Sacrifices in Leviticus (1-8) and its contextual relevance for the Christian community

Abstract

The book of Leviticus is arguably one of the least read books of the Bible. Those who practice the discipline of reading through the bible in a year will testify that Leviticus is a difficult book to read. Even some preachers also avoid preaching from the book because they find it very challenging to understand and contextually apply it. However, in as much as reading the book of Leviticus is difficult, this paper argues that its message is as important as any other book of the Bible. More so, it is almost impossible to discuss sacrifices without referring to Leviticus because it presents a thorough discourse on sacrifices; it serves as a bedrock for such discussions. Upholding the fact that all scripture, including the portions that discussed sacrifices (Leviticus 1-8), is inspired by God and is useful for teaching and edifying the body of Christ (2 Timothy 3:16), this paper seeks to discover the relevance of the Levitical sacrifices for the Christian community. The paper argues that although the Levitical sacrifices cannot be applied directly to Christians and are no longer binding on them because of Jesus who offered himself as the ultimate sacrifice for the justification of man, they can neither be disregarded as unimportant; all scripture is important. Therefore, believers must look for the principles behind these sacrifices and apply them contextually.