LEVITICUS
THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS 18:1). (2) The Levitical Code fits the time of Moses.
Leviticus is God’s guidebook for His newly
redeemed people, showing them how to worship,
serve, and obey a holy God. Fellowship with God
through sacrifice and obedience show the awesome
holiness of the God of Israel, Indeed, “you shall be
holy, for I the Lord your God am holy’” ( 9:2)
Leviticus focuses on the worship and walk
of the nation of God. In Exodus, Israel was
redeemed and established as a kingdom of priests
and a holy nation. Leviticus shows how God’s
people are to fulfill their priestly calling.
The Hebrew title is Wayyiqra, “And He
Called.” The Talmud refers to Leviticus as the “Law
of the Offerings.” The Greek title appearing in the
offerings Septuagint is Leuitikon, “That Which
Pertains to the Levites.” From this word, the Latin
Vulgate derived its name Leviticus which was
adopted as the English title. This title is slightly
misleading because the book does not deal with the
Levites as a whole but more with the priests, a
segment of Levites.
THE AUTHOR OF LEVITICUS
The kind of arguments used to confirm the
Mosaic authorship of Genesis and Exodus also apply to
Leviticus because the Pentateuch is a literally unit. In
addition to these arguments, others include the
following:
External Evidence: (1) A uniform ancient
testimony supports the Mosaic authorship of Leviticus.
(2) Ancient parallels to the Levitical system of trespass
offerings have been found in the Ras Shamra Tablets
dating from about 1400 B.C. and discovered on the coast
of northern Syria. (3) Christ ascribes the Pentateuch
(which includes Leviticus) to Moses (cf. Matt. 8:2-4 and
Lev. 14:1-4; Matt. 12:4 and Lev. 24:9; see also Luke
2:22)
Internal Evidence: (1) Fifty-six times in the
twenty-seven chapters of Leviticus it is stated that God
imparted these laws to Moses (see 1:1; 4:1; 6:1; 24;
Economic, civil, moral, and religious consideration
shows it to be ancient. Many of the laws are also related
to a migratory lifestyle.
THE TIME OF LEVITICUS
No geographical movement takes place in
Leviticus: the children of Israel remain camped at
the foot of Mount Sinai (25:1, 2; 26:46; 27:34). The
new calendar of Israel begins with the first Passover
(Ex. 12:2) and, according to Exodus 40:17, the
tabernacle is completed exactly one year later.
Leviticus picks up the story at this point and
takes place in the first month of the second year.
Numbers 1:1 opens at the beginning of the second
month. Moses probably wrote much of the Leviticus
during that first month and may have put it in its
final form shortly before his death in Moab, about
1405 B.C.
THE CHRIST OF LEVITICUS
The Book of Leviticus is replete with types
and allusions to the person and work of Jesus
Christ. Some of the more important include: (1) The
five offerings: The burnt offering typifies Christ’s
total offering in submission to His Father’s will.
The meal offering typifies Christ’s sinless service.
The peace offering is a type of the fellowship
believers have with God through the work of the
cross. The sin offering typifies Christ as our guilt-
bearer. The trespass offering typifies Christ’s
payment for the damage of sin. (2) The high priest:
There are several comparisons and contrast between
Aaron, the first high priest, and Christ, our eternal
high priest. (3) The seven feast: Passover speaks of
the substitutionary death of the Lamb of God. Christ
died on the day of Passover. Unleavened Bread
speaks of the holy walk of the believer (1 Cor. 5:6-
8). Firstfruits speaks of Christ’s resurrection as the
firstfruits of the resurrection of the believers (1 Cor.
15:20-23). Christ rose on the day of the Firstfruits.
Pentecost speaks of the descent of the Holy Spirit
after Christ’s ascension. Trumpets, the Day of
Atonement, and Tabernacles speak of events
associated with the second advent of Christ. This
may be why these three are separated by a long gap
from the first four in Israel’s annual cycle.
KEYS TO LEVITICUS
Key Word: Holiness – Leviticus centers
around the concept of the holiness of God, and how
an unholy people can acceptably approach Him and
then remain in continued fellowship. The way to
God is only through blood sacrifice, and the walk
with God is only through obedience to His laws.
Key Verses: Leviticus 17:11; 20:7, 8 – “For
the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given
it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your
souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for
the soul’” (17:11).
“Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy,
for I am the Lord your God. And you shall keep My
statutes, and perform them: I am the Lord who
sanctifies you” (20:7, 8).
Key Chapter: Leviticus 16 – The Day of
Atonement (“Your Kippur”) was the most
important single day in the Hebrew calendar as it
was the only day the high priest entered into the
Holy of Holies to “make atonement for you, to
cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your
sins before the Lord” (16:30).
SURVEY OF EXODUS
It has been said that it took God only one
night to get Israel out of Egypt, but it took forty
years to get Egypt out of Israel. In Exodus, Israel
redeemed and established as a kingdom of priest
and a holy nation; and in Leviticus, Israel is taught
how to fulfill their priestly call. They have been led
out from the land of bondage in Exodus and into the
sanctuary of God in Leviticus. They move from
redemption to service, from deliverance to
dedication. This book serves as a handbook for the
Levitical priesthood, giving instruction and
regulations for worship. Use to guide a newly
redeemed people into worship, service, and
obedience to God, Leviticus falls into two major
sections: (1) sacrifice (1-17), and (2) sanctification
(18-27).
Sacrifice (1-17): This section teaches that
God must be approached by the sacrificial offerings
(1-7), by the mediation of the priesthood (8-10), by
the purification of the nation from uncleanness (11-
15), and by the provision for national cleansing and
fellowship (16 and 17). The blood sacrifices remind
the worshipers that because of sin the holy God
requires the costly gift of life (17:11). The blood of
the innocent sacrifice animal becomes the substitute
for the life of the guilty offerer: without shedding of
blood there is no remission” (Heb. 9:22).
Sanctification (18-27): The Israelites serve
a holy God who requires them to be holy as well. To
be holy means to be “set apart” or “separated”.
They are to be separated from other nations unto
God. In Leviticus the idea of holiness appears
eighty-seven times, sometimes indicating
ceremonial holiness (ritual requirements), and other
times moral holiness (purity of life). This
sanctification extends to the people of Israel (8-20),
the priesthood (21 and 22), their worship (23 and
24), their life in Canaan (25 and 26) and their
special vows (27). It is necessary to remove the
defilement that separates the people from God so
that they can have a walk of fellowship with their
Redeemer.
FOCUS SACRIFICE SANCTIFICATION
REFERENCE 1:1------8:1-----------11:1------------16:1---------18:1-----------21:1----------23:1---------25:1-------27:1---------27:34
DIVISION THE CONSECREATION CONSECRATION NATIONAL FOR THE FOR THE IN IN THE THROUGH
OFFERINGS OF THE PRIESTS OF THE PEOPLE ATONEMENT PEOLPE PRIESTS WORSHIP LAND OF VOWS
CANAAN

THE WAY TO GOD THE WALK WITH GOD

TOPIC THE LAWS OF ACCEPTABLE APPROACH TO GOD THE LAWS OF CONTINUED FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD

LOCATION MOUNT SINAI

TIME c. 1 MONTH

OUTLINE OF LEVITICUS

Part One: The Laws of Acceptable Approach to
God: Sacrifice (1:1 – 17:16)
I. The Laws of Acceptable Approach to God
……………………………………..1:1-7:38
A. Laws of Approach to God When in
Fellowship ………………………...1:1-3:17
1. The Burnt Offering ……………...1:1-17
2. The Grain Offering……………... 2:1-16
3. The Peace Offering……………... 3:1-17
B. Laws of Approach to God When Out of
Fellowship…………………………. 4:1-6:7
1. The Sin Offering ………………4:1-5:13
2. The Trespass Offering………... 5:14-6:7
C. Laws of Administering Offering ….6:8-7:38
1. The Burnt Offering……………... 6:8-13
2. The Grain Offering……………. 6:14-23
3. The Sin Offering………………. 6:24-30
4. The Trespass Offering………….. 7:1-10
5. The Peace Offering……………. 7:11-36
6. The Summary of the Offerings.. 7:37, 38
II. The Laws of the Priest.....……... 8:1-10:20
A. The Consecration of the Priesthood... 8:1-36
1. Consecration Commanded by God..8:1-5
2. Cleansing the Priest with Water……..8:6
3. Special Garments………………….8:7-9
4. Anointing with Oil ……………..8:10-13
5. Consecrating with Blood ………8:14-30
6. The Priest Are to Remain in the
Tabernacle ……………………..8:31-36
B. The Ministry of the Priesthood………9:1-24
1. Offerings for the Priest…………..9:1-14
2. Offerings for the People………..9:15-21
3. The Lord Accepts the Offerings..9:22-24
C. Failure of the Priesthood…………...10:1-20
1. The Sin of Nadab and Abihu…...10:1-11
2. The Sin of Eleazar and Ithamar.10:12-20
III. The Laws of Israel
Regarding Purity..……………..11:1-15:33
A. Concerning Clean and
Unclean Food ………… …………11:1-47
1. Animals of the Earth …………….11:1-8
2. Living Things in the Waters…... 11:9-12
3. Birds of the Air………………..11:13-19
4. Winged Insects ……………….11:20-23
5. The Carcasses of
the Unclean Animals………….11:24-28
6. Creeping Things ……………...11:29-38
Part Two: The Laws of Acceptable Walk with God:
Sanctification (18:1-27:34)
I. The Laws of Sanctification
for the People …………………...18:1-20:27
A. Laws of Sexual Sin ………………...18:1-30
B. Laws of Social Order……………… 19:1-37
C. Laws of Penalties …………………..20:1-27
1. The Penalty for
Worshiping Molech……………...20:1-5
2. The Penalty for
Consulting Spirits………………..20:6-8
 3. The Penalty for Cursing Parents…...20:9

4. The Penalty For Committing Sexual Sins

………………………………...20:10-21
5. The Purpose of the Laws of B. Results of the Obedience and Disobedience
Sanctification of the People…...20:22-27 in the Land of Canaan ……………..26:1-46
1. Basic Requirements
II. The Laws of Sanctification for the of Obedience…………………….26:1, 2
Priesthood……………………….21:1-22:33 2. Conditions and Results
of Obedience …………………...26:3-13
A. Prohibited Practices of the Priests …21:1-15 3. Conditions and Results
1. Laws Concerning Priests……….21:1-15 of Disobedience……………… 26:14-39
2. Laws Concerning the High Priests 4. The Promise of Restoration …..26:40-46
………………………………...21:10-15
B. People Prohibited from the Priesthood V. The Laws of Sanctification
…………………………………….21:16-24 Through Vows…………………… 27:1-34
C. Things Prohibited of the Priesthood..22:1-16
D. Sacrifices Prohibited of the A. The Special Consecrating
Priesthood…………………………22:17-30 of Acceptable Things……………….27:1-25
E. The Purpose of the Laws of the 1. Consecration of Person…………..27:1-8
Priesthood…………………………22:31-33 2. Consecration of Animals……….27:9-13
3. Consecration of Houses………27:14, 15
III. The Laws of Sanctification 4. Consecration of Fields………...27:16-25
in Worship……………………...23:1-2:4-23 B. Things Excluded
from Consecration………...………27:26-34
A. Laws of Sanctified Feasts 1. Firstborn Clean Animals….…..27:26, 27
of Worship …………………………23:1-44 2. Devoted Things……………….27:28, 29
1. The Weekly Sabbath ……………12:1-3 3. Tithes………………………….27:30-33
2. Yearly Feasts …………………..23:4-44 C. The Conclusion of Leviticus………….27:34
a. Passover……………………..23:4, 5
b. Unleavened Bread…………...23:6-8
c. Firstfruits…………………...23:9-14
d. Pentecost………………….23:15-22
e. Trumpets…………………..23:23-25
f. Day of Atonement………...23:26-32
g. Tabernacles………………..23:33-44
B. Laws of the Sanctified
Elements of Worship ………………..24:1-9
1. Oil for the Lamps………………...24:1-4
2. The Showbread…………………..24:5-9
C. Law of the Sanctified
Name of God……………………...24:10-23

IV. The Laws of Sanctification in the Land of

Canaan ………………………….25:1-26:46

A. Laws of the Sanctification of the Land of

Canaan ……………………………..25:1-55
1. Law of the Sabbath Year ……….25:1-7
2. Law of the Year of Jubilee……..25:8-55