Challenges with Leviticus
- It’s mostly law, which is unappealing to most
- It is culturally strange
- It emphasizes ritual, which we tend to assume is meaningless
- It’s law and teaching appear unfair or unjust
- It’s hard to fit into the larger story of the Bible
Theme Statement for Leviticus: “A holy God living in the midst of a sinful, impure people, making a way for them to be in relationship with himself and reflect his kingdom, character and glory into the world.”
Ritual #1 Ransom and Purification (vs. 11-19)
Ritual #2 Removal of Sin
Ritual #3 Completeness
More Than Just a Ritual: (Sacrifice to make it clean) Be afflicted on this day, come with repentant hearts in humility and receive forgiveness. We are finite and sinful and we must humble ourselves before God – invite God into the sinful places in our lives, cry out to Jesus to cover everything not covered. He covers all.
Jesus and the Day of Atonement: Jesus is the perfect priest, the perfect sacrifice – the ultimate last and final offering that is made, that we may be a Holy people, invited into relationship with God and living on mission for God.