Classes - Pentateuch - Leviticus 1-10

Pentateuch: Leviticus 1-10

A study on the book of Leviticus

Learn how you can use the guide here.

Introduction to Leviticus

Leviticus explains how the privileged access to God’s holy presence in the tabernacle could be attained. The Book of Leviticus opens with the description of the sacrificial system that was God’s gracious provision to sustain worship and forgiveness for Israel, and naturally leads to a long narrative segment on how the priesthood was initially established. Essentially, the entire complex sacrificial system will be put under the charge of Aaron and his descendants as the mediator of God’s holy presence.

Summary

Author: Moses

Date of Writing: It is commonly held that the Book of Leviticus was written shortly after the writing of Exodus, probably during or right after the instructions were given by God. Thus, the date of the writing of Leviticus very much depends on how we date the exodus account. Since we have dated the exodus event to be between 1446-1437 BC, the Book of Leviticus was probably written around 1445-1396 BC, though likely in the earlier part. It was probably written at the foot of Mount Sinai.

Purpose of Writing: Exodus closes with the Presence of God descending upon the newly installed Tabernacle. Leviticus then starts with “The Lord called to Moses…” (i.e. without a clear subject for the opening sentence), signifying that this book must be read in the narrative context of God’s holy presence now dwelling among the people. The book focuses on how Israel was to approach and thus reflect God’s holiness to a watching world, helping us appreciate the significance of being “set apart for the Gospel.”

Themes of Leviticus 1-10

The people of Israel are able to enter God’s presence because of the thorough system of atonement he put in place. The sacrificial system is described as God’s gracious provision to sustain worship and forgiveness for Israel. Being set apart for God starts with a relationship dictated by His terms and us approaching Him in complete trust and obedience.
God’s gift of atonement must be accomplished for us by a faithful priest and a perfect sacrifice. Our priest and unblemished lamb is Jesus Christ. The life, death and resurrection of Christ fulfills the law (Matthew 5:17).
Understand what it means to live out God’s character and redemptive purposes in our daily dealings with one another.

Holiness is mentioned more times (152) in this book than in any other book of the Bible. Leviticus 19:2 is the key verse of this book, “Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.”

Resources

The Bible Project, Book of Leviticus
Spoken Gospel: The Bible Explained (Book of Leviticus) This video introduces the book’s main theme and how it is fulfilled in Jesus. How can we live in God’s presence? The answer is given to us in the book of Leviticus. If we are ever to dwell with God we must become like God, we must be holy as he is holy. Atonement provided a temporary way to take our darkness and make it light, but we needed a more permanent solution. That is why Jesus, who is God’s light itself, took on our darkness to make us holy like him.

Outline of Leviticus

Leviticus 1-10 The Sacrificial System

Leviticus begins with instructions for sacrifices. There were five kinds of sacrifices used in Old Testament worship: burnt offerings (1:1–17), grain offerings (2:1–16), peace offerings (3:1–17), purification/sin offerings (4:1–5:13), and reparation/guilt offerings (5:14–6:7). These offerings were all part of a process called “making atonement”. Leviticus appoints five sacrifice rituals to express different aspects of the singular work of atonement.

Table 1: The 5 offerings in Leviticus 1 to 7

Pre-Video Reading

Read Leviticus 1-10.
Extra Reading: Offerings In Leviticus—What They Were And Why They Mattered, Wayne Stiles

Watch the video

Application Questions

The opening verses of Leviticus introduce its gospel orientation: “When any one of you brings an offering to the Lord, …he shall bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the Lord.” (Leviticus 1:2–3).

How would an Israelite know if God had accepted him or her? The burnt offering made it clear. The various animals used as sacrifices in the burnt offering provided for different financial levels of the people.

a. What does this tell us about God’s acceptance of people?

b. What does the death and resurrection of Christ prove to us today? And what does this mean for those who have placed their faith in Christ?
Read Leviticus 4. We often associate guilt only with the will. But God holds people responsible for unintentional sins as well. The purification/sin offering dealt with two issues: forgiveness from unintentional sins and cleansing from ceremonial uncleanness.

Old Testament law distinguished “unintentional” sins from deliberate sins (see Numbers 15:22–31). The sin offering removed the offence of unintentional sins (4:2, 13, 22, 27; cf., 5:14-15, 18). Deliberate sins could also be cleansed, but only by the intercession of the high priest on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:16, 21).

a. What does the distinction between unintentional and deliberate sin suggest about God’s perspective on sin? Many think that sins incur guilt only when committed intentionally; what does it imply about the true human condition that so much provision was made even for “unintentional” sins?

b. Read Hebrews 10:22, 1 John 1:9. What were the promises given to us believers when we confess our sins with sincere hearts?
Leviticus 1 to 7 showed the five kinds of offerings that fulfil two main purposes: one to express praise, thankfulness and devotion; the other for atonement, the covering and removal of guilt and sin. Animal offerings demonstrated that the person was giving his or her life to God by means of the life of the animal. We know that the true purpose of the sacrifices was always to point ahead to the sacrifice of Christ.

a. Through the offerings, what do we learn about the cost of sin?

b. Examine your own heart to confess your sin and trust the sacrifice of Christ as your own basis for forgiveness and acceptance by God.

Closing Reflection

How do you approach the Presence of God in your life, especially knowing that He is a Holy God? Whether we approach God with fear, with reverence, or with carelessness depends on how exactly we view God’s holiness in the context of His intimacy with us.

Prayer: Connecting with God

End the time with prayer.

Pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal areas in your life that are not aligned with His will.

Re-dedicate yourself to holiness and give thanks to God for the privilege of worship mediated by the perfect high priest, Jesus Christ!