Leviticus 1-7; 11-15; 17-24 - The Life of Moses

(My BSF Notes)

Last time we saw how the cloud of God’s glory filled the Tabernacle.  Now God is giving laws and instructions to the priests for offerings that are to be presented to Him since He is holy and would be living with them.  Leviticus is a handbook for the priests.  It contains many rules they needed to do their work like worshiping God, making sacrifices and handling everyday problems concerning cleanliness.  The theme of Leviticus is holiness.  God wants His priests to be holy as He is holy.  Holiness is to be a characteristic of all God’s people.  A key verse in this study is Lev. 20:26 – “You are to be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own.”

Leviticus 1-7 – Holiness through Offerings

There are 5 types of offerings:

Burnt Offering – The purpose was to make atonement for sin.  This offering focuses on how the animals were to be handled.  The worshiper was to offer a male animal without defect from the herd or flock or a dove or young pigeon.  He was to present the animal at the entrance of the tent so it would be acceptable, lay his hands on it and it would be acceptable to make atonement for him.  Then it would be slaughtered before the Lord.  Its blood was sprinkled on the altar by the priests, but into pieces, burned on the fire so the aroma would be pleasing to the Lord.

Grain Offering – The purpose of this offering is not explained, but thought to be an offering of thanksgiving that might be called a gift to the Lord.  It was finely ground flour or grain that was mixed with oil and incense.

Fellowship Offering – The purpose was for peace and fellowship with the Lord.  It too was a sin offering and similar to the burnt offering involving an animal and sprinkling of blood on the altar.

Sin Offering – The purpose was to make atonement for sins the worshiper had committed.  It was a bull without defect, killed, and its blood sprinkled on the altar.

Guilt Offering – The purpose was to make restitution and atonement for wrongs committed unintentionally and against the Lord.  It was a ram without blemish, killed, blood sprinkled and restitution of 1/5 of its value.

Anyone could present an offering.  The sacrifice is to be costly to the worshipper and only the best could be offered.  Jesus has fulfilled every part of this law, and we do not repeat these offerings today.  Salvation is through the Lord Jesus Christ and anyone can come to Him.  Salvation is a free gift for us, because Jesus paid the full price of our sins.  God still calls us to offer sacrifices to Him – our praise, our gifts, our service, our worship, our time, etc.

Atonement means the reconciliation of God and humans brought about by the redemptive life and death of Jesus.  These various sacrifices are a picture of what Jesus accomplished through His perfect life and His death on the cross.  He was without blemish or sin, His blood was spilled and spattered, our sins were laid on Him, and He became the sacrifice for all who believe in Him.

God dwells in His people today by His Holy Spirit.  We are His Tabernacle made possible by Jesus’ sacrifice of Himself for the atonement for our sins.  Give God thanks for sending Jesus to be your sacrifice and for sending His Spirit to live in you to guide and protect you.

Principle:  A holy life is characterized by a right relationship with our holy God.

What does a relationship with God look like?  A relationship with God includes confession, repentance, worship and spending time with Him.

What do you need to do to have a relationship with God?

Is there something in your life your are ashamed of that you cannot talk to God about?

What sacrifice have you offered God this week?

Leviticus 11-15 – Holiness through Clean Living

These laws in chapters 11-15 do not directly apply to us today, but we can learn from them.

Another key verse is Lev. 11:44 – “I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy.”

This is a list of purification laws for Israel.  I have listed a practical or health or benefit for each.

11:1-17 – Clean and unclean animals - these were to help them learn to obey God and not please themselves.

12:1-8 – Purification following childbirth – this allowed a new mother to rest after childbirth.

13:1-46 – Skin diseases – it is good to quarantine a person to keep others from getting the disease.

13:47-59 – Mildew contamination – mildew and mold is very unhealthy making you have all kinds of sickness just by breathing it.

14:1-32 – cleansing skin diseases –today we take care of skin problem by visiting the doctor for medication.

14: 33-57 – cleansing from mildew – today we wash it away; Fema is called when there is critical contamination for clean up.

15:1-33 – Uncleanness from bodily discharges – this could be an example of contagious sexual transmitted diseases.

The New Testament shows the primary purpose of these laws as not physical health.  Mark 7:15-18 – “Nothing outside a man can make him unclean by going into him.  Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him unclean.”  The people were learning about God and themselves from these laws.  God wanted them to be holy just as He is holy.  It also reminded them of how He rescued them from Egypt. (Lev. 11:44-45).

Principle:  A holy life is characterized by inward and outward, public and private purity.

What draws you closer to God?

Does something enter your mind that is not pure?

What do you need to change to bring purity in your life?

What is your life reminds you of truths about God?

Leviticus 17-24 – Holiness through Choices

This section teaches lessons about living a holy life.  It contains prohibitions against eating blood, unlawful sexual relations, various laws and punishments, unacceptable sacrifices, a new listing of yearly feasts and rules governing oil and bread used in the tabernacle.

A key verse here is Lev. 17:11 – “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for ourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.”

The blood was important part in sacrifice.  The life is in the blood.  Blood is a symbol of life.

God needed them to live differently.  In Lev. 18 God teaches about every kind of sexual immorality.  He considers it detestable (verses 22,26,29,30), wicked (verse 17), defiling (verse 20), and a perversion (verse 23).  He gave other reasons for these commands.  He said they should not practice what they use to practice when they were in Egypt.  He said they are to be holy and His is holy.  God set them apart from every other nation and they are not to be like other nations.

Homosexuality is very relevant today.  “Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.” – Lev. 18:22.  This is not the only sin God talks about here in chapter 18, but is in a large list of sins and sin separates us from God.  Why is it wrong?  It is wrong, because it is not in God’s plan just like any other sin is not in His plan.  If you struggle with this or someone you know does, ask God to teach you why this is wrong.  Study His word.  We all struggle with some sin and we all fall short and we all need Jesus.

Sin brings guilt and requires a punishment.  It separates us from God.  Holiness is our Christian destiny.  One day we will be like Jesus.  But for now, we are to pursue holiness.

Lev. 19:37 says it all. “Keep all my decrees and all my laws and follow them.  I am the Lord.”

What sin do you need to rid yourself of?

Do you strive to be holy?

Chapter 21 and 22 gives rules and high standards for Priests.  We all need to be praying for our church leaders.

Principle:  A holy life is characterized by intentionally representing God through holy choices.

Where in life are you not representing God?  Is it what you read, watch on TV, how you respect the elderly?

Do you make holy choices?

It is impossible for us to be completely holy as God is holy.  We are to continue pursuing holiness.  So for now fix your eyes on Jesus and one day we will be like the holy Jesus. 

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Where to find it in the Bible

I have been asked several times where to find different things in the Bible.  I compiled this list (although it is not complete) that might helpful.

Abortion

Ps. 139:13-16 – “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.  When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.  All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

Jer. 1:5 – “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

Acts 17:26 – “From one man he made every nation of men that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.”

Armor of God

Eph. 6:11-18

Assurance of Salvation

John 5:24; 6:37; 10:27-30; 20-31, Rom. 8:16, 31, 35-39; Heb. 13:5; 1 John 5:11-12

Battle of Armageddon

Rev. 14:14-20; 16:16

Beatitudes

Matt. 5:3-12; Luke 6:20-26

Bible Author

2 Tim. 3:14-16 – “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

2 Peter 1:20-21 – “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophets own interpretation.  For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

Creation

Gen. 1-2 – “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth….”

Col. 1:16 – “For by Him all things were created; things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities, all things were created by Him and for Him.”

Dinosaurs

Job 40:15-24 – behemoth (dinosaurs), 41 leviathan (dinosaurs)

Divorce and Remarriage

Deuteronomy 24:1-4, Malachi 2:15-16, Matt. 5:31-32, Luke 16:18

Faith

Rom. 4:3; 10:17, Eph. 2:8-9, Heb. 11, Heb 11:1 – “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”, 6; 12:2, James 1:3-6, 1 Peter 1:7

Fall of Man

Gen. 3

Fruit of the Spirit

Gal. 5:22-23 – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

Golden Rule

Matt. 7:12; Luke 6:31 – “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

Hell or Lake of Fire

Daniel 12:2; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 2Thessalonians 1:7-7; Luke 16:24; Matthew 3:12; 5:22; 7:13; 8:12; 13:42, 50; 22:13; 25:46; 18:8-9; Mark 9:48; Luke 3:7, 17; 16:28; Romans 5:9; Revelation 14:11; 19:20; 20:10, 14-15; 21:8, 14

Homosexuality

Gen. 19:1-13; Lev. 18:22-30; 20:13; Romans 1:18-32 – “Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.  They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator – who is forever praised. Amen.  Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts.  Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.  In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another.  Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion…….” (v24-27). “Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.”(v32). Notice it says those who approve of those who practice such things also deserve death.

1 Cor. 6:9-11; 1 Timothy 1:8-11

Idolatry

Idolatry is anything you put before God.

Col. 3:5 – “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.”

Jesus is the only way

Acts 4:12; John 3:17; 18:24; 10:14-16; 14:6 – “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.’”; Rom. 10:9; Eph. 2:5

Jesus’ appearance after resurrection

Matt. 28; Luke 24; John 20-21; Mark 16; Acts; 1 Cor. 15

Lord’s Prayer

Matt. 6:9-15; Luke 11:1-13

Lord’s Supper

Matt. 26:26-29; Luke 22:19-20; 1 Cor. 11:23-26

Lose Salvation?

John 10::29; Rom 8:38-39; Heb 6:4-8; Eph 1:4; 1 John 5:13 – that you know you have eternal life

Love

John 3:16; 15:9-14; Rom. 5:8; 8:35-39; 1 Cor. 13 (known as the love chapter); 1 John 3:1

Man’s purpose on earth

God created us for His pleasure and our purpose is to glorify Him and have joy in Him and Him in us.  He loves us and He wants us to love Him back.

1 John 4:7-21

Marriage / Premarital Sex

Ex. 20:14; Lev. 20:10; Deu. 22:13-30; Job 31:1, 9-12; Prov. 5:1-23; 6:20-35; 7:1-27; Matt. 5:27-30; Eph 5:5-5; Heb. 13:4 – keep it pure, 1 Cor. 6:8; 1 Thess. 4:1-8; Rev. 21:8

Plan of Salvation

Isaiah 55:7; John 1:12; 3:3; 5:24; Rom. 10:9-10, 13; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-7; 1 John 5:11-13; Revelation 3:20

Prayer

Ecc. 5:2; Jer. 29:13; Matt. 6:7; Luke 18:1; Rom. 8:26-27; Mark 11:24; James 5:16

Predestination/Chosen/Election

Romans 8:29-30; Eph. 1:3-6, 11; Acts 4:27-28; Matthew 22:1-14; 24:22, 24, 32; John 15:16;

Rev. 17:14

Rapture

1 Cor. 15:51-57; 1 Thess. 4:13-18

Return of Christ

Luke 21:34-36; Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; 2 Peter 3:8-14; 1 John 3:2-3

Satan’s fall

Isaiah 14:12-15

Saved by grace

Grace is unmerited favor.

Ephesians 2:4-5, 8 – “For it is by grace you have been saved.”

Second Death

Revelation 21:8 – “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars – their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur.  This is the second death.”

Sovereignty of God

Psalm 103:19; Daniel 4:34-35; Isaiah 40:23; 46:8-11; Romans 10:36

God is:

Omniscient – all knowing, total knowledge

Omnipotent – all powerful

Omnipresence – everywhere present

Immutable – unchangeable

Infinitely holy and righteous

Spiritual Gifts

Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-14; 40, Eph. 4:11-12; 1 Peter 4:10

Tattoos

Leviticus 19:28 – “Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves.  I am the Lord.”

Temptation

1 Corinthians 10:13 - God will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear, but when tempted He will provide a way out for you.

Ten Commandments

Exodus 20:1-26

Testing

Exodus 20:20; Judges 2:21; 1 Peter 1:7

Tribulation Period

Daniel 9:24-27; Revelation 11:2-3; 13:5 – The tribulation period will be 42 months.

Troubles/Suffering

2 Corinthians 4:17 – We should be happy, our troubles are achieving our eternal Glory

2 Corinthians 1:8-11, 12:7-10 – So we will rely on God

1 Thessalonians 3:3 – Trials are God’s plan

James 1:2-4 – So we will be mature

5 reasons God allows suffering –

1.      A Common thing – Job 5:7

2.     Corrective – Ps 119:67

3.     To glorify Christ – John 9:13

4.     Cosmic – Job 1-2

5.     Constructive – Rom 5:3-4

Why did Jesus do miracles?

John 2:11, 11:40 – To reveal His glory

Will Christians be judged?

Romans 8:1 – “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Witchcraft

Exodus 22:18; Deu. 18:10; Micah 5:12; Malachi 3:5; Gal. 5:20; Rev. 21:8; 22:5

Worry

Matthew. 6:25; Psalm 34:10; Phil. 4:19 – God will provide