Emunahאֱמוּנָה · Hebrew : Faith
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Leviticus

The book of Leviticus is broken into three main sections: Rituals - the outer sections, Priests - the middle sections, and Purity - the inner sections. The center of the book of Leviticus is dedicated to the Day of Atonement. The book ends with chapters 26 and 27 being a call to faithfulness and covenant relationship between God and the whole community of Israel.

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Outer Section: Rituals

The first section of Leviticus outlines the rituals and offerings that God instructs Moses to give to the people of Israel to keep for when they enter the land God promised them. He instructs Moses on the way these rituals and offerings are to be performed and what goes into the process of each ritual and offering.

Offering System:

  • Burnt Offering: The burnt offering is defined as an atoning sacrifice meant to cleanse and restore the people of Israel for their sins. It was designed to bring those offering the sacrifice back into fellowship with God. Depending on the status of the individual, a male bull, ram or bird with no physical defect could be offered to the priest who would then make the sacrifice to God. (Lev. 1:1-17)
  • Grain Offering: The grain offering is defined as a sacrifice meant to honor God as a gift. It was designed to be a form of worship to God. The grain offering could be grain, choice flour, or baked breads with olive oil, frankincense, and salt. (Lev. 2:1-16)
  • Peace Offering: The peace offering is defined as a form of sacrifice meant to express gratitude and thanks to God. This would be done through a meal with family and friends as a form of worship. The peace offering could be any animal from the flock or herd, along with baked breads. (Lev. 3:1-17)
  • Sin Offering: The sin offering is defined as a sacrifice meant to make atonement from unintentional sin such as ritual impurity, neglect or thoughtfulness (what you think about). This practice would be practiced the most often as the people needed to ensure that they remained in right standing with God, although they may not be aware of the sins they committed. This sacrifice required an animal with no physical defect. The type of animal sacrificed depended on status and station of the individual. (Lev. 4:1-5:13)
  • Guilt Offering: The guilt offering is defined as a sacrifice meant to pay for the sins committed against God and against people in the community, whether knowingly or unknowingly. The type of offering required was a lamb or ram with no physical defect. (Lev. 5:14-6:7)
  • Further Instructions: Chapter 6:8 through 7:38 allows for the people to get a deeper understanding and outline as to what is required from them for their offerings to be accepted as a pleasing aroma to God. In these portions of scripture, we as the reader begin to see a delineation as to what would not be accepted due to uncleanness and the required posture of the people when presenting their offerings.

“No matter where you live, you must never consume the blood of any bird or animal. Anyone who consumes blood will be cut off from the community.” (Lev. 7:26-27)

Annual Festivals

  • Passover: The Passover is a celebration meant to commemorate God sparing the first born children of Israel when he killed the first born children in all of Egypt while the Israelites were still enslaved. A special meal is prepared during this celebration and the people put the blood of a sacrificed animal on their doorposts. The festival is meant to take place on the 14th day of the 1st month (March - April).
  • The Festival of Unleavened Bread: The festival of unleavened bread is a celebration commemorating Israel’s departure and freedom from Egypt and slavery. The Israelites are to eat bread without yeast for seven days and a holy assembly is to be held on the first and last days of the festival. The festival is to take place after the completion of the Passover on the 15th day of the 1st month (March - April).
  • The Festival of the First Harvest: The festival of the first harvest is a celebration of the beginning of the grain harvest with an offering of new grain. It is a commemoration of Israel’s entry into the Promised Land. The festival is to take place the day after the Sabbath during the festival of unleavened bread.
  • The Festival of Harvest: The festival of harvest is a festival of thanksgiving as well as a covenant renewal. It is signified through an offering of new grain. The festival takes place on the 50th day after The Festival of the First Harvest, which would be at the end of the grain harvest.
  • The Festival of Trumpets: The festival of trumpets is a festival celebrating a special Sabbath that is observed with a holy assembly and loud trumpet blast. The festival takes place on the 1st day of the New Moon of the 7th month (September-October).
  • The Day of Atonement: The day of atonement is the most solemn day of the year. It is a special Sabbath and fast when the high priest makes atonement for all of Israel’s sins. The day of atonement takes place on the 10th day of the 7th month (September-October).
  • The Festival of Shelters: The festival of shelters is a celebration of the last harvest of the year. It is considered a pilgrimage festival to commemorate Israel’s living in temporary shelters in the wilderness. The festival of shelters takes place the 15th through the 21st days of the 7th month (September-October).

Periodic Festivals

  • Sabbath: The Sabbath is a weekly day of rest from all work, commemorating God’s rest from the work of creation and his rescue of Israel from slavery. The observance of this day each week brought blessing to the individual and the community of the people of Israel. The sabbath was every 7th day.
  • The New Moon Festival: The New Moon festival was a festival where special sacrifices were made and a feast was prepared to remind Israel of God’s faithful provision for his people. The New Moon festival took place every 1st day of the month.
  • The Sabbath Year: The Sabbath year was a sabbath rest for the land by not cultivating or harvesting anything. The Sabbath year took place every 7th year, similar to the sabbath day.
  • The Jubilee Year: The Jubilee year was an additional Sabbath year. All land was to be given back to its ancestral owner, according to the genealogical records. All debts were forgiven amongst the Israelites and all Israelite slaves were freed. The Jubilee Year took place every 50 years, counting from the Day of Atonement.

Additional Festivals

  • Purim: The festival of Purim was added later in Jewish history. It is a celebration including feasting and gift-giving to commemorate God’s rescue of the Jews from their enemies through Esther. The festival of Purim takes place every 14th or 15th day of the 12th month (February-March).
  • Dedication (Hanukkah): The celebration of Hanukkah is a commemoration of the Temple’s rededication in 164 BC after being defiled by Antiochus IV Epiphanes. The celebration of Dedication or Hanukkah takes place the 25th through the 31st days of the 9th month (November-December).

Middle Section: The Priests

The second section of Leviticus is all about the Priests. These portions of scripture not only outline the way to ordain the priests from generation to generation, but it also outlines the qualifications and requirements for a priest to remain in their post and the consequences if they fall short of their duties, qualifications and requirements.

Notes:

  • Chapter 8: The Ordination of the Priests
  • Chapter 9: The work of the priests begin. Aaron and his descendants are appointed to be priests over the Tabernacle as their inheritance. The Levites are appointed to work under and with Aaron and his descendants as their inheritance for their obedience while the other tribes were rebellious. Moses performs the sacrifices as prescribed by God and Aaron and his sons are to repeat this ritual.
  • Chapter 10: The consequences of disobedience as it pertains to the priesthood. Because Aaron was the High priest, the one who could atone for Israel and enter the Most Holy Place in the Tabernacle, the Lord’s instructions were clear: that it must only be the High Priest. However, Nadab and Abihu, two of Aaron’s sons, took it upon themselves to touch the sacred articles designated only for the High Priest. As a result, they burned the wrong kind of incense. The Lord, in his fierce anger, sent a blaze of fire, burning and killing Nadab and Abihu.

“Then the Lord said to Aaron, ‘You and your descendants must never drink wine or any other alcoholic drink before going into the Tabernacle. If you do, you will die. This is a permanent law for you, and it must be observed from generation to generation. You must distinguish between what is sacred and what is common, between what is ceremonially unclean and what is clean. And you must teach the Israelites all the decrees the Lord has given them through Moses.’” (Lev. 10:8-11)

  • Chapters 21-22: The qualifications of priests and how they represent the people to God and how they represent God to the people. They must have the highest level of moral integrity and ritual holiness. They are given instructions into their conduct and to the work performed in the Tabernacle.

“ ‘You must faithfully keep all my covenant commands by putting them into practice, for I am the Lord. Do not bring shame on my holy name, for I will display my holiness among the people of Israel. I am the Lord who makes you holy. It was I who rescued you from the Land of Egypt, that I might be your God. I am the Lord.’ “ (Lev. 22:31-33)

Inner Section: Purity

Notes:

  • Chapters 11-15: Instructions are given as to what animals are considered clean and unclean to the Israelites, the purification that takes place after childbirth, the types of skin diseases that can infect the people of Israel and how to be cleansed from the skin diseases, the types of bodily discharges there are and what to do when these discharges happen.
  • God stresses that while they will, at some point, be impure, their impurity is only temporary. He indirectly assures the people of Israel that these impurities are normal.
  • In outlining these instructions of ritualistic purity, he gives the people of Israel a reminder that they are a reflection of God’s holiness and in keeping with these standards of purity, it has a direct impact on every aspect of their lives.

“Those who suffer from a serious skin disease must tear their clothing and leave their hair uncombed. They must cover their mouth and call out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ As long as the serious disease lasts, they will be ceremonially unclean. They must live in isolation in their place outside the camp.” (Lev. 13:45-46)

  • Chapters 18-20: Instructions are given in regards to moral purity. The Israelites are given instructions about forbidden sexual practices, their holiness in their personal conduct, and the types of punishments that come with their acts of disobedience.
  • Part of their personal conduct includes food, the treatment of other Israelites, and the treatment of gentiles and non-Israelite peoples.
  • In outlining these instructions of moral purity, God is giving the people of Israel a distinction to that of the Canaanites and the other foreign nations surrounding them in the wilderness.

Center of Leviticus: The Day of Atonement

Notes:

  • Chapter 16: The Day of Atonement is issued following the death of Aaron’s two sons. The Lord gives strict instructions about the way that Aaron is allowed and not allowed to enter the Inner room, the Most Holy Place, of the Tabernacle. The consequence of entering the Most Holy Place without safeguards or without reverence is death. The ritual is performed in two parts.
  • Part One: The first part of the day of atonement is Aaron’s sin offering. He must follow the sin offering ritual in order to redeem himself of his sins. This also includes the sins of his family as they are a part of the priestly line.
  • Part Two: The second part is the atoning sacrifice for the community of Israel. Two male goats without defect must be selected and lots cast to see which of them will be sacrificed as the sin offering and which will be sent into the wilderness carrying the sins of the community of Israel. Once the lots are cast, the goat selected for the offering will be sacrificed. Then the second goat will be taken and the community of Israel must lay their hands on the goat and Aaron will confess the sins of the people for that year. This will transfer their sins to the goat and a man selected from the community will drive the goat into the wilderness.
  • Sabbath after Atonement: The people of Israel are issued a decree by God that on the tenth day of the appointed month in autumn, the people living in the community of Israel - native born and foreigners alike - must rest as they would during their regular sabbath days. It was declared as a permanent law for all generations of the people of Israel.

“ ‘This is a permanent law for you, to purify the people of Israel from their sins, making them right with the Lord once each year.’ Moses followed all these instructions exactly as the Lord had commanded him.” (Lev. 16:34)

  • Chapter 17: Instructions are given as to what is considered an inappropriate form of worship. Specific actions and places of sacrifice would be considered guilty in the eyes of the Lord. Impure or defiled animals being used as a sacrifice would always be an inappropriate and unacceptable form of worship.
  • God also makes it clear that sacrificing to any other God would be unacceptable and would result in not only the people being guilty, but would warrant God turning away from them and allowing them to suffer the consequences to their actions.

Conclusion

Notes:

  • Blessings for Obedience: The blessings of obedience to the covenant were an assurance from God. They included on time seasons, plentiful harvests, peace in the land that was promised to them, and enemies being driven out of their land. God promised to look favorably on them and to ensure continued fertility and multiplication of the generations.
  • Curses for Disobedience: The curses of disobedience to the covenant were also an assurance from God. Should the people of Israel violate any part of the commands and laws they were given, God promised that he would bring sudden terrors, disease, their enemies ruling over them, death by animals, natural disasters, their enemies and even their own children. God promises that the longer that they continue to disobey the commands and laws given to them, the worse the curses will get, by seven times over for the sins they committed.
  • Vows and Tithes: Instructions were given to the community of Israel regarding how they would make vows. The value of what people were worth is given depending on gender. God also outlines how much an animal would be worth according to the sanctuary shekel. Instructions are given as to when property, animals, and even people can be given/bought back, giving specific instructions for Israelites and for foreigners.

“However, anything specifically set apart for the Lord - whether a person, an animal, or family property - must never be sold or bought back. Anything devoted in this way has been set apart as holy, and it belongs to the Lord. No person specifically set apart for destruction may be bought back. Such a person must be put to death.” (Lev. 27:28-29)

Key Memory Verses

Reflection Questions

Recall

  • Setting

    • Mount Sinai

  • Author

    • Believed to be Moses

  • Meanings/Message

    • God is Holy, and he expects his people, whom he has rescued, to be holy just like he is

Outline

  • 1:1 - 7:38 - The Offering System
  • 8:1 - 10:20 - The Institution of the Priesthood
  • 11:1 - 15:33 - Regulations Pertaining to Purity
  • 16:1-34 - The Day of Atonement
  • 17:1 - 26:46 - Expression of Holiness in the Community
  • 27:1-34 - Regulations Pertaining to Vows and Tithes
Chapter Summaries