Most will find the book of Leviticus very dull. And this is not surprising given that the book is essentially an instruction manual. I don’t know about you, but I have yet to seek out “how to use your new rice cooker” as something to entertain me. Leviticus is somewhat similar, except that it told the priests how to use their new tabernacle to worship God and to get rid of everyone’s sins.

From a theological point of view, it clarifies something. Whenever people sinned, they were to bring animals to the temple and the priests were to sacrifice them in order to make atonement for their sin. Sin, sacrifice, repeat as necessary. Every sin required its own, separate sacrifice.

If anyone sins and does what is forbidden in any of the LORD’s commands… .They are to bring to the priest as a guilt offering a ram from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value. In this way the priest will make atonement for them for the wrong they have committed… (Leviticus 5:17–19)

As the author of Hebrews points out:

The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. (Hebrews 10:1–4)

But under the New Covenant, our sin has already been atoned for; the sacrifice has already been made. We sin—and it’s already taken care of. There’s nothing to do. In Jesus, it’s as if we have a prepaid gift card without a limit.

Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:
“This is the covenant I will make with them
after that time, says the Lord.
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds.”
Then he adds:
“Their sins and lawless acts
I will remember no more.”

And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary (Hebrews 10:11–18)

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