Why Read From (Or Preach On) Leviticus?

This past Sunday I preached from the book of Leviticus; specifically, I preached on the purification (or sin) offering described in Leviticus 4:1–5:13. Most people gave me a look like the photo below when I told them (a) I’m preaching from Leviticus and (b) I’m excited about it. 

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But there are good reasons for preachers to tackle the book of Leviticus (or at least portions at a time) with their congregations.

1. Leviticus is Scripture and all Scripture is God-breathed. One of the constant refrains in Leviticus—and one that the book introduces right away—is the phrase, “And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying…” Thirty-four verses begin this way emphasizing that Leviticus records the words of God (Lev. 1:1; 4:1; 5:14; 6:1, 8, 19, 24; 7:22, 28; 8:1; 11:1; 12:1; 13:1; 14:1, 33; 15:1; 16:1; 17:1; 18:1; 19:1; 20:1; 21:16; 22:1, 17, 26; 23:1, 9, 23, 26, 33; 24:1, 13; 25:1; 27:1). The sheer volume of the phrase reminds us that this is not merely an instruction manual that mistakenly found its way into Scripture. Leviticus is just as much divine speech as the Psalms, the Gospel of John, or Romans. As such, it is “…profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16–17).
   
2. Leviticus teaches about holiness— God’s and ours: God repeatedly tells the Israelites, “Be holy, for I am holy” (Lev. 11:44–45; 19:2; 20:7; 21:8). God is holy; therefore, his people must strive for holiness. Leviticus communicates to us that God takes his holiness so seriously that his people must keep themselves holy if they are to enjoy his presence. In an age where holiness (or the pursuit for holiness) is taken lightly and disparaged, Leviticus offers a much needed corrective.
   
3. Familiarity with Leviticus will aid in reading the rest of Scripture: Both in the Old and New Testaments the authors work under the assumption that readers are familiar with the sacrificial language of Leviticus. Throughout Scripture there are additional references to burnt offerings, drink offerings, and the like. Leviticus will help you properly understand the nature and purpose of these events.
   
4. Leviticus helps us see the work of Jesus more clearly: Having pointed us to the holiness of God and our need for holiness, Leviticus explains that God has made a way for sinners, unholy people, to be brought into his presence once again. The sacrificial system provided the grounds for the Israelites to enjoy God’s presence and live; however, the sacrificial system was only a signpost pointing toward the later, greater work of Jesus. Jesus comes as the unblemished sacrifice to satisfy God’s wrath against sin (Leviticus 1) and to purify impure worshippers (Leviticus 4:1–5:13). He is also the perfect priest, the one who needs no sacrifice for sin himself (Leviticus 4:3f; Hebrews 7:26). Leviticus anticipates the satisfying, purifying work that Jesus our High Priest would come to do (Hebrews 9).