In Exodus there was the flaming fire, based on the law expressing God’s righteousness. In Leviticus there is the infinite grace, based upon Christ’s redemption expressing God’s righteousness. In Exodus the fire was flaming, the law was decreed, and the righteousness of God was manifested. What is revealed in Leviticus is not the law of God but the redemption of Christ, as signified by the offerings. In Exodus we had the condemning law, but in Leviticus we have the redeeming Christ. Therefore, in Leviticus God’s righteousness is expressed not by the flaming fire but by the infinite grace.
In Exodus God spoke from the fire, but in Leviticus He speaks in His grace. What we have in Leviticus is not the flaming fire but God’s presence as the unique grace given to His redeemed people.
In Exodus the flaming fire made God fearful to people. In Leviticus Christ’s redemption makes God approachable to people. In Exodus God was the fearful One, and no one dared to come nigh to Him or to approach Him. In Leviticus Christ’s redemption has made it possible for people not only to approach God and come near to God but also to eat together with Him, that is, to commune with Him and have fellowship with Him. In the church today God is approachable. We can contact Him, commune with Him, and fellowship with Him, enjoying Christ with Him. This is the revelation in the book of Leviticus.
Now we need to see the general sketch of the book of Leviticus. The general sketch is this: Through the tabernacle, with the offerings, and by the priests. God’s redeemed are enabled to fellowship with God, serve God, and be God’s holy people living a holy life, which expresses God. To fellowship with God means to feast with God, to enjoy Christ with God. This is possible through the tabernacle, with the offerings, and by the priests, which for us today are all a matter of Christ. The issue of enjoying Christ with God is that we become God’s holy people living a holy life. This holy living is the issue of the enjoyment of Christ. When we enjoy Christ with God, there is a result, and the result is a holy living, a living in which everything in our daily life is holy. As God’s redeemed people, through the tabernacle, with the offerings, and by the priests, we can be enabled to contact God, to fellowship with God by enjoying Christ, to serve God in Christ, and to be a holy people in Christ living a holy life.
The central thought of Leviticus is that Christ is everything in the fellowship, service, and life of God’s redeemed. Dr. C. I. Scofield once pointed out that Christ can be seen in every page of this book. In Leviticus Christ is everything. He is the offerings, He is the high priest, and He is everything in the living of God’s redeemed people. Leviticus, therefore, is a book on Christ and full of Christ.
The book of Leviticus can be divided into five sections: ordinances concerning offerings (chs. 1-7), ordinances concerning service (chs. 8-10), ordinances concerning living (chs. 11-22), ordinances concerning feasts (ch. 23), and other ordinances and warnings (chs. 24-27).