Holiness unto the LORD

HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD: A STUDY OF LEVITICUS

The complete study (102 pages) can be downloaded as a pdf here.

Dr. Paul Manuel—2016

An Outline of Leviticus

I. Regulations about Required Sacrifices (1: 1-7-39)

A. God teaches the people (1:1-6:7) -

1. The Israelite presents a dedication (burnt) offering to signify his commitment to the LORD (1:1-17).

a. A dedication offering maybe an ox (or cow).
b. A dedication offering maybe a sheep (or goat).
c. A dedication offering may be a bird.

2. The Israelite presents a contribution (grain) offering to signify his support for the sanctuary (2:1-16).

a. A contribution offering maybe unbaked flour.
b. A contribution offering maybe. baked flour.
c. A contribution offering must be without yeast.
d. A contribution offering may be roasted grain.

3. The Israelite presents a reconciliation (peace or fellowship) offering to signify his review of the relationship (3:1-17).

a. A reconciliation offering may be an ox (or cow).
b. A reconciliation offering may be a sheep (or goat).
c. A reconciliation offering may be a bird.

4. The Israelite presents a purification (sin) offering to signify his cleansing from ceremonial defilement (4:1-5:13).

a. The priest may sin unintentionally.
b. the community may sin unintentionally.
c. A leader may sin unintentionally.
d. A person may sin by (unintentional) commission.

• He must offer a lamb.

c. A person may sin by (unintentional) omission.

• He must offer two birds
• He may offer some flour.

5. The Israelite presents a reparation (guilt) offering to signify his payment of the fine (5:14-6:7).

a. A person may sin unintentionally.
b. A person may sin unwittingly,
c. A person may sin underhandedty,

Application: You must seek forgiveness, keeping short accounts with God and man (Matt 5:23-25a.)

B. God teaches the priests (6:8-7:36).

1. The Israelites dedication (burnt) offering is not eaten (at the time) but may accompany a fellowship offering, which is eaten (6:8-13)
2. The Israelite's contribution (grain) offering is given to the priests (6:14-23).
3. The Israelite's purification (sin) offering is eaten by the priest who presents it (6:24-30).
4. The Israelite's reparation (guilt) offering is eaten by the family of the priest who presents it (7:1-10)

5. The Israelite's reconciliation (peace or fellowship) offering may accompany a thank, vow, or freewill offering and be eaten by the priest who presents it (7:11-36).

C. God summarizes the law (7:37-38).

Application: Rejoice that your final redemption will cover both moral and ritual purification (Phil 3:21).

II. Instructions about Aaron's Descendants (8:1-10:20)

A. Moses ordains the priests (8:1-36).
B. Aaron presents his sacrifice (9:1-24).
C. God judges Aaron's sons(10:1-20).

Application: When the Lord issues an unqualified command he expects your unquestioning (and undeviating) compliance (Rom 8:32).

III. Instructions about Rectifying impurity (11:1-15:33)

A. God teaches about food (11:1-47).
B. God teaches about childbirth (12:1-8).
C. God teaches about leprosy (13:1-14:57).

1. There is disease among the people (13:1-14:32).
2. There is disease among the houses (14:33-57).

 D. God teaches about discharges (15:1-33).

1. A man who has a discharge is unclean (15:1-18).
2. A woman who has a discharge is unclean (15:19-33).

Application: Look beyond the particular problem and allow your peripheral vision to consider what else He may want to accomplish (Rom 8:28).

IV. Instructions about Holy Living (16:1-25:55)

A. God teaches about atonement (16:1-34).
B. God teaches about sacrifice (17:1-9).
C. God teaches about (not) consuming blood (17:10-16).
D. God teaches about immorality (18:1-30).

Application: You must not allow the attitudes of the day to shape your assessment of the deed, of what constitutes sin (Rom 12:2).

E. God teaches about (civil and religious) life (19:1-37).

1. Religious responsibilities (19:1-10)
2. Interpersonal responsibilities (19:11-18)
3. Miscellaneous responsibilities (19:19-37)

F. God teaches about punishment (20:1-27)
G. God teaches about priests (21:1-24).
H. God teaches about holy things (22:1-16).
I. God teaches about offerings (22:17-33).

Application: Your struggle against sin may seem unrelenting but it will not be unrewarding (Gal 6:9).

J. God teaches about feasts (23:1-44).
K. God teaches about tabernacle support (24:1-9).
L. God teaches about retribution (24:10-23).

Application: You are not at the mercy of your mouth but are ultimately in control of your conversation (Eph 4:29).

M. God teaches about Sabbatical (Jubilee) years (25:1-55).
N. God teaches about compliance (26:1-46).

1. He helps those who obey.
2. He hurts those who disobey.

a. He will afflict your health.
b. He will afflict your produce.
c. He will afflict your livestock.
d. He will afflict your staple.
e. He will afflict your security.
f. He will afflict your remnant.

3. He hears those who repent.

Application: Your past encounters with difficulty should affect your current empathy toward others (2 Cor 1:4).

O. God teaches about commitments (27:1-34).

1. You may dedicate yourself to the Lord.
2. You may dedicate your animal to the Lord.
3. You may dedicate your house to the Lord.
4. You may dedicate your property to the Lord.
5. You may dedicate your land to the Lord.
6. You may not dedicate what already belongs to the Lord.
7. You must tithe your produce to the Lord.

Application: More than a Jubilee year, God has arranged for you to spend an eternity with him (John 3:36a).

Introduction

Leviticus is probably one of the least read books in the Bible (along with Song of Solomon). Christians have a vague notion of what it treats, and they are satisfied with the little they know: "Leviticus is about sacrifices." At that point their 'understanding' often proceeds down one of two tracks, the literal or the typological, either track allowing them to dismiss the book as irrelevant today. On the literal track they can dismiss the book because "we don't offer sacrifices any more" On the typological track they can dismiss the book because "Jesus fulfilled the sacrificial system." Neither approach, however, does justice to this foundational book of scripture (see "Collections of Books in the Bible" in the Bibliology unit of Manuel 2013b). Leviticus is important because it treats a most important topic, holiness,¹ which should concern all believers because God "saved us and called us to a holy life" (2 Tim 1:9).² Moreover, many of the laws in the book, though addressed specifically to Jews, find support in the epistles and are thus applicable also to gentile believers.³

For a pdf of the complete study of Leviticus (102 pages), see here.