The Book of Leviticus
The Book of Leviticus specifically focuses on holiness and worship. It is ascribed to Moses, the great lawgiver of Israel, as a guidebook for God’s people on how to live daily in relationship with God and each other.
God Himself provided the guidelines for worship, which were revealed through Moses. These guidelines or laws were part of the covenant the people established with The Lord at Mount Sinai.
Leviticus teaches us how the Israelites were to live in relationship with God, worship and live with each other.
Historical Context: The Book of Leviticus takes place immediately after the Book of Exodus. The Israelites are camped at the base of Mount Sinai.
Leviticus 1
The book of Leviticus begins with The Lord calling out to Moses — He sought him out and called him from the tent of meeting, confirming that God fulfilled His promise to dwell with the people.
The first thing God says to Moses is an instruction for him to give to the Israelites. He explains the regulations for the burnt offering, including the type of offering they were to give and how they were to go about it. In His mercy, God created a way for His people to restore a relationship broken by sin, a way to cleanse themselves so they could approach Him.
The offering was to be a male animal without defect. The worshiper could likely sell this animal for a high price. It was the most valuable thing he or she likely owned. God required the Israelites to offer their best to atone for their sins. The cost of a sin might be something valuable here on earth, but results in a renewed covenant with God.
“You are to lay your head on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on your behalf to make atonement for you.” (Lev. 1:4)
The worshiper laid their hand on the head of the offering to symbolize the transfer of sin from the flawed human to the perfect, unblemished sacrifice. It was a substitute.
Jesus was the sacrificial lamb, unblemished & perfect without sin, who took on our sins and died to make atonement for all of us.
God begins with the burnt offering. The burnt offering represented total sacrifice. The priest was to burn ALL of it on the altar. God desires total devotion from us, which requires total sacrifice. We are to die to ourselves, our wordly desires and our inclination to sin.
The opportunity for atonement was available to everyone. While all didn’t own an unblemished bull, sheep or goat, everyone had access to a dove or pigeon. God is a provider of all things. He made provisions for every economic level, to ensure that all of His people could experience His grace, mercy and everlasting love. Every sacrifice at every level was pleasing to the Lord, because of the atonement.
The sacrifice was to be a male animal. Spiritual leadership was designed to be held by men. This doesn’t mean women were thought to be less than or inferior. In the same way the male offering covered or provided atonement for the sins of the worshiper, husbands and fathers provide covering for wives and children through their daily sacrifice.
Leviticus 2
The grain offering required work. The worshiper had to mix oil and incense into it. It could also be baked in an oven or in a pan.
The grain offering was to consist of the finest flour — again, God requires our very best. It was a gift given to show gratitude to God.
The grain offering was not to include yeast or leaven, which symbolized that which was unacceptable to God. It was, however, to include salt. Salt symbolizes our friendship and communion with God.
“Season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings.” (Lev. 2:13)
Leviticus 3
The fellowship offering was given to express love and gratitude to God, and promoted communion with Him. It is the only offering that ends in a communal meal, which women had a unique role in preparing.
Regardless of the type of animal presented, the offering could be male or female. The blood and fat of the animal are specifically named as reserved for God. Neither could be consumed by the worshiper.
Blood is considered the essence of life. Because life is a gift from God, blood is reserved for Him alone and is a symbol of our covenant with Him. Pagan rituals often involved the drinking of blood, a defilement of the essence of life. Because the people of God were to be set apart or holy, they were required to treat the blood in a more reverent manner.
The fat of the animal was considered the choicest part of it, and therefore belonged to God. They were viewed as the places within the animal where the life source was located. As it was the best part and the source of its life, it was given back to God in recognization that He is the true source of all life.
“All the fat is the Lord’s. This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live: You must not eat any fat or any blood.” (Lev. 3:16-17)
Leviticus 4
The sin offering focuses on sins that have been committed unknowingly and unintentionally. God knew there would be too many laws for the Israelites to follow intently without breaking any every single day. He not only knew His people would sin, He expected it, and thus created a way for us to atone even for the sins we didn’t know we were committing at the time.
The sacrifice different for each role or level of responsibility. Anointed priests, responsible for the relationship the Israelites had with God, had to present a male bull without defect. In order to minister to and teach the people, they had to get right with God.
For the whole Israelite community, the elders transferred their sin to the sacrificial offering as representatives of the people. Leaders also had to atone for their sins using a male goat with defect. Individuals could offer a female goat without defect. All levels of society could atone for their sins and participate in the worship of God. It was accessible.
Leviticus 5
The call to testify. In the age of “snitches get stitches,” this might be a tricky one for some. However, as Christians we are called to testify of the goodness of God, but also to call out the things we see and hear. The Bible warns us of the dangers of idleness, and this includes standing idle when we see or hear things that are untrue or unjust. It also reflects the seriousness of lies of omission.
The Israelites categorized everything by either clean or unclean.
Despite being unaware of the sin at the time it was committed, once the worshiper became aware of the sin, they were required to atone for it. It doesn’t matter that you didn’t know you were sinning at the time. God desires for you to seek renewed covenant with Him by cleansing yourself of any and all past sins.
God constantly makes provisions so all of His people can have access to friendship with Him and remain in covenant with Him.
“If anyone sins and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands, even though they do not know about it, they are guilty and will be held responsible.” (Lev. 5:17)
Leviticus 6
When we sin against each other, we sin against God. We must make restitution not only to God, but to our neighbor. Whether through stealing, lying or extortion, we are required to make amends for the sin that was committed.
“They must make restitution in full, add a fifth of the value to it and give it all to the owner on the day they preset their guilt offering.” (Lev. 6:5)
God said give it all back, with interest. He taxed the Israelites for sinning against each other.
Priests also had regulations on how they were to carry out the offerings. They were required to wear specific garments and do specific things for each offering. Everything involved, including them, was to be clean.
“The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out.” (Lev. 6:13) The priests were required to tend to the fire day and night. They added firewood every morning to ensure they could supply the fire with what it needed to keep going. We no longer need to burn offerings on the altar in order to atone for our sins, but we do need to keep the fire within us burning continuously. Our firewood is the scripture, prayer and a life set apart.
“Whatever touches them will become holy.” (Lev. 6:18) Both cleanliness and uncleanness can be transferred by contact. Both sin and holiness can be transferred by contact or proximity. Everything involved in the offering, everything that came into contact with sacrificial blood needed to be washed. The clay pot was broken, and everything else was washed clean. The blood of Jesus is the sacrificial blood that washed us clean and make us a new.
