Leviticus – Page 2 – Be Still…

Leviticus 24:1-9 – Pure and Holy Bread

Read Leviticus 24:1-9

The planner/organizer in me couldn’t help but let my mind get stuck a moment on how many hours a pot of olive oil would keep the lamp burning—an hour, ten hours. That would make a difference in how Aaron arranged his life so that the light would never go out.

Aaron had been given great responsibility in the eyes of the LORD. The laws were given to protect and provide for the Israelites, and Aaron played a very big role in making sure the laws were carried out. At least the ones with his name assigned, which as priest he seemed to be God’s “go-to” peacekeeper/director. Continue reading “Leviticus 24:1-9 – Pure and Holy Bread”

Leviticus 23:1-44 – Festivals

Read Leviticus 23:1-44

God likes a party, having an intentional time to remember, surrender, and worship. Now we’re familiar with the holy days on Israel’s religious calendar. Elsewhere in Scripture we learn more about each of these festivals in terms of details not given here.

These feasts are rich in prophetic significance, and the LORD wanted his people to have them. The major theme we see is gratitude for all that God has given and continues to provide. When we celebrate Thanksgiving, our thankful hearts are but a glimmer of the state of mind of these festivals. Today there are no more sacrifices, we just offer ourselves before God. Continue reading “Leviticus 23:1-44 – Festivals”

Leviticus 22:17-33 – Without Defect

Read Leviticus 22:17-33

It’s as if the precepts for sacrificial animals in this passage jump through time and help us appreciate the perfect sacrifice Jesus represents for us. He was certainly without defect because he never sinned.

What does God’s desire for perfection say about the value of the gift, the recipient, or the giver? Certainly, an animal without blemish would be more valuable in a monetary sense, but God (the recipient) looks at the heart of the giver. God doesn’t want our cast offs or leftovers. Such would be insulting, showing an utter disrespect for God. Continue reading “Leviticus 22:17-33 – Without Defect”

Leviticus 21:1-22:16 – The Holiness of Priests

Read Leviticus 21:1-22:16

The priests were called on by God and set apart for God’s purposes. So that a priest could be as holy as possible, God gave them these instructions and expectations. The priests receiving these decrees are in the line of Aaron, and they held their positions until the temple was destroyed and the sacrificial system came to an end. What wisdom can we glean from these rules?

For hundreds of years, these instructions would have been followed to the letter by priests wanting to be deemed holy in God’s eyes. It was in their job description to be holy. Because priests were also human, the tendency toward sin and selfishness was probably also very much real for them. Can you imagine the mindset of a priest in those days called to be a representative of God? Continue reading “Leviticus 21:1-22:16 – The Holiness of Priests”

Leviticus 20:1-27 – Punishments

Read Leviticus 20:1-27

Our last reading laid out the practices that were detestable and against God’s desire for his people to be holy. This reading prescribes the punishments for breaking those holiness codes. Most of those penalties are severe, including death, and clearly reveal the seriousness of God’s instructions.

I recognized several of those rules as they show up in the New Testament. The one about adultery made me think of Jesus and how his grace showed up the day a woman was about to be stoned for breaking this law of holiness. The law calls for both individuals to be killed, but in our story from John 8:1-11, only the woman is called out. I’ve always wondered where the man was! Continue reading “Leviticus 20:1-27 – Punishments”