Manifold Divine Speeches
In From Paradise to the Promised Land, the following observation is made about the third book of the Pentateuch: “Although Leviticus continues the story of the Israelites’ journey from Egypt to Canaan, almost 90 percent of the book consists of divine speeches on a variety of topics.”[1] The sheer volume of divine speeches demands one’s attention.
Similarly, in his textbook on the Pentateuch, Victor P. Hamilton elaborates on the revelatory nature and extensiveness of the divine speeches in the book of Leviticus:
Leviticus underscores that the material found in its chapters is divinely-revealed content. No hint is given that any institution described is incorporated from another religious system. Nor is there any indication that the substance of the book is the product of a committee on liturgy that imposes on the community its recommended means of worshipping God.
The revelatory nature of the material in Leviticus is underlined by the fact that twenty of the twenty-seven chapters begin with the formula, “the Lord said unto Moses.” The exceptions are chapters 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, and 26. And some of these simply continue the emphasis of the preceding chapter (hence the absence of the formula), or else contain this formula in the body of the chapter instead of at the beginning.[2]
Leviticus is chockablock with divine speeches that divinely reveal how to approach and worship God, and much of the content is verbatim divine speech. The two narratives that record events rather than divine speeches also underscore the revelatory nature of this material: Leviticus 8:1-10:20 and 24:10-23 are both narratives which contain stories about individuals who commit egregious sins and are judged unto death, and, in the former event, Nadab and Abihu die because their offerings are not regulated by the manifold divine speeches,[3] and, in the latter event, Moses and Israel wait for the Lord’s commandment before condemning and executing a blasphemer.[4] The theme “The Lord said” is not tertiary but central to even these two respective narratives about high-stake events, which also underscores the “divinely-revealed content” in the book of Leviticus.
Leviticus in Context
T. Desmond Alexander argues for the close connection of Leviticus to the rest of the Pentateuch:
The book of Leviticus continues the story of Exodus by describing what takes place in the thirteenth month after the Israelites’ divine deliverance from Egypt (cf. Exod. 40:17; Num. 1:1). As a result, the books of Exodus and Leviticus and, as we shall later observe, also Numbers are closely connected. Leviticus both assumes the erection of the tabernacle, which forms the climax of the book of Exodus (40:1-38), and records the consecration of Aaron and his sons as priests, fulfilling the instructions given to Moses by the LORD in Exodus 29:1-46. Leviticus must therefore be read in conjunction with Exodus, both books forming part of the continuous and carefully composed narrative that comprises the Pentateuch.[5]
Special revelation, in Leviticus, is drank as from a firehose, and this must be read in conjunction with the rest of the Pentateuch. In Leviticus, the sacrifices (1-7), the priestly ordination (8-10), the distinctions between physical and moral impurities and holiness (11-26), and the vows (27), they all are of a revelatory nature, and the content of this revelation is intimately connected to the preceding events, e.g., Exodus, consecration of priests, instructions for sacrifices, etc. What is the chief message of the “divinely-revealed content” in the book of Leviticus, which is connected to the rest of the Pentateuch? In a word, as one author summarized, “Leviticus summons Israel to a holy life.”[6] This holy life is characterized by sacrifice, priests, and holy instructions. This holy life is connected to holy space—the Tabernacle. The two questions, “Where to worship a holy God?” and “How to worship a holy God?”, are connected respectively in Exodus and Leviticus. These Pentateuchal books are closely connected and together they emphasize that it is the LORD alone who “places at the disposal of the Israelites a way of restoring and maintaining a harmonious relationship with their God.”[7] It is a merciful and gracious God who provides both a locality and manner by which his people may enjoy his special presence and fellowship. The book of Leviticus summons Israel to a holy life that is regulated by the manifold divine speeches.
Impact of Leviticus
Leviticus emphasizes the majesty and holiness of God: God condescends to abide in the Tabernacle with Israel, but the sanctuary is a holy place which simultaneously emphasizes that God is divine and draws near to but yet is also separate from his creatures, i.e., the basis of Israel’s approach is solely God’s revealed will. How should insights and revelation from Leviticus modify our behavior or thinking? As one author said, commenting on the revelation of the Mosaic period, “The coexistence of these two elements, that of trustful approach to God and that of reverence for the divine majesty, is characteristic of the Biblical religion throughout.”[8] Approaching God, even in the NT era, still requires both these elements: trustful (submissive) approach with awe and reverence.
[1] T. Desmond Alexander, From Paradise to the Promised Land: An Introduction to the Pentateuch, 3rd ed. (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2012), 237.
[2] Victor P. Hamilton, Handbook on the Pentateuch (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1982), 245-246.
[3] Regarding the sin and the reason why Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord for offering “strange fire”, Michael Bushell explains: “The phrase is unusual and does not occur elsewhere in Scripture, though a similar phrase in Exodus 30:9 forbids the offering of “strange incense” . . . . The word used for “strange” is a common term with the basic meaning of “strange” or “foreign”. The noun form means “stranger”. The question is what it was about the fire in this case that made it “foreign”. It was not the fire itself or the incense, for these were indistinguishable from the fire and incense offered at other times. The problem was with the manner in which the fire was offered. The passage makes this clear. The fire was “strange” because God had “not commanded them” to offer it. It was as simple as that. God viewed offerings that He had not commanded as “foreign” or “strange” intrusions. The sin of Nadab and Abihu was one of presumption, of making an offering not commanded by God” (Songs of Zion: The Biblical Basis for Exclusive Psalmody, 4th rev. ed. (Norfolk: Norfolk Press, 2011), 165-166). In the book of Leviticus, the content of the divine speeches discloses how God desires to be worshipped, e.g., sacrifices, priests, purity, etc. This parallels the book of Exodus: God discloses where worship shall take place—the locality of worship is the Tabernacle, which was a type constructed after the heavenly pattern (Heb. 8:5; Exod. 25:40).
[4][4] In Leviticus 24:10-23, the son of an Israelite woman blasphemed the name of the LORD. He was brought to Moses, and he remained under arrest and in their custody while Moses and Israel waited “that the mind of the LORD might be shewed them” (verse 12). It isn’t until after the Lord speaks (verse 13) that Moses then instructs Israel to stone the blasphemer (verse 23). Even this narrative about an event underscores divine speech: “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying . . .” (verse 13).
[5] T. Desmond Alexander, From Paradise to the Promised Land, 237.
[6] Victor P. Hamilton, Handbook on the Pentateuch, 246.
[7] T. Desmond Alexander, From Garden to the Promised Land, 257.
[8] Geerhardus Vos, Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments (Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 2017), 150-151.