Week of February 14, 2016: God Gave the Rules for Sacrifice

Bible Passage: Leviticus 1–27
Big Picture Question: Why did God require a blood sacrifice? Because God is holy, His forgiveness
requires a payment for sin. Jesus made the ultimate payment for sin with His death on the cross.
Key Passage: Exodus 20:1­17
Unit Christ Connection: God instructed His covenant people how to live holy lives in an unholy world. This sustained their relationship with God until the perfect plan was revealed through Jesus Christ.

The tabernacle was complete. God now had a place where His glory could dwell without causing the
Israelites to fear death. God had given His people laws from the mountain, and He gave them more rules for living and worshiping Him when He dwelled in the tabernacle. These rules are recorded in the Book of Leviticus.

In Leviticus 17:11, God set apart the blood of a creature as the means for making atonement. This answers the question, “Why did Jesus have to die?” God’s requirement for the forgiveness of sins was the shedding of blood: “According to the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Heb. 9:22).

It is important to note a New Testament revelation about the sin offering. Hebrews 10:4 says, “It is
impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” Then why did God require people to make sacrifices? The institution of a sacrifice was to point to something greater—the ultimate sacrifice God would make by sending His own Son, Jesus Christ, to pay for the sins of the world once and for all.  The Book of Leviticus contains many rules for the Israelite people, but we do not obey
all the rules in Leviticus today because we trust Jesus, who obeyed the law perfectly for us.

Week of February 7, 2016: The Tabernacle Was Built

Bible Passage: Exodus 35:4–40:38
Big Picture Question: What does the tabernacle show about God? God wants to dwell with His people and be worshiped by them.
Key Passage: Exodus 20:1­17
Unit Christ Connection: God instructed His covenant people how to live holy lives in an unholy world. This sustained their relationship with God until the perfect plan was revealed through Jesus Christ.

The word tabernacle means “dwelling place.” The tabernacle was a portable tent where God met with His people. God had a great purpose for the tabernacle.

God’s directions for building the tabernacle were very detailed. God was not trying to burden the people; He was trying to show them His holiness and absolute authority. God appointed Bezalel and Oholiab to oversee the building of the tabernacle, giving them wisdom, understanding, and craftsmanship. Every skilled person “whose heart moved him” eagerly worked on the tabernacle of the Lord.

God gave the Israelites the tabernacle as a visual picture of His dwelling with them. The tabernacle was a temporary place for God’s glory to dwell until the coming of Christ.  Every part of the tabernacle was designed to illustrate God’s relationship with His people.

Christ is the New Testament fulfillment of the Old Testament tabernacle. John 1:14 says that “the Word became flesh and took up residence among us.” Jesus made His dwelling with men. He tabernacled with them.

Week of January 31, 2016: God Gave the Ten Commandments

Session Title: God Gave the Ten Commandments
Bible Passage: Exodus 19:1–20:21; 31:18; 32:1­35; 34:1­9
Big Picture Question: Why did God give His people the Ten Commandments? God is holy and wants His people to be holy.
Key Passage: Exodus 20:1­17
Unit Christ Connection: God instructed His covenant people how to live holy lives in an unholy world. This sustained their relationship with God until the perfect plan was revealed through Jesus Christ.

God rescued His people from the Egyptians! He then led them into the desert toward Mount Sinai. The Israelites camped at the base of the mountain while Moses went up the mountain to talk to God. God gave Moses the laws the Israelites were to obey. God renewed the covenant He made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob with the whole nation of Israel. They were His people, and He was their God. (Ex. 19:5­6)

God wanted perfect obedience in response to His rescuing the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. His laws covered every part of their lives, and the laws were summed up in the Ten Commandments. God did not give laws just for the sake of having laws. His laws had a purpose; they revealed to the people what life will be like when Christ establishes His kingdom. They showed how righteous people live and interact with God and with others.

Moses was a good mediator, but he wasn’t perfect. The Israelites needed someone who could keep the laws perfectly for them, mediate between them and God, and satisfy God’s wrathagainst them. They needed Jesus.