Leviticus 1:1

Introduction

Just recently, I was having lunch with another pastor. As we were discussing different elements of ministry I told him that I was planning to preach through Leviticus. As soon as the words came out of my mouth, the pastor simply looked up from his meal and only had one question...Why? This seems to be the biggest question attached to Leviticus. Why would a believer study this book? Is there actual benefit to reading Moses' third book?

Hopefully, the average believer would find it wrong to rip the pages of Leviticus from their Bible. But in a practicality, the believer may neglect it. We may know that it is part of the Word of God, but we certainly don't treat it that way. However, the book should not be read out of simple guilt or a feeling of obligation. It should be read with anticipation. It is the Word of God. In fact, it even tells us so.

Commentary

v 1

Then the LORD called to Moses...

Context
Though Leviticus is a separate book, it should be understood in the immediate context of Exodus 40. Consider:

Now in the first month of the second year, on the first {day} of the month, the tabernacle was erected. Moses erected the tabernacle and laid its sockets, and set up its boards, and inserted its bars and erected its pillars. He spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent on top of it, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. Then he took the testimony and put {it} into the ark, and attached the poles to the ark, and put the mercy seat on top of the ark. He brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up a veil for the screen, and screened off the ark of the testimony, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. Then he put the table in the tent of meeting on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil. He set the arrangement of bread in order on it before the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. Then he placed the lampstand in the tent of meeting, opposite the table, on the south side of the tabernacle. He lighted the lamps before the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. Then he placed the gold altar in the tent of meeting in front of the veil; and he burned fragrant incense on it, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. Then he set up the veil for the doorway of the tabernacle. He set the altar of burnt offering {before} the doorway of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the meal offering, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. He placed the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing. From it Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet. When they entered the tent of meeting, and when they approached the altar, they washed, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. He erected the court all around the tabernacle and the altar, and hung up the veil for the gateway of the court. Thus Moses finished the work.

Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Throughout all their journeys whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the sons of Israel would set out; but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day when it was taken up. For throughout all their journeys, the cloud of the LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel.--Exodus 40:17-38 (emphasis added)

After meticulously following all the Lord had commanded, the tabernacle is ready for worship. The cloud descends upon the tabernacle and fills the tabernacle. Verses 36-38 are really summary verses about the function of the cloud. Really the narrative of this account could transition straight from verse 35 to Leviticus 1. Historically, it could almost be read as: Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle...Then the LORD called to Moses.

While all Scripture is breathed out from God (2 Timothy 3:16-17), this does not mean the text is dictated. However, much of Leviticus is filled with quotations from God to Moses. In fact, the Hebrew name for the book of Leviticus is the word that conveys "the Lord called."

We should read Leviticus for it is like the rest of Scripture: God-breathed and usual for equipping the believer.

We know the book by the name Leviticus, a name derived from the tribe of Levi. Many read the book of Leviticus as a manual or guide for the priesthood. The book is considered relevant only to the priests and those serving in the tabernacle. However, as believers, the function of priests should interest us:

This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, "THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE VERY CORNER {stone,}" and, "A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE"; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this {doom} they were also appointed. But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR {God's} OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.--1 Peter 2:7-10

Peter reminds us that God has transfered us from an unidentifiable collection of nothing particular into a people chosen by God. We've become a nation unto God and each believer is a priest within that nation. This was done with the purpose of proclaiming the excellencies of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Understanding the priesthood should help the believer understand the work of our High Priest, Jesus Christ.

It's also critical to remember that the work of a Christian is to offer sacrifice to the Lord:

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, {which is} your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.--Romans 12:1-2

It is critical to note the particular order in which Paul places things. First, we are to be aware of the gospel message. Paul begins his letter of Romans discussing the gospel and then unpacks details (depravity, justification by faith, imputation of righteousness, believers battle against indwelling sin, eternal security in Christ, power to save both Jew and Gentile, etc.). As he approaches chapter twelve, he states we are to offer our bodies as a sacrifice. This language would not be lost on the reader of that day. Paul is providing the visual of climbing up on the altar ourselves, not to offer a sacrifice, but to be the sacrifice. This cannot be done, however, preceding the gospel.

First, a person must understand Christ's payment on his/her behalf. We must understand that no sacrifice on our part will clean us up enough to be approved by God. We can give up things we love. We can spend more time in a church. We can donate money to other causes. We can make sacrifices and adaptation to our life, but apart from trusting only in the work of Christ on our behalf, we still stand guilty of our sins. The order is clear in Romans...in view of God's mercy. Once the person has trusted the perfect work of Christ, then he offers his life back to Christ in gratitude.

This is not a change in process. The Old Testament saints were not saved by their sacrifices, but instead, their sacrifices were a response to the salvation God had offered them. We can learn a lot by studying the sacrifices offered by the people in accordance to the writings of Leviticus. Likewise, the believer today can offer themselves back to God as a response to His ultimate sacrifice for us.

The Main Character

However, Leviticus should not be read simple as a culture or history lesson.

Now the main point in what has been said {is this:} we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man. For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it is necessary that this {high priest} also have something to offer. Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who offer the gifts according to the Law; who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned {by God} when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, "SEE," He says, "THAT YOU MAKE all things ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN WHICH WAS SHOWN YOU ON THE MOUNTAIN." But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.--Hebrews 8:1-6

We study Leviticus to better understand Christ. The office of the priesthood points to Christ. Utensils used in the tabernacle point to Christ. The sacrifices themselves point to Christ. Even the very tabernacle points to Jesus Christ! It was important that Moses obey all that the Lord commanded him and to the detail, for it was important that the Levitical system would all point to the Messiah.

Conclusion

While many may doubt the relevancy of Leviticus, both inside and outside of the church, we must remember it does not cease to be relevant. In fact, in December of 2008, Leviticus was mentioned in Newsweek Magazine. From the article "Our Mutual Joy", Lisa Miller (religion editor for Newsweek) states:

Twice Leviticus refers to sex between men as "an abomination" (King James version), but these are throwaway lines in a peculiar text given over to codes for living in the ancient Jewish world, a text that devotes verse after verse to treatments for leprosy, cleanliness rituals for menstruating women and the correct way to sacrifice a goat—or a lamb or a turtle dove. Most of us no longer heed Leviticus on haircuts or blood sacrifices; our modern understanding of the world has surpassed its prescriptions. Why would we regard its condemnation of homosexuality with more seriousness than we regard its advice, which is far lengthier, on the best price to pay for a slave?

While Ms. Miller's results are certainly unbiblical, it is understandable how she came to this conclusion. She describes the book as a peculiar text filled with advise on archaic issues. Certainly no text that speaks of treating leprosy, sacrificing animals or selling a slave could have any value for us today. Perhaps Leviticus was valuable in their day, but most of us no longer heed Leviticus on haircuts or blood sacrifices; our modern understanding of the world has surpassed its prescriptions.

While many of us may not trumpet the virtues of homosexual marriage, we may sometimes handle the text in a similar way. Are you able to explain why we eat cheese on burgers today, or trim our beards, or wear multiple fabrics in our clothing? Many would simply answer that those rules are old and to a different society and they don't apply to us. But this is not a Biblically reasoned answer. And if one were to read the article from Lisa Miller, we would understand that this sort of approach to Scripture has a giant ripple effect. Suddenly, other passages and parts of Scripture become irrelevant and obscure too. It no longer matters if the Lord is calling, for we will simply redefine His words.

How does one keep from making the same critical mistakes with the text? A person must be mindful that they come to the text, not to study history and not to learn some simple rules or techniques. They come to text to see Jesus.

We must study Leviticus because God called to Moses and through this book, God also calls to us.

Will we listen?