Leviticus

I began reading through the Bible in a year about 30 years ago. Although there were some years I chose to pursue a different devotional approach, I think I can safely say I've read through over a dozen different translations (some, like the NIV, more than once). While I make no claims at being an expert at reading through the Bible, I think I do have some insight into the discipline it takes to read through God's Word.

When reading through on a "straight through in order" plan, such as I'm following this year, you find a few critical points at which the project may break down. The first of these is usually the book of Leviticus. Sure, there are the genealogy passages in Genesis, and the details of the Tabernacle in Exodus, but Leviticus is where the Old Testament legal system starts to become a bewildering place for many contemporary Christians. Offerings, sacrifices, dietary laws, sanitary laws-it can be a bit of a "wilderness" for us to wander through.

I just started Leviticus in this year's reading, and I must say that over the years the book has grown on me. Partly this is due to my growing love for the OT in general. But a bigger part is the desire each year to examine all of the laws, especially the sacrificial laws, with an eye to the bigger picture they paint about God and our relationship with Him. If you are reading through this book, let me make some suggestions.

First, look at how serious sin is. When an Israelite sinned, even inadvertently, it required a specific offering done in a particular way to atone for that sin. This was true even more so for the priests and leaders of the nation. When we think about the Tabernacle and later the Temple, we think of the beauty and majesty of the furnishings and decoration. Yet I'm guessing that what might have stood out to people who went to those holy places was a smell like a butcher shop, combined with the constant aroma of burnt meat. The contrast between those two sensory experiences would put our position before the Lord in perspective.

Second, look at what sin cost the sinner. The one who offended had to take one of the best animals from his flock or herd, or the best of his produce, to make an appropriate offering. Repeated sin was expensive. Perhaps it caused people to think of how much of what they had could be consumed just in trying to pay for their sins. Sin is costly, and later when Jesus paid the price once for all that piece of good news had to strike the average Israelite as unbelievably gracious.

Third, look at how carefully God's people had to live in order to remain in a condition in which they could come into His presence. While many modern scholars look at the sanitary and dietary laws as God's way of keeping His people healthy, they would indeed impose a burden on any person who wanted to remain ritually clean. Purity in God's sight wasn't easy.

All of these help us see just how radical the good news of Jesus Christ was. He truly lifted the burden off the back of people who wanted to remain right with God, and in His mercy removed all of the ritual requirements of the law while making us right with His Father.

So don't let Leviticus get you down. Look at just what we are set free from by Jesus. The narrative will resume soon enough in Numbers, and then it's pretty smooth sailing until the beginning of 1 Chronicles. (Maybe when I get there I'll post some help for that section, too.)