The book of Leviticus has a prophetical cha racter. The lawg,iver represents to himself the future history of his people. This prophetical character is especially manifest in chs. xxv., xxvi., where the law appears in a truly sublime and divine attitude, and when its predictions refer to the whole futurity of the nation. It is impossible to say that these were vaticinia ex eventn, unless we would assert that this book was written at the close of Israelitish history. We must rather grant that passages like this are the real basis on which the authority of later prophets is chiefly built. Such passages prove also, in a striking manner, that the lawgiver had not merely an external aim, but that his law had a deeper purpose, which was clearly understood by Moses himself. That purpose was to regulate the national life in all its bearings, and to consecrate the whole nation to God. See espe cially ch. xxv. sey.
But this ideal tendency of the law does not pre clude its applicability to matters of fact. The law
had not merely an ideal, but also a real character, evidenced by its relation to the faithlessness and disobedience of the nation. The whole future history of the covenant people was regulated by the law, which has manifested its eternal power and truth in the history of tbe people of Israel. Although this section has a general bearing, it is nevertheless manifest that it originated in the times of Moses. At a later period, for instance, it would have been impracticable to promulgate the law concerning the Sabbath and the year of Jubilee : for it was soon sufficiently proved how far the nation in reality remained behind tbe ideal Israel of the law. The Sabbatical law bears the impress of a time when the whole legislation, in its fulness and glory, was directly communicated to the people, in such a manner as to attract, penetrate, and command.
The principal works to be consulted with refer ence to Leviticus will be found under the article PENTATEUCIL—II. A. C. H.