Welcome to our Class on the Book of Leviticus__________________
John Calvin on the Shadow System
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For example, the [Sabbath or] day of rest was, first, a figure partly to show that men cannot serve God properly unless they put to death all that is of their own nature and dedicate themselves fully to him so as to be separate from the world. Second, the day of rest was a ceremony to bring the people together so that they could hear the Law, call upon the name of God, and offer sacrifices and do all other things that concern the spiritual government. Thus we see the type of Sabbath day being spoke of yet it cannot be well understood without setting forth these two parts separately. Therefore, we have to note that the Sabbath, or day of rest, was a shadow under the Law until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ so as to make men understand that God requires that they should utterly cease from their own works. This is what I meant when I said that we must put to death all that is of our own nature if we are to conform ourselves to our God. This is what Saint Paul declares, and we have many other instances in the NT. But it is sufficient to declare what is apparent, namely in Colossians (2:17) where it is said that we have in Jesus Christ the substance and the principal part of the things that were under the Law. Therefore it was necessary for the fathers of old to be trained in this hope, by the day of rest as well as by other ceremonies. But now that the thing itself is given to us we must not rest any longer in shadows. We must hold now the substance and truth of it. Even so, the shadow of it is done away by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. |
The point I wish to make by
selecting this quote from John Calvin is that exploring the Shadow
System of the law is not new.
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“To sing the praises of God upon the harp |
For more on this I suggest reading
Calvin's commentary on Psalm 33. For our in depth study on
insturmential music in the assembly please follow this link (Here)
Now the Shadow System and the Book of Leviticus_______________
In Exodus 19:5-6 we find this statement.
The fundamental purpose of priests is to offer sacrifices to God. Thus God wanted the entire nation of Israel to be His holy priesthood and to become a holy nation. The word "holy" not only suggests the idea of belonging to God but also defines the moral qualities that Israel must exercise in their relationship with God. (GP)
Thus, in Exodus 20 from Mt. Sinai God gave the law of Moses with its ten commandments. That was the constitution or the undergirding principles on which the entire government of Israel was to operate. For a Review of the 10 Commandments see our study located Here
God Gave the Law in Exodus 20:24
I. Why Study the Book of Leviticus and the Sacrificial System?
A. Israel (and us by default) need to understand that holiness of God. The God revealed in the Bible is "different" than those of us he made.
B. Impress on the people the concept of a Theocratic reign. 1st Samuel 8 was not what God had in mind. God rules is the idea.
C. To concentrate Israel to its historical mission. The Jew (Israelite ) must remain apart from the rest of the world.
D. To reveal to Israel the nature and the consequence of sin. To impress on the people the concept that “sin causes death” and breaks fellowship with God.
E. It reveals the mercy, kindness and the grace of God.
F. That the remission of sins is atoned for by blood. There is no other way. Lev. 17:11.
Leviticus
establishes inevitably and indelibly the concept of redemption by
blood. We read from Leviticus 17:10 that God prohibited Israel from
eating blood. In verse 11 He explains:
| 11'For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement. |
So when the law says that the soul that sins dies, either that soul dies under sin or presents to God an acceptable substitute that dies in his place. Such is called sacrificial atonement. Therefore, when the animal gives its blood, it gives it life. There is evidence that built into the Mosaic system was the inability to fully handle the sin problem.
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4For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Hebrews 10:4 |
Notice that does not say that sin was not forgiven, it only says that sin was not removed from the worshipers conscience. See the entire exegesis of this section (Here)
G. To prepare Israel for the Messiah. Look at Acts 6:7, and ask, why is it that so many Priests were saved? See Galatians 3:19. The law was for the seed.
I. Confirms our faith in Christ. Think of this, how is it possible that such an elaborate scheme was fully conceived so many thousands of years before Christ without some divine inspiration?
J. To regulate the natural service of worship. People have never been allowed to worship God in an manner they see fit. God has always regulated worship.
K. To predict through a system of prophecy the ultimate destiny of man. That is the essence of the year of the Jubilee where we are told in Isa. 61 and Luke 4 that Leviticus is ultimately about redemption.
L. The institutions for maintenance of health and social practices.
M. Declares eternal, unchanging principles which God uses to Govern man through obedient faith.
II. Method of Interpretation
A. The Law was designed to take Israel to Jesus. The Sacrifices define the entire mission of Christ.
B. The Old (the law) was a Shadow, and the New (Christ) was reality. See 1st Peter 3:21ff.
C. The sacrifices were prophetic. They defined the worship of Jesus as well as the atonement that Christ made.
D. There are TWO Kinds of Prophecy in the Bible.
1) Verbal Prophecy - see Micah 5:3,(God will give Israel up) Isa. 7:14, Psalms 110:4 ff.
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For Example: 3Therefore
He
will give them up until the time Micah 5:3 |
2) System prophecy - i.e. the Passover: Luke 22:15, and also 1st Cor. 5:8.
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For
Example: Luke 22:15 |
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and _____ 1st Cor. 5:7 |
Must keep the entire package.
III. Systems Prophecy.
A. Numbers 21:6ff and the Serpent.
A. The people were bitten by snakes and cure for the snake bites was to lift up a serpent that Moses was ordered to build. Those who gazed on the serpent were healed. We are told in the NT that this was typology. "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." John 3:14-15. John said in effect that Jesus was the fulfillment of the system prophecy of Numbers 21.
B. We find another story when we view the entire Exodus story. That is, Moses will lead God's people out of Egypt to the promised land. In Hebrews 3 and 4, we are told Jesus has started a new Exodus. Jesus will lead us to the promised land of heaven. Therefore, the entire story of the Exodus becomes prophecy.
C. In Luke 22:15 we find the Passover celebrated the last time, that is, with any religious meaning. Jesus said to His apostles:
"I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it (the Passover) again until it (the Passover) finds fulfillment in the kingdom."
Jesus then becomes the fulfillment of the Passover. In 1 Cor. 5:7b-8a, "For Christ, Our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us keep the Festival..." In other words, "our Passover" means that as Christians we are to also keep the Passover. Our Passover is not a physical lamb but the lamb of God.
Another detail of the Passover is found in Exodus 12:46. Not a bone was to be broken. Then we find in John 19:36, "These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: "Not one of His bones will be broken." The legs of the two thieves were broke but not the legs of Jesus.
Apparently, God knew that attempts would be made to deny the resurrection of Christ so that - there are enough details built into systems prophecy as confirmation to future believers.
D. 1st Peter 3:21. There is a parallel between the flood of Genesis 7 and Christian baptism. God brought about a raging flood to destroy another flood of sin. The apostle Peter says that eight souls were saved through water (1st Peter 3:20). In the case of Genesis, the souls were saved by floating on top of the water. Peter says that baptism is a anti-type or backwards type, meaning that Christians are saved by immersion or going under the water.
E. Isaiah 35. Isaiah tells us some details about the coming of the kingdom (from his time). It will be a highway, a highway of holiness. The unclean shall not enter it. The wayfaring man, though a fool not err in his adaptation to this new way of life. The prophet then gives some spiritual realities and illustrations that Christ was going to bring to His people. There is a desert that will be turned into a veritable garden of Eden. The deaf will began to hear. The blind will begin to see. These are physical descriptions of future spiritual realities that came about because of Jesus.
Typology – Types and Anti types
I. The Shadow and the Copy.
A. In Hebrews 8: 5, the writer speaks of the Old Hebrew Sanctuary (Tabernacle). We are told the purpose of the Old Sanctuary was to foreshadow the sanctuary of Christ. The writer uses three words:
1. “shadow”
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σκιά (skia, 4639), -ᾶς, ἡ, [(see σκηνή, init.)], fr. Hom. down, Sept. for צֵל; a. prop. shadow, i. e. shade caused by the interception of the light: Mk. iv. 32 (cf. Ezek. xvii. 23); Acts v. 15; σκιὰθανάτου, shadow of death (like umbra mortis, Ovid, metam. 5, 191, and umbra Erebi, Verg. Aen. 4, 26; 6, 404), “the densest darkness” (because from of old Hades had been regarded as enveloped in thick darkness), trop. the thick darkness of error [i. e. spiritual death; see θάνατος, 1]: Mt. iv. 16; Lk. i. 79, (fr. Is. ix. 1, where צַלְמָוֶת). b. a shadow, i. e. an image cast by an object and representing the form of that object: opp. to σῶμα, the thing itself, Col. ii. 17; hence i. q. a sketch, outline, adumbration, Heb. viii. 5; opp. to εἰκών, the “express” likeness, the very image, Heb. x. 1 (as in Cic. de off. 3, 17, 69 |
2. “pattern”
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τύπος (tupos 5179 τύπος (tupos, 5179), -ου, ὁ, (τύπτω), fr. [Aeschyl. and] Hdt. down; 1. the mark of a stroke or blow; print: τῶν ἥλων, Jn. xx. 25a, 25b [where L T Tr mrg. τόπον], (Athen. 13 p. 585 c.τοὺς τύπους τῶν πληγῶν ἰδοῦσα). 2. a figure formed by a blow or impression; hence univ. a figure, image: of the images of the gods, Acts vii. 43 (Amos v. 26; Joseph. antt. 1, 19, 11; 15, 9, 5). [Cf. κύριοιτύπος θεοῦ, Barn. ep. 19, 7; “Teaching” 4, 11.] 3. form: διδαχῆς, i. e. the teaching which embodies the sum and substance of religion and represents it to the mind, Ro. vi. 17; i. q. manner of writing, the contents and form of a letter, Acts xxiii. 25 (3 Macc. iii. 30). 4. an example; α. in the technical sense, viz. the pattern in conformity to which a thing must be made: Acts vii. 44; Heb. viii. 5, (Ex. xxv. 40). β. in an ethical sense, a dissuasive example, pattern of warning: plur. of ruinous events which serve as admonitions or warnings to others, 1 Co. x. 6, 11 R G; an example to be imitated: of men worthy of imitation, Phil. iii. 17; with a gen. of the pers. to whom the example is offered, 1 Tim. iv. 12; 1 Pet. v. 3; τύπον ἑαυτὸν διδόναι τινί, 2 Th. iii. 9; γενέσθαι τύπον [τύπους R L mrg. WH mrg.; cf. W. § 27, 1 note] τινί, 1 Th. i. 7; παρέχεσθαι ἑαυτὸν τύπον καλῶν ἔργων, to show one's self an example of good works, Tit. ii. 7. γ. in a doctrinal sense, a type i. e. a person or thing prefiguring a future (Messianic) person or thing: in this sense Adam is called τύπος τοῦ μέλλοντος sc. Ἀδάμ, i. e. of Jesus Christ, each of the two having exercised a pre-eminent influence upon the human race (the former destructive, the latter saving), Ro. v. 14. |
and finally a “copy”
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ὑπό-δειγμα (hupo-deigma, 5262), -τος, τό,(ὑποδείκυνμι, q. v.), a word rejected by the Atticists, and for which the earlier writ. used παράδειγμα; see Lob. ad Phryn. p. 12; [Rutherford, New Phryn. p. 62]. It is used by Xen. r. eq. 2, 2, and among subsequent writ. by Polyb., Philo, Joseph., App., Plut., Hdian., al.; cf. Bleek, Brief a. d. Hebr. ii. 1 p. 554; a. a sign suggestive of anything, delineation of a thing, representation, figure, copy: joined with σκιά, Heb. viii. 5; with a gen. of the thing represented, Heb. ix. 23. b. an example: for imitation, διδόναι τινί, Jn. xiii. 15;καταλελοιπέναι, 2 Macc. vi. 28; with a gen. of the thing to be imitated, Jas. v. 10 (Sir. xliv. 16; 2 Macc. vi. 81); for warning: with a gen. of the thing to be shunned, τῆςἀπειθείας, Heb. iv. 11; with a gen. of the pers. to be warned, 2 Pet. ii. 6 (τοὺς Ῥομαίους... εἰς ὑπόδειγμα τῶν ἄλλων ἐθνῶν καταφλέξειν τὴν ἱερὰν πόλιν, Joseph. b. j. 2, 16, 4). |
So, the Old Testament Sanctuary was a shadowy copy of a pattern that was to culminate in Christ Jesus. (That is why the Temple of the OT will never be rebuilt).
B. Hebrews 9:23. The copies of the things in heaven which represented the OT system, had to be cleansed with animal blood.
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23Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. Hebrews 9:23 |
But, the heavenly things themselves (the NT counterpart) had to be cleansed with better sacrifices than these. That is, Christ.
C. Look Closely. The Jewish Sacrifices were only a shadow!
D. Colossians 2: 16-17, Paul says about the Jewish food requirements. Their drinks, their festivals, their new moons, their Sabbath days – that no one was to judge Christians for their non-observance of those shadow systems.
II. There are six major sacrifices under the old law.
1. The Burnt offering – Lev. 1:17; 6:8-13; 7:8; Ex. 29: 38-46.
2. The Meal offering - Lev. 2:1-16; 6: 14-23; 5:11-12; 23: 9-22; Numbers 5:11-15.
3. The Peace offering – Lev. 3: 1-17; 7: 11-36; 19: 5-8; 22: 21-25; Num. 15: 2-6; Deut. 12:5-14.
4. The Sin offering – Lev. 4: 1-35; 5: 1-14; 6: 24-30; Num. 15: 22-31; 32-36; Deut. 12:5-14.
5. The Trespass offering – Lev. 5:14-19; 6:1-7; 7:1-7; Num. 5:5-8.
6. The Day of Atonement Sacrifices – Yon Kippur - Lev. 16: 1-34; 23: 26- 32; Num. 29:7-11.
We will also look at the Red Heifer and the cleansing of the Leper
See Lev. chapter 13,14,15.
Sacrifices broken down into Two major Categories.
I. Sweet Savor Sacrifices - a worship sacrifice offered by the worshiper. A pleasing smell to God.
A. The Burnt Offering - for worship, atonement is marginal.
B. Meal (Cereal) Offering - for worship
C. The Peace Offering - for worship
These offering represent fellowship with God. The following offerings, represent broken fellowship with God. They do not smell good. Sin has a terrible oder!
II. Most Holy Offering
A. Sin offering - can be individual or national
B. Trespass offering -
C. Day of Atonement - it is national
D. Cleansing of the Leper - Christ made like a Leper
So What about that Fire!
Two kinds of fire found in the Sacrificial system. They are qatar and Saraph.
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Original Word: קָטַר
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Qatar fires are for the ; Burnt offering, the Meal offering, and the Peace Offering (Gifts).
The qatar fire ascends in smoke to God. It is a sweet smelling aroma to God. Ex. 29:18.
The Saraph fire descends from heaven. This is from the word seraphim or protectors of God. These are for the sin offering and trespass offering. (i.e. fire comes down and consumes them in wrath).
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to burn Original
Word:
שָׂרַף
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Jewish Sacrifices (the Entire System) Prefigures Christ.
1) Hebrews 9:23 tells us that Christ's sacrifices were plural in nature. This is because His one sacrifice covered the entire system.
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23Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. Hebrews 9:23 |
Thus,
the Levitical sacrifices “predict” foreshadow and prophesy about
different events or aspects of the sacrifice of Christ.
a. In the burnt offering we have His consecration to God.
b. In the cereal or grain offering we see Christ presenting unto God the redeemed of the world as His first fruits of labor.
c. In the Peace Offering we see the reconciliation that Christ brings to the human family.
e. In the sin offering we see His atonement.
f. In the trespass offering we see Christ defending the righteousness and justice of God.
g. In the Day of Atonement we see Christ, not only as a sacrifice fulfilling all the sacrificial typology of the OT, but also as the fulfillment of the priestly functions involved in the sacrifice.
h. In the Passover we find Christ liberating His people from the bondage of sin.
i. In the red heifer sacrifice we find Christ eliminating and removing all of the physical and spiritual defilements that sin brings on people.
Things to Notice as we Go Through the Book1
I. What about the animals
A. The animals required.
1. If it is from the herd - cattle or oxen
2. From the flock - sheep goats (congregation, they flock together).
3. Foul, dove or pigeon. (Must be domestic and tame. Must have an intimate relationship with the animal. Cannot be the victim of a chase. )
4. Size of the animal will say something about the type of guilt.
5. Ask yourself, what about blemishes (no and yes) peace offering.
6. What about the rituals of slaying or offering
7. Notice where the blood is applied
8. Notice, what happens to the body.
9. Flesh eating animals not included. Animals of the sacrifice are
Herbivora, group of mammals, from neuter plural of herbivorus.
They are clean animals which feed on plants.
From Old Notes, G. Paden's book and other resources yet to be named, Sunday , Lane Rogers
Israel was so afraid of mis-using the name of God they called him he who has no name. YHWH was known as Elohim, Elshadai, Kethib, Kereh.