Another Installment... Levitcus and Luke

Book of the Bible – Leviticus (The Hebrew word is wayyiqra – meaning “and He {the Lord} called.”

Author – 3rd Book of Moses

Date of Writing – Shortly after exodus from Egypt

Number of Chapters – 27

To Whom Written – The Hebrew Nation now Redeemed

Purpose of the Writing – To teach the redeemed nation how to live for, serve, and worship God. This is the book of laws and regulation of a people in a way that points to its ultimate fulfillment in Christ’s crucifixion thereby granting a passage to God.

My Personal Summary –

This is a book of detailed instruction for the pursuit of holiness by sinful people. At this point, sacrifice TO God was pre-eminent to sacrifice FOR God. This Levitical system of intense regulations served as a seemingly complex path to full obedience to and pleasing of God.

We are sinful people and God is Holy and there must be a bridge between the two in order to bring about relationship. At the time of writing, Leviticus served as that bridge until Christ came as the propitiation for our sins.

Sacrifices and offerings are discussed in Chapters 1-7. Priestly duties and requirements are discussed in Chapters 8-10. Cleanliness and holiness is instructed in Chapters 11-12. In order to comply with the litany of rules and laws I doubt anyone was actually ever truly “clean.” Finally, my favorite part; laws pertaining to feasts are directed in Chapter 23. The last four chapters give the benefits and promises for keeping the law and the price for disobedience.

The theme of Leviticus may seem like an outdated treatment of rules and laws and legalistic manner of living for God. I recognize why one would come to that conclusion but if read repeatedly in the light of the cross, one realizes the great sacrifice, once and for all, that Jesus Christ provided with His shed blood for our sins. We must never forget the price paid for our freedom in Christ which includes the rules and rituals contained within the Book of Leviticus.

Book of the Bible – Luke

Author – Likely Luke

Date of Writing – A.D. 59-63

Number of Chapters – 24

To Whom Written – Theophilus, Romans and Gentiles, to the larger audience, us.

Purpose of the Writing – To strengthen the faith of believers and to commend the preaching of gospel of Jesus Christ to the entire world.

My Personal Summary

This is a most clear telling of the way of salvation through none other than Yeshua. Luke was especially Jewish in his reporting of events surrounding the Christ. Luke was so Jewish, yet so inviting toward Gentiles. Luke tells us through his account of Jesus’ life that family was important to Jesus and that Yeshua wanted us to know family is important to us too. We are also clearly advised in the Book of Luke that prayer with the Father is incredibly important as well. Women, we are told are important to Christ, even in a time when women were marginalized severely by society. Equally marginalized were the poor, and Jesus we are told loved the poor and ministered gently to them. Through this book we are told Jesus cared for sinners which relieves me, a sinner.

Luke writes masterfully the story of Zacharias and Elizabeth miraculous conception and birth of John the Baptist, cousin of Yeshua and the Immaculate Conception and birth of Yeshua, the Christ. Two stories inextricably tied to one another, for our good.

In the time before Yeshua was revealed in a baby there were great struggles as there are today. However; we see that we are gifted by God with the Christ, the Messiah, and the Long Awaited One. In Him we have hope. Luke beautifully describes the temptation of Jesus but it is in v4:13 that he gives us the completion of the temptation which hinges on one word for me, “every.” Yeshua was exposed to every temptation, and yet we are given a Savior that did not fall, He did not fail and in this Messiah we can rest assured.

This highlights what is first said in v1:2 “… eyewitnesses and servants of the logos…” Elizabeth and Mary obeyed, their husbands obeyed and were “servants of the logos” and thus we have an opportunity to be saved. Soli Deo Gloria!