Leviticus studies part 1

I've been studying Leviticus for a while now and have prepared some studies/sermons but as yet have not had the chance to deliver them.

That being the case I have shared the notes with a few people, but have realised this much neglected blog would be a good format for communicating some of my thoughts.

So here you are:

Leviticus 1 – The Burnt Offering

In Exodus 40 the Lord descends on the Tabernacle and in Leviticus 1: 1 we see Moses being spoken to ‘out of the Tabernacle’ – Moses was unable to enter because of God’s Glory filling the Tabernacle (Ex 40: 35).

1.   The  male without blemish here is completely consumed (v.1-3, 6-7). God’s wrath on sin is complete and unflinching – and deserved. Not one part of the sacrifice is spared. This mirrors the Lord Jesus at Calvary - His body and soul torn from God the Father's presence. A foreshadowing is clear - Christ Jesus bears this sinful wrath as the lamb. A lamb without blemish, capable of fulfilling the law (and thereby being a worthy sacrifice, once and for all Hebrew 10: 11 – 14)

2.       God’s hand/sinner’s hand on the offering. In the sinners repentant act of placing his hand on the sacrificial animal God imputes sin to the sacrifice. The transaction also sees the sinner put right, or made righteous – acceptable to God. Christ’s substitutionary work does the same for us. God’s hand places His divine, just wrath (which we deserve) on Christ’s head and imputes Jesus’ righteousness to us. Our only action can be repentance ALL the rest is performed by God/Jesus, just as all the offerer here in Leviticus can do is bring a sacrifice and repent, relying on the priest’s mediatorial work, the sacrifice and God’s mercy and Grace.

3.       The saving blood – death is required. Death is the curse on man’s sin. Blood = life. The lamb is offered in place of the sinner. Jesus instead of us.  The sacrifice of Jesus for the believer makes propitiation (appeases God's wrath), and allows expiation (the wiping away or covering of sin), which makes atonement (satisfaction, our account being settled).

Propitiation + expiation = atonement. 

The blood signifies salvation for the repentant sinner. It is through this shed blood God’s wrath can be diverted and we can enter His presence as righteous.

So....

God’s wrath MUST come on sin sometime. Either on us, or on Jesus.
 
ALL we can do is repent. Works of salvation belong to God/Jesus.

Jesus’ blood offering appeases God and save the repentant sinner.

Propitiation, what a word.

Propitiation... an incredible word if you're a Christian.

"At all costs, whatever it may mean to us, we must hold onto this word. Propitiation through faith in His blood."
D M Lloyd-Jones (Expository notes on Romans)


Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology words it like this (referencing Romans 3:25 KJV/NKJV/ESV/NASB) - "...tells us that God put forward Christ as a 'propitiation' a word that means "a sacrifice that bears God's wrath to the end and in doing so changes God's wrath toward us into favour."


Herman Hoeksema, when talking of God's wrath in 'Righteous by Faith Alone' explained God's wrath as a 'righteous anger' and perhaps more easily understandable (to me in my paraphrasing) is a 'Holy NO' to sin... God will not have sin in His sight and rejects it utterly with this mighty, unchangeable "NO!"


*disclaimer - my theology is fragile and in its infancy so forgive any errors. The reasons for making the point over the vitality of the word 'propitiation' I hope will become clear.*


The point I am trying to make is that the word propitiation describes how in legal terms God's wrath MUST be appeased and this tariff or sentence that has to be handed out to sin must happen. Without saving grace this death sentence of God's wrath would fall on us sinners. But through delivering Jesus as a propitiatory sacrifice, the sentence, the tariff of the weight of that sin is borne by Jesus. He bears God's wrath, His awesome 'NO' for us.


No other word can substitute for this. Some versions lamely try to substitute it with 'atoning sacrifice' and/or 'expiation', but neither word measures up. Yes there was atonement and yes our sins are 'wiped away' in expiation, but neither is an adequate substitute for propitiation.


The Welsh words 'hwyl' or 'hiraeth' have, apparently, no direct translation into English. Even a sentence to explain them does not adequately describe the depth of feeling and emotion these words supposedly invoke in a true man of the vales. When speaking to a Welsh thoroughbred he will purse his lips and nod vigorously, perhaps even slapping your shoulder and fixing you with a knowing eye when you utter such words.


We frequently use phrases in everyday speech that suggest the lack of effective translation of certain words so you will frequently hear such phrases as 'faux pas' or 'vice versa'. Yes you can describe them, but they don't always do the phrase justice.

In my limited theological knowledge I am already surprised, nay shocked even that such looseness can occur in translating God's word. Propitiation is a key word in the Christian's vocabulary... if not in actual spoken word, then certainly in understanding. How, how, how, how, how it can be omitted completely from the NIV and other versions is a burgeoning mystery to me.


When I read about it and understood it I was awestruck and it made me realise afresh the gravity of exactly what has been done for us at the cross. Remind yourself of what the word means then compare these verses in various versions. It may surprise and even shock you to see the variety of language used for such important sections of scripture.

Romans 3:25
1 John 2:2
1 John 4:10
Hebrews 2:17

As a closing, contrasting comment. I enjoyed singing 'And can it be' in Church recently. My favourite verse being:

.

Long my imprisoned spirit lay

Fast bound in sin and nature's night;

Thine eye diffused a quickening ray,

I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;

My chains fell off, my heart was free,

I rose, went forth, and followed thee.

.

Gotta let rip with those last 2 lines! Amen.