This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.

Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.

Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may contact us and request that devotion. Please send your request, along with $.50 (p&h) for each page to:

Bruce McGee,Pastor
205 Adams
Columbia, LA 71418

Bro. Bruce's commentary for the book of Genesis is
now available in hard copy for $7.50. Just mail your request for COMMENTARY ON GENESIS to the address above

LEVITICUS
INTRODUCTION
WOW! Can you believe it? We're 3 months into the study, and we've completed 90 chapters!!

The setting for Leviticus is the area at the foot of Mt. Sinai. The nation
of Israel was camped there for almost one year receiving instructions from God
and building the tabernacle (see Numbers 10:11-12).

Although no human author is ever named, twenty out of twenty-seven chapters begin
with this phrase, "And the Lord spake unto Moses..." Most scholars attribute all
five books of the Pentateuch to Moses.

Perhaps the central theme of Leviticus is the sacrificial system for the Jewish
Nation. The system of sacrifices and offerings is God's unique way of dealing with
sinful people and allowing them the privilege of receiving His protection and provision.
God had decided in eternity passed that He, in Jesus, would perform the perfect
sacrifice for the sins of mankind. Since that sacrifice had not yet been completed,
God used this system to show that the only way for man to be made right with God was
through sacrificial yielding of self. That's exactly what Jesus did for us.
(See Hebrews 9:15, Philippians 2:5-11)

Another thing this sacrificial system provided was a continual movemement of the
sinner toward God. Man is an habitual and continual sinner while in the flesh,
and therefore is in constant need of forgiveness. The sacrificial system of the Old
Testament serves to provided a means for constant forgiveness and thus a means of having
a genuine fellowship with God. Also, it serves as a reminder that we should be continually
coming to God.

Leviticus approaches many doctrinal issues such as atonement, holiness and substitutionary
propitiation.
Now you and I know that Jesus fulfilled all the law for us, and we can certainly praise Him
that we are not encumbered with so many ceremonial, ritualistic practices. But studying
Leviticus will enhance our understanding of the wonderful freedom we have through our Lord.

CHAPTER 1

1 And the LORD called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock. 3 If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD.

This chapter outlines the law of the "burnt offering."
Chapter 2 will be about the "meal" or meat offering, chapter 3 about the peace offering,
chapter 4 about the sin offering, and chapter five about the trespass offering.

These first five chapters speak about each individual's personal responsibility, and chapters 6-8 will
speak abou the priests responsibilities in these specific offerings.

The burnt offering must be from a domesticated animal which would be valued by the
giver. For instance, a male lamb or a male goat.

4 And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.

The person coming with the offering must identify with the animal. Every sin requires personal
acknowledgment before restoration can be made; and one must personally confess being a sinner
before salvation can be received.

Laying his hands on the head of the animal identified the person as a sinner. Also, he was asking God
to take the animal's life in place of his own. That's subsititutionary atonement.

5 And he shall kill the bullock before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 6 And he shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces. 7 And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire: 8 And the priests, Aaron's sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar: 9 But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a

These verses graphically describe the details of slaying, skinning and burning the offering if that offering
is of the herd - or a young bull.

10 And if his offering be of the flocks, namely, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish. 11 And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall sprinkle his blood round about upon the altar. 12 And he shall cut it into his pieces, with his head and his fat: and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar: 13 But he shall wash the inwards and the legs with water: and the priest shall bring it all, and burn it upon the altar: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

These verses graphically describe the details of slaying, skinning and burning the offering if that offering
is of the flock - or a young ram.

14 And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the LORD be of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves, or of young pigeons. 15 And the priest shall bring it unto the altar, and wring off his head, and burn it on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be wrung out at the side of the altar: 16 And he shall pluck away his crop with his feathers, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, by the place of the ashes: 17 And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof, but shall not divide it asunder: and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that is upon the fire: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

These verses describe the details of making an offering of pigeons or turtle doves. This provision made even
the poorest of the poor able to bring a sacrifice. Anyone could catch a pigeon.

Notice in verses 5, 11 and 15 that the blood is to be poured out at the altar. The blood represents the LIFE
of the animal. ONLY by BLOOD can we be saved! Jesus shed His life's blood for our sacrifice.

Notice also in verses 9 and 13 there is mention of the inward parts. Salvation begins in the INWARD
part of the person. The INSIDE or spirit of the person must be cleansed by the Spirit of God, and by the Word of God.
Titus 3:5-6 says, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

Please continue to follow along in Bible study with us.