Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

Leviticus: the Book of Laws

• Leviticus means the “things of the Levites”.• The Levites are the administrators of the Law.• This is the book of Law God gave Moses. It

contains exact and tiny details of Israel’s social life and temple worship.

• Important pervasive lessons:• 1. God’s loving care of God’s people• 2. Law is good. God is the author of Law and

good order(not confusion).

Leviticus (con’t.)

• The Law is for our instruction and protection.• 3. Key and root of the writing is ‘holiness’ –

used 80 times, 11:45 “you shall be holy, for I am holy”.

• 4. Law is the way for sinful folks to approach God. Yom Kippur the day of Atonement Lev.16

• 5. Leviticus foreshadows Christ.

Numbers

• The Name taken from the two times Moses took a ‘numbering’ or census of all Israel while wandering in the wilderness.

• Chapter I old generations who left Egypt• Chapter II new generations, those born in the

wilderness• Only Joshua and Caleb – born in Egypt –

entered the Promised Land

Numbers (con’t.)

• Numbers teaches both the Justice and the Mercy, Severity and Kindness of God.

• The unavoidable consequences of unbelief and disobedience

• The purification for a people immature in faith and obedience

• It is a positive book for it teaches that God’s people can move forward to inherit God’s promises when they learn to trust and obey

Symbols for Christ in Numbers

• 1. Bronze Serpent 21: 4-9 The Cross• 2. Rock (water) 1Cor. 10:4• Manna 11: 7-9 The Eucharist• Cities of Refuge Chapter 35 (Sacrament of

Reconciliation)

Deuteronomy

• “The Words” – Moses’ farewell Speeched• Greek meaning ‘second law’• Three long speeches by Moses– 1:1-4:43– 4:44-26:19– 27-34All to prepare Israel for the conquest and inhabiting of the Promised Land

Deuteronomy (con’t.)

• A Book of Sermons not only for Israel but for all the ‘people of God’ the Church.

• Chapter 5 – second account of the Ten Commandments

• All the sermons have a simple message – as in Psalm 1 – there are only 2 ways to live – either obedient to God or not – 2 ends/goals – obedience = inherit God’s promise or disobedience = misery and failure.