A Study Guide for Groups and Individuals
A STUDY GUIDE: There’s probably no book in the Bible that is more difficult to read and understand than Leviticus. With its endless rules about blood sacrifices, skin diseases, and strange rituals, Leviticus seems so primitive, outdated, and irrelevant to our lives today. Barbaric is an apt description. It’s why most people start reading the Bible and then say, “You lost me at Leviticus.”
This is a companion guide to a sermon series preached at New Denver Church in fall 2020. Together with the messages, this guide is designed to help you read and understand the Book of Leviticus, maybe for the first time. It will help you see that this strange book, far from being irrelevant, actually has everything to do with your life and our world today.
FOR GROUPS: The best way to read, study, and understand Scripture is to engage it with other people. Especially Leviticus. This guide is written first and foremost with groups in mind. Groups should plan on meeting weekly for thirteen weeks. Each week, group members will read a portion of Leviticus on their own, listen to the respective sermon, and gather to discuss the passage and its application to our lives. Discussion questions are included but groups are encouraged to improvise.
FOR INDIVIDUALS: If you are not part of a group, you can use this guide for personal study. Follow the schedule provided below. It is best to read the assigned passage before listening to the sermon. Then use the discussion questions for your own exploration. It might be helpful to write your thoughts to each question in a journal or discuss them with a friend.
Schedule & Details
| WEEK | 2020 SERMON | READING |
| 1 | August 30 | Lev 1:1; Introduction |
| 2 | September 6 | Chapters 1-3 |
| 3 | September 13 | Chapters 4-7 |
| 4 | September 20 | Chapters 8-9 |
| 5 | September 27 | Chapter 10 |
| 6 | October 4 | Chapters 11-15 |
| 7 | October 11 | Chapter 16 |
| 8 | October 18 | Chapter 17 |
| 9 | October 25 | Chapters 18-20 |
| 10 | November 1 | Chapters 21-22 |
| 11 | November 8 | Chapter 23 |
| 12 | November 15 | Chapters 24-25 |
| 13 | November 22 | Chapters 26-27 |
MESSAGES: The sermon messages are provided at www.newdenver.org/messages. They are also available as podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify (search for New Denver Church Message Podcast). Each week includes two messages. The primary messages are given on Sundays and form the basis of the discussion questions. The secondary message is posted on Wednesdays to address supplementary material and topics not explored in the primary message.
INTRODUCTION AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- Introduction to the Book of Leviticus [pdf]
- Discussion Questions for Part 1 // Leviticus 1:1
- Discussion Questions for Part 2 // Leviticus 1-3
- Discussion Questions for Part 3 // Leviticus 4-7
- Discussion Questions for Part 4 // Leviticus 8-9
- Discussion Questions for Part 5 //Leviticus 10
- Discussion Questions for Part 6 // Leviticus 11-15
- Discussion Questions for Part 7 // Leviticus 16
- Discussion Questions for Part 8 // Leviticus 17
- Discussion Questions for Part 9 // Leviticus 18-20
- Discussion Questions for Part 10 // Leviticus 21-22
- Discussion Questions for Part 11 // Leviticus 23
READING RESOURCES
- For Bible reading, use the NIV, NLT, or Message translations
- The Bible app has audio versions of each translation for listening on your smartphone
- The NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible has numerous study notes, charts, and background information to help you as you read
- Biblehub.com has tools for study, including an “interlinear” version of Leviticus that can explain more about each Hebrew word used in each verse
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES // The following resources were used for the sermon series and discussion questions. They are recommended for more academic or in-depth study:
- Exodus and Leviticus for Everyone by John Goldingay (Westminster John Knox Press, 2010)
- Leviticus by Samuel Balentine (Westminster John Knox Press, 2011)
- Leviticus by Richard Hess (Zondervan Academic, 2017)
- Old Testament Theology Volume 3: Israel’s Life by John Goldingay (IVP Academic, 2016)
- Blood, Guts, and Fire: The Gospel According to Leviticus by Rob Bell (robbell.com, 2019)
- Leviticus as Literature by Mary Douglas (Oxford, 1999)
- Leviticus: A 12-week Study by Michael LeFebvre (Crossway, 2015)
- Who Shall Ascend the Mountain of the Lord? by L. Michael Morales (IVP Academic, 2015)
- God Dwells With His People by Paul M. Zehr (Herald Press, 1981)
HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT LEVITICUS? // Yes, of course you do. This is your chance to share with us the questions you’re still wrestling with. We might be able to address them in a future message or podcast. Let us know by clicking here. Or just email us at [email protected].