Leviticus 1-3

Up to this point, God has revealed Himself to Moses from the top of Mt. Sinai; now, the Lord calls to Moses from the Tabernacle (i.e., from the midst of His people). He begins with instructions on how voluntary offerings are to be offered, thus providing a means by which His people can draw near to and interact with Him.  He begins with the burnt offering which may incorporate a variety of domestic animals—animals that cost the offerer something. The offerer lays hands on the animal to express his identification with the animal.  The result is that the animal is perceived as a substitute for the offerer.  When performed properly, the burnt offering is a means of acceptance and of bringing God pleasure (cf. vss. 3, 9, 17).  It also provides “kipper” to the offerer.  Most English translations render this Hebrew word as “atonement;” however, the idea is really more about the “removal of evil,” which is the primary obstacle in the divine-human relationship. 

The grain offerings do not function to remove evil (kipper) [a single exception to this is mentioned in 5:11-13], nevertheless, they are a means of pleasing God (cf. vs. 2).  The gift of grain to God is an acknowledgment of God’s gracious provision of the basic necessities of life (cf. Matt. 6:11).  There is no leaven or honey to be added because these ferment (a form of decay) easily, but salt (representing preservation/permanence of the covenant) is to be added.  In short, the grain offerings represent a form of praise.

The peace (also called fellowship or well-being) offering is distinct from the burnt offering in several ways (see chapter 7 for clarification on some of the details that follow).  The most significant is that the offerer shares in eating the meat portions of the animal sacrifice.  The fat is burned on the altar and ascends to God, the  breast and thigh are allotted to the priest, and the remainder is to be eaten by the offerer.  The peace offering had three primary motivations: 1) thanksgiving, 2) payment of a vow, and 3) a free will offering.  In addition to pleasing God, notice that the offerer is benefited by partaking of the sacrifice.  Even though there is a sacrifice that is made, the context for this offering is one of joy, celebration, fellowship, and blessing—much like your next celebration at the local steak house!

You must not read about the offerings without reflecting on how these elements reflect Christ and His work on our behalf!

Leviticus: A Scandalously Brief Introduction

When you approach the book of Leviticus, it is often with trepidation. After all, at first glance, it might best be titled, “15 different reasons to skin a goat.” This said, Leviticus takes the reader on an interesting study of relationship. Primarily, how does sinful man relate to God who is holy? It tells us a great deal about the character of God Himself and makes it clear that to dwell in the presence of a holy God is no light thing. This is perhaps captured best in Leviticus 11:44-45, “For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy…For I am the Lord who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God; thus you shall be holy, for I am holy.” This leads us then to the central idea of the book, and that is, how do you live life in the presence of a holy God?

With all this talk of holiness, it is important not to miss the profound grace that is demonstrated by what is contained in this book. It may be said of Leviticus that “it is God’s love letter to His people;” in fact, its Hebrew title is “And He Called.” As you read through all the technical jargon, all the odd (to us) requirements, all the gruesome (to us) bloodletting, it is easy to get lost. While it will not answer all your questions about why God did things a certain way; keeping in mind that the reason for all these requirements was so that God could dwell among His people and have a relationship with them will help you keep your bearings. The Lord wanted them to be with Him! The only way to accomplish this was to have certain protections in place. Those protections were also designed to teach the people about God, His love for them, and the relationship that they enjoyed with Him in vivid, provocative, and experiential ways. It really is a marvelous display of the lengths to which God is willing to go to be with those He loves.