Leviticus

 The good news is that we are on to something new. I love the book of Exodus, but to try and write about it was actually more difficult that I thought it would be. To try and figure out what to include and what to skip over was a challenge I just wasn't expecting. So now we move on to the next book in the bible, Leviticus. When I go to read a new book, I like to look in the bible at the description they give. When I look at the book of Leviticus description, the first words I see are "A Continuation of the book of Exodus" That makes me a little nervous. Next, I focus on these words, " Leviticus sets down regulations to preserve the spiritual, moral, and physical purity of the people. Instructions are provided on how to live holy lives through sacrifice and worship". So, if I am reading that correctly, the book of Leviticus is a book about regulations and instructions. I would love to tell you that the description given is just an overview and that the book really isn't completely about that, but I can't. So, what I want to do is list some of the topics that are discussed in the book.

Ceremonially Clean and Unclean Animals

Serious Skin Diseases

Treatment of Contaminated Clothing

Cleansing from Skin Diseases

Bodily Discharges

Prohibitions against Eating Blood

Forbidden Sexual Practices

An Example of Just Punishment

Redemption of Property

Redemption of the Poor and Enslaved

So, after reading those topics you really want to ask yourself the question, why? Why did God give us a book with all of those things in it? I'm sure that someone out there finds reading that kind of stuff amazing, but most of the people I have ever talked to really don't find the book exciting. So, I want to give two opinions on this book. First, God knew what was going on in the world at that time. If God did not come up with rules and regulations for his people to follow, they would end up just like everyone else. This is something that I feel like I am guilty of. I don't think I would call myself a follower, but I do find myself compromising when I didn't even realize it. With movies and music, I especially struggle. If you turn on the radio today, it's filled with music that 25 years ago would have been banned. What was an R-rated movie when I was younger seems to be PG-13 now. One of my struggles over the last month has been that if I take myself away from this blog for any amount of time, it's hard to get going again. Doesn't that mean that when we take ourselves away from Godly things or religious things it's hard to get back to it. For those of you following the reading plan, have you ever missed two days in a row? It's a guilt trip just to get going again. God had to come up with a whole new set of rules because he knew how hard the struggle was. The second reason he gives us this book about regulations and instructions is to tell us about the reward for following them. In chapter 26 the headline says this " Blessings for Obedience".  So, what is the reward for following what God wants? Let's look at Leviticus 26:3-13.

3 “If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, 4 I will send you the seasonal rains. The land will then yield its crops, and the trees of the field will produce their fruit. 5 Your threshing season will overlap with the grape harvest, and your grape harvest will overlap with the season of planting grain. You will eat your fill and live securely in your own land. 

6 “I will give you peace in the land, and you will be able to sleep with no cause for fear. I will rid the land of wild animals and keep your enemies out of your land. 7 In fact, you will chase down your enemies and slaughter them with your swords. 8 Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand! All your enemies will fall beneath your sword. 

9 “I will look favorably upon you, making you fertile and multiplying your people. And I will fulfill my covenant with you. 10 You will have such a surplus of crops that you will need to clear out the old grain to make room for the new harvest! 11 I will live among you, and I will not despise you. 12 I will walk among you; I will be your God, and you will be my people. 13 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so you would no longer be their slaves. I broke the yoke of slavery from your neck so you can walk with your heads held high. 

When I read that I actually get sad. Is that what we could have if we obeyed? God is saying that we will have more food than we need, we will have peace from all of our enemies, and he will live among us. All we have to do is obey! I feel like I need to start each day reading those verses. Everything we could ever need and all we have to do is obey!