Leviticus

Leviticus answers the question Exodus leaves hanging: now that a holy God dwells in the tabernacle, how can a sinful people live in His presence without being consumed? God's gracious answer is a whole system of sacrifice, priesthood, purity, and atonement. Through the offerings, the ordination of priests, the laws of clean and unclean, the Day of Atonement, and the Holiness Code, God provides ways to be cleansed, to draw near, and to reflect His character in every part of life. Its refrain is 'Be holy, for I, the LORD your God, am holy.' Far from being a relic, Leviticus teaches the costliness of sin and the wonder of atonement — realities that find their fulfillment in Christ, our great High Priest and perfect sacrifice.