As we move to the Book of Leviticus, we find a different kind of book from Genesis and Exodus. While Genesis and Exodus contained a great deal of narrative information, and focused on individual people and their contributions to the formation of the people of Israel, particularly from Abraham forward, the Book of Leviticus starts right in with commands about how to offer burnt sacrifices. The content of the book will seem strange to most of us, because we don’t come from a background where God is separating a people from the pagan nations around them. Every command, however strange it might seem to us, had as its intent moving the Israelites to glorify God and separate themselves from all other people as His people. God had promised Abraham He would build a nation from his descendants. God called that people to be distinct and separate and to belong to Him alone. The Book of Leviticus shows us many of the distinctives of being God’s people. While much of the book is directed to the priests who would oversee the worship of Israel, the priests were to pass the information on to the people so they could live in obedience to God.
One of the greatest problems with the “Levitical Code” as the laws and commands in Leviticus are called, as well as the Mosaic Law, which is the bigger body of rules found throughout Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, is no one could fulfill them. These laws were given to form the people of Israel and to guide them, but as the Apostle Paul will remind us when we get to his letters in the New Testament, no one could fulfill them. That’s why Jesus came. He came to fulfill the Law, which none of us could do. He died on the cross of Calvary, because we should have! As we read through Leviticus, every time we read of a blood sacrifice, we can think forward to a time when the once-and-for-all blood sacrifice–Jesus was given for us.
Leviticus 1 tells us the type of animal sacrifices that were acceptable to God. We could sum it up in one word: perfect. God wanted male sheep or goats with no defects. The males were more valuable to the herd for breeding purposes, and the no defects, was because God wants His people’s best. While we don’t have to observe these rules, because of Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf, we can learn from the instruction to always offer God the best we have. Leviticus 2 tells us the type of grain offerings that were acceptable to God. Again, it was to be “choice” flour, and the additional command was that none of it be offered with yeast. The key for God’s people was to bring God their first and best, which again reminds us of how important it is to give our first and best to Him!
Leviticus 3 and 4 talk about peace offerings and sin offerings. These were qualitatively different offerings. The peace offering was freely given to God, while the sin offering was given to atone for sin “unintentionally” committed. The animal sacrifices and grain offerings of Leviticus 1 and 2, could have been either type of offering. Once again, the content of this book seems so different to us, because we don’t live in a time when such sacrifices are required. Let’s continue to remember God was establishing His people, as a “holy” people or a people set apart to Him and for His purposes. The carrying out of these sacrifices ensured the people put God first, and understood their commitment to living fully for Him.
As we return to Mark 11, we recall Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem once again. In a way, it’s fitting that we open the book of Leviticus today, because Leviticus showed the people of Israel how to atone for their sins, while Jesus is the ultimate atonement for our sins. If you aren’t familiar with the word “atonement,” it can literally be broken down into three parts: “at-one-ment.” You and I are put at one or at peace with God through Jesus’ sacrifice. In Moses’ day, it was through the sacrifices we read about in Leviticus. For the Israelites the sacrifices repeated over and over again. When Jesus rode into Jerusalem at the start of what we call Holy Week, He was in the final week of His life. On Good Friday, He would become the once-and-for-all sacrifice for our sins. Palm Sunday, as we call the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem was the one moment when Jesus was recognized for who He was: the King of Kings, and the Son of David. As the week progressed, we see the tide turn as Jesus’ interactions with the religious leaders become more and more oppositional.
As Moses instructed the people to offer “perfect” sacrifices for their atonement, God offered the one, perfect lamb, His only Son, Jesus, for ours. May we take the time to recognize the ultimate cost Jesus paid to become our once-and-for-all sacrifice today and always.