LEVITICUS...Here are some notes for
your study for Thursday nights. Most notes taken from Marilyn
Hickey's SEEING JESUS ENCOUNTER!
AUTHOR
AND SETTING: Moses, camped at the foot of Mt. Sinai
PURPOSE: The theme of Leviticus is
learning to live in relationship with the holy God Himself. But to
obtain holiness man was required to perform sacrifices for the
covering of sin.
SEEING JESUS: Jesus is represented in
many ways in LEVITICUS: 1) as each of the five sacrifices; 2) as a
priest-frequently compared to Aaron, the first High Priest; and 3) as
the fulfillment of the feats and festivals.
THEME VERSE: Leviticus 19:2
SEEING JESUS IN LEVITICUS
Jesus told us that Moses was the author
of Leviticus when he commanded the cleansed leper to “offer the
gift that Moses commanded” (Mat 8:4). This is a reference to
Leviticus 13. Moses probably wrote this book while the Israelites were encamped at the foot of Mt. Sinai.
OVERVIEW
Leviticus is not the Hebrew title
assigned to this third book of the Pentateuch. The original title is
Wayiqra, meaning “he called”, and is the first word of the Hebrew
text. The Greek Septuagint called this book LEUITIKON, meaning “that
which pertains to the priests”, and from this the Latin Vulgate
derived LEVITICUS. The book of Leviticus is especially powerful
because it teaches us how to approach God. The New Testament book of
Hebrews quotes much from this book.
In this book there are laws that deal
with sacrifices. The sacrifice is is the basis for all true worship.
Man is guilty and unclean. He needs a sacrifice to free him from the
guilt and to cleanse away his defilement. First God got Israel out of
Egypt, now God is getting Egypt out of Israel.
SEEING JESUS IN LEVITICUS
Jesus is seen in the five sacrifices,
the seven feasts, and the priesthood.
THERE WERE FIVE SACRIFICES
THE WHOLE BURNT OFFERING (lev.1:1-17,
6:8-13) This was an individual expression of devotion, thanksgiving
and worship. The burnt offering met the needs of a redeemed people,
and it was their approach to the savior. This sacrifice could consist
of a bull, sheep, goat, pigeon or turtledove. It speaks to us of
Christ's total commitment to give Himself for us.
THE MEAL OFFERING (Leviticus 2: 1-16,
6: 14-23) This was a voluntary offering of Thanksgiving, and it could
be offered as fine flour or cooked into bread or wafers. It was
something that man had done; grain required man's diligent
cultivation. By this act the offerer acknowledged that his
benefits came from and through the aid and goodness of God.
THE PEACE OFFERING (Lev.. 3:1-17, 7:
11-38) This was an offering of a consecrated sacrificial animal which
the people joyfully ate together. Their celebration declared, “We
have peace with God”. The peace offering was food for the priest
and worshiper. This sacrifice represents Christ who was the
sacrificial victim for our salvation as well as the sources of our
spiritual substances.
“AND AS THEY WERE EATING, JESUS TOOK
BREAD, AND BLESSED IT, AND BRAKE IT, AND GAVE IT TO THE DISCIPLES,
AND SAID, TAKE, EAT; THIS IS MY BODY” MAT 26:26.
By daily feeding on the word of Christ,
we live and grow into life eternal, and we experience His peace.
THE SIN OFFERING (Lev. 41-5, 13, 14, 6:
24-30) The sin offering was required because man had sinned. Man's
forgiveness involved his repentance and the reliance upon an
atonement. When we repent, we have to trust in Christ's atonement.
The purpose of the sin offering was to restore the priest, the
congregation, the ruler, and the common man. Jesus Christ is our
effectual sin offering. We have boldness, therefore, to enter into
the holy place by the blood of Jesus.
THE TRESPASS OFFERING (Leviticus 5:14-
6:7: 1-10) The trespass offering had two sections: it was for a
trespass against the Lord or a trespass against man. This trespass
was always a ram of the flock. Jesus shed his blood that we might be
reconciled to God and reconciled to one another when we trespass
against each other.
THERE WERE SEVEN FEAST DAYS:
PASSOVER: This was strictly a family
feast held in the homes of the people. Aliens, travelers, or hired
servants could participate. Originally, the Israelites killed a lamb
and applied the blood to the doors of their homes so that the death
angel would pass over their houses. Christ is our Passover Lamb. (1 Cor. 5:7). This feast shows the power of the lamb for deliverance
from death.
UNLEAVENED BREAD: For seven days no
leaven was permitted in the house of the Israelite. Leaven is a
symbol of corruption.. That's why Paul told the Corinthians to purge
out the old leaven (1 Cor. 5: 1-8). Jesus was without spot and
without sin; He had no leaven.
FIRST FRUITS:
This observance involved the bringing of
the first sheaves of grain to the priest who would wave it before the
Lord and offer burnt offerings with meal and drink offerings. It
symbolized that the whole harvest belonged to God. Jesus was the
first fruit---He was the first to arise from the dead. Death could not
hold him because He was sinless.
PENECOST: This prefigured the ministry
of the Holy Spirit. This feast was marked by the offering of raised
bread such as we eat daily, and the priest also waved these loaves
before the lord. We are reminded of Jesus who came to be among us,
providing us with daily bread from heaven for our spiritual
sustenance. He then returned to heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to
us.
TRUMPETS: The trumpet is often used to
symbolize the voice of God. This is symbolic of of the trumpet which
will be blown in the return of Jesus Christ.
DAY OF ATONEMENT: The day of atonement
was very important. It was nine days after the Hebrew New Year and
was the most solemn day of all. It was to be a day of fasting- a day
of humbling one's self before God for all of Israel. Israel was a
separated people showing forth the complete salvation God provided
through Jesus Christ. Jesus is our atonement. Detail instructions
were given in Leviticus 16 for the observance of this day.
TABERNACLES: Two weeks after the day of
atonement, the Israelite's began a week long celebration known as THE
FEAST OF TABERNACLES. During this feast the people dwelt in the
fields in tabernacles or booths to celebrate the fact that God had
brought them through the wilderness into their own land. It was a
joyous time. This celebration allows us to look ahead to Jesus coming
back as The One who was pierced for us in the Day of Atonement and as
THE ONE WHO will live among us.
THE PRIESTHOOD:
THE PRIESTHOOD: The priesthood was
established in Leviticus. Originally God wanted the whole nation to
be priests. The priesthood was eventually comprised of the tribe of
Levi. Chapter nine shows how the Levites began their ministry and
also how they received their instructions and requirements for offering sacrifices for themselves as well as for the people.
Following instructions brought God's blessings. They were to
distinguish between the clean and the unclean. Jesus is our high
priest.
“Seeing then that we have a great
high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God,
let us hold fast our profession. For we have not a high priest that
cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities; but was in
all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore
come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and
find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews (4:14-16)
“But Christ being come an high
priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect
tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this
building.” (Hebrews 9:11)
Theme Verse: “Speak unto the
congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall
be holy: for I the Lord your God AM holy.” Leviticus 19:2
