CHAPTER 11CHAPTER 11

CHRIST IN EVERY BOOK LEVITICUS THROUGH DEUTERONOMYCHRIST IN EVERY BOOK LEVITICUS THROUGH DEUTERONOMY

The Law, holiness, the sacrifices, the tabernacle—all the essential elements of Leviticus—find their meaning in Christ, who uniquely fulfilled the law, lived a perfect, sinless life, died as a sacrifice for sins, and was the presence of God incarnate. These themes are like streams that flow through biblical history as well as through the rest of the pages of Scripture until they converge in the person of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Thus Leviticus, like the Bible as a whole, is about the person and work of Jesus Christ and finds its ultimate meaning in him. To ignore this section of the Word of God is to diminish our understanding of the long-anticipated one who has now brought us our great salvation!

—MARK ROOKER¹

LEVITICUS

The Book of Leviticus chronologically and logically follows Genesis and Exodus. Genesis tells of man’s fall and God’s promise to redeem him, Exodus begins God’s actual plan of redemption, and Leviticus features God’s instructions to Israel as to how man can develop a relationship with Him. The narrative in Leviticus begins where Exodus leaves off, with God instructing Moses from the entrance to the Tabernacle.

While Exodus describes Israel’s redemption from her Egyptian slavemasters, Leviticus involves liberation from an even more daunting oppressor: sin. The bondage of sin is particularly pernicious because it interferes with God’s primary purpose in creating mankind: having a loving relationship with Him. Sin, because it is mainly an offense against God, keeps us from being in His presence and communing with Him. When we are marching to the steps of a different master we are not following God. As we read in Luke, “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other” (16:13). In Leviticus, therefore, God shows Israel how it can begin to atone for its sins and enter into the presence of God.

God, having vowed to mold Israel into a nation of priests through whom He would eventually bring His promise of salvation to all other nations (Exodus 19:6), must now implement His promise to set that nation apart. That means God has to teach the Israelites how to be His chosen vehicle and be fully devoted to Him. Accordingly, Leviticus sets forth God’s instructions to Israel as to how to become that special, holy nation of priests, which is why some scholars have referred to the book as God’s worship manual for Israel.²

Leviticus 10:10–11 defines the crux of the priestly ministry: “You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean, and you are to teach the people of Israel all the statutes that the LORD has spoken to them by Moses.” Roy Zuck observes, “Israel, then, was a people separated to [God] from among all nations of the earth. Her lifestyle and, indeed, her very character must advertise to all peoples the meaning of that identity and mission.”³ Ray Stedman adds, “Because the sacrifices, rituals, and ceremonies of Leviticus are a foreshadowing of Jesus and His saving work, this book can teach us a great deal about how Jesus Christ can meet our needs now. This is not just a historical book. It is a tremendously practical manual on how to live the Christian life.”⁴

The book may initially seem tedious, but on closer examination it is a fascinating preview of God’s ultimate plan for the blood sacrifice of His only Son in total satisfaction of man’s sin. All the sacrificial offerings and holy festivals point to Christ. As such, in addition to their immediate function of maturing Israel for her elective task, they provide invaluable insights for New Testament believers. Rev. Joseph Exell captures the book’s significance:

          The historical importance of the Book of Leviticus is very great. One might as well expect to understand the history of Greece, while remaining in ignorance of philosophy and art, or of England, while knowing nothing whatever of parliament and the constitution as to understand the history of Israel without a knowledge of the Hebrew ritual. Think how much labor is spent in the study of the classical mythology at our schools and universities, not for any value there is in itself, but for the light it throws upon classical literature; and yet how little do Christian people realize the importance of studying the modes of worship among the Jews, in order to understand their literature, which is our Bible! And besides, not only is the knowledge of the Tabernacle worship necessary in order to understand the sacred literature, but it is of real value in itself; not merely of antiquarian and psychological value, like the ancient mythologies, but of present practical value, as throwing light upon the New Testament and illustrating that gospel on which our hopes are founded.⁵

Central to the book’s theme is God’s oft-repeated no-nonsense charge to Israel: “Be holy, for I am holy” (Lev. 11:44, 11:45, 19:2, 20:7). God is telling Israel that as His chosen nation, specially selected to model and disseminate the Gospel to all other peoples, it must be spiritually and morally pure after the pattern of God Himself.

Scholars tend to agree that Leviticus contains two main sections. The first discusses the means of approach and access to a perfectly holy God in order to establish a proper relationship with Him, including God’s prescribed methods of sacrifice. The second section imparts instructions on how to maintain fellowship with God, including laws pertaining to cleanliness, regulations on holiness, and teachings about the religious feasts. As some have noted, the structure of the book prefigures the Christian’s walk. Once a person becomes a Christian he has access to God, but his spiritual maturation is just beginning—he finds himself in a continuing battle between his sinful nature and his new, spirit-filled nature. The idea is that by practicing the spiritual disciplines—Bible study, prayer, worship, etc.—he will become more holy and more Christ-like.

The first section of Leviticus shows that for man to gain access to God there must be both an offering and an offeror, or priest.⁶ Therefore God specifies the types of acceptable sacrifices and also establishes the priesthood. Theologian Richard Niebuhr once wrote that the watered down Christian theologies of today tend to believe in “a God without wrath who took man without sin into a kingdom without righteousness through the ministrations of a Christ without a cross.”⁷ In other words, many seem to want an easy, feel-good religion that requires no sacrifice. But unsanitized Christianity teaches that God’s justice requires that payment be made for man’s sin. Sacrifice is the currency for this transaction—it is the God-given vehicle through which sinful men can approach their holy God. The Old Testament system of sacrifice entails the death of the sacrificial victim (an animal) as a foreshadowing of the ultimate sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. As the writer of Hebrews states, “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” (Heb. 10:14).

While Leviticus formalizes and details this intricate sacrificial system, the practice predates the book. God had made it clear to Cain and Abel that He requires blood sacrifice when He approved Abel’s offering and disapproved Cain’s. Old Testament scholar Robert Harris observes that the “doctrine of the typological blood of the sacrifices and the efficacious blood of Christ . . . has often been called the scarlet line of redemption that begins in Abel’s sacrifice in Genesis and climaxes in the blood of the Lamb slain from the creation of the world in Revelation (13:8).”⁸ As Jesus Himself proclaims, “I lay down my life for the sheep” (John 10:15).

But the Old Testament animal sacrifices were imperfect, serving to cover up sins rather than wash them away. That is why they had to be repeated day after day and year after year. “By itself, the bringing of sacrifices could never save the sinner,” Warren Wiersbe explains. “There had to be faith in God’s Word, for it is faith that saves the soul. David knew that sacrifices alone could never take away his sins. (Ps. 51:16–17); the prophets also made this clear (Isa 1:11–24). However, when the sinner came with a contrite heart, putting faith in God’s Word, then his sacrifice was acceptable to God.”⁹ The perfect sacrifice of Christ only had to be done once. In fact, further sacrifices beyond Christ’s would be to insult, injure, and crucify Him all over again. The Book of Hebrews, which has been called the New Testament’s commentary on Leviticus,¹⁰ illuminates the point:

          For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of those realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’” When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin” (10:1–18).

Though Leviticus has no messianic prophecies, it is a treasure trove of types, pictures, and foreshadowings of the spiritual realities to be consummated in Christ. “Here is the New Testament gospel for sinners stated in Old Testament language and enshrined in the ritual of sacrifice,” James E. Smith avers. “The Old Testament offerings, appointed times, priestly consecration, and office of high priest, were all designated by God to portray the spiritual realities of the Christian Age.”¹¹

THE OFFERINGS

There are five main types of offerings prescribed in the first seven chapters of Leviticus: the burnt offering, the grain (meal) offering, the peace offering, the sin offering, and the trespass offering. Each of these sacrifices points to Christ and His ultimate sacrifice.

The Burnt Offering. This can be made with a bull (Lev. 1:5), a sheep or goat (Lev. 1:10); or a bird (Lev. 1:14). The offering has to be a male without defect. The species that is offered depends on the wealth of the person on whose behalf the sacrifice is made. The offeror is required to “lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him” (Lev. 1:4). By laying his hand on the offering, the offeror identifies with the offering and avails himself of the benefits of its substitutionary sacrifice on his behalf. The offering is then completely consumed on the altar (Lev. 1:9).¹² Being wholly consecrated to God, it depicts Christ’s complete consecration in death.¹³

The Grain (Meal) Offering. This is mixed with oil but not yeast (Lev. 2:4). Since yeast is a symbol of sin, the offering depicts Christ’s sinlessness and His sinless service.¹⁴ This is the only sacrifice permitted that does not involve the shedding of blood, though it is associated with the burnt offerings or peace offerings that do involve blood.¹⁵ It is not an exception to the requirement for blood sacrifice, then, because it is never brought as an offering by itself. Once the blood sacrifice has been made, this offering becomes acceptable to God.¹⁶

The Peace (Fellowship) Offering. This closely resembles the burnt offering in that the animal has to be without blemish or defect (Lev. 3:1) and the offeror is required to lay his hand on the animal to identify with it (Lev. 3:2). But it differs from the burnt offering in that only the best of the animal—the fat—is sacrificed (Lev. 3:3–5), and the offeror can eat what is left. This offering symbolizes the peace and communion resulting from Christ’s death—that is, His sacrificial death (the burnt offering) and His sinless life (the meal offering) lead to peace with God (the peace offering).¹⁷ Note that Isaiah foretells that Christ would be chastised for our peace (Isaiah 53:5), and Paul writes in Colossians that Christ made peace by the blood of His cross (Col. 1:20). In addition, Ephesians 5:2 can be seen as referring to the peace offering: “And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”¹⁸

The Sin Offering. This is made on behalf of those who have sinned unintentionally (Lev. 4:2). “Even sins done unknowingly,” writes Robert Vasholz, “must be atoned for in regards to the sanctity of God’s house.”¹⁹ Once again, an animal without blemish or defect must be used, and the offeror must place his hands on it (Lev. 4:3–4). The fat is to be burned on the altar, but the remainder of the animal is burned in a wood fire outside the camp in a place that is ceremonially cleaned (Lev. 4:12).

Hebrews specifies the New Testament significance of this procedure: “For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood” (13:11–12). This sacrifice depicts Christ as bearing our sin: “He Himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness” (1 Peter 2:24). English theologian Andrew Jukes makes the important point that human beings have a sin nature, or an evil nature, from which our sins or trespasses proceed. God knows we are evil and makes provision for it. So there’s a distinction, Jukes argues, between the sin offering and the trespass offering described below: “One is for sin in our nature, the other for the fruits of it.”²⁰ Edward Hindson, in the KJV Bible Commentary, explains why this offering is applied to unintentional sins: “The sin offering was for the guilt and defilement of the sin nature. It had to do with our natural depravity as the sons of Adam, hence the aspect of sins done in ignorance.”²¹ British evangelist John Stott depicts Christ as the ultimate sin offering: “By sending his own Son in the likeness of our sinful nature to be a sin offering, he actually condemned our sin in the human Jesus. It was only because he was condemned that we could be justified.”²²

The Trespass Offering. This is made on behalf of those who have sinned intentionally such as through deceit, fraud, lying, or stealing (Lev. 6:2–3). It can also be made for certain sins that could be unintentional, namely those related to the Lord’s holy things—these include improper use of sacrificial flesh eaten by worshippers after a peace offering, and misuse of “most holy” portions of the grain, sin, or guilt offerings that are reserved for priests alone (Lev. 5:14–15).²³ (Note that no provisions are made in the sacrificial system for certain kinds of intentional sins, i.e., defiant sins [Numbers 15:30–31].)²⁴ In addition to offering the animal, the wrongdoer has to make restitution amounting to the original value plus one-fifth (Lev. 5:16).

This sacrifice depicts Christ as redeeming us by paying the ransom price for our sins: “you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot” (1 Peter 1:18–19). Similarly, the letter to Ephesians informs us we are dead in our trespasses and sins, “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith” (2:4–8).

AARON AND THE PRIESTHOOD

God establishes the priesthood in order to allow the people to approach Him through an intermediary. The priesthood signifies that God has a personal relationship with human beings.²⁵ It testifies to Israel’s unique relationship with God and its quality of life as a result of submitting to and living under the Law. The priesthood is also a witness to God’s power and His particular dwelling in the midst of His chosen nation.²⁶

God appoints Aaron as the high priest, consecrating (purifying) him and his sons through a ceremony in which the priest’s ear is consecrated with blood so that he will understand what the other parts of his body (feet and hands) must do. The priests first offer sacrifices for themselves—as they, too, are human and sinners—and then make sacrifices on behalf of the people. The priesthood is based on the principle of representational righteousness alluded to earlier.²⁷ Throughout the Bible we see God’s willingness to spare people because of the righteousness of others, such as His response to Abraham’s pleading for the deliverance of Sodom because of a few righteous men. The priests, likewise, could function as the people’s representatives in atoning for their sins before God.

This concept of representational righteousness, it seems, is a prefiguring of Christ’s ultimate representational (and substitutionary) sacrifice on behalf of all those who appropriate, through faith, His finished work on the cross. The priests serve on behalf of the Israelites, and the nation of Israel itself serves as a nation of priests in a representational capacity to bring the promised covenantal blessings to all mankind.

In the end, however, Aaron’s priesthood is imperfect and limited because it can’t provide access to God. “The one thing men needed most,” writes John MacArthur, “couldn’t be provided by Aaron. Therefore, there had to come another priest who could bring access to God, a priest after a different order, and that is Jesus Christ. . . . And so Christ has come and provided the access that Aaron couldn’t provide.”²⁸

In other respects, however, Aaron actually typifies Christ: He ministers in sacred things (Heb. 5:1), he is made a priest by God Himself (Heb. 5:4–10), and he is a true mediator.²⁹ But whereas Aaron ministers in the earthly sphere, Christ serves as our high priest in heaven. So Aaron serves as a copy and shadow of the heavenly things (Heb. 8:5), whereas Christ “has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises” (Heb. 8:6).

THE DAY OF ATONEMENT

The Day of Atonement, which occurs once a year, is the most solemn Old Testament ritual. God’s instructions for it are given in Leviticus 16. On this day the people fast, the Tabernacle is purified, and atonement is made for the high priest and the people for sins committed over the previous year.³⁰ It is the only day that the high priest may enter into the Holy of Holies.

This day and its sacrifices and procedures are a pattern of Christ’s work. Unlike the high priest, however, Jesus did not have to make atonement for His own sins, because He was sinless.³¹ Hebrews tells us, “For Christ has entered, not into the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf” (9:24). On the Day of Atonement, the Aaronic high priest carries the sacrificial blood into the Holy of Holies, but Christ, writes James Hastings, “entered heaven ‘through his blood’ having obtained eternal redemption (Heb. 9:12). . . . Unlike the [Israelites] . . . who were unable to partake of the sin-offering offered on the Day of Atonement, Christians may partake of Christ.”³²

THE FEASTS

Leviticus 23 outlines seven feasts that help the Israelites to maintain their relationship with God. During these observances, which are designated by God Himself, the people assemble at the sanctuary (the Tabernacle and later the Temple) to meet with God. They are not allowed to do regular work on those days.³³ These occasions allow the Israelites to renew their allegiance to God and to promote their national unity. The act of expressing their devotion to God for His graciousness toward them serves to unite the people.³⁴ The feasts include:

Passover (Lev. 23:4–5). Marking the deliverance of Israel from Egypt, this feast is observed for seven days. The event, as we’ve already seen, typifies Christ, Who is our Passover (1 Cor. 5:7).

The Feast of Unleavened Bread (Lev. 23:6–8). Observed the day after the Passover, this commemorates the Israelites’ hasty departure out of Egypt—the people had no time to put leaven in their bread when they consumed their final meals as captives in Egypt.³⁵ This feast speaks of Christ as the bread of life. Paul compares this to the Christian life, saying that we must “Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Cor. 5:7–8). According to John Walvoord, the prohibition against work during the feast also typifies the walk of the believer in Christ, who has not been saved as a result of his own works, but by grace through faith.³⁶ It bears repeating that Christ was crucified on the eve of the Passover, and that in his Gospel, John states that the Romans did not break His legs in accordance with their usual practice, which mirrors God’s instructions that the Passover lambs’ legs were to remain intact (19:31–37).

The Feast of Firstfruits (Lev. 23:9–14). This involves the Israelites offering the first products of the harvest to God, and the priests waving a sheaf of grain before Him, as symbols of Israel’s gratitude and dependence on the Lord.³⁷ It is the first token of a new life, with an indication of more to come. Again, Paul analogizes this to Christ’s resurrection:³⁸ “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ, the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ” (1 Cor. 15:20–23). The feast occurs the day after the Sabbath (Lev. 23:11), which is the first day of the week, just as Christ was raised on the first day of the week.

The Feast of Pentecost (or Feast of Weeks) (Lev. 23:15–21). Occurring fifty days after the Feast of the Firstfruits, this celebrates the end of the grain harvest. Two baked loaves of new, fine, leavened flour are brought out of people’s dwellings, and the priest waves them before the Lord, along with the animal sacrifice offerings for the sin and peace offerings (Lev. 23:17–20). Christians revere Pentecost because it is the day, as described in the Book of Acts, when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the people and the Church was formed. The two loaves in the original ceremony are believed to prefigure that both Jews and Gentiles would come together in Christ.³⁹

The Feast of Trumpets (Lev. 23:23–25). This is a day for solemn rest and holy convocation that falls on the first day of the seventh month of the Jewish year. Signaling to the Israelites that they are beginning a sacred month, this feast encourages them to reflect on the harvest as well as the sins that had accumulated during the previous year.⁴⁰ Trumpets are sounded on the first day (Lev. 23:24) as a triumphant memorial to God’s gracious provision for His people with the Mosaic Covenant.⁴¹ In the Bible, trumpets are often used to announce God’s presence.⁴² In fact, Jesus foretold that the judgment of mankind would be announced by a blast of trumpets (Matt. 24:31), and Paul similarly taught that the day of resurrection will be introduced by trumpets (1 Cor. 15:52; 1 Thess. 4:16). This feast is also believed to be a picture of the regathering of Israel, because at the second coming of Christ to earth, Israel will respond to the sound of a trumpet and will be regathered to the land (Matt. 24:31; Isaiah 27:13).

The Day of Atonement. As discussed above, this points to Christ’s work on the cross as an act of atonement, which was the final, once-and-for-all entering of the actual Holy of Holies—heaven. As Christ perfectly fulfilled the Day of Atonement, no further acts of atonement are necessary.⁴³

The Feast of Tabernacles (Booths) (Lev. 23:33–44). This involves the Israelites leaving their homes and living in tents throughout the feast. It’s a time for the people to rejoice in the completion of their harvest (Exodus 23:16)⁴⁴ and also a solemn reminder of their wilderness wanderings. It anticipates the time when they will enjoy lasting rest with God when the Messiah will reign on earth and in heaven.⁴⁵ Indeed, the last day of this feast is filled with joy and celebration as the people come out of their booths (tents) and anticipate their eternal rest.⁴⁶

NUMBERS

The Book of Numbers records the Israelites’ wilderness wanderings and their journeys from Sinai eventually to the Plains of Moab, where they await permission to enter the Promised Land. The book’s main theme is that God’s people must walk by faith and trust in His promises, or they will not make progress in their walk.⁴⁷ As I’ve mentioned, the Old Testament points to Christ in its progressive revelation of salvation history steadily marching toward the culmination of history in the perfect God/man Jesus Christ, and in its instructional revelations concerning God’s dealings with His chosen people. God’s relationship with Israel in recorded biblical history also points to Christ because it teaches Christians critical lessons about developing a relationship with God and the importance of faith, of walking with God, of obedience, of “fearing” God, and of trusting His promises. It also teaches us that there are real consequences for disobedience, idolatry, and trying to live independently of God under the illusion that we can be self-sufficient.

Numbers shows that apart from God, His people are “sojourners” wandering aimlessly through life without stability, direction, or purpose. Without Christ, we too are aimless wanderers in the wilderness of the world, impotent to save ourselves, successfully restrain our sinful nature, or conduct our lives in a meaningful way. Likening us to sojourners, Peter warns us of the pitfalls of living apart from God: “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul” (1 Peter 2:11).

So while Leviticus instructs the Israelites how to approach God through priestly intercessors and points to the work of Jesus Christ as our high priest Who eliminates the need for middlemen in accessing God, Numbers describes the Israelites’ walk with God, anticipating the Christians’ walk with God once they have placed their faith in Christ.

So we must read Numbers, like the rest of the historical books, not just to learn the history of God’s people, but also to profit from their experiences and especially to learn from their mistakes. Because of our sin nature, walking with God is not as easy as it seems. But the consequences of falling away are always destructive. In relative terms, the Israelites don’t have far to go to get to Canaan, and the reason they get lost is not because they have no compasses. They choose to wander off course—to abandon God—and they pay the price.

I don’t believe we should be discouraged by this message because, while a generation of Israelites forfeits the opportunity to see the Promised Land, during this interval God molds the people and teaches them the importance of obedience, faith, and trust. While they abandon Him, He most certainly does not abandon them, and though He does punish them for their disobedience, it isn’t just about punishment—as noted, God disciplines those He loves for their own good. Similarly, Christians learn from adversity, which is why Paul exhorts us to “rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:3–5).

God could have miraculously transported the Israelites to Canaan and skipped the wandering, but that wouldn’t have helped them because they weren’t ready. He kept them in the wilderness, in my view, not just for punitive purposes, but to teach them indispensable lessons about the importance of maintaining a proper relationship with Him and walking by faith instead of by their own unaided devices. As believers armed with these scriptural lessons, we should be better equipped to avoid the disobedience that will result in us wandering in the spiritual wilderness.

We must keep our eyes on the prize—and that is Christ. As Stephen Kaung observes,

          God’s purpose for us is to move forward towards His ultimate end and purpose, and that is Christ and His riches; for Canaan, spiritually speaking, betokens the riches of Christ because Canaan was a land flowing with milk and honey. Spiritually speaking, it is an environment that is not lacking in anything, for Canaan symbolically speaks of the unsearchable riches of Christ. God’s purpose for His people is always that. He does not want to barely save us, like a brand plucked out of the fire (see Amos 4: 11; Zechariah 3: 2; Jude 23; I Corinthians 3: 15). Rather, God wants to save us abundantly into experiencing the unsearchable riches of Christ, and He is always moving forward towards that end. He is always leading us in that way and it is our responsibility to move on with Him, from station to station, until we enter into the fullness of Christ.⁴⁸

One of the main themes of Numbers is found in a single verse in the Book of Hebrews that refers to the wandering Israelites: “So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief” (3:19). Indeed, Numbers teaches us, first and foremost, that faith leads to obedience, a proper relationship with God, and life, while unbelief leads to rebellion, alienation from God, and death. Even as believing Christians, we must discipline ourselves to walk with Christ and to grow, because our spiritual growth is never automatic. We don’t want to ignore God, neglect the spiritual disciplines, and end up wandering in our own type of wilderness as uncommitted believers communing with God only on Sundays and special occasions. Otherwise, the rest of the time, we’d be struggling in the wilderness, where we are considerably more vulnerable to the allures of the world, apart from Christ.

The writer of Hebrews admonishes us not to “harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. . . . They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways. . . . They shall not enter my rest. . . . Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day . . . that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” (3:8–13).

While recognizing these warnings, we should not overlook the constructive messages in the book’s next chapter. Chapter 3 of Hebrews warns of the consequences of unbelief, but chapter 4 emphasizes the positive, exhorting us to learn from the mistakes of the Israelites and do better. That is the point, after all, is it not? The writer of Hebrews tells us we must take to heart God’s promise of the good news that the Israelites heard but did not heed, “because they were not united by faith with those who listened” (4:2). He adds, “Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of the soul and of spirit, joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Because we have a “great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (4:11, 12, 14–16).

TYPES, PICTURES, AND PROPHECIES OF CHRIST IN NUMBERS

In addition to these important messages for the Christian, Numbers has several important prefigurings of Christ. Here’s one briefly alluded to earlier: on their journey, God’s people complain about the lack of food and water. God sends fiery serpents among them, which bite them and cause many to die. When the people repent to Moses and ask that he pray to God to remove the serpents, Moses complies. God hears his prayer and tells Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live” (Num. 21:8). Moses does so and, thereafter, “if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live” (Num. 21:9).

We have it on no less an authority than Jesus Himself that this is a prophecy or type pointing to Him, for He tells us, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life” (John 3:14–15). Gary Staats notes, “Those who look to Christ, lifted up on the cross and in His ascension, are rescued from the venomous poison of sin and are brought into eternal life through faith in him.”⁴⁹ In this type, he declares, we see “a stunning picture of the Crucifixion.”⁵⁰

Also in Numbers we read the story of Balaam, the Mesopotamian sorcerer who prophesied of Jesus, “A star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth. Edom shall be dispossessed; Seir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed. Israel is doing valiantly. And one from Jacob shall exercise dominion and destroy the survivors of cities!” (24:17–19). As we’ve seen, this prophecy was fulfilled, as Christ descended from the line of Jacob (Luke 3:23–34), and when he was born, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, declaring, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and we have come to worship him” (Matt. 2:2).

In addition, the offer of the red heifer “without defect or blemish” in chapter 19 can be seen as representing salvation through Jesus’ offering of Himself (see Heb. 9:13–14).⁵¹ Furthermore, Christ’s presence is in the pillar of cloud and fire leading the Israelites throughout their journeys (Exodus 33:9–23, 40:38).

Some scholars point to Aaron’s rod, in chapter 17, as prefiguring Christ’s resurrection. When Aaron’s leadership is challenged, God orders him and all the tribal leaders to put their staffs in the Tabernacle. The next day only Aaron’s staff “had sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds” (Num. 17:8).⁵²

Finally, the Mosaic Law establishes six cities of refuge, on each side of the Jordan River, to provide protection for anyone who has unintentionally killed another (Num. 35). The refugee is safe as long as he remains in the city, and he is allowed to return home once the high priest dies (Num. 35:28). If he leaves the city before then, the “avenger of blood” is permitted to execute him (Num. 35:27).

Some scholars believe that even if the cities of refuge aren’t technically a “type,” they point to Christ because it is in Christ that we find refuge from judgment and are made free by the death of the High Priest. Francis Schaeffer notes that the cities are “a strong illustration of the work of Christ” because they are in central locations on both sides of the river and therefore easy for everyone to reach. Additionally, they are open to all, and according to historical custom, the great doors of these cities are never locked. Moreover, the cities are stocked with food to ensure not only the refugee’s legal protection but also his physical needs. Lastly, the Bible tells us that if a killer does not flee to a city of refuge, there is no help available to him—which points to Jesus as the only way to salvation.⁵³

DEUTERONOMY

The name of this book is widely believed to derive from the Greek expression for “second law,” though that is a misnomer, probably based on an early mistranslation in Deuteronomy 17:18, which actually reads “copy of this law.” The book indicates that the Law is not new, but is a restatement of the original Law God gave to Moses at Sinai.⁵⁴

The people have just emerged from thirty-eight years in the wilderness and are about to enter Canaan. Moses is intent on impressing the Law on their minds again, as their disobedience had largely caused their wandering in the first place. He has already accepted that Joshua, rather than he, will lead the people into the land, and he knows their success depends on their obedience to God and His Law. Accordingly, the book is a series of addresses by Moses on the east side of the Jordan as the people await entry into the land. In keeping with the biblical theme of remembrance, Moses rehearses the people’s history in the wilderness to remind them how they went wrong and encourage them to proceed on a new path of obedience.

This emphasis on remembering, as noted, is a universal lesson and one that Christians must take to heart, because one gains biblical wisdom by a process of trial and error and learning from one’s mistakes. Christians must remember the lessons of Old Testament history, including the Israelites’ abandonment of the Law, and incorporate those lessons into their own lives of faith by re-dedicating themselves to God’s Word, reading it and studying it diligently, and consistently profiting from its wisdom. It is indispensable for our relationship with God, for it is in the Word that we primarily hear His message for us and that we are reminded of His character, His grace, His faithfulness, and His love and salvation plans for us. It is imperative that the Israelites learn the consequences of their disobedience and idolatry, and it is equally important that we learn from their transgressions.

Albert Baylis expands on the idea of remembering: “If a mutual love relationship with Yahweh is the engine that powers the response of obedience, then memory is the fuel.” Both Testaments of the Bible, he says, motivate through hope and memory, “focusing on God’s promise for the future and remembering God’s activities in the past.”⁵⁵ As Israel is about to enter into Canaan to experience another phase of God’s promise to Abraham, the people need to remember the past in order to avoid displeasing God and losing possession of the land—for the land is central to God’s purposes for His people, and in the end, for us.

The land always has significance for the Israelites and for God’s covenantal relationship with them, as described by theologian Walter Brueggemann: “Land is history with Yahweh. It is never contextless space. It is always a place where memories of slavery and manna are recalled and where hopes of fidelity and well-being are articulated. Land is always where Israel must come to terms with the Lord of memories and hopes.”⁵⁶ The people ignore that at their peril because if they believe possession of the land comes without responsibility and they turn from God, they will lose the land, as history repeatedly demonstrates.

With more than eighty citations, Deuteronomy is one of the most frequently quoted books in the New Testament.⁵⁷ Jesus quotes more from Deuteronomy than any other Old Testament book.⁵⁸ He directly ties Deuteronomy to the New Testament when He proclaims that the essence of the entire Old Testament Law and prophets could be summed up by the commandment to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and to love your neighbor as yourself (Matt. 22:37; Deut. 6:5, 10:19).⁵⁹ Additionally, each time He is tempted by Satan in the wilderness, He responds with Scripture from Deuteronomy (Matt. 4:4, 7, 10; Luke 4–12; Deut. 8:1–3, 6:1–13, 16).

The Law and the Mosaic Covenant, as we’ve seen, are not inconsistent with the other covenants, including that which God made with Abraham. Remember: the Law was never provided as a means to salvation. To the contrary, it was a schoolmaster teaching man’s need for Jesus Christ. The Law sends us into the arms of Christ because it teaches us that we are incapable of saving ourselves or of following the Law on our own power. When Christ says that we must be perfect as God is perfect, He is telling us, essentially, that we need to place our trust in Him, for without Him we can never reach that standard of perfection on our own. We must appropriate His finished work on the cross to have His perfect righteousness imputed to us.

In another significant Deuteronomy passage, Moses tells his people that the Law he is restating is not far away from them. It is not in heaven and it is not beyond the sea, “But the word is very near to you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it” (Deut. 30:14). In his letter to the Romans, Paul recalls that passage and applies it to the New Covenant in Jesus Christ as the complete fulfillment of the Law: “But the righteousness based on faith says, ‘Do not say in your heart, “Who will ascend into heaven?” ‘(that is, to bring Christ down)’ or “Who will descend into the abyss?”’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:6–9).⁶⁰

We have already discussed the messianic prophecy in which Moses says that God will raise up a prophet like himself. There is another messianic prophecy in Deuteronomy: “And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God” (21:22–23). Paul paraphrases this verse in his letter to the Galatians: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree’—so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith” (Gal. 3:13–14).

This completes our review of the Christ-centeredness of the Pentateuch. In the next chapter we’ll begin with the Book of Joshua, which serves as a link between the Bible’s first five books and the Old Testament’s other historical books. Joshua takes the baton from Moses and leads the Israelites into a new period in their history revolving around the land, which they will finally come to possess.