There are many facts of life from the Old Testament, that must be understood by Believers in today’s world because these facts have direct application today, just as they did in Old Testament times. Hopefully this study will open your heart to be more receptive of the Books of The Old Testament, especially the first five books. Think on these things as you read and look up Scripture references.
The Levitical Offerings (Leviticus Chapters 1-6) reveal the Person and Work of Messiah in shadow form, and are just a part of the Mosaic Law.
THERE ARE FOUR VERY IMPORTANT POINTS OF DOCTRINE THAT YOU SHOULD KEEP IN MIND WHEN YOU STUDY THE OLD TESTAMENT, BECAUSE THEY GIVE LIGHT TO THE NEW TESTAMENT.
1). The Ten Commandments are the “Magna Carta” of human freedom.
2). The centrality of history is the Cross of Jesus Christ – Yeshua.
3). The centrality of the Old and New Testament is the Cross of Jesus Christ – Adonai.
4). The Cross of Christ is the Cross-point of life and death; and the only point of reconciliation between God and Man.
“The Mosaic Law is much more than the Ten Commandments (Exodus Chapter 20). In fact, the Mosaic Law is so extensive that it affected every phase of Jewish life in the Old Testament. They also affect dramatically, who we are as a nation under God, in America. Even more, the world of FREE nations around the globe, owe their freedom, in whatever form, to The Ten Commandments. They are indeed the Moral Standards for Freedom, the Magna Carta of Human Freedom … the preservation of humanity, no matter how human we become.” — C. S. Craig.
Note: Our Constitution and the Declaration of Independence — The Bill Of Rights, are based on principles of the Mosaic Law.
Once you understand the true function of the Levitical Offerings, you will see Christ is the heart of the Jewish Faith in the Old Testament and the Gentiles of the New Testament.
Salvation has always been a GRACE function, both in the Old Testament and the New Testament!
People in Old Testament were not saved by keeping the Law (Galatians 2:16), they were saved by believing in Christ as Christ was then made known. Christ was known through the Levitical Offerings. When you understand the Levitical offerings, you will see Jesus Christ! Christ is the MEANING of life.
CHRIST ANSWERS THE QUESTIONS OF: Why are we here? What is the purpose and meaning of life? Why isn’t God with us? The very name of Christ (Emmanuel) means God with us.
The entire contents of the Mosaic Law is given in the Pentateuch, which is the first five books of the Old Testament. Pentateuch is a Greek word meaning “five volumes”: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, called the “Torah,” which means “teaching, doctrine, or instruction.” It is also referred to as the “Book of the Law” or simply “the Law.”
The five books of the Pentateuch present the history of humanity from Creation to the death of Moses. Jesus referred to the Laws of Moses in Mark 12:26; and John 7:23.
The Mosaic Law contains three sets of rules and regulations known as CODICES:
- The Moral Code – to show by Divine Standards that man cannot keep the Law.
- The Spiritual Code – A Shadow Christology and Soteriology (Hebrews 10:1). It includes the Tabernacle, Holy Days, Levitical Offerings, the dress code of the Levitical Priesthood and the believer’s worship in the days from Adam through Moses.
- The Social Code – Divine laws of Establishment to protect freedom and preserve the human race.
Christ fulfilled Codex 1 by living a perfect life on earth as representative man (the second Adam). This period of time is referred to as the Incarnation.
Christ fulfilled Codex 2 by His death, burial, resurrection, ascension and session.
Christ fulfilled Codex 3 by His respect for the governmental laws: “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21; Mark 12:17). Therefore, Christ is the end of the Law for believers in the Church Age, which began at Pentecost (Acts Chapter 2).
The Mosaic Law is called in the Old Testament, the “Book of the Covenant” (Exodus 24:7, 8; 34:27,28; Deuteronomy 4:13-16, 23, 31; 8:18; 9:9, 11, 15). This Book of the Covenant is the subject of Jeremiah Chapter 11.
The recipients of the Law were Jews — and ONLY Jews of the Old Testament (Exodus 19:3; Leviticus 26:46; Romans 3:19; 9:4).
The Law was never given to the Gentiles (Deuteronomy 4:8; Romans 2:12-14).
New Testament Christians are not under the Law because Christ fulfilled the Law (Matthew 5:17; Acts 15:5, 24; Romans 6:14; Galatians 2:19).
Christ is the end of the Law for believers in the Church Age (Romans 10:4).
Believers in the Church Age are under a higher law — the law of spirituality (Romans 8:2-4; 1 Corinthians 13; Galatians 5:18, 22,23).
Therefore, today in the Church Age, keeping the Law is not the way of salvation, but the way of human freedom and prosperity under the principles and laws of the individual nations under God (Galatians 2:16).
Old Testament Salvation:
Equally important to our understanding of the purposes of the Levitical Offerings is the understanding of Old Testament salvation. The pattern for salvation in the Old Testament is the same as the New Testament — faith in the Lord (Genesis 15:6; See Romans 4:3; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Galatians 4:6. Also, see Leviticus 1:3; Isaiah 53).
Salvation was revealed in a different manner in the Old Testament, because:
1). The Cross had not yet occurred in history.
2). Much of the world at that time was illiterate. Therefore, the Levitical Offerings were a “visual-aid, or a training aid,” a visual demonstration of an invisible sacrifice on the altar — Christ. A Savior, Christ, is vividly portrayed in the Levitical Offerings. Salvation has always been provided by God and promised through Christ (Genesis 3:15). Again, the entire Levitical Offerings were fore-shadows, if you will, of the Savior who would die for mankind — Jesus Christ.
The Hebrews people referred to God as Adonai, because they did not utter the name of the Lord. This is termed — the Tetragrammaton “YHWH” (Yahweh) or JHVH for (Jehovah).
Mitzvah (Mitzvot) is a Hebrew term for a religious and moral obligation. In tradition all commandments, statutes, ordinances, observations, teachings and testimonies are considered Mitzvot. The Talmud (Taryag) Mitzvot of the Torah, speaks of 613 commands: 248 positive commands and 365 negative. (Quoted from “The New Jewish Encyclopedia,” BEHRMAN HOUSE, INC., Publishers, New York, copyright 1962 by David Bridger.)
MESSIAH – “Anointed One” – (JESUS CHRIST) – The Central Focus of God’s Plan for Human History.
A modified form of the Hebrew word Mashiah meaning “anointed” applied in the Bible to a person appointed for a special function, such as High Priest or King. Later the term Messiah came to express the belief that a Redeemer, that is a Divinely appointed individual, will in the end bring salvation to the Jewish people and to the entire human race.
During the Messianic era the scattered Jewish people will return to the Land of Israel, and all mankind will prosper through peace and justice. The prophets teach that in the “End of Days” a just and wise ruler, a descendant of David, will be king over Israel and the world, when peace will be established among the nations and the Law of the Lord will come from Jerusalem to all peoples. The prophet Elijah will be the forerunner of the Messiah. (Quoted from “The New Jewish Encyclopedia,” BEHRMAN HOUSE, INC., Publishers, New York, copyright 1962 by David Bridger.)
SPIRITUAL HERITAGE
Our moral heritage operates far beyond the confines of formal religion. Our moral heritage is a spiritual heritage revealed by God in the Old Testament Mosaic Laws and the Levitical Offerings which shout the Doctrines of Liberty, Justice, Love, Mercy and Redemption.
The Divine Institutions include: Volition, free will — the basis of freedom; Marriage — stabilizer of the human race; Family — basis for orderly society; Nationalism — basis for privacy, protection of rights and freedom.
This brief introduction of the Mosaic Law is just that — a brief introduction. It is by no means complete or exhaustive. It is designed to give you a quick, basic look at salvation in the Old Testament.
The Tabernacle, the Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy Seat, all proclaim the Savior — Jesus Christ.
Portions of this study were derived from my study notes outline from 1970’s, under the teaching ministry of RBT Bible Ministries.
You may wish to see our study on The Mercy Seat, The Doctrine of Propitiation, which contains related subject matter.
Please note: Victor P. Hamilton, in his book “Handbook On The Pentateuch,” — published by Baker Book House, Copyrighted by Baker Books, 1982, Grand rapids, Michigan, 49506 — gives us an introductory guide to the contents of the Pentateuch. We recommend that you pick up a copy from your local bookstore, or go online for more information to Baker Books. It is brief, interesting, and well presented. WOTM
Happy Studying!
(This study is reproduced in part from “Levitical Offerings,” 1973, published by RBT Bible Ministries. Used with permission.)