Canyon Creek Christian Fellowship
The Bible: Leviticus
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  • We are a couple of weeks in our new series, the Bible.
    This week we're going to look at the different literary styles in the Bible. I'm pulling most of this information from The Bible Project's How to Study the Bible series, episode 3.
    If you're like me and didn't pay much attention in school, this information will probably be new. Otherwise, this should be a refresher for most.
    For one to wisely read the Bible, we need to be familiar with modern and ancient literary styles used by the biblical authors.
    These writers expressed their ideas and claims through a variety of different type of literature. Let's explore why it's essential to identify the various literature types so we can hear their message on their terms.

    Literary Styles

    Think of a bookstore. A bookstore is laid out with different kinds of literary styles. As you browse the aisles, you'll see many different genres of books. Some mystery, science-fiction, thrillers, biography, technical, history, poetry, non-fiction, children's books.
    They all have a different purpose and style of writing. And we have different expectations from each style.
    If I'm reading a book about history, I don't expect it to contain science-fiction. If I'm reading a technical book, I don't expect it to be written in poetic form.
    Genre's help us identify the intent of the style. It's the same with music. If you buy an album from the country section, you'll probably expect that it doesn't feature a "boy band."
    But, if you aren't familiar with the country genre, you won't know what to expect. Maybe you wanted to hear the tune of a "boy band."
    Understanding the style of each book in the Bible is essential. If we don't know what we're reading, we'll miss out on what each book has to offer and is communicating.
    Narrative - 43%
    Poetry - 33%
    Prose - 24%

    Narrative

    Stories are a universal form of human communication. They have been around since the beginning of time. Stories are entertaining and are easier to remember than reciting a bunch of facts.
    Through story, we can start to make sense of the random events of life, put them in a sequence to see the overall meaning of it.
    The Bible is one epic narrative combined with various forms of literary styles.
    A narrative always has a character. This character is on a quest or wants something. Biblical characters help us understand some of life's biggest questions.
    There is always some sort of conflict that the character experiences that challenges him to discover what to do about it.
    And finally, there is a resolution. Some kind of ending that wraps everything up together.
    Some think that Biblical characters are there to show us how to live; an example for us to follow.
    Take a look at their lives, most are deeply flawed, and we'll end up dead or in prison if we follow their example.
    We're supposed to see ourselves in each character to get a different perspective about life and the choices we make.
    There are many different types of narrative, including historical, parable, and biographical.

    Poetry

    One out of every three chapters in the Bible is poetry.
    Poems speak through a creative language to help us see the world differently.
    Poems use figurative language such as simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, and symbolism. This type of language adds color and beauty to help express a specific point.
    Although we find poetry throughout the Bible, the psalms, wisdom books, and prophets are primarily made up of poetry.

    Prose

    Prose is a form of language that's constructed with a natural flow of speech and ordinary grammatical structure, unlike poetry.
    Prose is building a sequence of ideas or thoughts into one lateral argument that requires a logical response. It helps us think logically and consistently about a specific topic and persuades us to do something about it.
    This literary style is found throughout the Torah, wisdom books, and letters from the apostles.

    Primary Style

    Before reading a book in the Bible, it important to discover the primary literary style. This will cue you into what to pay attention to and what questions to ask as you're reading.
    Each book typically has a primary literary style but also has other literary types embedded throughout.
    Our next literary style of the Bible is Jewish Meditation. I'll turn this over to Tim and Jon for episode 4.
    Play H2R04 Video
    The Bible is meant to draw its readers into a lifelong journey of reading and meditation. The Bible is designed as a multi-layered work, offering new levels of insight as you re-read it and allow each part to help you understand every other part. The Bible is the original meditation literature.

      • Leviticus 16:2HALLEYBBLHBK

      • Leviticus 11:45HALLEYBBLHBK

      • Leviticus 19:18HALLEYBBLHBK

      • Leviticus 27:34HALLEYBBLHBK

  • Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)
  • We’ve been following the story of the bible through Genesis and Exodus. We met the first man Adam who royally messed things up. We met Noah, who again, messed things up. We met Abram, you guessed it, messed things up. Abraham finally has the promised son, Isaac, through whom YHVH will bless all nations. Isaac has a deceptive son named Jacob which later gets a name change to Israel. From him we get the 12 tribes of Israel, later becoming the nation of Israel. Genesis ends with (Israel) Jacob’s family of 70 living in Egypt enjoying the good life.
    Exodus begins with the people of Israel reaching around 3 million people and enslaved because fear they might take over Egypt. A baby named Moses is chosen by YHVH to free his people from oppression and lead them to their new land, Cannon. They eventually journey across the desert to Mount Sinai where YHVH made a covenant with and gave them the terms of the covenant. YHVH gives them detailed blueprints on how to build a Tabernacle (a tent for YHVH presence to meet with the people). Exodus ends with a completed Tabernacle filled with the glory of the LORD, that Moses is no longer allowed to enter.
    Leviticus picks up the story with YHVH calling to Moses from within the Tabernacle on how the people can maintain their unique relationship with God.
    Let’s watch our next video from The Bible Project on Leviticus.
    Play video

    Title

    The title Leviticus comes from the septuagint, a Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures, meaning “about, or relating to, the Levites.”
    Levites are those who belong to the tribe of Levi, one of the 12 tribes of Israel.
    the Family of Aaron was set apart to be priests. The rest of the levites were to be assistants to the priests.
    Duties; care for the tabernacle, and later care for the temple, teachers, scribes, musicians, officers and judges.
    .
    The tribe of Levi wasn’t given land after they conquered Canaan, so they couldn’t support themselves, they were supported by the tithes of the rest of Israel.

    Theme

    Many of these laws focus on purity and aim to establish standards for holiness among God’s people.
    Faithlife Study Bible Introduction to Leviticus

    Leviticus is set during the Israelites’ stay at Mount Sinai after the exodus from Egypt (see Exod 19). Most of the book records God explaining His laws to Moses. Many of these laws focus on purity and aim to establish standards for holiness among God’s people.

    Leviticus was to communicate the awesome holiness of Israel’s God and to outline the means by which the people could have access to Him.
    ​
    The nation and individual Israelites could enter into and maintain a proper relationship with the Lord God.
    In Leviticus, holiness is not simply goodness; it refers to being dedicated to God and separated from ordinary things. As a result, much of Leviticus is about setting boundaries—such as the categories of “pure” and “impure.”
    God is holy and separate, yet He invites Israel into relationship. The inner chamber of the tabernacle provides an example of this: Because this sanctuary was God’s holy dwelling place, it was dangerous to enter (16:2).
    Leviticus 16:2 NLT
    The Lord said to Moses, “Warn your brother, Aaron, not to enter the Most Holy Place behind the inner curtain whenever he chooses; if he does, he will die. For the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—is there, and I myself am present in the cloud above the atonement cover.
    However, with an invitation from God, the high priest (representing all of Israel) could enter into God’s holy presence and make atonement—signifying that the people are now right before God.
    Sin isn’t allowed be for God, not because of what it will do to him, but because of what it will do to the person.
    Leviticus 11:45 NLT
    For I, the Lord, am the one who brought you up from the land of Egypt, that I might be your God. Therefore, you must be holy because I am holy.
    Leviticus 19:18 NLT
    “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.
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    - Various kinds of offerings
    Holman Bible Handbook Leviticus

    27:34

    Leviticus 27:34 NLT
    These are the commands that the Lord gave through Moses on Mount Sinai for the Israelites.
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    Holman Bible Handbook Leviticus

    An expanded translation makes that context clearer: “These are the commands [covenant obligations] the LORD [Yahweh, the covenant God] gave Moses [the covenant mediator] on Mount Sinai [the covenant place] for Israel [the covenant people].”

    Holman Bible Handbook Theme

    The overall burden of the Book of Leviticus was to communicate the awesome holiness of Israel’s God and to outline the means by which the people could have access to Him.

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    Holman Bible Handbook Literary Forms

    it deals with the covenant requirements that regulate the means by which the nation and individual Israelites could enter into and maintain a proper relationship with the Lord God.

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    MacArthur Study Bible NASB Interpretive Challenges

    Leviticus 1–16 explains how to have personal access to God through appropriate worship and Leviticus 17–27 details how to be spiritually acceptable to God through an obedient walk.

    ​
    Faithlife Study Bible Introduction to Leviticus

    In Leviticus, holiness is not simply goodness; it refers to being dedicated to God and separated from ordinary things. As a result, much of Leviticus is about setting boundaries—such as the categories of “pure” and “impure.” God is holy and separate, yet He invites Israel into relationship. The inner chamber of the tabernacle provides an example of this: Because this sanctuary was God’s holy dwelling place, it was dangerous to enter (16:2). However, with an invitation from God, the high priest (representing all of Israel) could enter into God’s holy presence and make atonement—signifying that the people are now right before God.

    ​
    ​
    Leviticus 11:45 NLT
    For I, the Lord, am the one who brought you up from the land of Egypt, that I might be your God. Therefore, you must be holy because I am holy.
    ​
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