Israel and Holiness

Leviticus in 200 words or less

Genesis and Exodus are blazing narratives full of action, crisis and divine intervention. But then the narrative grinds to a screeching halt in the book of Leviticus. Full of moral codes, sacrifices and details on priestly garb, Leviticus is the book that causes most of us to give up on our Bible-in-a-year reading plan.

As Exodus draws to a close, and Leviticus opens we are told that God has come to dwell in the tabernacle, the place where God and his people “meet.” But we are also told that Moses and the people of God still cannot enter his presence. Something is still separating them.

The rest of Leviticus is series of rituals, detailed instructions and moral guidelines designed to solve that problem. The corruption, impurity, and sin of God’s people, not to mention the realities of living in a fallen world full of death and disease, cause this separation. God’s holiness is like a nuclear reactor, dangerous to anyone who is not holy, and the instructions can be understood as a way to safely interact with the raw power of God’s presence. Leviticus therefore can be understood as God’s gracious provision for Israel to know with confidence that they are forgiven and that despite their sin and corruption, they can safely live near his presence.

It makes Leviticus a revolutionary book in its day.

Discussion Questions:

• (Optional Ice Breaker) Word Association Game. What’s the first word that pops into your mind when you hear “Leviticus.” Give an explanation to your gut level reaction.
• In your relationship with God, how have you traditionally understood or viewed his holiness?
  • Holiness Customs Agent
  • Moral Book Keeper
  • Nuclear Reactor
  • Another view
• What is your understanding of how God’s holiness and our sin keeps us separated from one another?
• In Leviticus, sin seems to function more like a virus or pollutant discharged into the atmosphere that not only infects people, but also attacks and breaks down societies and institutions. Have you thought of sin in this way before and do you agree or disagree with this way of viewing sin?
• From a Levitical perspective, the burden of sin is serious and consequential. To deny this burden jeopardizes both people and the world by obstructing God’s capacity to be intimate with his people. What do you think about the concept that as Christians are convicted of their sin, and wake up to the realities of their need for God (revival), that non-Christians will also wake up (evangelism)?
• At the center of the Levitical Code is a call for the people of God to be holy as God is holy (Lev. 19:2). The book then goes on to demonstrate that for the people of God, being holy and set apart from the culture they live in revolves around three main concepts: a higher level of generosity, a different standard of sexual ethics and a deep concern for social justice. Which of these do you find most challenge in our current cultural climate? Explain.
• At the end of Leviticus (chapter 26) God summarizes the covenant given to Israel in this way: If they remain faithful and obedient to the covenant they will experience peace and abundance in the land. If they are unfaithful there will be disaster and exile from the land which seems conditional and typically not how we understand God’s relationship with his people. We often hear of God’s unconditional love, not based on any actions of our own. How do you reconcile the seeming discrepancy?
• Read Leviticus 26:40-45. What stands out to you about this passage and what is God attempting to communicate to the people of God?

Resources for further study

Bible Project—Read Scripture: Leviticus https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJ-FekWUZzE

Bible Project—Torah Series: Leviticus     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmvyrLXoQio

Interpretation Commentary: Leviticus by Samuel E. Balentine https://www.amazon.com/Leviticus-Interpretation-Commentary-Teaching-Preaching/dp/0664238807

Not the Way it is Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin by Cornelious Plantinga Jr. https://www.amazon.com/Not-Way-Its-Supposed-Be/dp/0802842186/ref=sr_1_1?crid=TE2EWEHT8LZR&keywords=not+the+way+its+supposed+to+be+a+breviary+of+sin&qid=1582223121&sprefix=not+the+way+it+is+supposed%2Caps%2C227&sr=8-1

Bible Project Podcast—Episode 138. Law Question and Response https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/law-q-r-law-e6/id1050832450?i=1000440435465