A Study of Leviticus

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Leviticus 1

By: Jim Crews

 

Leviticus was written by Moses with the guidance of the Holy Spirit sometime around 1490 BC. This book looks mainly at the laws and regulations for the Levites, who were the priests under the Law that God gave to Moses. The entire book seems to cover the 8 day period of the consecration of Aaron and his sons. Since the Mosaic Law was our schoolmaster, pointing us to Christ, the entire Levitical system was intended to point out the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. We should keep this point in mind as we study Leviticus.

 

We will look briefly at the Laws and see how they foreshadow our present age. We will take more time studying three historical events covered here. They are: 1. The consecration of the priesthood, 2. God’s destruction of Nadab and Abihu, and 3. The magistrates punishment of Shelomith’s son for blasphemy.

 

Leviticus 1: 1 - 2

God called Moses and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting. He told Moses that whenever anyone brings an offering to God, it should be livestock from their herd or flock.

 

Leviticus 1: 3 - 9

If the offering was from the herd of cattle, it should be a male without blemish. It was to be brought to the tent of meeting to be accepted by God. This offering was to make atonement for the sins of the one making the offering. Here we see that blood atones for sin, but the blood of these bulls and goats could not wash away sin.

Hebrews 10: 4

 

Only the perfect Blood of the Messiah could wash sins away.

Hebrews 9: 12 - 14

 

The Levites had a ritual that God commanded them to perform in handling this offering and preparing it as a pleasing sacrifice to God.

 

Leviticus 1: 10 - 13

If the offering was from the flock of sheep or goats, it should also be a male without blemish. It was to be killed in the precise manner specified by God, and Aaron and the priests were to follow God’s instructions without addition or subtraction. They weren’t allowed the luxury of interpreting what God said, they were only to obey what He said. This made the sacrifice pleasing to God. We must remember this today as we seek to follow the New Testament teachings of how to work and worship together as His Church.

 

Leviticus 1: 14 - 17

If the offering was a bird, because the person making the offering couldn’t afford to have a herd or flock, it was to be a turtledove or a pigeon. The birds head was to be wrung off and burned on the altar. In order for this offering to be pleasing to God, the ritual God specified had to be followed to the letter.

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Leviticus 2

By: Jim Crews

 

Leviticus 2: 1 - 3

Here we get details of the grain offerings. Their grain offerings should be a fine flour. It should have frankincense on it and be brought to the priests. A handful of the flour was to be burned for an offering, and the rest was to be kept for the priests.

 

Leviticus 2: 4 - 10

Baked grain offerings were baked in an oven, they were to be brought as unleavened loaves of fine flour mixed with oil or unleavened wafers smeared with oil. If they were baked on a griddle, they were to be broken in pieces and have oil poured on them. If they were baked in a pan, they were to be made of fine flour with oil. Either way, it was to be presented to the priest, who would bring it to the altar. The memorial portion was to be burned as an offering, but the rest was set aside for the priests to eat.

 

Leviticus 2: 11 - 13

No grain offering was to be made with leaven, nor was honey to be burned as an offering to God. These things could be brought as an offering of firstfruits, but were not to be burned on the altar. All grain offerings were to be seasoned with salt. Salt was to be offered with all their offerings.

 

Leviticus 2: 14 - 16

If they offered a grain offering of firstfruits to God, it was to be fresh ears roasted with fire, crushed new grain. It was to be oiled and have frankincense on it and be burned as an offering by the priest.

 

We see that God always reveals how He is to be worshipped, and if our worship is to be pleasing to Him, it must be done as He has revealed. We are not free to add anything to His revealed worship, such as musical instruments. We are not free to subtract from His revealed worship, such as partaking of the Lord’s Supper quarterly, monthly, or yearly, instead of every first day of every week.

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Leviticus 3

By: Jim Crews

 

Leviticus 3: 1 - 5

If the offering was a peace offering, and an animal from the herd, either male or female was offered, that animal had to be without blemish. God then details how the sacrifice of the peace offering is to be made if it was an animal from the herd.

 

Leviticus 3: 6 - 11

If the animal for the peace offering was a male or female from the flock, it had to be without blemish. God then goes into detail as to how the sacrifice of the peace offering is to be made if it was an animal from the flock.

 

Leviticus 3: 12 - 17

Here God details how the sacrifice of the peace offering is to be made if the offering is a goat. God established here that neither fat nor blood is to be eaten by the Israelites.

 

God never expects us to figure out how to worship Him. He tells us how He wishes to be worshipped and we obey. The same thing applies with New Testament worship. He revealed through the New Testament writers how we are to worship Him, and we must obey if we are to be pleasing to Him and to offer acceptable worship.

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Leviticus 4

By: Jim Crews

 

Leviticus 4: 1 - 12

Unintentional sins are covered here. An unintentional sin is one that happens accidentally, or when circumstances take over and we sin without thinking. This section describes what a priest must do if he sins unintentionally.

 

Leviticus 4: 13 - 21

This section details how the entire congregation of Israel is to atone for their unintentional sin when it becomes known to them and they realize their guilt.

 

Leviticus 4: 22 - 26

This section deals with the unintentional sins of leaders, and how they are to be atoned for once the leader realizes that he has sinned.

 

Leviticus 4: 27 - 35

This section deals with the unintentional sins of individuals, and how they are to be atoned for once the individual realizes that he or she has sinned.

 

This is how unintentional sins were atoned for under the Mosaic Law. Today, we have a new system, a more perfect system. Their sins were simply pushed forward until Christ’s sacrifice. Our sins can be washed completely away.

Acts 8: 22

I John 1: 8 - 10

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Leviticus 5

By: Jim Crews

 

Leviticus 5: 1 - 6

Some sins are now listed. It is a sin for us if we witness something and do not speak up to testify to that incident.

James 4: 17

 

It is also a sin for us if we utter a rash oath, to do evil or good. This would be an oath without thought. We are just running off at the mouth.

Matthew 5: 33 - 36

James 5: 12

 

The rest of these sins are for the Israelites alone, because there is no unclean animal for us anymore.

Acts 10: 9 - 16

Matthew 15: 10 - 20

 

If these sins were committed, when the person realized it, they were to confess the sin and bring the proper sacrifice to the priest. If we commit a sin, when we realize it, we are to confess that sin to God and pray for His forgiveness.

Acts 8:22

I John 1: 8 - 10

 

Leviticus 5: 7 - 10

This details how the Israelite who committed one of these sins, but could not afford a lamb, was to make their sacrifice. If they couldn’t afford a lamb, two turtledoves or two pigeons were acceptable to God.

 

Leviticus 5: 11 - 13

If the Israelite who sinned could not afford two turtledoves or two pigeons, God would accept a tenth of an ephah of fine flour from that person. He gives details on how this is to be handled in an acceptable manner to Him.

 

When the priest received the sacrifice, he would make atonement for the sin, and the person would be forgiven. The priests were allowed to keep some of the offering for themselves.

 

Leviticus 5: 14 - 16

Anyone who sinned unintentionally was to bring as a sacrifice a ram without blemish from the flock, valued in silver shekels. That person was to make restitution for whatever they had done, and add one-fifth as a gift to the priest. The priest would make atonement and that person would be forgiven.

 

Leviticus 5: 17 - 19

Any of the Israelites who committed an unintentional sin was still held accountable, and that person must bring the sacrifice which God revealed to be acceptable.

 

We today commit many unintentional sins. We sin going through our day and don’t even think about them. When we realize these, we should pray to God, confessing that sin to Him and asking for His forgiveness. What if we commit an unintentional sin and don’t ever remember doing it? We do the same thing, confessing to God the sins we have committed, but do not recall, and asking His forgiveness in those things as well.

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Leviticus 6

By: Jim Crews

 

Leviticus 6: 1 - 7

God spoke and told Moses some more sins which must be atoned for if committed. Deception of someone in financial matters, robbing someone, oppressing someone, finding something someone lost and lying about it, and swearing falsely. All of these are sin, and when the person who committed the act recognizes that fact, they must restore what they have taken. Under the Mosaic Law, they also had to throw in an extra fifth for the priests. Also under the Mosaic Law, a guilt offering from the flock had to be made to atone for this sin. Under the Gospel, we give back what we have taken and confess it to God, asking His forgiveness and the forgiveness of the one we have wronged.

 

Leviticus 6: 8 - 13

God details to Moses the law of burnt offerings. He details to Moses how the priests should dress. He also details how the fire is to be kept burning and what it is to be made from.

 

Leviticus 6: 14 - 18

God details to Moses the law of the grain offering. A handful was to be burnt for God, and the rest was to be eaten by the priests. It was to be unleavened and eaten in a holy place.

 

Leviticus 6: 19 - 23

God then tells Moses what Aaron and his sons are to offer on the day they are anointed.

 

Leviticus 6: 24 - 30

God then details to Moses the law of the sin offering. It was to be offered in the same place as the burnt offering. The priest who offered it was to eat it. This was to be done in the court of the Tabernacle.

 

God went into great detail revealing to Moses how He was to be worshipped, and He would accept nothing but what He had revealed. The same is true in our age. God showed us through the writings of the New Testament what He wants us to do in our worship to Him. He will accept nothing else.

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Leviticus 7

By: Jim Crews

 

Leviticus 7: 1 - 10

Here is the law of the guilt offering. God details how the guilt offering is to be handled by the priests. The male priests could eat of this offering, but it had to be eaten in a holy place. The guilt offering was just like the sin offering. The priest who offered a man’s guilt offering could keep the skin for himself. If it was a grain offering baked in the oven, the priest who prepared it could eat it. Other grain offerings were to be shared equally among the priests.

 

Leviticus 7: 11 - 18

Here God details the law of the peace offerings that could be offered unto Him. If this is offered for thanksgiving, it was to be unleavened loaves or unleavened wafers smeared with oil. One loaf from each offering was a gift to God. This one belonged to the priest who threw the blood of the peace offering. The flesh of the sacrifice was to be eaten on the day it was offered. None was to be leftover. However, if this is a vow offering or a freewill offering, it could be kept over and finished the next day, but any left on the third day must be burned with fire. If the flesh were eaten on the third day, the one who offered it would not be accepted and it would not be credited to him. It was tainted, and the one who ate it would bear the iniquity of the one who offered it.

 

Leviticus 7: 19 - 21

Flesh that touched any unclean thing was not to be eaten. All who were clean could eat flesh, but if an unclean person ate of the flesh of the peace offering, he was to be cut off from the people. Anyone who touched unclean things then ate was to be cut off from the people.

 

Leviticus 7: 22 - 27

The fat of any animal was not to be eaten. Animal fat could be put to other uses, but it was not to be eaten. Those who ate of the fat of the offering were to be cut off from the people. They were not to eat blood at all, either. Those who ate blood were to be cut off from the people.

 

Leviticus 7: 28 - 36

This section details how the portions of the peace offering are to be divided among the priests.

 

Leviticus 7: 37 - 38

The burnt offering, grain offering, sin offering, guilt offering, ordination offering, and peace offering have been revealed to them by God in detail, and He will accept only that which follows His details to the letter.

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Leviticus 8

By: Jim Crews

 

Leviticus 8: 1 - 4

Moses was to take Aaron and his sons, along with the garments, the anointing oil, the bull of the sin offering, two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread. They were to assemble the entire congregation at the entrance to the Tabernacle. Moses obeyed, and the people were assembled at the entrance to the Tabernacle.

 

Leviticus 8: 5 - 9

Moses told the people that God had commanded this to be done. Aaron and his sons were washed in water and the priestly garments were put on them.

 

Leviticus 8: 10 - 13

Moses used the anointing oil to anoint the Tabernacle and all that was in it. This consecrated the Tabernacle. He poured some on Aaron’s head to consecrate him. Moses then dressed Aaron’s sons as God had revealed to him.

 

Leviticus 8: 14 - 17

The bull of the sin offering was brought, and Aaron killed it. Moses took the blood from the bull and purified and consecrated the altar. The bull was then burnt on the altar.

 

Leviticus 8: 18-21

Moses then presented the ram of the burnt offering to Aaron and his sons, who killed it. Moses threw its blood on the sides of the altar. The ram was then burnt on the altar, which had a pleasing aroma. This was all as God had commanded Moses to do.

 

Leviticus 8: 22 - 29

The other ram, called the ram of ordination, was presented to Aaron and his sons. This ram was also killed. Moses took some of the blood and placed it on Aaron and his sons right ear lobes, right thumbs, and right big toes. He then threw the rest of the blood against the altar. This ram, along with some of the unleavened bread, were offered as a wave offering then burnt on the altar. This was an ordination offering. Aaron and his sons were ordained as priests. Moses then waved the breast of the ram as a wave offering before God. This was Moses’ portion of the offering, as God had revealed.

 

Leviticus 8: 30

Moses then took some of the anointing oil and the blood that was on the altar. He sprinkled this on Aaron and his sons and on their garments. This consecrated them.

 

Leviticus 8: 31 - 36

Moses then told Aaron and his sons to boil the flesh at the entrance to the Tabernacle. They were to eat it and the bread. What remained was to be burnt. They were to remain in the Tabernacle for a week. This would complete their days of ordination. All of this was done to make atonement for Aaron and his sons. They were to remain at the door of the Tabernacle for a week, doing as God commanded, or they would die. Aaron and his sons obeyed God.

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Leviticus 9

By: Jim Crews

 

Leviticus 9: 1 - 7

On the eighth day Moses called for Aaron and his sons. They were to take an unblemished bull calf and an unblemished ram as a burnt offering before God. The people were to bring sin offerings, burnt offerings, and peace offerings before God as detailed here. God was going to appear to them that day. They  brought all that Moses commanded them to the front of the Tabernacle. Moses told them this was what had to be done for the glory of God to appear to them. Moses then told Aaron to go the the altar and make atonement for himself and for the people.

 

Leviticus 9: 8 - 11

Aaron makes the sin offering for himself as God had revealed.

 

Leviticus 9: 12 - 14

Aaron makes the burnt offering for himself as God had revealed.

 

Leviticus 9: 15 - 17

Aaron then presented the sin offering, burnt offering, and grain offering for the people.

 

Leviticus 9: 18 - 21

Aaron then offered the peace offering for the people, along with the wave offering, just as God had commanded that it be done.

 

Leviticus 9: 22 - 24

Aaron then lifted his hands towards the people and blessed them. He then came down from making the offerings. Moses and Aaron went into the Tabernacle. When they came out, they blessed the people and the Glory of God appeared to the people. Fire came down from God and consumed the sacrifice. The people shouted and fell on their faces.

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Chapter 10

By: Jim Crews

 

Leviticus 10: 1 - 3

Nadab and Abihu, who were sons of Aaron, offered unauthorized fire on the altar. God had specified the procedure for offering sacrifices. What He said was not to be changed.

Exodus 30: 9

 

He struck them dead with fire. Moses told Aaron this was the Will of God, and Aaron held his peace.

 

God specifies in each age how He is to be worshipped. In this age, His specifications are revealed in the New Testament writings, and we are expected to follow them if we are to be pleasing to Him.

Acts 2: 42

 

Changing or altering God’s revealed word in any way is sin. Adding instruments, partaking of the Lord’s Supper on any day other than Sunday, using the collected treasury of the congregation in any way not authorized by Him are all sins.

 

Leviticus 10: 4 - 7

Nadab and Abihu’s bodies were carried out of the camp. Their family was told not to mourn them at all, or they would join them, and God’s wrath would come upon the entire congregation.

 

Leviticus 10: 8 - 11

Aaron and his descendents were not to drink any alcohol at all when they went into the tent of meeting or they would be struck dead. They were to make a distinction between what was holy and clean, and what was common and unclean. They were to teach these thing to the people of every generation.

 

Leviticus 10: 12 - 15

Moses then told them to eat the grain offering because that was given to them by God. They could eat the grain offering there, but they had to eat the meat offering in a clean place. The wave offering was theirs to eat forever.

 

Leviticus 10: 16 - 20

Moses wanted to know why they had burned up the goat of the sin offering instead of eating it. Aaron told Moses that the events of the day had made it so that it would not be pleasing to God if he had eaten the sin offering. Moses agreed.

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Leviticus 11

By: Jim Crews

 

Leviticus 11: 1 - 8

God names the animals that the Israelites are permitted to eat. Anything with a parted hoof, is cloven footed, and chews cud was acceptable for them to eat. They could not eat camels, rock badgers, hares, or pigs because they were unclean.

 

Leviticus 11: 9 - 12

They could eat everything in the water that had fins and scales. If it did not have fins and scales, it was unclean to them and they could not eat it.

 

Leviticus 11: 13 - 19

They could not eat eagles, vultures, kites, falcons, ravens, ostriches, seagulls, or any kind of hawk. They could not eat owls, cormorants, storks, herons, hoopoes, or bats. All of these birds were unclean.

 

Leviticus 11: 20 - 23

They could not eat winged insects that go on all four legs with the exception of those that had jointed legs above their feet and hopped. They could eat locusts, crickets, and grasshoppers.

 

Leviticus 11: 24 - 28

Whoever touched any unclean animal became unclean themselves. They were to wash their clothes and were considered unclean until the evening. Anything that walked on paws was unclean to them.

 

Leviticus 11: 29 - 38

Mole rats, mice, and lizards of all kinds were unclean and anyone who touched one was to wash their clothes and remain unclean until evening. God then details that if any of these crawl in or on something, it was to be washed and considered unclean until evening. This is why the Jews didn’t suffer from the Black Plague in the Middle Ages like everyone else. Mice and rats spread the bacteria. God knew this, and he showed the Israelites how to remain clean from the infection.

 

Leviticus 11: 39 - 40

Clean animals who died naturally were not to be eaten. Anyone touching one was unclean and had to wash and remain unclean until evening.

 

Leviticus 11: 41 - 45

Anything that crawled on its belly or had many feet was unclean. This included snakes, centipedes, and spiders. They were not to be eaten. They were detestable. God is holy, and He wanted them to be Holy.

 

Leviticus 11: 46 - 47

This makes a distinction between unclean and clean, between what they could eat and what they could not eat.

 

This was done away with under the New Testament.

Matthew 15: 10 - 20

Acts 10: 9 - 16

Acts 15: 22 - 29

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Leviticus 12

By: Jim Crews

 

Leviticus 12: 1 - 5

Here we see more of how God revealed to the Israelites the ways to remain safe from disease and infection. A woman was to be considered unclean for seven days after bearing a male child. The male child was to be circumcised on the eighth day. Why the eighth day? Because that is the day that the body begins to be able to clot blood, so the child would not bleed to death. She was also to be unclean and remain out of the sanctuary for the 33 days of purification. The time scale for a female child was double.

 

Leviticus 12: 6 - 8

When her days of purification were complete, she was to bring the priest a year old lamb for a burnt offering, and a pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering. The priest would offer it before God and make atonement for her. She would then be clean. If she couldn’t afford a lamb, she could take two turtledoves or two pigeons, one for the burnt offering and the other for the sin offering. The priest would make atonement for her and she would be clean.

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Leviticus 13

By: Jim Crews

 

Leviticus 13: 1-8

Here, God details how to distinguish between leprosy and non-leprous skin diseases. Leprosy was highly contagious. If something appeared on the skin, it was to be shown to the priest. If it was determined without a doubt to be leprosy, that person was unclean. If it could not be determined without a doubt to be leprosy, the person was to be isolated for a week and reexamined. If a determination could still not be made, the person was to be isolated for another week. By this time, it could be determined whether the condition was leprous or not. If not, that person was declared clean. He was to wash his clothes and be clean.  If it were still there, that person was declared unclean. If the skin condition returned, it was leprosy, and the man was unclean.

 

Leviticus 13: 9 - 17

This section details that if the skin disease has turned white, the man is clean. However, if the skin disease displays raw flesh, the man is unclean. It was left up to the priests to make this determination based on the data given to them by God.

 

Leviticus 13: 18 - 23

Here, God reveals how to determine between a boil and leprosy. The determination is left up to the priests.

 

Leviticus 13: 24 - 28

Here, God reveals how to determine between a burn and leprosy. Once again, the determination is left up to the priests, who were to use the data God had revealed to them about leprosy to decide.

 

Leviticus 13: 29 - 37

Here the priests are shown how to determine the difference between a severe itch or rash and leprosy.

 

Leviticus 13: 38 - 39

Here the priests are shown how to determine the difference between leukoderma and leprosy. Leukoderma is a skin condition where the skin becomes patchy.

 

Leviticus 13: 40 - 44

Here the priests are shown how to determine the difference between regular baldness and baldness caused by a leprous condition.

 

Leviticus 13: 45 - 46

A person with a leprous condition was to wear their hair down and keep their lip covered. They were to tell people they were unclean. They were to live alone, outside the camp. This is because leprosy is extremely contagious, and they didn’t have antibiotics to cure it.

 

Leviticus 13: 47 - 59

Garments that had been exposed to leprosy were to be burned. This is so the infection could not spread and become epidemic.

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Leviticus 14

By: Jim Crews

 

Leviticus 14: 1 - 9

Here are the laws for cleansing someone who had a leprous skin condition. These are important because leprosy was extremely contagious in an era without antibiotics. The person with leprosy had to be checked by the priest, then go through the revealed cleansing procedure before being allowed back into the camp. This section shows all that had to be done in the first seven days.

 

Leviticus 14: 10 - 32

On the eighth day, the person who had the leprosy had to make the prescribed sacrifice. It had to be done in the exact way that God revealed. No substitutions that were not revealed as being approved by God were allowed.

 

Leviticus 14: 33 - 42

The house of a leprous person had to be cleansed as well. Leprosy is a bacterial disease and the bacteria spread. Anything that showed exposure to leprosy had to be disposed of.

 

Leviticus 14: 43 - 47

If the disease continued to show in the house, the house had to be destroyed to stop the spread of the infection. Anyone who entered the house while it was shut up before it was destroyed had to wash thoroughly.

 

Leviticus 14: 48 - 53

If the house ended up being cleansed after the seven days, the priest is given a procedure to follow that would mark that house as being clean from the infection.

 

Leviticus 14: 54 - 57

This is how leprous diseases were to be handled because of their rapid ability to spread. Why is leprosy not common today? It is cured with a simple shot of penicillin or other antibiotics.

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Leviticus 15

By: Jim Crews

 

Leviticus 15: 1 - 12

Here are some more laws God gave to the Israelites that dealt with staying healthy and away from infectious diseases. Any bodily discharge was to be considered unclean, whether it was runny or clotted. Everything that person came into contact with was to be considered unclean. Anyone touching anything this person came into contact with was to wash his clothes and take a bath, remaining unclean until evening.

 

Leviticus 15: 13 - 15

The one with the discharge would be considered clean seven days after the discharge had stopped. He was to wash his clothing and take an offering to the priest.

 

Leviticus 15: 16 - 18

When a man had an emission of semen, he was to wash himself and be unclean until evening. Everything that the semen came into contact with was to be washed and considered unclean until evening. Both partners were to be considered unclean following sexual relations. They were to bathe themselves and were unclean until evening.

 

Leviticus 15: 19 - 24

A woman in her menstrual cycle would be considered impure for a week. Whoever touched her would be unclean until the evening. Everything she touched was considered unclean and had to be washed. Anyone who touched her or anything she touched was to bathe themselves in water and be unclean until the evening.

 

Leviticus 15: 25 - 30

If a woman had a discharge of blood that was not her menstrual period, she was to be considered unclean for the duration of the bleeding. She was to be considered under the same rules as for her menstrual cycle. She was to be unclean for a week after the bleeding stopped. On the eighth day, she was to take an offering to the priest.

 

Leviticus 15: 31

This was to keep the Israelites separate from their uncleanness.

 

Leviticus 15: 32

These laws were for anyone, male or female, who had a discharge of fluid from their body. The purpose of these was to keep infections from spreading through unclean habits.

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Leviticus 16

By: Jim Crews

 

Leviticus 16: 1 - 5

Here God tells how Aaron is to dress and cleanse himself before approaching the mercy seat that was on the Ark of the Covenant. God told Moses to tell Aaron these things after the death of Nadab and Abihu, so that Aaron wouldn’t die, too. God would appear in a cloud over the mercy seat. Aaron was to bring a bull and a ram for a sin offering and a burnt offering. He was to wear the linen clothing God had told them to have made just for this occasion. He was to bathe in water before putting it on. This shows us the importance of water in the atonement for our sins. The congregation was to give him two male goats and a ram for sin and burnt offerings.

 

Leviticus 16: 6 - 10

The bull was a sin offering for Aaron, to make atonement for himself and his household. Aaron was to take the two goats and cast lots. One would be offered to God, and one would be a scapegoat, sent into the wilderness. The chosen goat would be sacrificed as a sin offering, the one that was not chosen would be sent into the wilderness, symbolically carrying away their sins.

 

Leviticus 16: 11 - 14

Here Aaron is told how the bull is to be offered to God. God revealed these things to Aaron, and Aaron was expected to obey them without change.

 

Leviticus 16: 15 - 19

The goat was to be killed in the manner God commands here. The goat was a sin offering for the people. It made atonement for the uncleanness and sins of the people. The goat paid the ransom for their sins, pushing them forward until the Messiah came. When Jesus died, He paid the ransom for our sins, completely forgiving them if we make the choice to believe and obey His commands.

 

Leviticus 16: 20 - 22

When the sacrifice had been made, Aaron was to take the other goat and confess all the sins of the people. All these sins were put on the head of this goat, and sent into the wilderness with this goat. This goat would be set free, to bear their sins into the wilderness.

 

Leviticus 16: 23 - 28

Aaron was then to take off the linen garments and leave them in the Holy Place. He was to bathe and put on his regular clothes and offer the burnt offering for himself and the people, to make atonement for their sins. The fat of the sin offering was to be burnt on the altar. The man who led the scapegoat into the wilderness was to bathe in water before returning to the camp. The skin, flesh, and dung of the bull and goat that were offered was to be taken outside the camp and burned. The one who did this was to bathe in water before being allowed back into the camp.

 

Leviticus 16: 29 - 34

The day of atonement was to be on the tenth day of the seventh month. They were to do no work. Their guests were to do no work. This was the day that they were to atone for their sins. This was to be done once a year.

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Leviticus 17

By: Jim Crews

 

Leviticus 17: 1 - 7

The Israelites were required to bring any sacrifice they made to the tent of meeting for the priests. They were not to sacrifice for themselves out in the fields or wilds. If they did so, they were guilty of sin. This was so that they wouldn’t be secretly sacrificing to idols.

 

Leviticus 17: 8 - 9

Anyone who didn’t bring their sacrifice to the tabernacle, but offered it up themselves, was to be cut off from the people.

 

Leviticus 17: 10 - 12

God would turn His face from anyone who ate blood, and that person was to be cut off from the people. The life of the flesh is blood, and God had set this aside to be sacrificed to make atonement for their sins. Blood atoned for their sins, and is was not to be eaten by them or by anyone staying with them.

 

Leviticus 17: 13 - 14

The blood of any animal killed for food was to be drained and covered with dirt. They were not to eat any blood from any animal. Anyone who did was to be cut off from the people.

 

Leviticus 17: 15 - 16

Anyone who ate what had died on its own, or what had been killed and torn apart by other animals was to bathe in water and wash their clothes. They were unclean until evening. That person would be clean if they did this, but if they didn’t bathe and wash, they were guilty of sin.

 

These were for the benefit of their health. Disease is carried in the blood, so eating blood causes the spread of diseases and infections. Eating an animal that had died on its own or that had been killed by other animals could also lead to disease and infection.

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Leviticus 18

By: Jim Crews

 

Leviticus 18: 1 - 5

God told Moses to let the Israelites know that they were not to do the things that the Egyptians did, nor were they to do the things that the Canaanites do. They were to keep the rules God established for them.

 

Leviticus 18: 6 - 18

Unlike the people around them, the Israelites were not to have sexual relations with any close relatives. Incest is forbidden. Adultery is forbidden.

 

Leviticus 18: 19 - 23

They were not to offer their children to the fires of idolatrous human sacrifice. Homosexuality is forbidden. Sexual relations with animals is forbidden.

 

Leviticus 18: 24 - 30

All the lands God is driving out before the Israelites practice these things, and that is the reason God is driving them out. The Israelites were to keep God’s Law and not practice the abominations of the people of Canaan. They were not to tolerate any of these things, or God would punish them as He was punishing the Canaanites. Anyone caught doing any of these things was to be cut off from the people.

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Leviticus 19

By: Jim Crews

 

Leviticus 19: 1 - 4

God told Moses to tell Israel that they were to be holy because He is holy. They should revere their parents and keep His sabbaths. He is God, and they should not turn to idols or fashion any images of gods from cast metals.

 

Leviticus 19: 5 - 8

Peace offerings were to be given in the exact manner that God had commanded if they were to be acceptable. If it were done in any other manner than what God revealed to them, it was not acceptable. This is the same with our worship in the New Testament church today. We must seek out in the writings of the New Testament God’s revelation of how He is to be worshipped, and we must worship Him in that manner and that manner only.

 

Leviticus 19: 9 - 10

When they harvested their fields or vineyards, they were to leave gleanings for the poor.

 

Leviticus 19:11 - 12

They were not to steal. They were to be honest in their dealings with one another. They were not to lie. They were not to swear falsely by His name, or they would be profaning His name.

 

Leviticus 19: 13 - 14

They were not to oppress their neighbor, nor were they to rob him. They were to pay their workers the day the job was done. They were not to curse the deaf, nor were they to cause the blind to stumble. They were to fear God.

 

Leviticus 19: 15 - 16

They were to be just. They were not to be partial to the poor, nor were they to defer to the great. All were to be equal in the courts. They were not to slander one another, nor were they to stand up against the life of their neighbor.

 

Leviticus 19: 17 - 18

They were not to hate their brother in their hearts. They were to reason frankly with their neighbors. They were not to take vengeance, nor were they to hold grudges. They were to love their neighbors as they loved themselves.

 

Leviticus 19: 19

They were to keep God’s statutes. They were not to cross breed cattle, nor were they to plant two kinds of seed in the same field. They were not to wear clothing made of two kinds of cloth.

 

Leviticus 19: 20 - 22

A distinction was made if a man had sexual relations with a woman who was a slave of someone else. They were not to be put to death, because she is not free. He had to bring compensation to God at the tent of meeting. The priest would atone for him, and he would be forgiven.

 

Leviticus 19: 23 - 25

They were not to eat of the fruit of the land God was bringing them to for three years. The fourth years crop was to be offered to God. Then, in the fifth year, they could eat of it themselves.

 

Leviticus 19: 26 - 28

They were not to eat flesh with blood on it. They were not to practice astrology, fortune telling, or interpreting omens. They were not to round off the hair on their temples, nor were they to mar the edges of their beards. They were not to have any celebratory cuts or any tattoos on their bodies.

 

Leviticus 19: 29 - 30

They were not to make their daughters prostitutes. They were to keep the Sabbaths and revere the sanctuary.

 

Leviticus 19: 31

They were not to seek out mediums and necromancers.  

 

Leviticus 19: 32

They were to honor the old.

 

Leviticus 19: 33 - 34

They were not to mistreat strangers who were sojourners in their land, because they had been sojourners in Egypt.

 

Leviticus 19: 35 - 37

They were to be honest in weights and measurements. They were to follow all the rules God had shown them.

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Leviticus 20

By: Jim Crews

 

Leviticus 20: 1 - 5

Any of the Israelites or anyone staying in their land who sacrificed a child to Molech was to be put to death. That person was to be stoned to death. If this child sacrifice was ignored, God was going to set Himself against the people and clan who ignored it.

 

Leviticus 20: 6 - 9

God would also turn against anyone who sought out mediums and necromancers. The Israelites were God’s people, and were to be holy, separate from the nations around them. Anyone who cursed his father or mother was to be put to death.

 

Leviticus 20: 10 - 16

Anyone committing adultery was to be put to death. Both parties involved were to be killed. Anyone committing incest or homosexual acts was to be put to death. Anyone committing sexual immoral acts with an animal was to be put to death along with the animal.

 

Leviticus 20: 17 - 21

Men who take their step sisters were to be cut off from the assembly, and they were to bear their iniquity. Anyone who had sexual relations during a woman’s menstrual cycle was to be cut off from the people. No one was to have sexual relations with an aunt or an uncle. Those who did, were to be cut off from the assembly. They were to die childless. The same for anyone who had sexual relations with their in-laws.

 

Leviticus 20: 22 - 26

They were expected to keep all of God’s statutes and rules in the promised land, or they would be vomited out. They were not to walk in the ways of the nations God was driving out of their lands. They were to be separate, holy, unconnected with any other peoples around them.

 

Leviticus 20: 27

Mediums and necromancers were to be put to death by stoning. Their blood was on themselves for practicing these lies and deceitful things.

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Leviticus 21

By: Jim Crews

 

Leviticus 21: 1 - 9

Priests were to remain clean. They were not to make themselves unclean for the dead of anyone except their family. They were not to have bald patches on their heads. They were not to shave off the edges of their beards. They were not to make any cuts on their bodies. They were to be holy, and not profane the name of God. They could not marry a prostitute, a defiled woman, or any woman who had been divorced. If the daughter of a priest profaned herself by whoring around, she was to be burned.

 

Leviticus 21: 10 - 15

The High Priest was not to let his hair hang loose, nor was he to tear his clothes. He was not to go in to any dead body, even his own family. He was not to go out of the sanctuary. His wife had to be a virgin. He could not marry a widow, a divorced woman, a defiled woman, or a prostitute. His wife had to be a virgin from among his own people.

 

Leviticus 21: 16 - 24

No offspring of Aaron who had a blemish could approach to offer sacrifices. He could eat the bread of God, but could not approach the altar to offer sacrifices.

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Leviticus 22

By: Jim Crews

 

Leviticus 22: 1 - 9

Aaron or any of the priests were not to approach the holy things in the tabernacle when they were in an unclean state. Those who did would be cut off from the presence of God. They were not to eat of the holy things while in an unclean state. What made them unclean, and how to become clean again are stated here. Notice, they had to bathe in water as part of their cleansing rituals. They are not sanctified and made holy by their actions. God makes them holy when they obey. This is how salvation works in this age as well. We are unclean in our sins. We are made clean by God when we obey His commands to repent, confess, and be immersed in water.

 

Leviticus 22: 10 - 16

The only people who were allowed to eat of the holy things were priests, their offspring, and their slaves. The daughter of a priest who married a layman could no longer eat of the holy things. However, if she is widowed or divorced and had no child, she could once again eat of them. Those who ate of the holy things unintentionally could pay restitution to the priest.

 

Leviticus 22: 17 - 25

The only acceptable offerings to God were male, unblemished, sheep, bulls, or goats. This shows that God will not accept just anything. He reveals to His children how He is to be worshipped in every age, and we don’t get to change it up in any way.

 

Leviticus 22: 26 - 30

A newborn animal was to remain with its mother for a week, then it was an acceptable offering to God.

 

Leviticus 22: 31 - 33

They are again told that they must keep God’s commandments.

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Leviticus 23

By: Jim Crews

 

Leviticus 23: 1 - 2

Here God reveals to the Israelites the feast days that He expects them to celebrate.

 

Leviticus 23: 3

God reiterates the celebration of the Sabbath. They were to celebrate the Sabbath every seventh day of every week.

 

Leviticus 23: 4 - 8

On the 14th day of the first month, beginning at twilight, the Passover was to be celebrated. On the 15th day, the feast of Unleavened Bread was to be celebrated. They were to eat unleavened bread for seven days. On the first and seventh days of the feast, they were not to do any ordinary labor.

 

Leviticus 23: 9 - 14

When they came into the Promised Land, they were to begin celebrating the feast of Firstfruits.

 

Leviticus 23: 15 - 22

The feast of weeks was to be celebrated seven full weeks and 50 days from the Sabbath of the Feast of Firstfruits. They were also told to leave gleanings for the poor when they harvested their fields.

 

Leviticus 23: 23 - 25

On the first day of the seventh month, they were to observe a day of solemn rest heralded by the blasting of trumpets. This was called the feast of trumpets.

 

Leviticus 23: 26 - 32

The tenth day of the seventh month was the Day of Atonement. This was the day that they would atone for their sins before God. They were not to do any work on this day.

 

Leviticus 23: 33 - 36

For seven days, beginning on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, they were to observe the Feast of Booths.

 

Leviticus 23: 37 - 44

These are the feasts that they were to celebrate in addition to the Sabbath. They were to dwell in booths for a week, signifying that they had done so when God brought them out of Egypt.

 

Notice that God gave them celebratory feasts to remember His Works. We have such a feast in this age, called the Lord’s Supper. Like them, we are to celebrate it in the exact manner revealed to us by God through the New Testament writings. It is to be celebrated every first day of every week, and only on the first day of the week. It is to consist of unleavened bread and fruit of the vine. Anything else changes God’s Word.

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Leviticus 24

By: Jim Crews

 

Leviticus 24: 1 - 4

The people were to bring pure olive oil, so that a light could be kept burning regularly outside the veil of the testimony in the Tabernacle. The lamps and the lampstand were to be arranged regularly by the High Priest.

 

Leviticus 24: 5 - 9

The bread for the Tabernacle was to be made and arranged exactly as God had revealed to them. Every Sabbath it was to be arranged by the High Priest as a memorial portion of the food offering to God.

 

Leviticus 24: 10 - 12

There was an Israelite woman named Shelomith, daughter of Dimri,  whose son’s father had been an Egyptian. Her son fought with a man in the camp. He blasphemed the name of God and cursed. He was brought in custody to Moses to await the will of God on the matter.

 

Leviticus 24: 13 - 16

God decreed that this man was to be stoned by all those who heard him. Blasphemy was to be punished by stoning. This went for anyone, Israelite or visitor.

 

Leviticus 24: 17

Whoever took a human life was to be put to death.

 

Leviticus 24: 18

Whoever killed someone else's animal was to pay an equal restitution. Life for life.

 

Leviticus 24: 19 - 20

Injury to neighbors were to be repaid in kind. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a life for a life.

 

Leviticus 24: 21

Whoever killed an animal was to pay restitution. Whoever killed another human being was to be executed.

 

Leviticus 24: 22 - 23

These rules were in force for Israel and for any sojourners in their midst. The woman’s son was brought out of the camp and stoned for his blasphemy.

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Leviticus 25

By: Jim Crews

 

Leviticus 25: 1 - 7

God commanded the people to keep a Sabbath year to Him when they came into the land. They were to work the land for six years, then in the seventh, they were to let the land rest. Not keeping this command, along with falling to idolatry, is why God sent the people away into 70 years of captivity.

 

Leviticus 25: 8 - 12

Every 50th year was to be a year of Jubilee for the people. Liberty was to be proclaimed in this year for all the people. They were to return to their property and to their clans. They were not to sow or reap, but live off the bounty of the land itself.

 

Leviticus 25: 13 - 17

They were to treat each other better during the year of Jubilee than in normal times. They were not to do wrong to their neighbors.

 

Leviticus 25: 18 - 22

The promise is made to Israel that if they obey God, He will ensure that they are taken care of in the land they are going. God will take care of their needs in the Sabbath year and in the Jubilee year, if they will obey Him.

 

Leviticus 25: 23 - 24

The land was not to be sold into perpetuity, since God owned the land. They were to allow a redemption for the land, and this was supposed to be done in the Sabbath year and the Jubilee year. There is no evidence that they obeyed this command.

 

Leviticus 25: 25 - 28

If one of them became poor and sold his property, it was to be redeemed to him on that Jubilee year. If the man recovered financially, he could redeem the land himself by paying back what he had taken for it. If he can’t rebuy the land, it was to remain with the new owner until the Jubilee year, when it was then returned to the original owner.

 

Leviticus 25: 29 - 34

If they sold a house inside a walled city, they had a year to redeem it’s purchase. If they didn’t or weren’t able to do this, the home was to remain with the new buyer in perpetuity, and not be returned in the Jubilee year. Houses outside walled cities were to be returned during the Jubilee year. Levites were excused from this, and could redeem their houses at anytime. However, Levites could not sell any of their land.

 

Leviticus 25: 35 - 38

If a brother became poor and could not maintain himself, they were to take care of him as if he were a sojourner in their home.  They were not to charge interest to him on anything or make a profit off his misfortune.

 

Leviticus 25: 39 - 46

If that brother became poor and sold himself as a slave, they were not to be made to serve as a slave. They were to be treated like a hired worker and a sojourner. He would serve until the Jubilee year, when he would be freed and allowed to return with his family to his clan. They were allowed to buy slaves from the nations around them. However, they were not to make slaves of other Israelites.

 

Leviticus 25: 47 - 55

An Israelite who sold himself into slavery to a foreigner could be redeemed by any of his close relatives. If he were to grow rich, he could redeem himself. The ways he could be redeemed are shown, and if he was unable to do any of this, he and his family were to be freed in the Jubilee year.