be attained through a proper atonement.
Foreshadowings: Much of the ritualistic practices of worship picture in many ways the person and work of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Hebrews 10 tells us that the Mosaic Law is “only a shadow of the good things that are coming” by which is meant that the daily sacrifices offered by the priests for the sin of the people were a representation of the ultimate Sacrifice—Jesus Christ, whose sacrifice would be once for all time for those who would believe in Him. The holiness imparted temporarily by the Law would one day be replaced by the absolute attainment of holiness when Christians exchanged their sin for the righteousness of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).
The priesthood of Jesus is shown in the New testament to be superior to that of any human minister; He is the final mediator between God and man( 1 Tim 2:5 Hebrews 9:15). As a result all Christians have direct access to God through Christ ( 1 Peter 2:9-10)
Practical Application: God takes His holiness very seriously, and so should we. The trend in the postmodern church is to create God in our own image, giving Him the attributes we would like Him to have instead of the ones His Word describes. God’s utter holiness, His transcendent splendor, and His “unapproachable light” (1 Timothy 6:16) are foreign concepts to many Christians. We are called to walk in the Light and to put away the darkness in our lives so that we may be pleasing in His sight. A holy God cannot tolerate blatant, unashamed sin in His people and His holiness requires Him to punish it. We dare not be flippant in our attitudes toward sin or God’s loathing of it, nor should we make light of it in any way.
Praise the Lord that because of Jesus' death on our behalf, we no longer have to offer animal sacrifices. Leviticus is all about substitution. The death of the animals was a substitute penalty for those who have sinned. In the same way, but infinitely better, the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross was the substitute for our sins. Now we can stand before a God of utter holiness without fear because He sees in us the righteousness of Christ.
Practical Application: God takes His holiness very seriously, and so should we. The trend in the postmodern church is to create God in our own image, giving Him the attributes we would like Him to have instead of the ones His Word describes. God’s utter holiness, His transcendent splendor, and His “unapproachable light” (1 Timothy 6:16) are foreign concepts to many Christians. We are called to walk in the Light and to put away the darkness in our lives so that we may be pleasing in His sight. A holy God cannot tolerate blatant, unashamed sin in His people and His holiness requires Him to punish it. We dare not be flippant in our attitudes toward sin or God’s loathing of it, nor should we make light of it in any way.
Praise the Lord that because of Jesus' death on our behalf, we no longer have to offer animal sacrifices. Leviticus is all about substitution. The death of the animals was a substitute penalty for those who have sinned. In the same way, but infinitely better, the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross was the substitute for our sins. Now we can stand before a God of utter holiness without fear because He sees in us the righteousness of Christ.
Main Source: http://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-summary.html
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