I am truly enjoying this look at Leviticus!

The Center of the Five Books of Moses, Genesis through Deuteronomy.

Dwelling in God’s Presence, the Divine Goal for each human being! The Longing of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Enjoying Communion (Fellowship) with the Godhead!

Wow!

That’s the Thrust of Leviticus, that last paragraph.

But leading up to Leviticus, as its “prelude,” are the Books of Genesis and Exodus.

And while we will look into this facet of the Pentateuch more deeply in future lessons … today I want to leave with you one fundamental observation.

In Genesis … mankind sins (Eve then Adam) and humanity then drifts further and further away from God! In fact, the Book of Genesis ends with these words: “in a coffin in Egypt.”

Death, defeat, in a foreign land.

NOT Israel’s greatest moment!

Far, far away from the Holy Land!

But then comes Exodus!

And God begins to “draw” man back into Fellowship! (Remember the Garden of Eden, prior to the Fall? “And they – Adam and Eve – heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day.” Genesis 3:8, Communion indeed!)

Yes, Exodus gives us the Passover Lamb, Redemption, the parting of the Red Sea, and the journey to the Mount (Sinai) … where God gives the Law and plans to build the Tabernacle! Restoring Fellowship!

Wow!

Broad brush strokes, no doubt.

But clearly showing the trajectory of the Bible (at least thus far, Genesis and Exodus and Leviticus)!

We (humankind) drifted away!

God made provision and gave invitation to bring us back!

Knowing God!

Loving God!

Spending eternity with God!

The whole POINT of existence!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Wow!

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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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No doubt about this … Leviticus is the Book of Worship! In the Pentateuch, at least. (Maybe in the whole Old Testament, in a technical sense anyway.) That’s why it is the CENTER Book of the Five! (Worship is central, critical, essential to one’s relationship with Almighty God!)

Now, let me show you something I just learned earlier today.

While the Books of Exodus (just before Leviticus) and Numbers (just after Leviticus) contain numerous “time and space” indicators … Leviticus Itself has not a single one!

For example, in Exodus 12:37 … “And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children.” Plus five more such “markers” to follow, prior to Sinai! (Prior to the Tabernacle being built, the place of Worship!)

Then after the Tabernacle is built and worship begins (in detail, as prescribed in Leviticus) … and as the Jews eventually leave Mount Sinai … six more “time and space” descriptors are used! All in the Book of Numbers except one.

Again, for example, in Numbers 10:12 … “And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran.”

Now here is my point today … “time” and “space” literally (and heavily) punctuate both Exodus and Numbers. BUT in Leviticus “time” does not enter the picture! Nor do “travel plans” or “stopovers” or “itineraries!”

Leviticus is (again I say) THE Book of Worship!

And when one worships God … time evaporates! (No “time markers” in Leviticus!)

Place (and plans of other activities) melt away! (No “space markers” either, in Leviticus.)

WORSHIP CONSUMES THAT BOOK!

AS WORSHIP SHOULD CONSUME US, WITHOUT REGARD TO TIME OR PLACE!

I think this “thought” is both beautiful and instructive!

I shall remember this golden fact next time I am in Church or in my study or wherever … worshipping my Saviour!

No hurry!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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It’s the center of the Pentateuch (Genesis through Deuteronomy) … the Book of Leviticus.

And its central chapter (theologically, thematically, not numerically) is chapter 16, instructions for the Day of Atonement, Israel’s Holiest Day of the year.

And just what is the center of that 16th chapter? (A perfectly “balanced” chapter I might add.)

It’s those middle verses describing Atonement being made for the people of God! The Blood applied! Holiness and cleanliness brought to pass!

Let me show you.

The chapter is framed as follows …

Verse 1 … “The Lord spake unto Moses …”

The last verse, verse 34 … “The Lord commanded Moses …”

See … the chapter begins and ends with essentially the same words! (Called “inclusio” by Bible teachers.)

But in the middle of the chapter, as I said …

Verse 16 .. “And he (the High Priest) shall make an atonement.”

Verse 17 … “He (the High Priest) shall have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel!

Verse 18 … “The blood of the bullock, and the blood of the goat …”

Verse 19 … “Sprinkle the blood with his finger seven times …”

In the center of the Bible’s first five Books … Bloodshed and Atonement and Salvation! (Maybe even a picture of Israel’s coming national salvation!)

Hallelujah!

Salvation … the Heartbeat of Almighty God!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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I probably should be writing Lessons on each chapter of Leviticus, in their sequential order. (1,2,3,4,5, etc.) But I have been so “taken” by the very “order” (Holy Spirit Arrangement) of the Book, that this single Facet of Leviticus (its magnificent symmetry) has been the sole focus of my thoughts.

It is so neatly built, compacted!

I now believe (learning more every morning, too) it even has “truths” for us to learn regarding the very essence of our Christian lives.

Let me show you …

It is clear that the book falls into two sections, held (linked) together by one “unifying” chapter.

Chapters 1-15 … the Center of the Book’s Theology, Chapter 16 … then Chapters 17-27. The diagram would look like this:

Chapters 1-15 ………….…………. Chapter 16 ……………………… Chapters 17-27.

And the GOAL of the whole Book, of the whole Pentateuch really … Union then Fellowship with the Living Almighty God!

Wow!

It looks like this, the Book’s fundamental Message …

Chapters 1-15 … Approaching God! An awareness of sin! This corresponds to what we Christians have called for years “conviction!” Discovering we are vile sinners, facing God’s Judgment!

Chapter 16 … THE SALVATION CHAPTER OF THE BOOK … where an innocent animals dies to atone for the sins of the people. A DEFINITE PICTURE OF CALVARY AND JESUS’ DEATH THERE.

Chapters 17-27 … Communion with God! The necessity of living a pure, clean, holy life day by day!

Chapters 1-15 … PRIOR TO SALVATION then Chapter 16 … THE DAY OF SALVATION then Chapters 17-27 … AFTER SALVATION, HOW TO LIVE!

This is amazing!

And surely … this will be preached somewhere (maybe even soon) by an Evangelist each of you knows.

The glorious Gospel … in the Book of Leviticus. In its very Outline! In its sublime Structure!

No wonder it is the Middle Book of the Pentateuch!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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