Leviticus 1- 27: The Sanctification of Israel
INTRODUCTION.
A. Exodus is a book of deliverance. Leviticus is a book of purification and sanctification. The laws and instructions given in Leviticus were intended to sanctify the people of Israel. These laws were intended to drive Egypt out of Israel. (cf. Gal. 3:19, "Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator." (KJV))
B. The author of this book was Moses. The contents of this book were revealed to Moses on Mt. Sinai. (Lev. 25:1,2; 26:46; 27:34) The book may have been written at the end of the 40 years wandering. (Deut. 31:42)
C. The book of Leviticus is an interesting book, but an often neglected book. While the sacrificial system may seem foreign to those of us who know only the New Covenant, the book of Leviticus does help us to have a better appreciation and understanding of why Jesus died on the cross and the sacrifices that we are to making in our lives.
I. TWO SECTIONS: APPROACHING GOD AND REMAINING HOLY.
A. Approaching God. {chart 1}
1. By sacrifice (1-7)
a. the burnt offering (1:1-17)
b. the cereal offering (2:1-16)
c. the peace offering (3:1-17) {thank offering, vow offering, and freewill offering}
d. the sin offering (4:1-5:13)
e. the trespass offering (5:14-6:7)
2. By the priesthood (8-10) {chart 2}
a. The ceremony of consecration. (8:1-36)
(1) washed with water
(2) special garments {tunic, girded with sash, clothed with robe, put on ephod, girded with the intricately woven band of the ephod, put on breastplate, put on the Urim and the Thummim in breastplate, turban on head, on front of turban - the golden plate, the holy crown}
(3) Anointing with oil {tabernacle, altar 7 times and utensils, laver and base, poured on Aaron's head}
(4) Consecrated with blood {sin offering, burnt offering}
b. Installation ceremony (9) {vs 23,24 - God's acceptance}
c. Example of disobedience and the consequences. (10)
B. Remaining Holy.
1. Laws for purity (11:1-15:33) {chart 3}
a. clean and unclean food (11:1-47)
b. childbirth (12:1-8)
c. leprosy (13:1-14:57)
d. discharge (15:1-33)
2. National atonement (16:1-34) {chart 4}
a. preparation (16:1-5)
b. personal atonement for high priest (16:6-14)
c. atonement for the people (16:15-19)
d. bearing away of guilt (16:20-22)
e. final cleansing (16:23-28)
f. continuing observance of the ceremony (16:29-34)
3. Do not eat the blood of an animal. (17:10-16) {chart 5}
4. Laws against sexual sins. (18:1-30)
5. Social laws. (19:1-37)
6. Penalty for worshiping idols. (20:1-27)
7. Regulations for the priesthood. (21:1-22:33)
8. Feasts of worship. (holy times and seasons) (23:1-44) {chart 6} {charts: Israel's Annual Feasts & Israel's Other Sacred Times}
a. the sabbath (23:1-3)
b. feast of unleavened bread (23:4-8)
c. feast of first fruits (23:9-14)
d. feast of Pentecost (23:15-22)
e. day of atonement (23:23-32)
f. feasts of booths (23:33-36)
g. nature of holy convocations (23:37-38)
h. feasts of booths, cont. (23:39-43)
i. the nature of announcements (23:44)
9. Elements of worship. (24:1-9) {chart 7}
10. Respect for the name of God, life, limb, and person. (24:10-23)
11. Law of sabbath year. (25:1-7)
12. Law of year of jubilee. (25:8-17)
13. Additional statutes. (25:18-55)
14. Final exhortation to holiness. (26:1-44) {chart 8}
a. requirements of obedience (vs 1-2)
b. condition and result of obedience (3-13)
c. condition and result of disobedience (14-39)
d. promise of restoration (40-46)
15. Regulations of vows and tithes. (27:1-34)
II. IMPORTANT LESSONS TO BE LEARNED FROM LEVITICUS.
A. Sinful man can approach God. {chart 9}
1. Under the old law, provisions were given so that man could be brought near to God. These provisions were the offerings seen in chapters 1-7. (The offerings had to be of their best.)
2. Under the New Covenant, provisions were made in the offering of Jesus Christ so that sinful man can approach God. (Heb. 9:12-15; cf. Eph. 5:2)
B. The priests spent their lives in service to God. We too are to spend our lives in service to God. (I Pet. 2:9-10) {"...royal priesthood..."}
C. The priests offered sacrifices to God. We too are to be offering sacrifices unto God.
1. "...a living sacrifice,..." (Rom. 12:1)
2. "...sacrifice of praise...with such sacrifices God is well pleased." (Heb. 13:15-16)
3. "...to offer up spiritual sacrifices,..." (I Pet. 2:5)
D. God made clear to Israel His desire for them to obey His every command.
1. The Lord promised to bless Israel greatly if they walked in His statutes and kept His commandments. (Lev. 26:3,4,5,6,7,9,12)
2. The Lord also promised to punish Israel if they departed from His commandments. (Lev. 26:14,16,17,19,38)
3. God expects us to also obey His commands.
a. Paul used Israel as an example of God's people falling. (I Cor. 10:1-13)
b. The writer of Hebrews warns, "For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,..." (Heb. 10:26)
c. Jesus taught the absolutely necessity of obeying His commands. (Matt. 7:21-27)
CONCLUSION.
A. After Israel was delivered from the Egyptian bondage, the Lord had to drive Egypt out of Israel. The book of Leviticus contains the instructions and laws that would allow Israel to be purified and sanctified.
B. It is possible for people of this day and time to also be purified and sanctified.
1. Hebrews 13:12 reads, "Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate." (Heb. 13:12)
2. I Peter 1:2 reads, "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied." (I Pet. 1:2)
C. Please take the opportunity afforded to you by the sacrificing of Jesus on the cross of Calvary. The price has been paid so that you might be redeemed. Take this opportunity today to choose to obey the word of the Lord.
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Leviticus 1-27: The Sanctification of Israel (Old Testament Series) - August 1, 1999 - File 666
by John M. Duvall -- Lawton, OK