Leviticus

Leviticus – Holiness

I have spent hours reading Leviticus, doing my best to keep it straight. It is tedious reading, almost like reading the U.S. tax codes. However, it contains common thoughts.

Darrell Shaw in his outline of Leviticus says it can be summed up on three words: I AM HOLY. He also sums it up in six words: I AM HOLY, YOU BE HOLY. It is one thing to talk about being holy it is another thing to be holy. Holiness is not determined by man but by God. In order to be holy in the sight of God man must do what God says. This requires commitment and faith.

In this book we read of five offerings: Burnt, Grain, Peace, Sin, and Trespass. Each required the Israelites to recognize the blessings God had given them, God’s patience, and their need for forgiveness.

To understand the seriousness of keeping all the statutes of the Lord we only have to read Leviticus 10.1-3. In chapters eight and 9 the Levitical Priesthood is consecrated. Sacrifices for Aaron and his son’s are offered on the altar. Verses 23-24 say the offerings were consumed by a fire from the Lord. The Priest was holy and set apart to serve God. Their duties were to offer sacrifices at the tent of meeting on the altar. Nadab and Abihu were performing that task when they used a fire that was "profane" and "which He had not commanded them." One would think the fire would not make any difference but it did. The Lord consumed them with the very fire they used to offer the sacrifice. Holiness is doing what Lord commanded in its entirety and not taking our responsibilities for granted. In the New Testament we are instructed not to go beyond what is written, 1 Corinthians 4.6.

Chapters 22 and 23 specifically address the conduct of the Priesthood. Three words stand out in regards to the priest. They were to be holy, dedicated, and not profane the holy. This applied to placing God first in their lives, how they dressed, and how they lived. God regulated who they could marry more strictly than the rest of the nation. This principle is applied in the New Testament with all Christians being priest before God. "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light" (1 Peter 2.9). We are to place God first in our lives, Matthew 22.39. We are to worship Him in spirit and truth, John 4.24, "not forsake the assembling of ourselves together,…but exhorting one another" Hebrews 10.25. We are to dress modestly and speak gracefully. In short we are to be holy, dedicated, and not profane in our conduct.

God realized the limitations of the Levitical Priesthood. The Hebrew writer contrasts the Levitical Priesthood with Christ and the new priesthood. Before Aaron could approach God on the Day of Atonement, he had to make a sacrifice for his own sins, chapter 16 verses 2-3, 6. The Day of Atonement occurred once a year. The High Priest entered in the Holy Place to make atonement for himself and the nation of Israel. The Hebrew writer shows the superiority of the Law of Christ and Christ being the High Priest, Hebrews 9.6-7. First, Christ never sinned so He never needed to make atonement for Himself, Hebrews 4.15. Aaron had to offer the blood of animals, and those sacrifices could not take away sin, Hebrews 10.4. Christ offered Himself, the perfect sacrifice, for our sins, Hebrews 10.14. Aaron could only approach God in the Holy of Holies, once a year. Christ is continually in the presence of God, Hebrews 10.12. Upon the death of Aaron, his oldest son became High Priest. Therefore, there was a changing High Priest. Christ is the one and only High Priest today, Hebrews 10.12.

On the Day of Atonement there were two goats brought before the people. One goat was sacrificed in the tabernacle and its blood put on the horns of the altar, Lev. 16.18. The other goat was brought before the people. The High Priest placed his hand on the goats head and confessed the sins of the people. The goat boar the guilt of the people and their sins were released. Once again the Hebrew writer makes the point that such sacrifices could not take away the sins of the people. However, it made them aware of those sins on a yearly basis. My point being that sin makes one unholy.

Leviticus makes specific application to the laws. The commandment to not steal is applied in chapter 19.11. Love thy neighbor is applied to their grain harvest and leaving part of it for the poor, Leviticus 19.9-10.

Chapter 23 covers various days and feast that were to be observed. See table Below

Verse(s)	Occasion	Time
3	Sabbath Day	7^{th day of the week}
4-5	Passover	1^{st month 14th day}
6-8	Feast of Unleavened Bread	1^{st month starting on 15th day, last for 7 days}
9-14	Feast of First Fruits	At harvest, day after the Sabbath
15-22	Feast of Weeks (Pentecost)	50 Days after the Passover
23-25	Feast of Trumpets	7^{th month, 1st day}
26-32	Day of Atonement	7^{th month, 10th day}

33-34

Feast of Tabernacles (Booths)

7^{th month, 15th day}

To read through Leviticus it is easy to get caught up in all the details and tedious stipulations, however, the message is plain and simple. Being Holy is determined by God’s Law. We can not pick and choose which part we want to keep or which part we can neglect. It covers all the areas of our lives. It affects how we treat people, who we marry, what we wear, how we think, and everything else. If and when we forget that we will cease being Holy. D. T.

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