Leviticus (Introduction)
Leviticus is so much more than a book of laws and things for the Levites to be occupied with. It is not a book of things that are now irrelevant in the era following the cross. This third book of the Pentateuch—the continuation of Exodus—is a powerful picture of the challenge of life lived with a holy God. How can we—sinners that we are—hope to survive and thrive in a relationship with the holy Creator?
The opening words of the book (which form the title in Hebrew) are, “The LORD called Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting.” Moses was outside and God was in. Moses could not enter and live due to his sin and God’s holiness. How was Israel going to function as God’s people, if His presence meant a death sentence for them?
But by the time we get to Numbers, the opening in much different: “The LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting…”. Moses is inside the tabernacle with God. What has happened? What made the difference? That is the content of Leviticus. This is a book we want to understand—and not just the legalistic aspect of the book, but its message—if we want to have a relationship with God our Creator.
The book breaks down roughly into three main section, with ten minor subsections:
I The Seriousness of Atonement (1:1-16:34)
1. The Five Major Offerings (1:1-6:7)
2. Ordination and Instructions for Priests (6:8-7:38)
3. Establishment of the Priesthood (8:1-10:20)
4. Unclean, Clean, and Holy (11:1-15:30)
II. The Day of Atonement (16:1-17:16)
1. The Ritual (16:1-34)
2. The Blood (17:1-16)
III. The Life after Atonement (18:1-27:34)
1. Holiness (18:1-22:33)
2. Holy Times (23:1-25:55)
3. Blessings and Curses (26:1-46)
4. Vows and Dedication (27:1-34)
The opening words of the book (which form the title in Hebrew) are, “The LORD called Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting.” Moses was outside and God was in. Moses could not enter and live due to his sin and God’s holiness. How was Israel going to function as God’s people, if His presence meant a death sentence for them?
But by the time we get to Numbers, the opening in much different: “The LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting…”. Moses is inside the tabernacle with God. What has happened? What made the difference? That is the content of Leviticus. This is a book we want to understand—and not just the legalistic aspect of the book, but its message—if we want to have a relationship with God our Creator.
The book breaks down roughly into three main section, with ten minor subsections:
I The Seriousness of Atonement (1:1-16:34)
1. The Five Major Offerings (1:1-6:7)
2. Ordination and Instructions for Priests (6:8-7:38)
3. Establishment of the Priesthood (8:1-10:20)
4. Unclean, Clean, and Holy (11:1-15:30)
II. The Day of Atonement (16:1-17:16)
1. The Ritual (16:1-34)
2. The Blood (17:1-16)
III. The Life after Atonement (18:1-27:34)
1. Holiness (18:1-22:33)
2. Holy Times (23:1-25:55)
3. Blessings and Curses (26:1-46)
4. Vows and Dedication (27:1-34)
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