OVERVIEW: The Burnt Offering (Chapter 1); the Meat (meal, grain) Offering (Chapter 2); the Peace Offering (Chapter 3); the Sin Offering (Chapter 4); the Trespass Offering (Chapter 5).
HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:
We have now come to what is for many people one of the most challenging sections of the entire Bible. It is challenging, not because the language is difficult to understand, or because the information is difficult to process. It is difficult because all of the intricate details regarding the sacrifices and feasts seem to be so irrelevant, and therefore, reading through chapter after chapter of them just inevitably becomes boring and monotonous. But the reason most Church Age believers think it’s irrelevant is simply because they have mistakenly assumed that Leviticus has no application to us, because of Christ’s once-for-all offering of Himself we no longer offer animal sacrifices or celebrate the Jewish feasts. But, keep in mind that God tells us in 2 Timothy 3:16 that “ALL scripture is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,” and Romans 15:4 tells us that the things written in the Old Testament “were written for our learning!” So, just what do the teachings in the Book of Leviticus have to do with our lives today? Well, consider the following:
• Leviticus contains more words spoken directly by God Himself than any other book in the Bible. (Lev 1:1)
• Leviticus is quoted more than 40 times in the New Testament. Apparently, there is something very important that God wants to communicate to us in the Book of Leviticus!
• Without Leviticus we could never understand the New Testament Book of Hebrews, or much of the terminology used in other New Testament Books. Leviticus foreshadows and pictures many New Testament truths regarding the person and work of Jesus Christ.
• David continuously and emphatically declared that he delighted in God’s “statutes.” (Psa. 119:16, 54, 80) Many of God’s “statutes” are recorded in the Book of Leviticus. (Lev. 3:17) Apparently then, David, the man after God’s own heart, actually DELIGHTED in the Book of Leviticus!
• The Book of Leviticus reveals that God, through Jesus Christ, has prepared three things for us…
1. A SACRIFICE. (Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God—John 1:29)
2. A PRIEST. (Jesus Christ, the great High Priest—Hebrews 3:1)
3. A PLACE. (Heaven, where Jesus Christ is enthroned—1 Peter 3:22)
• But not only has God prepared these three things for us, He has also made each of us who are “in Christ”…
1. A SACRIFICE. (Rom 12:1–2)
2. A PRIEST. (1 Pet. 2:5)
3. A PLACE. (Eph. 2:22)
The purpose of the Book of Leviticus is twofold: first, to show us that we must worship the Lord in holiness (the word “holy” or some form of the word appears 94 times in Leviticus!); and second, to show us that worship is the only pathway to peace, rest and fruitfulness. God will not give us peace, rest or fruitfulness until we are worshiping Him in holiness.
Historically, the events recorded in Leviticus occur at the door of the Tabernacle over a period of one month. (Lev. 1:1; Ex. 40:17; Num. 1:1) Having delivered His children by the blood of the lamb (the Book of Exodus), God plans to take them to a place of peace, rest and fruitfulness, but before they embark on their journey, they must first establish worship. The Book of Leviticus is Israel’s instruction book on worship. The word “Leviticus” means “that which pertains to the Levites” and is so called because the tribe of Levi was chosen by God to be Israel’s “worship leaders.” The word “Levi” means “joined to God,” and because the Levites were “joined to God”, they had no inheritance in the promised land; God was their inheritance.
Leviticus chapters 1 through 5 describe five types of sacrifices, all of which are an incredible prophetic picture, of both the Lord Jesus Christ and New Testament believers.
Chapter 1 – The Burnt Offering. This offering represents the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ. As believers, this offering points us to the New Testament reality that we are to offer our bodies as “living sacrifices, holy, acceptable unto God.” (Rom. 12:1) Note that the head and fat of the animal is laid upon the wood (1:8), a picture of you and me laying our plans, our wills, our treasures and all that we are upon the cross of Christ. (Lk. 9:23) Notice also, that the “inwards and the legs” were to be washed in water (1:9, 13), representing our “inner man” (Eph. 3:16) and our “walk” (Col. 1:10) being washed with the water of the word of God! (Eph. 5:26–27)
Chapter 2 – The Meat (or the Meal or Grain) Offering. This is the only bloodless sacrifice. It represents the sinless life of Jesus Christ. The remnant of this offering was given to Aaron’s sons (2:10), picturing Christ’s righteousness given to believers. (2 Cor. 5:21)
Chapter 3 – The Peace Offering. This offering represents the peace which Jesus Christ purchased for us with His own precious blood. (Col. 1:20; Eph. 2:14) Note that the kidney, caul and liver, the organs used to filter out poisonous toxins, were taken away. Through this sacrifice, God teaches us that we have permanent genuine peace with Him through our Savior Jesus Christ, who has taken away the poison of our sin.
Chapter 4 – The Sin Offering. This offering reveals how Jesus Christ has given believers victory over our sinful nature, the flesh. The sin talked about in this chapter is “ignorant sin,” referring to sin that mysteriously permeates our flesh; sin that is so deeply rooted in us that we are sometimes even unaware of it. (See Psa.19:12; 90:8; 139:23–24; Jer.17:9; Rom. 7) Note that the whole body of the bullock (an ox or horned cow) was to be taken outside of the camp and burned, picturing the fact that our flesh is of no value or use to God and must, therefore, be “mortified” and “put off.” (Col. 3:5-17; Rom. 6:1-23)
Chapter 5 – The Trespass Offering. This offering represents Christ’s victory over specific individual sins, also called trespasses. This is the only sacrifice associated with money. (5:15) Truly, “the wages of sin is death.” (Rom. 6:23) Thanks be to God, Jesus Christ has paid the price for our sins with His own precious blood! (Acts 20:28)
In today’s reading, it will become obvious that the Book of Leviticus is a book of violence and blood. In fact, the word “offering” occurs 387 times, and the word “blood” appears 88 times. Why would a loving God require such horrible violence? For several reasons:
1. “Without the shedding of blood there is no remission” for sin. (Heb. 9:22)
2. God never wants us to forget the horrific consequences of sin. (Jam.1:15)
3. God wants us to know that He loved us so much that He voluntarily subjected His Son to the bloody violence of the cross to pay the price of our sin. (Lev. 1:3; Rom. 5:8)
4. We are in a violent war with our flesh. (Rom. 7:23)
5. God desires to have every part of us, severally and wholly, and that can be very excruciating! (Col. 3:5; Rom. 8:13)
CHRIST IS REVEALED:
As our VOLUNTARY SUBSTITUTIONARY SACRIFICE – Leviticus 1 (The Burnt Offering) Who lived a SINLESS LIFE – Leviticus 2 (The Meat Offering) And purchased PEACE WITH GOD – Leviticus 3 (The Peace Offering) By PAYING the PRICE for our SINS – Leviticus 4 (The Sin Offering) And giving us VICTORY over our FLESH – Leviticus 5 (The Trespass Offering)