Leviticus: The Book of Worship & Holiness

1:1- 17, 17:11, 20:7,8

The Burnt Offering

1 The LORD called to Moses and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting. He said, 2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When any of you brings an offering to the LORD, bring as your offering an animal from either the herd or the flock. 3 ” ‘If the offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to offer a male without defect. He must present it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting so that it will be acceptable to the LORD. 4 He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him. 

5 He is to slaughter the young bull before the LORD, and then Aaron’s sons the priests shall bring the blood and sprinkle it against the altar on all sides at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 6 He is to skin the burnt offering and cut it into pieces. 7 The sons of Aaron the priest are to put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. 8 Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall arrange the pieces, including the head and the fat, on the burning wood that is on the altar. 9 He is to wash the inner parts and the legs with water, and the priest is to burn all of it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD. 

10 ” ‘If the offering is a burnt offering from the flock, from either the sheep or the goats, he is to offer a male without defect. 11 He is to slaughter it at the north side of the altar before the LORD, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall sprinkle its blood against the altar on all sides. 12 He is to cut it into pieces, and the priest shall arrange them, including the head and the fat, on the burning wood that is on the altar. 13 He is to wash the inner parts and the legs with water, and the priest is to bring all of it and burn it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD. 

14 ” ‘If the offering to the LORD is a burnt offering of birds, he is to offer a dove or a young pigeon. 15 The priest shall bring it to the altar, wring off the head and burn it on the altar; its blood shall be drained out on the side of the altar. 16 He is to remove the crop with its contents and throw it to the east side of the altar, where the ashes are. 17 He shall tear it open by the wings, not severing it completely, and then the priest shall burn it on the wood that is on the fire on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD.

…

17:11 For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.

…

20:7 ” ‘Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the LORD your God. 8 Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the LORD, who makes you holy.

In chapter 1, the word “priest” = 9 times. So, “Leviticus” = the name of the book, from “Levi” the tribe of priests, the third son of Jacob.

Last Sunday, Exodus – the book of Departure, Freedom, Salvation, Mission. 1 Kings 6:1, Exodus = took place 480 years before the first year of Solomon’s reign in Israel. That year was 966 B.C. So, the Exodus happened 1446 B.C. Yes, this was a historic event.

The book Exodus began in pain and ended in liberty and freedom – moved from the groaning of the people to the glory of God. In our story, if we are really saved and redeemed by the grace of God, our next job is worship – this must be our lifestyle – this is the next style.

Romans 12:1 “Therefore, my brothers, I urge you to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, this is your spiritual act of worship.”

• Exodus = Salvation, Redemption, Mission – deliverance
• Leviticus = Holiness, Worship – dedication, devotion

Last week, Moses always said, “Let my people so SO THAT we may worship the Lord.”

The farewell from pharaoh to Moses, “GO! Up! Worship your Lord.”

So, the first job that all people did when they arrived at Mt. Sinai was to build the Tabernacle (House of Meeting) – the “church”. Exodus ends with this tabernacle filled with the glory of God. Exodus 40:17 “On the first day of the first month of the second year, the tabernacle was set up.” They finished building the tabernacle one year after Exodus.

• Leviticus 1:1 “The Lord called to Moses and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting…”
• Numbers 1:1 “The Lord spoke to Moses from the Tent of Meeting on the first day of the second month of the second year…”

What can we know from these two stories?

1. At the end of Exodus, they finished building the tabernacle. First day, first month, second year.
2. Numbers = First day, second month, second year.

From this story, we can know Leviticus = NO moving, travel, geographical journey – they stayed camped at Mt. Sinai for one month and heard – listened to the voice of the Lord. This was a “short, intensive course” from God directly. In Leviticus, we can see 35 times “The Lord spoke…”

Leviticus references (35):

Leviticus 1:1, Leviticus 4:1, Leviticus 5:14, Leviticus 6:1, Leviticus 6:8, Leviticus 6:19, Leviticus 6:24, Leviticus 7:22, Leviticus 7:28, Leviticus 8:1, Leviticus 10:8 (Aaron – the first High Priest), Leviticus 11:1, Leviticus 12:1, Leviticus 13:1, Leviticus 14:1, Leviticus 14:33, Leviticus 15:1, Leviticus 16:1, Leviticus 17:1, Leviticus 18:1, Leviticus 19:1, Leviticus 20:1, Leviticus 21:1, Leviticus 21:16, Leviticus 22:1, Leviticus 22:17, Leviticus 22:26, Leviticus 23:1, Leviticus 23:9, Leviticus 23:23, Leviticus 23:26, Leviticus 23:33, Leviticus 24:1, Leviticus 25:1, Leviticus 27:1, Leviticus 27:34

“These are the commands the Lord gave Moses on Mt. Sinai.”

Leviticus = God’s handbook for Newly Redeemed People –

1. how to worship,
2. how to serve,
3. how to work for him, with him,
4. how to obey him.

This all shows the HOLINESS of God. Key verse: 20:7,8 “You should be holy because I’m holy.”

From salvation -> service, deliverance -> devotion.

This is the handbook for the Levitical priesthood.

Let me introduce a summary of Leviticus:

27 chapters, with 2 main sections:

1-17 = Section 1 (sacrifice – how to worship/approach God)

1. 1-7: 5 main offerings
   1. burnt offering – with a bull or sheep or goat without defect – poor people could use male dog or pigeon – should be TOTALLY burned and consumed – this is a voluntary act of worship for unintentional sin in general – expression of devotion, commitment and love – total and complete devotion to God
   2. grain offering – with grain, fine flour, incense, salt, bread – without yeast or honey – this was joined with burnt offering and fellowship offering – in recognition of God’s goodness and provision
   3. peace (fellowship) offering – could be done with any animal – with any animal, a sign of thanksgiving and fellowship with God – also fellowship with each other – they ate together
   4. sin offering – elements were very different – ordained priests for the whole community – bull, leader – male goat, ordinary people – female goat should be given – poor people – dove OK, for VERY poor people – fine flour – this was COMPULSORY – for specific, unintentional sin – forgiveness from sin and cleansing
   5. guilt offering – given with a ram or lamb (What’s the difference between sin/guilt offering? Guilt = requiring payment for other people – restitution – they must REPAY others 20% of the fine)

18-27 = section 2 (sanctification – holiness, how to walk with God)

1. Laws of the priests – for sanctification, consecration, ministry of the priesthood
   1. chp 11-15 = clean food, unclean food, etc – childbirth, leprosy, etc
   2. chp 15-17 = laws of national atonement for the Day of Atonement – how to sacrifice to God
   3. 18-27 = section 2 (sanctification – holiness, how to walk with God)
      1. 18-20 = Laws of sanctification for people – sexual sin, social order
      2. 21-22 = Laws of sanctification for priests
      3. 23-24 = Laws of sanctification in worship – 7 feasts here –
      4. 25-26 = Laws of Sanctification in Canaan
      5. 27 = Law of Sanctification through vows

ALL these seven feasts POINT to JESUS

1. Feast of Passover
   1. feast of redemption, salvation – HE is our Passover lamb who takes away the sin of the world (Acts 4:12 “Salvation is found in no one else…”)
2. Feast of Unleavened Bread
   1. they received manna and quail for 40 years in the desert – Jesus said, “I’m the Bread of Life – if you eat this bread, you will live forever.” – He was born in Bethlehem = “The house of Bread”
3. Feast of First fruits
   1. First fruits = Easter (1 Cor 15:27 “Jesus Christ has indeed been raised from the dead as the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep”)
4. Feast of Pentecost (”Pente” = 5)
   1. The HS came down from heaven in the place of Christ on the 50th day after his resurrection – this is the Beginning of the Age of Church for world evangelization
5. Feast of Trumpets
   1. This represents the rapture of the whole church when Jesus returns (1 Thess 4:16, 17 “The Lord Jesus will come down from heaven with a LOUD voice, with a TRUMPET call and the dead in Christ will rise again – and the church will be caught up in the clouds to meet him and live with him forever”)
6. Feast of the Day of Atonement
   1. The HIGHEST of the Holy Days – this will be fulfilled (how? when?) when Jesus returns
7. Feast of the Tabernacle
   1. Heaven – Jesus’ shelter in the world to come

Feast times

• 1-3 = spring feasts (March, April)
• 4 = summer feast (May/June)
• 5-7 = fall feasts (Sept/Oct)

4. 25-26 = Laws of Sanctification in Canaan
5. 27 = Law of Sanctification through vows

Question: (serious and practical question and practical lesson) yes, even though they were redeemed and saved by the grace of God, still, were unholy and sinful – God is absolutely totally holy and righteous (Habakkuk “God is too holy to SEE unholy”)

Question: How can an unholy person acceptably approach to an absolutely holy God and remain in continued fellowship and relationship with that God?

This is the most important question that the book of Leviticus gives us.

Answer: (always the SAME – OT and NT) – offering, blood sacrifice, by the help of the mediator (in this story – priest (Jesus is our High Priest as well))

That’s why the whole book of Leviticus is full of the words “priest, offerings, sacrifice” – it has much MORE of these books than any other.

• NIV: “priest” = 149, “offerings” = 210, “sacrifice” = 28
• KJV: “priest” = 155, “sacrifice” = 43ish

Wow.

In our story, our Lord Christ is:

1. our perfect and eternal High Priest AND
2. our perfect and eternal blood sacrifice

In world history, all priests are just copies and shadows of the TRUE, eternal High Priest, – this is why through the mediation of Jesus, we can worship God.

Comparison and contrast: human/Jesus

• Man: changeable (died)
  • vs. Jesus: unchanging (always alive, always the same)
• Man: offer for himself first and then others second (he is unholy)
  • vs. Jesus who is sinless
• Man: enter the Holy of Holies ONCE every year
  • vs. Jesus offered ONCE for ALL forEVER “once for all, once for all, once for all”
• Man: offered the blood of animals
  • vs. Jesus: the blood of a man – his own blood – the most precious, most expensive, purest blood
• Man: did not die for others
  • vs. Jesus died for ALL others
• Man: could not interceded for us in heaven
  • vs. Jesus: STILL interceding for us NOW in heaven Romans 8:~ “Jesus who was crucified and raised for us – is sitting at the right hand of God and is interceding for us”
• Man: came from earth
  • vs. Jesus came from heaven
• Man: showed the way to the presence of God through the gate of the tabernacle through the curtain
  • vs. Jesus who IS the GATE, he IS the WAY – this is WHY when he was crucified on the cross, the curtain was torn in half from top to bottom immediately

That’s why we are called the “body of Christ” and the head of the church is Jesus Christ.

• 1 Timothy: “There is only one God and ONE mediator between God and man.”
• Heb 9:22 “Without shedding the blood, there is no forgiveness – no remission of sins.”
• 1 John 1:5 “The blood of Christ purifies us”
• “He is the propitiation for our sins – and for the sins of the whole world.”

Let me close with one more story:

New Testament – Hebrews = a direct commentary on Leviticus – it is “today’s Leviticus” – it ALSO contains “priest, offering, sacrifice” more than ANY other book in the NT:

Hebrews commentary:

“Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever” – we are very familiar with this – but from this context, narrowly speaking, it means Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever in BECOMING our High Priest in the presence of God

(Think on the contrast btwn human high priests and Jesus)

• Hebrews 2:17-18 “For this reason, he had to be made like his brothers in every way in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God and he might make atonement for sins in from of God….”
• Hebrews 4:14-16 “Therefore, since we have a great High Priest who has gone through the heavens, let us hold firmly to the faith we confess, for we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses – for he was tempted in every way as we are…”
• Hebrews 7:23-27 “Now, there have been many of those priests since death prevented them from continuing in office – but Jesus lives forever, for he has an eternal priesthood – so he is able to perfectly save sinners… He does not need to offer sacrifices day after day. He sacrificed for their sins ONCE FOR ALL when he offered himself.”
• Hebrews 8:1-2 “The point is this, we do have such a high priest who set down from the throne in heaven – the tabernacle set up by the Lord in heaven, not by men.”
• Hebrews 9:11-15 “When Christ came as the High Priest, he went through the tabernacle that is not man-made. He entered the most holy place ONCE FOR ALL by his own blood – having gained redemption. How much more then will the blood of Christ, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death so that we may serve God – therefore, Christ is a mediator between God and man – the author of a NEW covenant.”
• Hebrews 9:24-26 “For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one. Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again to offer with blood that was not his own – but now he has appeared ONCE FOR ALL to do away with sin.”
• Hebrews 10:10-12 “And by that will we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ ONCE FOR ALL – day after day the priests offer sacrifices which can NEVER take away sins – but when THIS priest sacrificed ONCE he sat down at the right hand of God.”
• Hebrews 13:11,12,15 “The high priest carries the blood of animals into the most holy place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the city gate – likewise, Jesus… Through Jesus, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise…”

“Therefore, brothers, I urge you to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, for this is your spiritual act of worship.”

Let’s pray.