I have to admit, Leviticus is not my favorite book in the Bible to read. The last few days, I’ve felt a little like I went from watching prime-time network TV to watching C-SPAN, as the violence, sex, drama, and fast-paced narrative of Genesis and Exodus moved into a book detailing how, why, and when Israel was supposed to offer sacrifices. However, Paul did say that all Scripture is profitable (2 Tim. 3:16), and God has opened my eyes to some things over the last few days.
In his introduction to Leviticus, C.I. Scofield writes:
Leviticus stands in the same relation to Exodus, that the Epistles do to the Gospels. Exodus is the record of redemption, and lays the foundation of the cleansing, worship, and service of a redeemed people. Leviticus gives the detail of the walk, worship, and service of that people. In Exodus God speaks out of the mount to which approach was forbidden; in Leviticus He speaks out of the tabernacle in which He dwells in the midst of His people, to tell them that which befits His holiness in their approach to, and communion with, Himself.
This helped me to understand a little about the purpose of Leviticus. God had just saved Israel, and now he was telling them how to live as a saved people — what they needed to do to ensure proper fellowship with their LORD. I still had a little trouble figuring out, however, what priestly instructions about sacrifices had to do with my walk as a Christian. Then I remembered the book of Hebrews, a book that has always fascinated me, and a book that consistently refers to Jesus as our “high priest”. And it is a statement that the author of this book makes in chapter four that greatly impacted me:
For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Heb. 4:15-16)
Leviticus is pretty much detailing what sacrifices were necessary in order for God’s people to approach his throne and receive mercy and grace, and this is why instead of being out of place in the Biblical narrative, Leviticus fits in perfectly. Because 1500 years after these instructions were given, God would provide the final sacrifice: his only begotten son. And it is because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, the final payment for sin, that we can now draw near to God’s throne with confidence to find mercy and grace in our time of need. And I believe that the author of Hebrews probably had this in mind when later in the book he wrote the following about the Old Testament saints:
And these all were commended for their faith, yet they did not receive what was promised. For God had provided something better for us, so that they would be made perfect together with us. (Heb. 11:39-40)
Let us rejoice in the fact that God has provided a better (and final) sacrifice for us that we may approach his throne with confidence.