Page 61 - Pentateuch

Chapter 9: Pentateuch Part IV:
The Sacrificial System: Leviticus 1-10

Connect…

We come now to a neglected book. “Leviticus used to be the first book that Jewish children studied in the
synagogue.” Christians seldom even read Leviticus, let alone learn the spiritual concepts God gave to
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ancient Israel. The instructions are given at Mount Sinai before God leads Israel to the Promised Land. They
have received the law, agreed to the covenant with God, broken the covenant, been reinstated, and built
the tabernacle.

Exodus and Leviticus belong together, explaining how the holy God could ever accompany the rebellious
and sinful people of Israel. Both books record the movement of the glory of the Lord from the top of Mount
Sinai into the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34-38; Lev. 9:23-24), presumably describing the same event. Leviticus
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explains how it could happen. The instructions in Leviticus are necessary if Israel is ever going to get to
Palestine.

The instructions for installing the priests were given in Exodus 29. Now those instructions are implemented.
The connection between instructions and implementation is strong. The section on priests begins with “the
LORD said to Moses (8:1) and records the obedience of Moses, “Moses did as the Lord commanded him
(8:4).” Obedience to God’s commands is recorded throughout this section almost as a chorus to each
paragraph (8:5, 9, 13, 17, 21, 29, 31, 34, 35, 36).

The Lesson ...

The Sacrificial System

The book of Leviticus is God’s revelation to Israel about how to worship him. The bulk of the book consists
of divine speeches that Moses delivered to the people. This emphasis is introduced with the very first word
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of the book, ”Vayikra,” meaning “and he called,” which also serves as the Hebrew title of the book. Most
of the chapters begin with the words “the LORD said unto Moses,” emphasizing God’s initiative. Most of the
chapters are addressed to the people in general rather than to the priests or Levites. The book begins with
“Speak to the Israelites and say to them (1:2).” Only chapters 8-10, part of 16, and 21:1-22:16 are
addressed exclusively to the religious leaders.

The first part of the book is seven chapters about sacrifice, not national sacrifices on behalf of all, but
personal sacrifices. The reader is immediately reminded that sinners cannot approach God without the
shedding of blood. We have already been informed on several occasions about the danger to life for sinful
humans when they come near to God. Now five distinct sacrifices are listed. The responsibilities of the
people are given first, with the responsibilities of the priests following. Note the change in 6:8, “Give Aaron
and his sons this command,” and the summary in 7:37-38.

74 Gordon J. Wenham, The Book of Leviticus (Grand Rapids: Erdmann, 1979), p. vii.
75 Roy Gane, Leviticus, Numbers (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004, p. 52, underscores the exact similarity of language in
Exodus 24:16 and Leviticus 1:1 found nowhere else in the OT, “and he called to Moses.”
76 Allen P. Ross, Holiness to the Lord (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2002), p. 16.
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