Understanding the Book of Leviticus

• The book of Leviticus has two major divisions: legislation concerning offerings (chapters 1-7), and the instruction concerning clean and unclean, leading to the instruction concerning the Day of Atonement (chapters 8-16, 17-27).

• The structure of Leviticus is closely related to the way Israel maintained their personal relationship with Yahweh, coming into His presence through offerings and reflecting their relationship with Yahweh in a holy walk.

• The book of Leviticus must be understood against the structure of the Torah as a whole, with a coherent structure that brings the text together.

• The Torah consists of multiple books, including Leviticus, which is often viewed as having a less organized structure compared to other books like Numbers.

• The phrase "when the Lord speaks to Moses from the tent of meeting" in Leviticus 1:1 refers to the tabernacle, which is the same as the tent of meeting mentioned in Exodus chapter 40.

• The tabernacle is the place where Yahweh dwells and interacts with His people, as indicated in Exodus 40:34-35, where the cloud covered the tent of meeting and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

• There is no major break between Exodus chapter 40 and Leviticus chapter 1, indicating a continuous narrative.

Here is the summary of the text in detailed bullet points:

• The context of Exodus Chapter 33 is the aftermath of the golden calf incident, where Israel showed covenant disobedience, and Moses had to leave the camp to meet with the Lord in a tent of meeting outside the camp.

• The tent of meeting was previously used by Moses, where the Lord would speak to him face-to-face, and Joshua, the son of Nun, would not depart from the tent (Exodus 33:7-11).

• The situation changed between Exodus Chapter 33 and Exodus Chapter 40, as forgiveness took place, the covenant was renewed, and the tabernacle was built, allowing the Lord's presence to dwell in the midst of His people.

• In Leviticus, the Lord meets Moses in the tabernacle, and there is no indication that Moses would go outside the camp to meet with the Lord face-to-face.

• The major interpretive issue in the book of Leviticus is how to understand the text when it speaks of sacrifices and offerings making atonement.

• The verb "to make atonement" (kapar) means to wipe away, purge, or cleanse, and it is associated with the concept of ransom, implying a substitutionary payment.

• In Leviticus, the term "atonement" is used to describe the process of cleansing, which is based on a substitute, and it implies a ransom has been paid, leading to reconciliation and forgiveness.

• The concept of atonement is tied to the idea of ransom, which is paid through the animal sacrifices, allowing God to wipe away sin and wrath.

• The term "atonement" is used in four places in the New Testament, where it is translated as "to turn away" or "to propitiate," implying a turning away of God's wrath.

• The verb "to make atonement" does not answer the question of the relationship between the animals sacrificed in the Old Testament and how that relates to Jesus Christ in the New Testament.

• The efficacy of the Old Testament sacrifices comes from the fact that they represented and pointed toward the final sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

• The concept of "cut off" from the people (Israel) means to be excommunicated from worship, cut off from the community, or placed under a divine curse, which results in God's judgment.

• The curse is not necessarily physical death but a removal of blessing, leading to God's judgment, which could include death.

• Leviticus Chapter 10 deals with Nadab and Abihu, sons of Aaron, who offered strange fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them, and were subsequently punished with death.

• The incident of Nadab and Abihu highlights the importance of following God's commands and the seriousness of disobedience, as they did not have the proper fire and may have been under the influence of wine or strong drink.

• The Lord spoke to Aaron after the incident, emphasizing that neither he nor his sons should drink wine or strong drink when coming into the tent of meeting, lest they die.

• The context of Leviticus Chapter 16 provides further insights into the incident, highlighting that Nadab and Abihu brought the strange fire into the very presence of the Lord in the most holy place in the tabernacle.

Here is the summary of the text in detailed bullet points:

• The text discusses the significance of Leviticus chapter 10, highlighting the disobedience of Nadab and Abihu, sons of the high priest, who entered the holy place on the wrong day, with the wrong men, and without the proper coals from the altar, all while being drunk.

• This act of disobedience led to God's judgment, serving as a reminder to the priests to represent God and follow His ways or face the consequences.

• The text draws a parallel between the responsibility of the priests in the Old Testament and those set apart for God's service in the New Testament, emphasizing the importance of sober judgment and obedience.

• The discussion also touches on the concept of clean and unclean animals in Leviticus, suggesting that this distinction is not inherently from creation but rather a way to differentiate between Israel and the nations.

• The text notes that the rationale behind the classification of clean and unclean animals is only known to God, but it may be related to the spiritual condition of humans.

• The concept of the scapegoat in Leviticus chapter 16 is explored, with the term "Azazel" being interpreted as either a proper name or a name for the wilderness or a demon.

• The scapegoat is seen as a symbol of removal, bearing the sin of the people and dying in the wilderness, illustrating the idea of taking sin away and providing a sense of shalom or harmony.

• The text explains the significance of the burnt offering, which is a free will offering that acknowledges one's sinful estate and seeks to re-consecrate and reiterate one's commitment to Yahweh.

• The burnt offering is seen as a way to reaffirm one's dedication to God, recognizing that even after sin has been dealt with, there is still a need to recommit to God.

• The discussion highlights the distinction between the sin and guilt offering, which is compulsory when sin occurs, and the free will offering, which is brought when there is no known sin.

• The day of atonement is seen as a unique sacrifice for intentional sin, with the understanding that it looks back to the previous year's sins and does not anticipate future sins.

• The text touches on the idea of living by faith, both in the Old Testament and the New Testament, emphasizing that believers must trust in God's faithfulness and goodness.

• The connection between Leviticus and Hebrews is highlighted, with the suggestion that preachers will eventually return to Leviticus when studying Hebrews.

• The story of the woman with the discharge in Mark chapter 5 is mentioned, highlighting her courage in touching Jesus despite being considered unclean according to Leviticus.

• The text notes that Jesus' touch of faith led to her cleansing, reversing the Leviticus principle where uncleanness would have made Jesus unclean.