Westside church of Christ - Irving, Texas

Getting Good out of Leviticus

by Jay Taylor

Everybody knows Genesis. Its stories captivate the young and edifies the seasoned student of God's Word. Exodus is thrilling to read. The monumental deliverance of the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage serves as an awesome display of the power of God and will become a recurring reminder throughout the rest of the Old Testament. And then there is Leviticus.

Leviticus has been neglected and there are several reasons for that neglect. First, Leviticus does not contain much historical biography. Chapters eight through ten describe the consecration of Aaron and his sons and the death of Nadab and Abihu. Other than that, however, the book revolves around various rules and regulations concern- ing the people and their offerings. A second reason for its neglect is the misconception that everything in Leviticus pertains to the priests. Not so. Only chapters six through ten and twenty-one through twenty-two deal exclusively with Aaron and his sons. A third reason for its neglect flows out of the unfortunate attitude that Leviticus is part of the Old Law and should not be studied. For these reasons, and others, we banish Leviticus to the bottom of our list of studies and we fast-forward to Numbers in our Bible reading.

We can gain much good from Leviticus. It helps us in our study of the New Testament. Within its pages are truths that aid our understanding of God and what He expects from His people. A journey through it reveals timeless treasures of God - things that He values. Let's take a closer look at each of these points.

Leviticus Sheds Light On New Testament Events

Luke records two events that occurred during the first few days of Jesus' life upon earth. He was circumcised on the eighth day (Lk. 2:21) and was brought to the temple after a period of purification (Lk. 2:22, 24). Why? Leviticus chapter twelve helps us here. God spoke to Moses concern- ing a woman's purification after childbirth. A male child was to be circumcised on the eighth day (Lev. 12:3) and after a period of purification the mother was to bring an offering to the priest at the temple (Lev. 12:6-8). Our knowledge of this helps our understanding of Joseph and Mary. Their portrait is one of a God-fearing couple careful to obey all of God's commands.

Jesus' contact with lepers is also better understood in view of Leviticus. Why did Jesus tell the lepers to "go and show yourselves to the priests" (Mt. 8:4; Lk. 17:14)? Leviticus chapters thirteen and fourteen serve as the backdrop for His command. Our knowledge of events in Jesus' life (not to mention The Epistle to the Hebrews) is aided by our study of Leviticus.

Leviticus Teaches Us That God Has A Purpose Behind His Commands

Various offerings are emphasized in the early chapters of Leviticus (1:1-6:7). Why did God want the people to bring their offerings "to the entrance of the tent of meeting" (1:3; 3:3; 4:4)? Leviticus 17:1-7 reveals the purpose behind this command. The people would soon enter a land consumed with idolatry. Idolatry would be their biggest problem. God expected His people to be different. They could not just sacrifice for any purpose or to any god. God wanted them to bring their offerings to a specific place to remind them of the God they serve.

Why did God command the people to "make a distinction between the unclean and the clean and between the living creature that may be eaten and the living creature that may not be eaten" (Lev. 11:47)? Leviticus 20:22-26 reveals the answer. God had made a distinction between His people and others. His people were special to Him. He detested the others. The separation of clean beasts from the unclean would serve as a vivid reminder of the separation between God's people and others. These regulations expose God's desire for His people to be holy - a desire that continues today (cf. 1 Pet. 1:15-16).

Leviticus Teaches Us That God Is Concerned About Our Treatment Of Others

Our treatment of others has always been important to God. This fact can be observed by His extreme displeasure in those who lack justice, kindness, and mercy. This concern of His is expressed all throughout the Scripture and Leviticus is no exception.

Leviticus 19:9-18 is saturated with God's concern for how His people should treat others. This section could be summed up as Love Your Neighbor As Yourself. Here, we learn that God is concerned for the poor (19:9-10 - Remem- ber Ruth in Boaz's field?), truthfulness between individuals (19:11-12), and love between neighbors (19:13-18). These truths are echoed throughout the New Testament. Leviticus helps us remember that things important to God should be important to us. It forces us to examine our treatment of others.

For too long, Leviticus has either been barely read or never read. Don't skip over it. Spend an hour or two reading through it and observe its truths. You won't be able to read it without missing God. He's there - pointing us to His Son, declaring His purpose, and letting us know about things that are important to Him.

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Abundant Life: July/August 2008