The First Five Books. Leviticus. Theology

The First Five Books. Leviticus. Theology

A Theological Glance at Leviticus

The theology of Leviticus is centered around the idea of holiness. To be holy means to be set apart for a special purpose. This was Israel’s job. God had set them aside for his purpose of bringing a blessing to all nations. Leviticus sets up the guidelines for maintaining holiness and returning to holiness when one fails. There were four things set apart as holy for Israel:

  1. The Tabernacle as a place to worship God.
  2. The rituals as a means to worship God
  3. The priests as facilitators to help worship God.
  4. The times of Sabbath, feast, Sabbatical and Jubilee years as places to worship God.

Israel could walk with God through the participation in the sacrificial system established by God. These sacrifices rendered a person holy because he or she accepted the atoning benefits of the sacrificed animal.

Holiness takes on a moral perfection as the Code of Leviticus 17-25 demonstrates.

The Sacrificial System

The book of Leviticus begins with seven chapters of sacrifices. These seven chapters are often overlooked by the modern reader because the material is so foreign to the contemporary mind-set. The author simply provided a description of what sacrifices should occur without explaining the sacrifices to his audience. Most likely this was done because the original audience knew what the meaning of the sacrifice was and did not have to be reminded of it.

We must always remember as readers of the Old Testament that the OT is set in light of the covenant that God made with Israel. The same is true about these chapters on sacrifices. The covenant relationship can be seen in three ways:

  1. The sacrifice which was offered was a gift to the Covenant God.
  2. Some of the sacrifices were intended to be understood as seeking communion with their Covenant God.
  3. The sacrifice offered was a point of healing of broken relationship with their Covenant God.

When Israel sinned, they were provided a way to return to fellowship with God and receive forgiveness. It is important for the modern reader to understand that the focus of the sacrifices was not on blood, but what blood represented, death. It was because of the death of a sacrifice that forgiveness was forthcoming.

Burnt Offering

This offering was probably the most frequent offering given by a worshiper. The worshiper brought an unblemished animal to the priest. The priest would prepare the sacrifice. The need for an unblemished animal was because it represented a price paid by the one giving the sacrifice. Anyone could bring a deformed animal which was no good to the worshiper and, therefore, did not cause him to pay a price for the sacrifice. Dependent on the economic status of the worshiper, different kinds of animals were used. The act of laying one’s hand on the head of the animal to be sacrificed gave a visual perception of identification to the worshiper. The sacrifice was performed to make atonement for the one who had sinned. The whole animal with the exception of the skin, which went to the priest, was burnt as a gift to God.

The Burnt Offering

Purpose
To atone for unwitting sin

Kind
Male lamb without blemish or two birds

Nature
Completely burned

Action of the Offerer

  1. Brings offering
  2. Places hand on head
  3. Slays, skins
  4. Cuts into pieces

Action of the Priest

  1. Accepts offering
  2. Throws blood against altar
  3. Places pieces on fire
  4. Washes entrails, legs

The entire sacrifice was consumed on the altar. The lamb was offered each morning and evening, reminding Israel of her devotion to God.

Grain Offering

Sometimes called the Meal Offering, this sacrifice was often performed along with the Burnt Offering. The sacrifice put emphasis on the gift function. It was given out of love to their Covenant God. It involved fine flour, oil, and incense. The incense provided a pleasant smell to the sacrifice. Part of the flour and oil was given to the priests as a gift to support them.

Fellowship Offering

This offering was often called the Peace Offering. The worshiper could offer several kinds of animals. The outcome of this sacrifice was a corporate meal which celebrated the relationship of the worshiper with his Covenant God.

Purification Offering

Sometimes called the Sin Offering, this sacrifice was for the removal of sin from the worshiper. This offering was specifically for those who had sinned unintentionally (Lev. 5.1-6; 15.22-31).

The Meal Offering

Purpose
To secure or retain good will

Kind
Fine flour, cakes, wafers, first fruits with oil, frankincense, salt but no leaven or honey; usually accompanied by animal sacrifice.

Nature
Burned

Action of the Offerer
Brings offering, takes handful

Action of the Priest
Burns handful; Priest and sons eat remainder. The only offering which did not involve the life of an animal, but consisted primarily of the products of the soil, which represented the fruits of man’s labor.

Guilt Offering

This offering adds a twenty percent payment to make up for the offense committed. It is often called the Trespass Offering.

These offerings, while foreign to our modern mind-set, give us some understanding of the seriousness of sin in our life. For the Old Testament believer, the forgiveness of sin cost the life of an animal. For the New Testament believer, the forgiveness of sin cost the life of Jesus on the Cross. His life for ours. Such a deal!

The Trespass Offering

Purpose
To atone for unwitting sin; requires restitution

Kind

  • Priest – bull
  • Ruler – male goat
  • Whole congregation – young bull
  • One of the people – female goat sheep
  • Poor person – 2 birds
  • Very poor – flour

Nature
Burned

Action of the Offerer
Makes restitution quickly; Brings offering (Elders for congregation)

Action of the Priest

  1. Accepts offering
  2. Throws blood against altar
  3. Burns fat, etc.
  4. Eats meat, if his own sin is included; burns portion outside of camp

Purity

Cultic purity is a major concern of the Levitical law. It is sometimes referred to as cleanness. Some of the topics that are mentioned in Leviticus are food (11), childbrith (12), skin disease and mildew (13-14), and discharges (15). The purity of the camp had to be maintained because God was present.

Theological Considerations

  • The sacrificial system was a visual demonstration of the grace of God in action. It provided a way to prepare to enter the presence of a holy God.
  • Holy and righteous living is a benefit of serving a holy God.

Toward the New Testament

The book of Leviticus centers on sacrifice and holiness. It demonstrated the way to return to God when sin occurred in the life of a Jewish person. The individual and nation needed to remain sinless because they were set apart to God, who was holy. In the center of all the ceremonialism was the high priest. In Hebrews, we are told that Jesus is the perfect high priest and that he was, once for all time, sacrificed for our sin (Heb. 9).

Questions for Reflection

  • Why do you think that death for life was instituted by God?
  • How does your “folk theology” react to the idea that it is not “blood” that the focus of sacrifice is on, but violent death symbolized by blood?
  • Why do you think that Leviticus is so difficult to read? Could it be because it is about sacrifice and holiness?

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by drwinn on September 26, 2012

Tagged as , , in Bible,DrWinn's Guides,Old Testament

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