Introduction to Leviticus

Updated
2001-05-26; 14:32:12utc

The name Leviticus is taken from the Septuagint, identifying the section of the Pentateuch which we call Leviticus. The Hebrew word for the book is wayiqraa, which, according to Strong's a primitive root definition comes from qara, and which has the sense of calling a person by name. This name is based on the opening sentence of ch. 1:1 - "The LORD called to Moses and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting."

We reject the idea that this book would have belonged to the Priests' Codex, which, supposedly, came into existence after the Babylonian captivity. Thirty-four times we read: "The Lord spoke to Moses" or similar expressions. It is only reasonable to suppose that we read the authentic account of words God spoke to Moses and of revelations that were given to him. Actually, the book should be divided into thirty-four chapters if we take wayiqraa as the heading of each chapter. God's communications were given on Mount Sinai, as well as in the Tent of Meeting. In ch. 7:37-38 we read: "These, then, are the regulations for the burnt offering, the grain offering, the sin offering, the guilt offering, the ordination offering and the fellowship offering, which the LORD gave Moses on Mount Sinai on the day he commanded the Israelites to bring their offerings to the LORD, in the Desert of Sinai." And ch. 27:34 says: "These are the commands the LORD gave Moses on Mount Sinai for the Israelites." And then again, the first verse of the book speaks of the Tent of Meeting.

If we read through Leviticus in a superficial way it makes for rather dull reading; a dry piece of literature. If we look at the book, however, as a handbook for sanctification in the light of the accomplished work of our Lord Jesus Christ, the book becomes a document of vital importance. The message of Leviticus is: "Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy." (Ch. 11:44,45; 19:2; 20:7,26; 21:8). The subject of Leviticus is the sanctifying effect the sacrifice of Christ can have upon our daily lives. The book links our daily stumbling with Life on the Highest Plane, to which we are called by God.

The central role in the book is played by the Levitical priests. We may consider the chapters 8 and 9 as the chapters around which everything revolves: the consecration of Aaron and his sons. The role of the priest is the main topic in the first seventeen chapters and also in the chapters 21 - 25. So the name of the book, LEVITICUS, is very appropriate. According to the Thompson Chain Reference Bible the theme of the book is: "How can a sinful man approach a holy God?"

The Nelson's Bible Dictionary gives the following outline of the book:

Part One: The Laws of Acceptable Approach to God: Sacrifice (1:1-17:16)

I. The Laws of Acceptable Approach to God 1:1-7:38

II. The Laws of the Priests 8:1-10:20

III. The Laws of Israel Regarding Purity 11:1-15:33

IV. The Laws of National Atonement 16:1-17:16

Part Two: The Laws of Acceptable Walk with God: Sanctification (18:1-27:34)

I. The Laws of Sanctification for the People 18:1-20:27

II. The Laws of Sanctification for the Priesthood 21:1-22:33

III. The Laws of Sanctification in Worship 23:1-24:23

IV. The Laws of Sanctification in the Land of Canaan 25:1-26:46

V. The Laws of Sanctification through Vows 27:1-34

We would like to modify this outline as follows:

I. Access to God chapters 1-10

1. By Means of Sacrifices. (The role of the bringer of the sacrifice.) 1:1 - 6:7

a. The Burnt Offering 1:1-17

b. The Food Offering 2:1-16

c. The Fellowship Offering 3:1-17

d. The Guilt Offering 4:1 - 5:13

e. The Sin Offering 5:14 - 6:7

2. The role of the priest in the bringing of these sacrifices.

a. The Burnt Offering 6:8-13

b. The Food Offering 6:14-23

c. The Guilt Offering 6:24-30

d. The Sin Offering 7:1-10

e. The Fellowship Offering 7:11-21.

f. The Blood and Fat of the Sacrifices 7:22-27

g. The Share of the Fellowship Offering 7:27-38

3. The Priest as Mediator ch. 8 - 10.

a. The Consecration of the Priest. 8:1-36

b. The Taking up of Priestly Duties. 9:1-24

c. The Recklessness of the Priests. 10:1-20.

II. Sanctification of Daily Life 11 - 22.

1. Expressed in clean and unclean food 11

2. Purification at birth 12

3. Diagnosis, treatment and purification of leprosy 13-14

4. Treatment of sexual impurity 15

5. Cleansing of spiritual impurity - The Day of Atonement 16

6. The place of sacrifice and of the blood 17

7. Purity in sexual relations 18

8. Sanctity in social relations 19

9. Purification of gross immorality 20

10. Sanctity in the life of the priest 21,22

III. The Feasts 23 - 24:1-9

IV. Punishment for blasphemy (An object lesson) 24:10-23

V. Ordinances regarding possessions 25

VI. Blessing and curse 26

VII. Vows 27

The above is, of course, not the perfect outline. The main theme is access to God and how it is achieved and what the effect of it is upon daily life. We have to bear in mind that the whole book is a shadow of reality. It expresses in earthly images the spiritual truth that is in Jesus Christ. He is at the center of this book. He is the true access to the Father. The sanctification of our life is the holiness He acquired for us.