The English word “Leviticus” comes from the Latin word “Leviticus,” which in turn comes from the Greek word “Leuitikon.” It simply means “Book of Levites.” The Greek word comes from the Hebrew words “torat kohanim” which mean “law of priests.” Who are the Levites? They were the “priests” who came from the Tribe of Levi. In this book we have God giving the Levitical priests the “laws” for serving Him in the tabernacle while they made their way to the Promised Land in Canaan. These laws were made up of many precise instructions regarding the various sacrifices, rituals and feasts that God ordained for His people in order to worship Him. They had formerly been slaves in Egypt where they were surrounded by “heathen gods” and now, as they journeyed to Canaan, they would have “God’s presence” among them. If the priests followed the laws given to them they would be privileged to lead the children of Israel in worship to God and in that sense they would be looked upon as “holy.” The word “holy” means “set apart” and in this precious portion of Scripture God teaches Israel how to be separate from sin in order to approach Him in His holy sanctuary.

I would like to give you an outline of the book but before I do I should mention that though all of the sacrifices and rituals were LITERALLY carried out, they all serve (in great detail) as a PICTURE of the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ; in other words, they LOOKED FORWARD to the coming of Christ. This is especially made clear in the book of Hebrews, which is good to study along with the book of Leviticus. In Hebrews 10:1 and 9:11-12 we read, “For the law, having A SHADOW OF THE GOOD THINGS TO COME, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect….But CHRIST CAME AS HIGH PRIEST OF THE GOOD THINGS TO COME, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.”

Chapters 1-7: The OFFERINGS (the BURNT Offering, the MEAL Offering, the PEACE Offering, the SIN Offering, and the TRESPASS Offering).

Chapters 8-10: The PRIESTHOOD (their CONSECRATION and FUNCTIONS).

Chapters 11-15: Laws for CEREMONIAL CLEANSING.

Chapters 16-17: The great DAY OF ATONEMENT and the VALUE OF THE BLOOD.

Chapters 18-22: Laws for PRACTICAL HOLINESS IN DAILY LIFE.

Chapter 23: FEASTS of the LORD (the feast of PASSOVER, the feast of UNLEAVENED BREAD, the feast of FIRSTFRUITS, the feast of WEEKS, the feast of TRUMPETS, the DAY OF ATONEMENT and the feast of TABERNACLES)

Chapters 24-27: CEREMONIAL and MORAL laws, laws for the SABBATIC YEAR & the YEAR OF JUBILEE, the BLESSINGS and CURSES for obedience/disobedience, and laws of VOWS and TITHES.  (347.5)  (DO)