LEVITICUS

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LEVITICUS

• Oh No! Not Leviticus!

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Why is Leviticus so unpopular? Because of

• A sacrificial system which is no longer relevant
  
• A priesthood which is no longer in existence
• Laws which are no longer binding...

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So why bother?

• 2 Timothy 316-17
• All Scripture is God-breathed, and profitable
  for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and
  for training in righteousness, so that the man of
  God may be fully equipped for every good work.

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1.The Concept of Sacrifice

• We cannot understand the concept of sacrifice
  without studying the God-ordained sacrificial
  system presented in Leviticus.
• Why did Jesus have to die?
• What did he accomplish in his death?
• Leviticus reminds us that sacrifice was not only
  for forgiveness of sin.
• Romans 121 What IS a living sacrifice?
• (Answer Read Leviticus!)

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2. The Concept of Priesthood

• Leviticus describes the priesthood.
• Jesus is said to be our High Priest (Heb 414,16)
  
• What is a high priest? What did Jesus do that
  made him act like a priest for us? Leviticus
  opens our eyes to these truths.
• Also, WE ARE PRIESTS! What does this mean? The NT
  gives us clues, but the authors presume their
  readers know the Law contained in Leviticus. So
  we need to study this book in order to understand
  our role as priests.

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3.The Concept of Law

• Leviticus focuses on God's Law given to Israel.
• Jesus said Do not think that I came to abolish
  the Law or the Prophets I did not come to
  abolish, but to fulfill. For truly I say to you,
  until heaven and earth pass away, not the
  smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from
  the Law, until all is accomplished. (Mat
  517-18)
• So we need to understand the Law and we need to
  ask ourselves how Jesus fulfilled the Law, and in
  what sense these laws are still relevant for us.

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4.The Concept of Holiness 

• When YOU think of someone who is holy, what image
  comes to mind?
• Holiness is the central theme of Leviticus. "You
  shall be holy, for I am holy" (1144-45, 192,
  207, 2026).
• We come to understand the holiness of God, and
  what holiness means for us by reading this book.
• The concepts of sacrifice, priesthood, law, and
  holiness are all central to our Christian walk
  these are the themes of the book of Leviticus.

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Reading 1 Peter 24-10

• Holiness. Priesthood. Sacrifices. They are all
  here. All of 1 Peter, and particularly this
  passage, comes alive with startling clarity when
  we gain a deeper understanding of these central
  concepts

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So HOW do we study Leviticus?

• First, we will take it on faith that the entire
  book is profitable. Our task is to figure out how
  it is profitable. To accomplish this, we will
  begin by asking,
• (1) Is this passage or verse a picture of New
  Testament spiritual truth? If it is, is that its
  only importance? If this answer is yes, once we
  have determined the meaning of the picture, our
  interpretation is finished.

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or alternatively

• (2) For some passages, however, we may not be
  confident that God is only giving us a picture of
  spiritual truth. In these cases, we need to ask
  ourselves, Why did God give this verse/ passage
  to the Israelites? To be moral? To be different?
  To be healthy? If we conclude that the specific
  command is not relevant for us, we must ask, What
  is the principle behind the commands of God? How
  does the principle apply to us?

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Developing a HERMENEUTIC

• For example, read Leviticus 1919
• What picture of spiritual truth is contained in
  this command? What is the principle behind the
  command?
• Is the command still relevant?
• If the specific command is NOT still relevant,
  what about the principle?

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An Outline

• 1-16 Gods provision to meet mans needs . 17-27
  refer to God's standard for man to live by. Grace
  and response.
• Chapters 1-7 describe the five different types of
  offerings. These offerings are God's plan for
  dealing with our needs Our need for love, our
  need for joy, our need for peace, our need for
  forgiveness, and our need for restoration of
  relationships.
• Chapters 8-10 describe the priesthood.
• Chapters 11-15 describe different aspects of
  holiness, while chapter 16 lays out regulations
  for celebrating the Day of Atonement.
•  Chapters 17 to 27 then constitute the second
  major section of the book, detailing God's
  standard for our performance. I know your
  weakness and your failures, but I have made full
  provision for them. You now have the ability to
  live lives worthy of your calling. So be holy!"