The central (theological) unit in Leviticus (as we have already learned) is chapter number 16, the “Day of Atonement!”

Of course it heavily (of necessity) emphasizes the “priesthood.” Mentioning Aaron the High Priest at least nine times!

Little did I realize that God (in His Word, in His Wisdom) had already prefigured this idea of “priesthood” long before Moses so fully penned the precise Day of Atonement instructions in Leviticus.

We’re going (again) today all the way back to Eden!

I’d like to suggest to you this morning, that if the Garden of Eden was a prototype (forerunner) of the Tabernacle/Temple (where God and man could commune) … then Adam (the first man) could have easily been a “symbol, picture, type” of a priest!

Wow!

Any proof of this, Bible proof?

Yes, if one believes that every single word in the Bible is inspired, Holy Spirit selected!

Watch what God charged Adam to do in Eden! Genesis 2:15 … “And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.” Now the verse again, with two Hebrew verbs inserted by their English counterparts. “And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it (abad = to serve) and to keep (shamar = to observe, guard) it.”

Now immediately let’s go to God’s instructions to the Levities (from whom the priests were descended. Aaron himself being a Levite), caregivers to the Tabernacle. Numbers 3:7-8, with the verbs identified once again … “And they (the Levites) shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do (abad) the service of the tabernacle. And they shall keep (shamar) all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the children of Israel, to do (abad) the service of the tabernacle.” See the parallels, the common verbs … Adam and the Levites, the Garden of Eden and the Tabernacle?

Also Numbers 18:5-6, to the Priests of Israel … “And ye shall keep (shamar) the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the altar: that there be no wrath any more upon the children of Israel. And I, behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are given as a gift for the LORD, to do (abad) the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.”

I am amazed!

I fell like a little first-grade student … awed by the beauty of the Textbook, in this case the Holy Bible!

Another point …

Even in God’s “clothing” both Adam and the Priests is there a semantic (vocabulary) link!

After Adam sinned, Genesis 3:21 … “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats (kethoneth = tunics, robes) of skins, and clothed (labash) them.”

Now, the Priest’s garments. Leviticus 8:13 … “And Moses brought Aaron’s sons, and put (labash) coats (kethoneth) upon them, and girded them with girdles, and put bonnets upon them; as the LORD commanded Moses.”

Wow yet again!

So … in anticipation of the Book of Leviticus … the (Book of Genesis) Garden of Eden itself has given us: (1) sacred space, a location to work/serve under God’s Eye, then (2) sacred time, the Sabbath day, and then (3) sacred status, Adam serving as priest (a holy go-between, facilitating communion with God and Eve)!

These are the three key elements for worship! Each of which is fundamental to the Book of Leviticus!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

The overall Unity of the Bible is overwhelming … proof of its inspiration and inerrancy!

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Well, it is beginning to look like we may never discuss the Book of Leviticus itself, per se! But we shall, the Lord willing.

It’s just that I have been so overwhelmed by other Old Testament “Hints” that Fellowship with God (and subsequently His Fellowship with us) is the overarching THEME of the pre-Leviticus Pentateuch. And yesterday we even saw that Motif in the Psalms and Minor Prophets too!

I was reading/studying last night, after preaching at a Camp Meeting Service south of Gaffney, South Carolina, and was thrilled to see some (possible) parallels between the Garden of Eden and the Old Testament Tabernacle and thus, the Book of Leviticus! (Remember: our fellowshipping/communing with God and His reciprocal fellowshipping with us!)

In fact, that Garden in Eden may even be a “type” of the “Holy of Holies,” the very “heart” of the Old Testament system of worship! And the “Center” of the Leviticus 16 “Day of Atonement” Emphasis.

Let me show you …

God “lives” in both the beautiful Garden of Eden and the august Holy of Holies! Genesis 3:8 … “And they (Adam and Eve) heard the voice of the Lord God WALKING in the garden in the cool of the day.” Where “walking” is expressed in an intensive verb form (walking intensively and deliberately and habitually) meaning “to go to and fro!” Then in Leviticus 26:11-12 … “And I (the Lord God) will set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you. And I WILL WALK among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.”

That’s a “parallel,” indeed!

Eden also seems to have faced east (Genesis 3:24 and 4:16) … as did the Tabernacle!

Eden had the Tree of Life in its midst. So did the Tabernacle, the golden lampstand/candlestick being a clear replica of such a Tree! (Perfectly designed, symmetrical!)

And both Eden and the Tabernacle (later the Temple in even more detail) were loaded with fruit … lush and verdant.

Eden is also portrayed as being “on higher ground!” And the Tabernacle/Temple was also built on a “mountain!” (Mount Moriah, to be exact.) A River cannot flow out of Eden unless it is trickling downward (Genesis 2:10)! Ands a mist went “up” from the ground/earth to water Eden (Genesis 2:6)! And in Ezekiel 28:13-14, where Lucifer is being addressed: “Thou hast been in EDEN the GARDEN of God; every precious stone was thy covering … thou wast upon the HOLY MOUNTAIN of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.” And the Tabernacle/Temple? God Himself, in Psalm 2:6 promises: “Yet have I set my king upon my HOLY HILL of Zion.” 

By the way, in the coming Millennial Temple, a river flows from it as well! Ezekiel 47:1 … “Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east.” Similar to Genesis 2:10 … “And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.”

Wow!

The point of all this holy “geography?” A Place for God to fellowship with His creation, with mankind! And for us to reciprocate!

I am excited. Leviticus, its position and content and thrust, have opened up (for me anyway) a vast new area of Bible Study!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

More tomorrow, the Lord willing.

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Yes, the Psalms!

Many of which begin “far away” from God, experientially “out of fellowship” with Him.

But these same Psalms (as a pattern) conclude with man (the Psalmist) being “lifted up,” being “restored” to sweet fellowship with his God, with our God!

Psalm 13 is a good example.

Verse 1, David feeling “forsaken” of God! Clearly our of Touch/Tune with the Almighty! “How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?” Psalm 13:1

But look at the Psalm’s conclusion, godly fellowship again being richly enjoyed! “But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.” Psalm 13:5-6, its ending!

Dozens of Psalms follow this paradigm!

Even the little Book of Jonah, as a matter of fact, fulfills this pattern!

From the belly of the whale, the depths of the wild (rebellious) sea! “Out of the fish’s belly! Out of the belly of Hell. Thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me. Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight.” Jonah 2:1-4, part of the King James Text. Out of fellowship, clearly!

But watch now … “Then I (Jonah) said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy Holy Temple.” The Temple, the place of Communion with God! “When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine Holy Temple.” Jonah 2:7, near the end of that great chapter! “With God, via humble, repentant prayer!”

Back into sweet Friendship, Fellowship with His Lord!

And folks, that is too the trajectory of Leviticus! From forgiveness of sin (the various “Offerings” enumerated and detailed in Leviticus’ opening chapters) all the way to the Day of Atonement in mid-Book, chapter 16! Blood sacrifice … making possible Face-to-face Relationship with the Lord!

Close, unimpeded, uninterrupted Fellowship with God Himself!

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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