Leviticus (Bible in 90 Days)

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Oh Leviticus. It is the Book of Laws. And personally it is like reading a law book, dry, technical and well...boring. But I thank God that he gives us instruction and even though the New Testament negate most of these there are still important ideas to learn.

Leviticus is set during the two years the Israelites stayed at the foot of Mount Sinai while they were wandering in the desert. It was a time for rest, learning and rebuilding faith since their escape from Egypt. God teaches His people how to live holy.

"You must be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy." Leviticus 19:2

Throughout the whole Book, God tells the priests how to conduct worship and what the guidelines are coming to Him. There is a focus on redemption because you desire to seek out the Lord, but you must be clean to worship Him. Leviticus defines what is clean and unclean and details to ways to cleanse the body.

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The one thing about Leviticus that I never thought about was the emphasis on worship. There are many instructions on how to conduct festivals, why to celebrate and ways to worship, but it is all in extreme detail that feels forced not exciting. But I have to remember that this is how life was back then. And to this group of people it is exactly what they needed. To them these festivals were (at least to the ones who dedicated their lives to God) very special and was a way to rededicated themselves to God. This is what I have to remember. There are many traditions, but it is the life behind the ceremony that makes it so important.

So I made it through Leviticus and I even learned something along the way. We do not sacrifice firstborn livestock anymore (Jesus became our ultimate sacrifice), but the need to purify ourselves (especially our minds),  rededicate ourselves to the Lord and worship and give thanks to Him are still prominent ideas that we need to remember.

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