The Book of Leviticus - Handbook of the Priests

The Book of Leviticus describes the methods whereby an Israelite maintained his/her Covenant relationship with God. Maintaining this Covenant relationship involved animal or other sacrifice, dietary laws, laws governing relationships and generally obedience to the Holiness regulations laid down by God through Moses. The Book is also a Handbook for priests governing how they administer sacrifices, how they dress and otherwise perform their duties. The purpose of the animal and other sacrifices was for the forgiveness of sin, thanksgiving or worship. With the sin forgiven, one became clean and acceptable to God whereas if the sin remained it was disruptive of the close relationship required by God. In the animal sacrifice it was the blood of the slain animal that accomplished the removal of sin. As the writer of Hebrews said: “And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22).