Psalm 45 Publications

1. Introduction

Leviticus is a foundational book in the bible, showing forth in graphic representation the most central and important truths of the gospel. The dominant theme and all-inclusive goal of the book is to make a people holy to the Lord, which is likewise the goal both of creation and redemption. The twofold means of making this people holy is atonement for the guilt of sin and cleansing from the pollution of sin, which is the essence of what Christ came to accomplish. The instrumentality by which this atonement and cleansing comes about is likewise twofold, being accomplished through priest and sacrifice; this priestly and sacrificial work of the Lamb of God, our great High Priest, is the scarlet thread running through the whole bible, giving coherence to all. To understand this book, therefore, is to understand the heart of the gospel.

Key verse: Leviticus 19:2 “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy. Continue Reading

1. Introduction

Leviticus has no formal introduction, but immediately begins describing the sacrificial system, in God’s own words to Moses. The position of this section at the beginning of the book, the elaborate detail which is employed, and the fact that God himself speaks audibly out of the tabernacle, underscores how important the sacrificial system is to the worship of God’s people. Continue Reading

1. The Consecration of the Priests (Chapter 8 )

The consecration and investiture of the priests took place before all the congregation (8:3); so we as a Church must look to Christ in his priestly office for assurance of acceptance with God through him. Continue Reading

1. The Purpose of the Laws of Ritual Cleanness

The instructive intent of the ceremonial laws of ritual cleanness

The laws depicted ascending levels of separation: “unclean” (in contact with sin, death, decay); “clean” (separated from sin, death, and decay); “holy” (separated from all else and consecrated to God). Compare the levels of separation in holy space: common ground, the Holy Place, the Holy of Holies.

Laws of clean and unclean do not pertain to actual sin, but rather showcase the effects of sin (e.g. all that sin produces, including death, decay, etc., is ceremonially unclean); and they provide “object lessons” of abstract moral sins (e.g. the outward corruption of leprosy mirrors the inward corruption of moral evil; the prohibition against mixing fabrics and seeds mirrors the calling of the Church to be separate from the world in its sinfulness). Continue Reading

1. The Outstanding Example of Uncleanness: Leprosy

Leprosy in a person

“Leprosy” was a broad term denoting one of any number of malignant diseases that spread in the skin and visibly disfigured and destroyed the body. Because of its destructive, growing, and visible nature, it was the perfect condition expressive of the abstract concept of uncleanness.

The person pronounced leprous by the priest had to live outside the camp, tear his clothes, let his hair hang loose, cover his upper lip, and cry out, “Unclean!”. Tearing one’s clothes, loose hair and a covered lip were signs of mourning over the death of a loved one (e.g. Gen. 37:33-34; Ezek. 24:17); hence, the picture is that of a person mourning his own death because of his uncleanness. This “death” is separation from the people of God and the place where God has chosen to dwell. Thus, Adam died when he was put out of the Garden of Eden, and the second death will be a place where people cry out in anguish forever because their sinful impurity has separated them from God’s presence. Continue Reading

1. The Centrality of the Day of Atonement

In response to Nadab and Abihu’s death

Israel had seen that coming to God in our way or on our terms means death and wrath. Now, God is showing his way to bring his people to himself, by providing an “atonement,” or “ransom” for them. The High Priest alone could minister in this capacity, and only on this day could he pass beyond the veil into the Most Holy Place.

Central in the Calendar and Festal Year

The Day of Atonement was on the tenth day of the seventh and most important month in the ecclesiastical year, which was inaugurated by the Feast of Trumpets (the Jewish New Year’s Day), and thus became the first month of the civil year. So Jesus’ death came in the fullness of times (Gal. 4:4), and was the climactic and most important event of human history; and it inaugurated a new year of God’s favor (Isa. 61:2). It was the only Feast in which it was commanded for the Israelites to afflict themselves (prob. with fasting, see Ps. 35:13), and yet it prepared way for the most joyful Feast (Booths). So its fulfillment, Good Friday, was a time of sorrow, but it prepared the way for the joyful ingathering of the nations. (cf. Jn 16:20). Continue Reading

1. The Sanctity of Blood (Chapter 17)

The portion of Leviticus immediately preceding its climax in the description of the Day of Atonement (chapter 16) detailed the ceremonial laws on ritual purity; the portion immediately following details the moral laws of actual purity. Therefore, there is usually a much more direct application of these following portions to us today, although we must not make the mistake of assuming that every law given in this portion of Leviticus applies to us in precisely the same way as it did to OT Israel. Continue Reading

1. Social Holiness (Chapter 19)

Lev. 19:2 is the clearest brief statement of the basic point and purpose of Leviticus. It is instructive, therefore, that immediately afterward, the most basic sin (idolatry) is warned against and the most basic purpose of the whole book (being restored to fellowship with the holy God by sacrifice) is repeated. Remember what we examined earlier about the prohibition of allowing the meat of the peace sacrifice to remain until the third day, to prevent decay and as a sign of how Christ’s body would not be allowed to see corruption (cf. Psalm 16:10). Thus we have the death and resurrection of Christ foreshadowed here, together with the results of that death and resurrection, namely, reconciliation to God. Continue Reading

1. The Priesthood and the Need for Holiness (Chapter 21)

Throughout these chapters, there is a graduated emphasis on personal holiness; the priests must be holier than the rest of the holy people of God, Israel; and the High Priest is to be holier than the priests. Note the similarities to the tabernacle: the Courtyard, into which ritually clean Israelites could enter; the Holy Place, into which only priests could enter; and the Most Holy Place, into which the High Priest alone could enter, once a year. So today, it is of utmost importance that we, who have been made a nation of priests, be markedly holier in heart and action than the world, lest we profane (make to appear unholy) the Name of our God (1 Pet. 2:9); there is an even severer standard of holiness for our elders and teachers (cf. James 3:1); but our great High Priest, Jesus Christ, is Most Holy, completely undefiled by sin (Heb. 7:26-28). Hence, the same threefold gradation is at work today. Continue Reading

1. The Festal Calendar

Two cycles of feasts

Feasts beginning on the first month of the ecclesiastical year, Nisan (Springtime festivals):

Passover (14th of Nisan)
Feast of Unleavened Bread (15th – 21st of Nisan)
Pentecost (6th of Sivan, 7 weeks [or fifty days] after beginning of Passover and waving of firstfruits)

Feasts of the seventh month of the ecclesiastical year and the first month of the civil year, Tishri (Autumn festivals):

Feast of Trumpets (1st of Tishri)
Day of Atonement (10th of Tishri)
Feast of Tabernacles (15th – 22nd of Tishri) Continue Reading

1. Tabernacle Upkeep

In the first part of the chapter, the Lord gives Moses instructions concerning two elements that will have to be supplied on a continual basis for the functioning of the tabernacle: pure olive oil for the lamp and the Bread of the Presence for the table. Throughout the book of Leviticus, instructions have already been given for the usage of every other feature of the Tabernacle (the way to use the altar was discussed in the description of the sacrifices, the way to use the laver was shown in the discussions of priestly ceremonial washings, the altar of incense was mentioned in the discussion of the Day of Atonement, etc.). These instructions here, therefore, bring to a state of completion the information that the Levitical Priests must have for the proper upkeep and functioning of the tabernacle.

The Gospel of John makes a point of revealing the Christ-centered meanings behind all the tabernacle furniture; and in chapters six and eight, he shows that Christ is the true Bread which came down from heaven, and the Light of the World, in fulfillment of these two elements. Continue Reading

1. The Sabbath Year

Everyone knows that ancient Israel observed a Sabbath day of rest one in seven days; but it is less commonly known that they were also commanded to let the land rest an entire year in every seven years. During this time, no fields were to be worked, and what they produced naturally was for the free consumption of rich and poor, landowner and slave, domesticated animal and wild.

This teaches, first of all, that the “sabbath” principle was much bigger than might be supposed by its weekly observance. Once a week, Israel rested from their labors to worship God; but ultimately, their lives were looking to a time when they could rest forever, and enjoy his presence not just one day, but long term – permanently, in fact, when the suggestive period of an entire year is equated to an entire age. The sabbath year taught the people that the rest Joshua brought them into, when he gave them the promised land, was not the final sabbath rest of the people of God; ultimately, they had to look forward to another rest, which the greater Joshua, Jesus Christ, promised to those who believed in him (see Psalm 95:7-11; Heb. 3-4). The paradise of Eden, in which the ground naturally and effortlessly produced fruits sufficient for her keepers, and in which the toilsome aspect of labor was utterly absent, was prefigured here, when the land gave fruits sufficient for everyone of every rank, man and beast alike, which they had just to pick at their leisure. Continue Reading

1. Covenant Blessings and Curses (Chapter 26)

As we have noted before, the Book of Leviticus is the centerpiece and climax of the Pentateuch; and the Book of Leviticus culminates in a list of Covenant blessings and curses. The Pentateuch itself also culminates in a similar (but lengthier) list (Deut. 27-30). This dual listing and strategic location of covenant blessings and curses underscore their importance for understanding the nature of the Pentateuch and the Mosaic Covenant as a whole. Continue Reading