Lesson No. 4—Bring Your Bible to Bible Class for Scripture Readings.

LESSON THEME:—LEVITICUS

Leviticus 1:1-8.

• KEYWORD—”HOLINESS” (Mentioned 87 Times).

• KEYVERSE—Leviticus 19:2.

• KEYPHRASE—”MAN’SHOLYWALKWITHGOD.”

Home Readings.

Read the whole of Leviticus this week if possible. If not, then the following selections.

• Sunday—Burnt Offering, Leviticus 1:1-8.

• Monday—Consecration, Leviticus 8:1-12.

• Tuesday—Pure Food, Leviticus 11:1-8.

• Wednesday—Walk of God’s People, Leviticus 19:1-18.

• Thursday—Day of Atonement, Leviticus 23:26-38.

• Friday—Conditions of Blessings, Leviticus 26:1-17

• Saturday—Things which are the Lord’s, Leviticus 27:26-34.

NAME—The book is called Leviticus because it gives fully the functions of the Levites, who ministered about the Tabernacle.

As soon as the Law, which shuts out man from God was given; provision was made for access to God apart from the Law altogether. In this book the way of access is set before us. Therefore it might also be called “the book of access to God.”

AUTHOR—God is the author of this book through Moses. More than any other book in the Bible it consists of the words of God. Fifty-six times in the twenty-seven chapters in the declaration made, “And God spoke to Moses.”

Time of writing, about 1490 B. C. Written at Sinai. Covers a period of a month, when Israel was at Sinai.

PURPOSE—To record the laws concerning the sacrifices and ordinances, which were to govern the priests in the service of the Tabernacle. Ceremonies were prescribed that were to teach the guilt of man, and the holiness of God. The food and sanitary regulations were to be distinctive marks of a chosen people. Everything in the book has a spiritual significance. The Epistle to the Hebrews should be read in connection with it, for there we learn that the Law was a shadow of good things to come—the Gospel realities!

STORY OF THE BOOK—Here the Lord gives His people instructions concerning the different sacrifices and offerings. An account is given of the consecration of Aaron and his fellow priests, and how they began their priestly functions. Then comes the judgement upon Nadad and Abihu for presenting strange fire—a sin of presumption. God demands holiness from His redeemed people, so the record is given of the Day of Atonement. Different feasts are divinely appointed, and the Sabbath, Sabbatic Year and the Jubilee Year are instituted.

GREAT FACTS:—

1. Sacrifices.

2. Consecration.

3. Holiness.

4. Feasts.

5. Institutions.

Great Fact. I. Sacrifices.

Leviticus 1; Leviticus 2; Leviticus 3; Leviticus 4; Leviticus 5; Leviticus 6; Leviticus 7.

The Burnt, Meal, Peace, Sin and Trespass Offerings

1. The Burnt offering presented the idea of an atonement, and provided the way for reconciliation with God.

2. The Meal offering was a Thanksgiving offering.

3. The Peace offering represented fellowship and communion with God.

4. The Sin offering suggests Christ on the Cross in the sinner’s stead.

5. The Trespass offering reminds us that Christ also atoned for the trespasses we commit against others.

All of the offerings of the old Testament fall under one of these five heads. The offering of bullock, sheep, goat, turtle dove or pigeon, was determined by the ability of the offerer.

These sacrifices did not in themselves satisfy God. They were object lessons to a people in spiritual youth, and pointed to the person and sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ.

LESSON—Because of the holiness of God man in his sin is excluded from His presence and can be accepted only on the ground of the shed blood of the divine sacrifice.

Great Fact. II. The Consecration of the Priests.

Leviticus 8; Leviticus 9; Leviticus 10.

No one was permitted to bring his own offering to God, it was necessary for a priest to stand between man and God. Neither could the priest consecrate themselves, it was done by Moses, acting for God. All that the priests could do was to present themselves. So with us, see Romans 12:1.

When the priests presented themselves they were cleansed, clothed, anointed, their hands filled, and food given them, the very experience of the believer.

LESSON—Christ is not only our Saviour, but our High Priest. He and He alone, is the only one appointed to stand between the sinner and God. We approach god today, not by means of any priest on earth, but through our great High Priest, even Jesus, who is now at the right hand of the Father.

Great Fact. III. Holiness Demanded.

Leviticus 11; Leviticus 12; Leviticus 13; Leviticus 14; Leviticus 15; Leviticus 16;
Leviticus 17; Leviticus 18; Leviticus 19; Leviticus 20; Leviticus 21; Leviticus 22.

The word “Holy” occurs 87 times, and has reference to:—

1. Food.

2. Disease

3. Personal Habits.

One reason for those laws concerned the health and morals of the people. Only that which was clean in the divine estimate was to be their food. So God prescribes His Word as the most suitable spiritual food for His redeemed people.

Another reason points to the design of God to keep Israel a separate nation. The Holy One demands that His people, whom He has redeemed and made high, must be a holy people.

Leviticus 16; is the great Atonement chapter of the Bible. On the Day of Atonement, and only on this day of the year, the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies. He also transferred the sins of the people to the scapegoat, which bore them away into the wilderness—a type of the work of Christ. He not only lays down his life for our sins, but bears them away, so that they can nevermore be found, Isaiah 43:25.

Great Fact. IV. The Feasts.

Leviticus 23.

1. Feasts of Passover,

2. Pentecost,

3. Tabernacles, and

4. Trumpets.

The Passover was held in the spring, and commemorated the saving of the first-born in Egypt. It lasted one day and was immediately followed by the feast of Unleavened Bread (seven days), making together one feast of eight days.

The Passover typifies redemption, and the Unleavened Bread a Holy Walk, Galatians 5:7-9.

Pentecost was observed 50 days after the Passover, and was a hind of Harvest Home service. The first-fruits were then laid upon the altar, Leviticus 25:21. It was 50 days after Christ’s resurrection, that the early Christian had the Day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came upon the church.

The Feast of Trumpets was the New Year’s day of the civil year, and began about the first of October. This feast is prophetical and points to the future regathering of dispersed Israel.

The Feast of Tabernacles was held in the Fall and lasted 7 days. It commemorated the 40 years spent in the wilderness. It was observed by living outdoors in booths and huts, and by special offerings. The feast looked forward to the Millennium, when Israel will keep the feast with rejoicing, Zechariah 14.

Great Fact V. The Institutions.

Leviticus 25.

1. The Sabbath was the seventh day of the week, and was a day of rest and worship, celebrating the finished work of creation. Christians keep the first day a the week, because our Lord rose from the dead on that day, we thus celebrate the finished work of redemption.

2. The Sabbatic Year was every seventh year, which was to be a Sabbath of rest for the land. Leviticus 25:4. It did the land good to lie fallow one year in seven. It reminded Israel of God’s ownership and their stewardship. It quickened their trust and thanksgiving. The neglect of this law was cue of the causes of captivity.

3. The Jubilee Year was every fiftieth year, Leviticus 25:10. Individuals who had gotten into bondage were freed and land that had been seized from its rightful owner for debt had to be returned. No syndicate was to own vast tracts of land.

This typifies the final restoration of Israel, their lands, and the restitution of all things at the coming of the Lord, Acts 3:21.

ALL THROUGH THIS WONDERFUL BOOK we see that sacrifice alone is the basis and holiness the garment, necessary for the sinner in his approach to God.

Questions on the Book.

1. Why was the book given the name of Leviticus?

2. By whom, when and where written?

3. Name the Key Verse and Key Word.

4. Have you read your Home Readings?

5. Name the Great Facts.

6. Name the five offerings.

7. To whom did the sacrifice point?

8. What lessons do we learn from the sacrifices?

9. Could a man bring his own sacrifice?

10. What does God prescribe as spiritual food?

11. Tell what you know about the Day of Atonement.

12. Name the Institutions.

13. Why do we celebrate the first day of the week?

14. Tell about the Sabbatic year.

15. What is the Jubilee Year, and what does it typify?