Companion to the BibleBarrows, E. P. (Elijah Porter)
Religion
Companion to the Bible
Barrows, E. P. (Elijah Porter)
Bible -- Study and teaching
9. The Hebrews call this book _Vayyikra_, _and_ [God] _called_. Later
Jewish designations are, _the law of priests_, and _the law of
offerings_. The Latin name _Leviticus_ (from the Greek _Leuitikon_,
_Levitical, pertaining to the Levites_) indicates that its contents
relate to the duties of the Levites, in which body are included all the
priests. The book of Leviticus is immediately connected with that which
precedes, and follows in the most natural order. The tabernacle having
been reared up and its furniture arranged, _the services pertaining to
it_ are next ordained, and in connection with these, various
regulations, most of which come within the sphere of the priestly
office. Hence we have (1) the law for the various offerings, followed by
an account of the anointing of the tabernacle, and the consecration of
Aaron and his sons to the priestly office, with the death of Nadab and
Abihu for offering strange fire before the Lord (chaps. 1-10); (2)
precepts concerning clean and unclean beasts, and cleanness and
uncleanness in men from whatever source, followed by directions for the
annual hallowing of the sanctuary on the great day of atonement, and
also in respect to the place where animals must be slain, and the
disposition to be made of their blood (chaps. 11-17); (3) laws against
sundry crimes, which admitted, in general, of no expiation, but must be
visited with the penalty of the law (chaps. 18-20); (4) various
ordinances pertaining to the purity of the priestly office, the
character of the sacrifices, the yearly festivals, the arrangements for
the sanctuary, etc., with the law for the sabbatical year and the year
of jubilee (chaps. 22-26:2); (5) a wonderful prophetic chapter,
announcing for all coming ages the blessings that should follow
obedience, and the curses which disobedience should bring upon the
people (chap. 26:3-46). There is added, as a sort of appendix, a chapter
concerning vows and tithes. Chap. 27.
10. The priestly office, with its sacrifices, was the central part of
the Mosaic economy, for it prefigured Christ our great High Priest, with
his all-perfect sacrifice on Calvary for the sins of the world. On this
great theme much remains to be said in another place. It is sufficient
to remark here that the book of Leviticus gives the divine view of
expiation. If the expiations of the Levitical law were typical, the
types were true figures of the great Antitype, which is Jesus Christ,
"the Lamb of God. which taketh away the sin of the world." No view of
his death can be true which makes these types empty and unmeaning.
IV. NUMBERS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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