This much is granted … Leviticus is an ancient Document. (I capitalized that last noun because Leviticus is the divinely inspired Word of God.)
In fact, to my thinking anyway, the whole Pentateuch (Genesis through Deuteronomy) is an ancient Unit, as well. I take it All as being from the hand of one (human) writer, not a community of human writers! And yes, that writer was Moses. Again, with the Holy Spirit being the real Author. (How else could Moses have written the account of Creation? He certainly was not alive when those events occurred! Or the lives of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob?)
Earlier this morning, as I was studying for today’s Lesson, I came across this statement, which I am quoting indirectly. Maybe even paraphrasing …
“Almost all ancient literary pieces place their main point (their focus) at the center of their structure!” (Not like we write, with the “focus” often coming at the end of a book!)
And this is especially true if that body of literature is arranged chiastically, concentrically, as is the Pentateuch. As is Leviticus. As are Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers! (Like: A B C D C B A, that type arrangement.)
Another, probably easier, way to explain this concept is to compare reading an ancient work to climbing a mountain! With is “peak” in the very center of the ascent!
Thus, the first half of the journey (the ascent) … finally reaching the top, the apex, the acme, the goal … matches, step for step, the last half, the descent!
Up … up … up (say at a 20% grade, angle) … DISCOVERING THE TOP … then down … down … down (at the very same 20% grade, angle)! And that “TOP” is the subject, the theme, the point, of it all!
Applying that picture, paradigm to the Pentateuch … Genesis through Leviticus 15 is the upward march. LEVITICUS 16 (THE DAY OF ATONEMENT) IS THE PEAK. And Leviticus 17 through all of Deuteronomy is the parallel descent!
If this analogy is correct, and I believe it is … MEETING GOD AT THE TABERNACLE ON THE DAY OF ATONEMENT AND EXPERIENCEING BLOOD-BOUGHT FORGVIENESS, ESTABLISHING FELLOWSHIP WITH THE GREAT ALMIGHTY GOD … is the very “goal” of the first five Books of the Old Testament! (The highlighted, capitalized words simply define the Day of Atonement.)
Hallelujah!
Folks, the Holy Spirit not only wrote the Bible … He arranged it too! He is the Author and Editor! Impeccably so!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
By the way, the Cross of Calvary is the New Testament Counterpart to the Day of Atonement in one way.
And the Day of Israel’s Salvation (because of Calvary) is its Counterpart in another glorious way.
In both senses, God loves the lost and wants men and women to be saved!
Wow!
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