Leviticus 1 Devotional
by Pastor David Groendyk
Leviticus is probably not at the top of many Christians’ favorite-book-of-the-Bible list, but it is a rich book to read and study. The majority of the book deals with laws pertaining to sacrifices, ceremonies, the priesthood, and how to be ritually “clean”. While most of those things don’t immediately apply to Christians now, the overall theme of the book does.
Dr. Michael McKelvey lays out why it is so important for us to study Leviticus despite how confusing and outdated all the laws seem: “It lays a foundation for understanding the necessity of salvation and the manner in which it comes to sinful human beings. How can sinful man be forgiven and reconciled to the holy God he has offended? How can this God dwell with his sinful people, which is his ancient promise to a fallen race? How is God able to redeem mankind? How will it be known that God’s people truly are his people as they live among the nations of the earth? Leviticus begins to answer these very questions and lays the groundwork for what will be progressively revealed regarding the mystery of God’s saving purposes.”
Leviticus 19:2 is theme verse for this book: “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.” How do we live holy lives? How do we worship God? The laws in this book tell us. What happens when we don’t live holy lives? How can we be right with God? Our sins need to be paid for by a sacrifice. Leviticus answers all of these questions in a way that points us to the saving work of Jesus Christ. As you read through this book and make your way through all the weeds, keep this bigger picture in mind. Here is an outline to help you make sense of this book:
- Worshiping the holy God (chapters 1–10)
- Laws about sacrifices and priests (chapters 1–7)
- Holy and unholy priests (chapters 8–10)
- Living with the holy God (chapters 11–27)
- Laws about ritual cleanness (chapters 11–15)
- The Day of Atonement (chapter 16)
- Laws about holiness (chapters 17–25)
- Blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience (chapter 26)
- Vows and gifts to the Lord (chapter 27)
Chapter 1 describes one of the many different kinds of sacrifices: the burnt offering. These sacrifices were performed by the priests at the tabernacle on behalf of the people of Israel as an act of worship. Notice a couple of things. First, God cares very much how his people worship him not just that his people worship him. These instructions seem quite involved, but that is because God wants us to know that there is a right way and a wrong way to worship him. Humans don’t get to make up the rules for worshiping God. God does. Second, God makes a way for everyone in the congregation to worship him. The ideal burnt offering animal was a bull (v. 5), but if a certain family couldn’t afford a bull, then a sheep or goat was acceptable (v. 10), or if not that, then a bird would suffice (v. 14). God makes a way for everyone to come to him, from the greatest to the least. None of us have any excuse for not coming to God in worship.
Finally, let’s meditate on what the burnt offering actually symbolized. Each of the sacrifices in chapters 1–6 symbolize something different, though they overlap a little as well. The burnt offering in chapter 1 “made atonement for the worshiper’s sin” and “was considered the most important sacrifice”; in other words, the animal was a “death-penalty substitute” in place of the worshiper (McKelvey). Rather than the worshiper being totally consumed by the fire of God because of their sin, the sacrifice was consumed instead. In that way, the offering was “a pleasing aroma to the Lord” (vv. 9, 13, 17) and made it possible for the people to come to God for worship. Sinners are not allowed in the presence of God, but praise God that he makes a way for sinners to come. No longer do we sacrifice a bull as a substitute, because Christ is the once-for-all sacrifice in our place. He was utterly consumed on the cross instead of you. If it weren’t for Christ taking your place, the penalty of sin would still be hanging over your head. What an awesome gift for God to give the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice in our place! Without him, there is no hope! Spend some time in prayer thanking and praising God that “he does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities… As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:10, 12).