Everybody loves Leviticus. By this time, some are losing traction in their study of God’s Word. Let me encourage you in 2 ways. First take your eyes off the detail off what kind of animals you can and can’t eat (You can study this in Romans 14) and secondly lets understand how we are profited by the overview of this book. I’m not saying every word of God is not profitable but let’s see the whole counsel of God as to how God intends to profit our lives through Leviticus. For a brief overview and understanding of the context I’d watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJ-FekWUZzE.
Once we kind of understand this book is about establishing that God is VERY concerned about His holiness and that His people should equally be concerned about His holiness, how do we as sinful people respond to His holiness. First let me remind you that for the Scriptures to be included in the CANON of Scripture it must be in agreement…SO we need to understand that as New Testament believers under the New Covenant (See Jeremiah 31 and Ezekiel 36) we are equally bound to Old Testament Scripture. How you might ask? God explains in His Word how the sacrifices of Leviticus play out in the life of those who have been born again and given new hearts as Jeremiah and Ezekiel explain. The book of Hebrews is grounded in the work of the Levitical priesthood. The priesthood continually had to give sacrifices for the sins of the Israelites…because the Israelites continued to sin. Fair enough, but how does this New Covenant affect born again Christians…who continue to sin. The book of Hebrews explains in detail the sufficiency of Christ, the Great High Priest against the insufficiency of the Levitical Priesthood that could never perpetually satisfy sin. In Hebrews 9:11-22 the author explains the supremacy of the New Covenant revealed in Jesus Christ.
11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
15 Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. 16 For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. 17 For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive. 18 Therefore not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. 19 For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you.” 21 And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship. 22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.
Pretty straight forward, and if you want to memorize all this feel free. So if we don’t want to memorize all that, what verses might we consider that would sufficiently reflect a right understanding of the book of Leviticus. I have a couple for you to peruse. First let’s look at 1 Peter 1:14-16:
14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
God is concerned with His Holiness, we to should be concerned with His holiness. We should be concerned with our holiness in ALL our conduct. Another verse to ponder is in 2 Timothy 2:19. In the first part of the verse Paul has explained that the Lord knows those who are His and in the second part he explains how we know we are His:
“Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”
The Lord’s foundation is firm and it stands, He knows those who are His. How do we know we are His, by departing from iniquity?
I know I’ve gone through this a lot and I don’t want to be redundant but as the Jews continued to sin every day and the law could never save them. The supremacy of the New Covenant to the Old Covenant as explained in Hebrews 9 is written to born again Christians who based on 1John 1:8 also continue to sin every day, but John explains in 1:9 that if we confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive our sins. The supremacy of the New Covenant over the Old is revealed in the fact that we are turning from our sin daily through the work and power of the Holy Spirit revealed in our repentance and this reveals our being conformed to Christlikeness (Rom 8:29). Do you grieve over your sin (see the Sermon on the Mount Series), are you being set free from your sin? If you are not too concerned about your sin or you are not seeing the pattern of sin change in your life you should have reason to be concerned. I’m not talking sinless perfection (that would be heresy based on 1John 1:8) but I am talking about an attitude about sin that really reveals you believe God is Holy and the sin in your life is an affront to His Holiness. Do you attend a church that preaches against sin. It’s on almost every page of the Bible.
One more thing and then I’ll end. When you look at your walk with the Lord, if you are a professing Christian, are you more concerned about you than the Lord. Do you say Jesus and pack your bible but really Christianity is all about you? Remember you were made for one thing and that was to bring glory and honor to God. The sin you have is an affront to that Holiness. If you are more concerned with you than God’s holiness you may want to read John 3:16-21 or Romans 1:16-23. That mindset will not end well. But this is where I sign off for the week. Hope that helps you enjoy the book of Leviticus and you are well. Col. 1:28-29.