OT Survey - 6 - Leviticus

All content is derived from A Survey of the Old Testament by Andrew E. Hill and John H. Walton, with additional insights from R.C. Sproul's Dust to Glory. Further sources referenced are listed in the reference section below.

Leviticus is a manual of priestly regulations and duties and a handbook of instructions prescribing “holy living”

— The Hebrew title of the book, “And he called,” is taken from the first line of the text

— The English name derives from the Greek title Λευιτικόν (Leuitikon ) given in the Septuagint and meaning “pertaining to the Levites”

The Writing of the Book

Authorship of Leviticus

— The human author is not named, but the phrase "The Lord said to Moses" appears over 25 times.

— Traditional View (Jewish & Christian Scholars):

— Attributed to Moses, based on Exodus references to Moses writing down divine commandments.

— Multiple Authorship Hypothesis (Deuteronomy Approach):

— Assigns Leviticus to the Priestly (P) source, written by unknown Levitical priests between 550–450 BC.

— Emphasizes rituals, purity laws, and genealogies.

— Support for Mosaic Authorship:

— No compelling reasons to deny the antiquity and authenticity of Moses as the recipient of Yahweh's commandments.

— Leviticus was given during Israel’s 11-month stay at Sinai after the Exodus.

Dating Leviticus

— Early Date (Late Bronze Age, 1550–1200 BC):

— 18th Dynasty Egypt (Thutmose III as Pharaoh of Hebrew oppression, Amenophis II as Pharaoh of the Exodus).

— Late Date (Transition from Bronze to Iron Age, 13th Century BC):

— 19th Dynasty Egypt (Ramses II as likely Pharaoh of the Exodus).

Comparisons to Other Ancient Near Eastern Religions

Similarities:

Ritual purification, anointing, and sacrifice (both animal and human) existed in Mesopotamian, Egyptian, and Canaanite religions.

Priestly classes, peace offerings, and burnt offerings were common.

Differences:

Direct divine revelation and theophany in Hebrew religion.

Strict monotheism vs. polytheism of surrounding nations.

Moral and ethical foundations contrast with fertility cults of Canaan.

Yahweh’s holy and righteous character vs. capricious pagan gods.

Prohibition of human sacrifice, unlike other Near Eastern religions.

Purpose and Message

— Summarized in the command to “consecrate yourselves and by holy, because I am holy...” (Lev 11:44-45)

— The first part (chapters 1-10) outlines the procedures for worship

— The second part (chapter 11-27) prescribes how the covenant people of God are to translate the idea of holiness into daily living

Structure and Organization

— A natural extension of Exodus 25-40.

— Exodus concludes with the assembly and dedication of the tabernacle

— Leviticus begins with God addressing Moses from “the tent of meeting” about the prescriptions for the worship and service to take place there

— The simple conjunction “and” in Leviticus 1:1 (omitted in the NIV) indicates that the two books are to be read as one continuous record

— The Hebrew name for the book is “And He called” taken from the first sentence

Major Themes: Holiness

— Key Command: "Consecrate yourselves and be holy, for I am holy" (Leviticus 11:44-45).

— The book is divided into two major sections:

Chapters 1-10: Instructions for approaching Yahweh in worship.

Chapters 11-27: Instructions for holy living in daily life.

— Purpose: To instruct the Hebrew community in holy worship and holy living so they could experience Yahweh’s presence (Leviticus 26:1-13).

Concept of Holiness in Leviticus

— Holiness = Separation from the mundane for service and worship to Yahweh.

— Distinctions in Holiness:

— Holy vs. Common

— Clean vs. Unclean (Leviticus 10:10-11)

— These distinctions helped order Hebrew life in relation to God and the natural world.

The Relationship Between Holy, Common, Clean, and Unclean

— Common things were either clean or unclean.

— Clean things could become holy through sanctification but could also become unclean through pollution.

— Holy things could be profaned and become common or even unclean.

— Unclean things could be cleansed, then sanctified to become holy.

The Role of Cleansing and Sacrifices

Causes of Uncleanness:

— Disease, contamination, infection, and sin.

Cleansing required:

— Ritual washing and sacrifices to restore holiness.

Importance of Purity:

— God’s presence dwelled in the Israelite camp within the Tabernacle.

— It was imperative to prevent uncleanness from coming into contact with God’s holiness (Leviticus 7:20–21, 22:3; Numbers 5:2–3).

— Failure to prevent contamination resulted in death (Numbers 19:13, 20; Numbers 15:32-36; Joshua 7).

New Testament Perspective on Holiness

Apostle Paul’s Understanding:

— All humans are unclean due to sin from Adam’s fall (Romans 5:6-14).

— Jesus’ atonement cleanses, elevates to cleanness, and sanctifies repentant sinners (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

Call to Holiness:

— Matthew 5:48: "Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

— 1 Peter 1:16: "Be holy, because I am holy."

Holiness is realized through obedience to Scripture and yielding to the Spirit (Romans 6:1-23, 8:12-17).

Major Themes: Sacrifice

— Purpose of Ritual Sacrifice

— Sacrifice was a means for the Hebrew people to gain access to Yahweh alongside prayer (Jeremiah 29:12) and repentance (Isaiah 66:2).

— Sacrificial practices were common in Mesopotamian and Syrian-Palestinian religions, but Israel’s system was distinct as it was divinely revealed and focused on holiness.

Types of Sacrifices in Leviticus

Grain (Cereal) Offering – Thanksgiving offering.

Peace (Fellowship) Offering – Celebration and gratitude.

Whole Burnt Offering – Complete devotion to God.

Sin Offering – Purification from unintentional sins.

Guilt (Trespass) Offering – Atonement for specific wrongdoing.

Categories of Sacrifices

Voluntary offerings (thanksgiving and praise):

— Grain and peace offerings (Leviticus 2:1–16, 3:1–17).

2. Mandatory offerings (required for purification after sin):

— Burnt, sin, and trespass offerings (Leviticus 1:3–17, 4:1–5:13, 5:14–6:7).

Purpose of Sin Offerings:

— To purify the holy place from desecration due to sin.

— To restore sinners to fellowship with God and the community.

The Role of Blood in Atonement

— Leviticus 17:11: "The life is in the blood."

— Blood sacrifices were required for symbolic cleansing in God's presence (Hebrews 9:21-22).

— The Hebrew word for atonement (KPR) means purging sin from holy objects, maintaining the sanctity of God's presence.

— Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) in Leviticus 16 was the most significant ritual for national atonement.

Sacrifices Were Not for Eternal Salvation

— Old Testament sacrifices did not provide eternal salvation but preserved holiness and relationship with God.

Salvation under the Old Covenant:

— Based on faith in Yahweh and obedience to the covenant (Genesis 15:6; Habakkuk 2:4).

— Sacrifices symbolized a heart attitude of repentance.

Prophetic Teaching on True Worship

— Sacrifices alone were not enough—God desired repentance and obedience:

— 1 Samuel 15:22-23 – "To obey is better than sacrifice."

— Psalm 51:16-17 – "A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."

— Prov 21:3; Isaiah 1:12-17, Jeremiah 7:21-23, Hos 6:5; Amos 5:21-24, Micah 6:6-8 – True worship requires righteousness, justice, and obedience.

Sacrifice and Forgiveness

— Forgiveness was granted to those with a repentant heart (2 Samuel 12:13, Psalm 51:1, 16-17).

— Confession, prayer, and intercession also played a key role in forgiveness (Exodus 32:11-30, Isaiah 6:5-7).

New Testament Fulfillment in Christ

— Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice:

— John 1:29-34 – "The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."

— John 10:1-21 – "The Good Shepherd lays down His life for His sheep."

— Hebrews 9-10, Romans 5:6-11 – Christ’s crucifixion was the once-for-all sacrifice for sin.

— Hebrews 10:10, 12 – Christ fulfilled the Day of Atonement ritual in Leviticus 16.

New Covenant Sacrifices

— Instead of animal sacrifices, believers offer spiritual sacrifices through Christ (1 Peter 2:5):

— Generous and cheerful giving (Philippians 4:18).

— Praise and thanksgiving (Hebrews 13:15-16, Psalm 50:13-14).

— Prayer and intercession (Revelation 5:8, 8:3-4).

— Evangelism (Romans 15:16-17, Isaiah 66:20).

— Selfless service, even to death (Romans 12:1-2, Philippians 2:17, 2 Timothy 4:6, Revelation 6:9).

Limitations of Levitical Sacrifices

— Levitical sacrifices only covered unintentional sins.

— Premeditated and malicious transgressions had no specific atonement sacrifice.

Summary of the Levitical Calendar and Sabbath Laws

The Levitical laws extended holiness to the calendar, aligning religious festivals with Palestine’s agricultural cycle to acknowledge Yahweh as provider and sustainer (Leviticus 23:4-44).

— The Sabbath command (Leviticus 23:1-3) prefaced the religious calendar and:

— Reminded Israel that Yahweh is the Creator (Exodus 20:8-11).

— Instilled a sense of timelessness in worship and a holy perspective on time.

— Provided rest and refreshment for humans and animals.

— Allowed Israel to enjoy labor and life as a gift from God (Ecclesiastes 2:24-26; 5:18-20).

— Served as a covenant sign of Israel’s special relationship with Yahweh (Exodus 31:12-17; Leviticus 26:2).

— By the time of Jesus, legalism had obscured the Sabbath’s original purpose (Matthew 12:1-4; Mark 7:1-13).

The Sabbath for the Land and the Poor

The Sabbath cycle applied to the land:

— After six years of cultivation, the land was to lie fallow in the seventh year (Leviticus 25:1-7).

— This provided for the poor and disadvantaged, who could glean from the uncultivated land (Exodus 23:11).

— Deuteronomy expanded the sabbatical year laws, including:

— Debt cancellation (Deuteronomy 15:2-8).

— Generous relief for the poor.

— Release of Hebrew slaves.

The Jubilee Year (Year of Emancipation)

— Occurred after seven sabbatical cycles (every 50 years) (Leviticus 25:8-14).

— The land was sanctified, and property reverted to its original owners.

— Designed to promote social and economic equality and uphold covenant principles:

Thanksgiving for God’s past provision and faith in His continued sustenance.

Forgiveness and debt remission.

Respect for human dignity through the release of enslaved persons.

Generosity and stewardship through land redistribution.

Failure to Observe the Sabbath Laws

Jeremiah attributed Israel’s exile to neglecting sabbatical laws, rejecting covenant instruction, and failing to honor Sabbath principles (Jeremiah 25:8-14).

The exile served as a forced Sabbath for the land, fulfilling the Levitical command that the land must rest (2 Chronicles 36:17-21; Leviticus 18:28).

R.C. Sproul

References

Hill, A. E., & Walton, J. H. (2009), A survey of the Old Testament (3rd ed.). Zondervan Academic.

Sproul, R. C. Dust to Glory. Ligonier Ministries, 2010.