Bible in 365 Days

Leviticus 1-4

Leviticus 1

The Book of Leviticus is the Book of Laws. It first deals with laws of dedication concerning the offerings, all of which have to do with the divine provision for the people's approach to Jehovah in worship. Five offerings are named. The first, dealt with in this chapter, was the burnt offering, suggesting the need of personal dedication to God. Those who are admitted to the place of worship are such as have utterly failed to render their life to God thus perfectly. Therefore the offering they bring must be slain and burned. In this arrangement was set forth the truth of substitution as being the only way in which a sinning man can draw near to worship. The spiritual sense of the reader will see throughout the whole of these studies how the ideas embodied in the ancient economy found their fulfillment in Christ. It is not the purpose of these notes to dwell on this fact, but rather to attempt to discover the simple significance of the laws to the men to whom they were given, as was the case in our consideration of Exodus.

Leviticus 2

In the meal offering was presented another side of the great truth of personal dedication. In itself the offering was of the work of man's hands, the fruits of the ground, the result of civilization, manufacture, and preparation. Through it the people were ever reminded that their approach to God demanded that they offer to Him a perfect service as well as a perfect life. Dedication of life is a condition for service. Service is its true reason and finest expression. A man whose life is imperfect necessarily renders an imperfect service.

If by the burnt offering the truth of substitution for life is taught, in the meal offering the provision of a perfect service in place of an imperfect one is as clearly set forth. In a perfect life there would be no necessity for the sacrificial burnt offering because the life in itself is acceptable to God. That, of course, was the truth about the life of Christ. Moreover, such life has no need of the specific meal offering, for all the service which it renders is perfect. Where life has failed, it can approach only through sacrifice, and where service has failed through the imperfect life, the offering suggesting perfection is necessary.

Leviticus 3

In the peace offering new elements are manifest Here one part was to be burned with fire and thus offered directly to God, while another part was returned from the altar to the worshiper for his own sustenance. In this offering, then, the great fact of acceptance and communion established on the basis of sacrifice and dedication is portrayed. It is indeed the peace offering forevermore speaking of peace established between the worshiper and God.

The basis of this peace is found in the offering through the death of the guiltless for the guilty, and the complete dedication of the worshiper to God. It is therefore the offering suggesting fellowship between God and the worshiper when all the reasons for disagreement have been banished and peace naturally ensues. To the sinner no such place of communion is possible, but in the offerings substitution is revealed as the way of dedication, which, in turn, admits into such communion with God sacrifice characterized by peace

In these three offerings the sinner has been dealt with as such by nature. In each case the offering has been voluntary. The facts of specific and personal sins have not been dealt with.

Leviticus 4

We come now to the consideration of the sin offering. In the light of the divine holiness sin is seen, whether it be willful or not, and provisions must be made for its expiation. In the instructions, arrangements were made for the priest, the congregation as a whole, a ruler, and one of the common people. In each case a bullock was to be taken and a sevenfold ceremony followed It was surely impossible for any Hebrew to make the offering for sin without being brought into an overwhelming sense of its hatefulness to God, and, moreover, without having suggested to his mind the fact that God does make provision of grace whereby approach is made possible.

An order of responsibility is revealed in that provision is made first for the priest, then for the congregation, then for the ruler, and finally for the individual. While it is recognized that in the priest or the ruler sin is more pernicious on account of the influence each exerts, no man can excuse himself by transferring blame to others. It will be observed that through all these arrangements concerning the sin offering, responsibility is recognized with the knowledge of the sin. It is when a man's sin was made known to him that he was expected to bring his offering. Let it not be thought, however, that sins of which a man is unconscious can be lightly excused. For these, sacrificial provision was also made in the offering on the great Day of Atonement, which will be considered in due course.