Whether every law was written down at that time is impossible to determine; it may be that they were codified progressively during the ensuing forty-year wandering. God established the sacrificial system so that His covenant people might enjoy His fellowship through worship; it also allowed for repentance and renewal:. When an Israelite worshiper laid his hand on the animal victim, he identified himself with the animal as his substitute.
God then accepted the slaughter of the animal. Many years after Moses wrote Leviticus, Jesus came to offer Himself as the ultimate sacrifice, holy and perfect, once for all, fulfilling the Law and rendering future animal sacrifices unnecessary and void Hebrews The overall message of Leviticus is sanctification.
Now that Israel had been redeemed by God, they were to be purified into a people worthy of their God. In Leviticus we learn that God loves to be approached, but we must do so on His terms. This theme of holiness extends to the church. The late Mary Douglas, a well-known social anthropologist who wrote many books on issues of purity, acknowledged in one of her later books, " Leviticus as Literature ", that the book, or at least the laws contained therein, likely had a long pre-history before it became part of the Biblical canon.
The theory that at least some of the laws found in the Book of Leviticus go back further into antiquity and only reached its final form during the Persian Period - B. Even if scholars agree that the final form of the Book of Leviticus did not come about until the Persian Period, it is hard to say which parts are original and which were added later. But that still leaves open the question of who the laws and rules contained in the book were meant for.
The traditional view is that YHWH gave the laws as commandments to Moses to deliver to the entirety of the Israelite people after they had fled from the Egyptians, as described in the Book of Exodus. James Watts, professor of Religion at Syracuse University, contends that the Book of Leviticus was written for all worshippers at the temples in Jerusalem and Samaria.
On the other hand, Dr. Robert Gnuse, professor in the Religious Studies Department at Loyola University, says that historically, the rules on food and clothing found in the Book of Leviticus were meant exclusively for priests, just like the laws in the Hindu Code of Manu Smriti for Brahmin priests. His blood cleanses us from all sin 1 John Above all, Jesus is the perfect High Priest who enters not the earthly tabernacle once a year on the Day of Atonement Leviticus 16 , but has ascended to the heavenly tabernacle forever, because He has not offered merely a goat for the sins of His people, but His own life Heb.
The rending of the temple veil when Jesus was crucified was a visible demonstration that His death opened up the way to God for all believers Matt. Furthermore, Leviticus restricts salvation to the old covenant community of Israel. The food laws ch. But the New Testament opens the kingdom to all nations and abrogates the food laws Mark —23; Acts 10 , while at the same time insisting on the separation of the church from the world John ; 2 Cor.
And while the Old Testament sufferer had to wait for God to heal him Leviticus 14 , in the Gospels God in Christ drew near and healed both lepers and those with discharges Luke —48; — Leviticus , the Latin form of the Greek title of the book, means "about Levites.
The title is apt, because the book is primarily about worship and fitness for worship. However it is not addressed solely to priests or Levites, but also to lay Israelites, telling them how to offer sacrifices and to enter the presence of God in worship.
Leviticus speaks to humanity in every age, reminding us of the depth of our sin, but also pointing us to the sacrifice of Him whose blood is far more effective than the blood of bulls and goats. Own The Reformation Study Bible and have access to more than 20, study notes, 96 theological articles, contributions from 50 evangelical scholars, 19 in-text maps and 12 charts.
Teaching Series. Conference Messages. Tabletalk Magazine. Gift Certificates. Ligonier Ministries. Supporting Ligonier. Renewing Your Mind. Ligonier Connect. He also commands the priests to be holy and gives them specific laws that will help them remain ritually undefiled. Leviticus 23—27 The Lord establishes holy days and feasts for Israel to observe. The laws of the camp of Israel are set forth, directing that all people be treated fairly and justly and that proper restitution be given to injured parties.
The Lord establishes the Sabbath year and the year of jubilee. The Lord outlines ways in which He will bless the Israelites for their obedience and punish them for their disobedience to His commandments. Laws concerning tithing and the consecration of property are set forth.
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