October 15, 2002, Vol.2,
No.20.
Two new articles every two weeks.
Bible Question? E-mail
us.
THIS ISSUE: "Introduction
to Leviticus" (see below)
and "Introduction to Numbers"
Overview of the Bible:
Introduction to Leviticus
by Keith Sharp
Author
Moses also wrote the book of Leviticus (1:1; 7:37-38; 14:1-2;
cf. Matthew 8:2-4).
Name
The name "Leviticus" indicates the subject matter
pertains to the tribe of Levi, the priestly tribe.
Audience
Leviticus was written to Israel (1:2).
Theme
The theme of Leviticus is holiness. The term "holy"
(set apart to God) is the key word of the book. Moses uses this
word 87 times in Leviticus. Leviticus 19:2 is the key verse and
states the theme of the book: "You shall be holy, For I
the Lord your God am holy" (cf. Exodus 19:5-6; Deuteronomy
7:6).
After Israel had been set apart as God's special heritage
by the Passover and by the covenant at Mt. Sinai, they almost
immediately broke the covenant through idolatry, the worship
of the golden calf. Only the intercession of Moses prevented
God from destroying the nation. But the Lord refused to go up
in their midst to Canaan, warning, "You are a stiffnecked
people. I could come up into your midst in one moment and consume
you" (Exodus 33:5).
Israel gave evidence of their repentance by putting off their
jewelry, and Moses again interceded in their behalf. Thus, the
Lord promised, "My. Presence will go with you, and I will
give you rest" (Exodus 33:14). He renewed the covenant with
Israel. Then the tabernacle was built in which God was to dwell
among His people and where they were to come to worship Him.
A key element of Leviticus, and of Old Testament worship,
was animal sacrifices. Sacrifices were offered so the sinner
might have access to God. They were to "atone" (cover)
sin (Exodus 30:10) and to "sanctify" (set apart to
God) the offerer (Exodus 29:33; 31:13). The sacrifice was a substitute;
it died in the place of the sinner. The steps in animal sacrifice
were: (1) the selection of an animal with no defect or blemish,
(2) the laying of the hands of the offerer upon the animal to
symbolize that the animal bore the penalty for the offerer's
sin, (3) the killing of the sacrificial victim by the offerer
to suffer the penalty for sin in his place, (4) the pouring out
of the blood at the base of the altar as the symbol of a sacrificed
life, (5) the smearing or the sprinkling of the blood by the
priest upon the altar as a symbol that the sins of the offerer
were atoned, (6) the burning of the sacrifice as a sweet-smelling
savor to satisfy the judicial wrath of God for sin, and (7) the
eating of the sacrificial meal as a symbol of fellowship with
God (cf. Ephesians 5:2). Every sacrifice had to be salted (Leviticus
2:13). Salt preserved meat from rotting and was a symbol of an
unbreakable covenant. The salt symbolized the purity of the sacrifice
and the covenant of the Israelite with God.
Of course, these sacrifices could not in reality remove the
guilt of sin (Hebrews 10:4) but showed Israel the need for a
sacrifice which could do so and acted as a foreshadowing of the
sacrifice of Christ for all (cf. John 1:29; 1 Peter 1:18-20;
Revelation 13:8).
Divisions
Leviticus may be broken into two sections: Holiness Attained
(chapters 1 - 16) and Holiness Maintained (chapters 17 - 27).
The first division taught Israel how to attain holiness by the
sacrifices and Levitical priesthood. The second revealed how
to maintain holiness by moral and ceremonial purity.
Outline of Leviticus
1. Laws of Sacrifices - chapters 1 - 7
a. The Burnt Offering - chapter 1
b. The Grain Offering - chapter 2
c. The Peace Offering - chapter 3
d. The Sin Offering - chapter 4
e. The Trespass Offering - 5:1 - 6:7
f. Laws of Offerings - 6:8 - 7:38
2. The Consecration of the Priests - chapters 8 - 10
a. The Consecration of Aaron & His Sons as Priests - chapter
8
b. Aaron & His Sons Minister as Priests - chapter 9
c. Unholiness of Priests Punished & Forbidden - chapter 10
3. Laws of Clean & Unclean - chapters 11-15
a. Clean & Unclean Animals - chapter 11
b. Purification of a Woman after Childbirth - chapter 12
c. Laws of Leprosy - chapters 13 - 14
d. Laws of Bodily Discharges - chapter 15
4. The Day of Atonement - chapter 16
5. The Sanctity of Blood - chapter 17
6. Holy Conduct - chapters 18 - 20
a. Holy Conduct Commanded - chapters 18 - 19
b. Punishment for Unholy Conduct - chapter 20
7. Holiness of the Priests - chapters 21 - 22
a. Holy Priests - 21:1 - 22:16
b. Holy Sacrifices - 22:17-33
8. Holy Convocations - chapters 23 - 25
a. The Holy Convocations - chapter 23
(1) The Sabbath - verses 1-3
(2) The Passover - verses 4-8
(3) Feast of the Firstfruits - verses 9-14
(4) The Feast of Weeks - verses 15-22
(5) The Feast of Trumpets - verses 23-25
(6) The Day of Atonement - verses 26-32
(7) The Feast of Tabernacles - verses 33-44
b. Holy Things for the Tabernacle - 24:1-9
(1) Holy Oil & Lamps - verses 1-4
(2) Holy Bread - verses 5-9
c. The Holiness of God's Name & of His Laws - 24:10-23
d. Holy Years - chapter 25
(1) Sabbath of the Seventh Year - verses 1-7
(2) the Year of the Jubilee - verses 8-55
9. Blessings & Cursings - chapter 26
10. Vows - chapter 27
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