Leviticus



SONG LYRIC OF THE WEEK:

May or may not be connect to the Bible study, but just fun to exercise the mind.


Band: Big Wreck

Song: Wolves 

2012


Oh mark my words

In between the lines

And every little piece

Of the story's entwined


I always told my side my way


Oh, there was no more room

In the packet of wolves

They wouldn't let me in

Saw the mission was afoot


They showed us all we were without


Oh, they said bleed out your heart

If it's still beating for someone else

Trap all those chains

That keep you tethered, that keep you safe






Leviticus


Leviticus is the third book of the Bible, and it flows directly out of the events in the previous book of Exodus. Israel has been freed from slavery in Egypt, and they’ve gathered at the foot of Mount Sinai to enter into a covenant relationship with God. However, as soon as they agreed to the relationship, they rebelled and violated the foundational terms of the covenant. God had wanted his glorious presence to dwell in the midst of Israel within the tabernacle, but their sin damaged the relationship so that even Moses, Israel’s representative, was unable to enter the tent.


Who Wrote the Book of Leviticus?

Many Jewish and Christian traditions hold that Moses is the author of Leviticus. However, authorship is not explicitly stated within the book.


Key Themes

  • God’s care for the poor, vulnerable, and mistreated
  • Faithfulness to the covenant
  • Remembrance of who God was and is
  • God’s requirements for the Israelites to be holy so that he might dwell in their midst

Structure

The structure of Leviticus is divided into three parts. Chapters 1-7 explain five types of ritual sacrifices, 8-15 detail priestly qualifications and ritual purity, and 16-27 outline annual feasts, moral goodness, and Israel’s covenant faithfulness.





Leviticus Overview: A Holy God and a Rebellious People

The book of Leviticus opens by immediately reminding us of this problem: “The Lord called to Moses from the tent” (Lev. 1:1). Moses’ inability to enter the tent is an image of the relational rift between God and Israel. How can God’s peo­ple, who have proven selfish and rebellious, be recon­ciled to the holy God? That’s what the book of Levit­icus is all about­—how God graciously provides a way for sinful, corrupt people to live in his holy presence.

Now, let’s pause for a moment to explore this core idea that God is “holy” because it’s foundational for understanding this biblical book. The word means simply “to be set apart, unique.” And in the Bible, God is set apart from all things because of his unique role as Creator and the author of life itself. God is holy, and when he shows up in person, the space around him also becomes holy and set apart because it’s permeated with God’s life, power, and purity. If Israel wants to live in God’s holy presence, they also need to become holy by dealing with their sin. That’s what the book of Leviticus is all about.


Leviticus has an amazing symmetrical literary design, expl­oring three main ways that God enables Israel to live in his presence. The outer sections (Lev. 1-7 and 23-25) describe the rituals Israel is to practice in the presence of God’s holiness. The inner sections (Lev. 8-10 and 21-22) focus on the role of Israel’s priests as mediators between God and Israel. Inside those are two matching sections (Lev. 11-15 and 18-20) that focus on Israel’s purity. At the center of the book (Lev. 16-17) is a key ritual, the Day of Atonement, that brings all the themes of the book together. Finally, the book concludes with a section (Lev. 26-27) where Moses calls Israel to be faithful to the covenant.



What does “Leviticus” Mean?

“Leviticus” is the Latin transliteration of the Greek Leuitikon, which means “connected to those from the tribe of Levi.” The name Leviticus reflects the importance of a group of priests from Israel’s tribe called the Levites, or the Levitical priesthood. The Levites are given a unique priestly role to offer sacrifices and care for the tabernacle, where God chooses to dwell among his people.


However, the book of Leviticus includes instructions for the Levites and teaching for all Israel about how to live as partners and friends of God—as a kingdom of priests and holy people (Exod. 19:6). As such, the people are set apart by God for the purpose of blessing all the families or nations of the Earth (see Gen. 12:2-3).



Leviticus is the center or the Torah:

  • Genesis
  • Exodus
  • Leviticus
  • Numbers
  • Deuteronomy

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