Survey of the Book of Leviticus

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Leviticus is God’s call to live in the presence of a holy God—and survive. Written by Moses during Israel’s wilderness years (Leviticus 1:1), the book reveals what it takes for sinful people to dwell with a God whose holiness is consuming (Leviticus 10:1–3; 19:2). It outlines sacrifices, priestly roles, and purity laws—not to burden, but to make a way for relationship with God and with others. At the heart of Leviticus is the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16), a dramatic picture of sin removed and mercy given—fulfilled completely in Jesus (Hebrews 9:11–14). Leviticus shows that holiness isn’t optional; it’s the cost of being near God, who still calls His people today: “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy” (Leviticus 19:2; 1 Peter 1:16).

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• Author: Moses is at least the source, and most likely the author of Leviticus. Throughout the book, we see God speak to Moses, giving him instructions for the Israelites, and more specifically for the priests. The book of Leviticus is essentially Moses writing down for the people the laws God spoke to him. The phrase "the LORD spoke to Moses" appears multiple times in the book (e.g., Leviticus 1:1; 4:1; 6:1)
• Date of writing: Leviticus was likely written between 1440—1400 BC, during the wilderness period following the exodus from Egypt. Leviticus contains detailed instructions and laws given by God to Moses for the newly freed Israelites while they camped at Mount Sinai (Leviticus 1:1). References within Leviticus to the tabernacle worship system and the priestly duties reflect a stage when the Israelites had left Egypt but had not yet entered Canaan, supporting its placement in the early wilderness years (Exodus 40; Numbers 1–3). Additionally, later biblical books such as Numbers, Deuteronomy, and Joshua reference or build upon Levitical laws, confirming its composition before Israel’s settlement in the Promised Land.
• Purpose: Leviticus is almost a continuation of Exodus, and its events directly follow the events in Exodus. The Israelites had just escaped from slavery in Egypt and were living in the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land (Leviticus 1:1). The name Leviticus means "things pertaining to the Levites," but it is not only to or about the tribe of Levi (Leviticus 8:1–36). God was setting Israel apart as His people and teaching them how to live with Him in their midst. He was also forming them into a society. There was a need for a structure that purified the people and allowed for them to commune with God, and that system is written down in the book of Leviticus.
• Themes: Leviticus deals with the theme of people’s sinfulness and impurity in contrast to God’s intense holiness. The words “clean,” “unclean,” and “holy” are used throughout the book to describe the state of humanity versus the state of God (e.g., Leviticus 11:44–45; 15:31; 19:2). While these terms often coincide, there is a distinction between ritual uncleanness and sin. For example, a person could be ritually (or ceremonially) unclean due to disease or natural bodily functions like menstruation, birth, and sex (Leviticus 12; 15), but these natural functions are not sinful. However, God did make a distinction and provided a means of ceremonial cleansing in such instances so that worship at the tabernacle could occur. As to sin, He provided the sacrificial system to make atonement. Because the tabernacle demonstrated God’s presence and holiness, both moral ceremonial cleanliness mattered for right worship (Leviticus 10:10; 16:30).
• Leviticus also speaks specifically of the Levites, the priests chosen to attend to the tabernacle, perform sacrifices and ceremonies, and come into the presence of the Lord on behalf of the people (Leviticus 8—10). Leviticus describes in detail the higher standard of living morally and ritually so that they could come before the Lord and not be destroyed because of their uncleanness (Leviticus 10:1–3; 21:6–15).
• The Day of Atonement, central to Leviticus and our understanding of Jesus’ sacrifice, is also a theme in the book of Leviticus. The Day of Atonement was held once a year to cover all unaddressed sins (Leviticus 16). The high priest, after cleansing himself, sacrificed a bull for his sins, then a goat for the people’s sins, entering the Most Holy Place to sprinkle blood on the mercy seat, symbolizing purification. Another goat, the scapegoat, bore the people’s sins and was sent into the wilderness, representing the removal of sin. This solemn day of fasting and rest highlighted the need for a perfect atonement, pointing forward to Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice that fully cleanses and removes our sin permanently.
• Brief summary: The book of Leviticus relays the laws and rituals that the Lord spoke to Moses to give to the people. Chapters 1—7 deal with ritual offerings and sacrifices. Chapters 8—10 deal with the establishment of the Aaronic priesthood. Chapters 11—15 deal with ritual and physical cleanliness, particularly as related to things like childbirth, skin disease (leprosy), and bodily discharges. Chapter 16 speaks of the Day of Atonement. Chapters 17—20 emphasize practical holiness through laws on moral behavior, justice, and worship, repeatedly affirming God's authority with "I am the LORD." The remaining chapters cover priestly purity, offerings, festivals, tabernacle instructions, social justice, blessings and curses, and laws about vows, rounding out the covenantal guidelines for Israel’s relationship with God (Leviticus 21—27).

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Leviticus is referenced multiple times in the New Testament, and its significance is foundational to understanding who Jesus is and what He accomplished. Jesus quotes Leviticus 19:18—“Love your neighbor as yourself”—as the second greatest commandment (Matthew 22:39), and this command is echoed in Romans 13:9, Galatians 5:14, and James 2:8, and alluded to elsewhere in the New Testament, showing that Leviticus still shapes Christian ethics.
• Peter quotes Leviticus 19:2—“You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy”—to emphasize that God’s call to holiness remains unchanged for believers (1 Peter 1:15–16).
• The sacrificial system, especially the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16, is fulfilled in Jesus’ death, as explained in Hebrews 9—10, where His blood is shown to provide perfect and final atonement for sin.
• Leviticus 17:11 explains that life is in the blood and that blood makes atonement, which Hebrews 9:22 affirms when stating that without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins.
• Paul references Leviticus 18:5 in Romans 10:5 and Galatians 3:12 to contrast the impossibility of being justified by law-keeping with the righteousness that comes through faith in Christ.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

While Leviticus is full of laws that were applicable to ancient Israel under the Mosaic covenant and which we no longer follow because they have been fulfilled in Jesus Christ, these laws reveal to us the magnitude of God's holiness. y looking at the laws in Leviticus we can see just how far our human nature is from God's holiness. We can rejoice in the sacrifice that Jesus made for us so that we can be cleansed of our sin once and for all (Hebrews 9:11–28), so that we no longer have to follow these rituals and sacrifices in order to be in the presence of God. Our position towards God may have changed when we put our faith in Jesus, but God's holiness has not changed. The blindingly holy God that we see in Leviticus is the same one that we come before today, and His holiness should still impact every part of our lives. First Peter 1:15–16 instructs followers of Jesus: "as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy'" (see Leviticus 19:2).

Key Verses:

Leviticus 1:4: "He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him."

Leviticus 17:11: "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life."

Leviticus 19:18: "You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD."

UNDERSTAND

• Leviticus reveals how sinful people can live in the presence of a holy God.
• The book of Leviticus emphasizes God's unchanging holiness and His call for His people to be holy.
• Leviticus still matters today because it helps us grasp the seriousness of sin, the depth of God’s holiness, and the magnitude of Jesus’ sacrifice that makes us clean and brings us near to God.

REFLECT

• How do you take God's holiness seriously in your everyday choices and attitudes?
• How does understanding the depth of Jesus’ sacrifice, as foreshadowed in Leviticus, impact the way you view your sin and your relationship with God?
• What areas of your life need to be more "set apart" so you can live in a way that reflects God's holiness?

ENGAGE

• How does the sacrificial system in Leviticus help us better appreciate what Jesus accomplished on the cross?
• What challenges do we face today in living “set apart” for God, and how can we support each other in pursuing holiness?
• Why does God place such emphasis on purity and atonement in Leviticus, and how should that shape the way we worship and live as a community of believers?