LEVITICUS 1


     The book of Leviticus is one of the most important books in the
Old Testament. This book is a set of rules that God gave to Moses, so
that His Hebrew children could learn how to live pleasing unto God.
This book is the third that Moses wrote. It is the third of the
Pentateuch {5 books}.

     These laws, God gave to Moses, for the people, are not just
religious laws, but civil laws as well. If the people live up to these
laws, there would be no need for a king to rule over them. God wanted
to fellowship with His people. He made a way for them to approach Him
through sacrifice and obedience.

     In Leviticus we see the day to day progression of these
Israelites. We will see as long as they worship God, they stay in good
standing with Him. It is only when they wander from His instructions
that they have trouble.

     The Hebrew title of Leviticus is Wayyiqra, which means {and He
called}. It is also known as the {law of the priests}, and the {law of
offerings}. In the Septuagint it is titled Leuitikon, which means
{that which pertains to the Levites}. The name Leviticus indicates
that it is connected with the tribe of Levi.

     These laws were definitely given to Moses. The Hebrews were
camped at the foot of mount Sinai, when Moses received these laws,
which would later be called the law of Moses. They covered religious
obligations, civil laws, moral laws, and even covered financial laws
and dietary laws. A people could live just by these laws and do very
well.  God really wanted to be the only King these people needed.

     These Levitical laws were given to Moses about one year after the
first passover. It would actually be about the first part of the
second year of their wanderings.

     In our study here as in the other studies, we are looking into
the spiritual meaning of the Scriptures. We will see types and shadows
of Jesus in the offerings and sacrifices. Just as in the book of
Hebrews, we see Jesus Christ as our High Priest. He {Jesus} is our
perfect sacrifice for all time. Thank goodness, we do not have to keep
up with all the sacrifices today. It would be a full time job. We see
Jesus as the Passover Lamb, We see Him as the Bread, We see Him taking
our sin upon His Body, that we might take on His righteousness.

     If there is a theme, that we are to partake of in this book of
Leviticus, it would be {Be ye holy, for I am holy}. God is the holy
God. A sinful person cannot approach God. We are allowed to approach
Him, when we are covered in the blood of the prefect Lamb, His
precious Son Jesus Christ. Only when we are washed in that blood are
we allowed to approach the Father. Our life is in the blood of the
Lamb. We are partakers of death, until we accept Jesus Christ as our
Saviour and Lord. He is life. If we are full of Jesus, then we are
full of life.

     In Leviticus we see God teaching His chosen people how to live up
to their being His chosen. We must look carefully at this book. We,
too, are the called of God. We must learn what is expected of the
called of God. This is for all of God's people, but even more so for
those called into the ministry. God brought them out of Egypt {the
world}. Have we really left Egypt {the world}, or are we still trying
to cling to the world with one hand, and have God with the other? We
have to leave Egypt before we can head for the promised land.

     We can learn the ways of God in this series of lessons, but it is
a special thing to be able to walk with God. He fellowships with the
pure in heart only.

     My grandson, David, sings a praise song that says {Open my eyes
Lord, I want to see Jesus. To reach out and touch Him and say that I
love Him. Open my ears Lord and help me to listen, open my eyes Lord I
want to see Jesus}. To understand Leviticus, we must open our heart
and let the Holy Spirit tell us the hidden messages contained here.

     In these lessons watch for two keys. Access to the Father and the
Holiness of God. The word Holy occurs 80 times in this book. God will
also establish in this book the special times of worship. Look in each
one of these and see Jesus. Offerings and feasts will all be types and
shadows of our Lord Jesus. Look for Jesus in the high priest and look
for believers in the priests. The symbolic meanings are tremendous in
this book.

     God is a God of order. In Exodus, He gave instruction for the
building of the Tabernacle. Now Moses receives the instructions for
the form of worship conducted in the tabernacle. Each sacrifice has a
specific purpose. I say one more time, try to see the message God has
for us in each of the feasts and sacrifices.

     We will begin now with Leviticus 1:1 "And the LORD called unto
Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation,
saying,"

     This very first verse leaves absolutely no doubt who these laws
were given to, and no doubt at all who gave them. Lord, in the verse
above, is Jehovah, which means self existent or eternal One.

     Leviticus 1:2 "Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto
them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the LORD, ye shall
bring your offering of the cattle, [even] of the herd, and of the
flock."

     We remember, from the study in Exodus, that the people were so
frightened by the voice of God, that they had begged Moses to talk to
God for them. The chain was God speaking to Moses and then Moses
speaking to the people. The message Moses was to give the people was
from God. Moses was just the mouth to bring it. This offering above
seems to be a voluntary offering, because of the word [if]. One of the
pleasing things that the patriarchs did everywhere they went was build
an altar to God. God is pleased when man tries to please Him. We
remember, in Genesis, that Cain's offering was unacceptable to God,
but Abel's offering of the flock was acceptable. Man worshipping
through offerings and sacrifices was as if he were offering himself to
God.  The shedding of the blood of the animal symbolized the offering
of his life to God. Leviticus 17:11 "For the life of the flesh [is] in
the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an
atonement for your souls: for it [is] the blood [that] maketh an
atonement for the soul." When the sacrifice was burned up, it
symbolized the fact that the person sacrificing had totally commited
themselves to God. The end result of sacrificing and making offerings
is to put ourselves into a  closer moral relationship with God. We
Christians do this through accepting Jesus as our sacrifice. These
Hebrews did it through sacrificing animals. The blood of animals, or
even sinful man, could never do away with sin. The only thing it could
do was cover it up.  The person still had a guilty conscience. The
only way to have a clear conscience is to be washed in the blood of
Jesus Christ [the Lamb of God]. Hebrews 10:4 "For [it is] not possible
that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins."

     Leviticus 1:3 "If his offering [be] a burnt sacrifice of the
herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his
own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation
before the LORD."

     This burnt sacrifice, as we said before, symbolizes the total
commitment of the person sacrificing. This is to be done of their own
free will, not of obligation. Salvation is offered to everyone, but we
must accept Jesus as our Saviour and Lord of our own free will. God
does not require it of us. It is our decision whether we commit our
life to God or not. The reason this is a male without blemish is
because it is a type and shadow of Jesus [the Lamb of God]. It shows
the sinfree {without blemish] life of Jesus. It was offered at the
door of the tabernacle, because the first step to salvation is
repentance. Just inside the door was the bronze altar. Bronze
symbolizes judgement. We are all guilty of sin, before we repent and
accept Jesus as our substitute for our sin. The person bringing this
animal for sacrifice was placing his guilt on the head of this animal.
The blood that was shed symbolized turning  his life over to God. The
key here is he came to God of his own free will. The blood sacrifice
and the burning of the animal, showed his dedication to God.











                             Questions 1

1.  The book of Leviticus is a book of ______ that God gave Moses.
2.  Who wrote Leviticus?
3.  What are the five books of Moses called?
4.  If the people live up to these laws, there will be no need for
    what?
5.  God made a way for them to approach Him through what 2 things?
6.  When do God's people get into trouble?
7.  What is the Hebrew title of Leviticus?
8.  What is another name it is known by?
9.  The name Leviticus indicates that it is connected with what tribe?
10. Where were they camped when God gave these laws to Moses?
11. What different things did these laws cover?
12. Who did God want to be Israel's King?
13. At what time were these laws given to Moses?
14. We will see types and shadows of Jesus in the __________and
    ______.
15. In the book of Hebrews, we saw Jesus as whom?
16. Name at least 3 things we will see Jesus as in Leviticus?
17. What does the author believe is the theme of Leviticus for
    believers?
18. How is the only way that we can approach Father God?
19. Our life is in the _____ of the Lamb.
20. What are we partakers of before we accept Jesus as our Saviour?
21. If we are full of Jesus, we are full of ____.
22. What is God teaching His chosen people in Leviticus?
23. Have you and I really left Egypt {the world}?
24. What must we do before we can head for the promised land?
25. Who are the only people God fellowships with?
26. What must we do to really know what God is saying to us in
    Leviticus?
27. What 2 keys are we to watch for in Leviticus?
28. How many times does the word holy appear in Leviticus?
29. Offerings and feasts are all what?
30. What lets us know that God is the God of order here?
31. Where did God call to Moses from?
32. What root word did Lord come from in verse 1?
33. What does the name mean?
34. Why were the people not hearing from God direct?
35. What one word in verse 2 lets us know this is a voluntary
    offering?
36. What did the patriarchs do everywhere they went that pleased God?
37. What did the blood of the animal being shed symbolize for the one
    who was sacrificing?
38. When the sacrifice was totally burned up, what did it symbolize?
39. What was the desired end result of sacrificing and offerings?
40. What is the only thing that can clear the conscience of man?
41. Why must this offering in verse 3 be a male?
42. Why must it be without blemish?
43. Why was it important that it be a freewill offering?
44. Why did he place his hand on the head of the animal he was about
    to kill?