I am not much of a speed reader, but a number of chapters in Leviticus cause me to read quite quickly. Part of God's wisdom for His people under the Old Covenant, the direct or not so direct relevance for the 21st century believer is not apparent.
I suspect some of you may never read parts of the Old Testament like Leviticus. Why not simply read the easier parts, like Genesis and the Psalms. Well there are a number of reasons I won't go into in this short blog. One obvious one is that all of Scripture is inspired. Another is that the entire OT was the Scripture our Lord Jesus used on earth.
However I will simply say "because by skipping large chunks of the Bible you deprive yourself." I thought of this yesterday after reading (very quickly) a number of chapters in Leviticus, I "came up for air" at the end of chapter 16.
So many sacrifices of different kinds. So many regulations. So many holy days. So many sheep, goats, bulls, birds slaughtered. So much blood spilled and used to mark out people and items as holy. So much necessary to satisfy a Holy God who is offended by sin.
"Then, before the Lord, you will be clean from all your sins." Leviticus 16:30
I read these words and I rejoiced for ancient Jews. Rejoiced that God made a way for people back then. And rejoiced again that you and I live on this side of the Incarnation and the Cross. Rejoiced that our perfect Saviour could become the One sacrifice, for all people, for all time. Rejoiced that I could recall the wonderful passages of Hebrews that build so strongly upon chapters like these in Leviticus.
Why read a book like Leviticus? It should help you understand and appreciate the book of Hebrews. It should help you deepen your worship of our Great Saviour.
I suspect some of you may never read parts of the Old Testament like Leviticus. Why not simply read the easier parts, like Genesis and the Psalms. Well there are a number of reasons I won't go into in this short blog. One obvious one is that all of Scripture is inspired. Another is that the entire OT was the Scripture our Lord Jesus used on earth.
However I will simply say "because by skipping large chunks of the Bible you deprive yourself." I thought of this yesterday after reading (very quickly) a number of chapters in Leviticus, I "came up for air" at the end of chapter 16.
So many sacrifices of different kinds. So many regulations. So many holy days. So many sheep, goats, bulls, birds slaughtered. So much blood spilled and used to mark out people and items as holy. So much necessary to satisfy a Holy God who is offended by sin.
"Then, before the Lord, you will be clean from all your sins." Leviticus 16:30
I read these words and I rejoiced for ancient Jews. Rejoiced that God made a way for people back then. And rejoiced again that you and I live on this side of the Incarnation and the Cross. Rejoiced that our perfect Saviour could become the One sacrifice, for all people, for all time. Rejoiced that I could recall the wonderful passages of Hebrews that build so strongly upon chapters like these in Leviticus.
Why read a book like Leviticus? It should help you understand and appreciate the book of Hebrews. It should help you deepen your worship of our Great Saviour.
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