Leviticus Overview

Context

Story begins with humans in God’s presence, but they are banned because of their rebellion.

But, God desires to redeem His people and chooses Abraham’s family to do so.

As we traced through the book of Exodus, God gives instructions and even restores His presence to His people, dwelling in the tabernacle — a portable Eden — in their midst. But, remember that the presence of God is so intense that not even Moses the magnificent can enter in. To enter inappropriate literally spells death.

So, if it is good to have God’s presence restored, this type of curse-reversal, even if it is only a shadow of His presence returning among His people, then why is it all of a sudden dangerous?

Think of God’s presence kind of like the sun. The sun is good and necessary for life on our planet, but if something mortal gets too close to the sun, what happens? It is consumed. God is like that, and the term that we use to describe God’s pure and powerful presence is holy/holiness. He is both good and dangerous, and the book of Leviticus shows how sinful Israel can live near God’s goodness without being destroyed. The book offers three ways that Israel can do so:

PRACTICES

PRIESTHOOD

PURITY

The book divides into seven sections to communicate these truths:

The ritual practices are dealt with in chapters 1-7 and 23-27.

The priests are dealt with in chapters 8-10 and 21-22.

The purity laws are dealt with in chapters 11-15 and 18-20.

Practices

The book begins with rituals centering largely around offerings and animal sacrifices. These instructions are quite detailed, and they include ways of saying thank you to God (grain and fellowship offerings) while others are ways of saying sorry (burnt offering, sin offering, and guilt offering).

Then, at the end of the book, there is an inclusion of more rituals centering around sacred days and festivals retelling some part of the story of how God rescued Israel and set them apart from the nations.

Priests

As we’ve noted, being in God’s presence was/is particularly dangerous. So, priests are appointed as special representatives who can journey into this sacred space on behalf of others to represent them to God, and when they return, they represent God to others.

The first section of the priesthood explain the ordination process of priests, while the latter section informs the priests of the higher standards they are called to live by. After all, they must maintain a level of moral purity because of their close proximity to the presence of God.

Purity Laws

These tend to prove the most difficult to understand in the book. These sections really are concerned with ideas like clean vs. unclean, pure vs. impure. Here’s what’s important to remember: when you’re in a pure state, you can be near God’s presence. Conversely, if you’re in an impure state, you cannot. Since this is the case, it seems rather important to be able to determine what state your are in!

There is first a list of pure and impure animals. They are divided up into where they live, land, sea, and air. What makes an animal pure or impure? The text really isn’t clear on this answer, nor is it clear why touching or eating them will make you impure. What is clear is that avoiding these animals is meant to set Israel apart, reminding them that God’s holiness should affect every area of their lives, extending even to what they eat.

Following the food laws, there are rules concerning skin diseases, touching dead bodies, bodily fluids…but they’re not random. All of them are associated with life and death, sacred things because God is the author of both life and death.

Simply coming in contact with these things makes you impure…which certainly should be distinguished from sinful. There are remedies to deal with ritual impurities that center around a period of time coupled with symbolic washings and/or sacrifices. What is inappropriate is entering into God’s presence while in an impure state.

The second series of purity laws deal with Israel’s moral behavior, broaching such topics as justice ministry, relationships, and sexual integrity. As Israel lives according to these laws, they will be a morally pure people able to live near God’s presence.

Back to the Center

All of these laws center around these middle two chapters, 16-17. And right in the middle is the focal point of it all: Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

As the people of Israel has grown, and as there are sins obviously being committed (and in all likelihood NOT always being dealt with appropriately), God provides a solution. Once a year, the high priest is to take two goats, killing one and carrying the blood right into God’s presence. This symbolically covers and atones for Israel’s sin. The meaning is explained when God says the blood of a creature is its life (Lev.17:11 “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.”) The goat’s life is offered as a substitute, receiving God’s punishment so that the people don’t have to endure it. PROPITIATION

Now concerning the second goat, the priest lays hands on it and confesses all of Israel’s sin, as if he is placing the sins of the people on the goat. Then, the goat is cast out into the wilderness forever. This is the scapegoat. Pay attention to how God graciously REMOVES Israel’s sin. EXPIATION

While we don’t often think of sacrifice today…we might even call it a barbaric practice, especially in light of Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice…it was common practice in the ancient world. Actually, sacrifice was typically used to buy the favor of gods that tended to be rather fickle. But, against the backdrop and as a contrast to this cultural setting, YHWH, Israel’s God, sets Himself apart. While yes, His anger is aroused by Israel’s sin and rebellion, it’s NEVER arbitrary. He loves and intends to live with and redeem His people, and He provides a clear way for His people to know with confidence that they are forgiven. In the process, they know it is safe to live near His presence.