Leviticus

I can’t recall anyone ever saying, “Leviticus really stands out as a powerful portion of Scripture.” It holds precious little narrative which makes the reading interesting and the rituals seem archaic in today’s culture. My most recent reading of Leviticus has not changed my opinion of the book. I wish I could say that by reading it, I’ve developed a profound sense of understanding, but sadly that hasn’t/wasn’t the case. When I encounter Scripture that doesn’t seem relevant, interesting or applicable, I return to the promise statement from 2 Timothy 3:16, saying that all Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. I challenge the Lord, asking him to reveal insight.

Aside from the lack of personal application I found in reading Leviticus, I found the reading tip I read in “How to Read the Bible Book by Book”, by Gordon Fee & Douglas Stuart to be helpful in stepping back and viewing Leviticus as part of the larger story, taking into account what has just transpired in Exodus and looking forward to the narrative that will pick up again in Numbers.

Insights, Observations & Questions

Sabbath Year

The portion of Leviticus I enjoyed most was reading chapter 25 regarding the Sabbath Year and explanation of the Year of Jubilee. I was reminded of God’s great love because of the personal nature which he fulfilled the Sabbath year in my life.

I’ve already testified to God’s goodness in my marriage, and I’m sure I’ll write about it again. It was so significant to me, it’s been the most important way-marker that I can’t help but refer to the stone that I set up to remember. My marriage wasn’t doing very well in the 2nd year. Somewhere along the line, I remembered [inaccurately] God’s provision for rest in the Sabbath year (the 7th year). Clearly I lacked understanding in what God intended when he gave his command for the Sabbath year (it was intended as rest for the land, for one thing), but even in my spiritual misunderstanding, God answered my prayer for rest. I was weary, so tired in my marriage but I had this forceful idea in mind that if only we could make it to the 7th year, we’d find rest.

I will be forever grateful for the depth of his love. The more that I understand, the greater I know that his patience for us is immeasurable and his love is an ocean. I’m touched as much by the fact that God blessed me, even though I didn’t understand the blessing, as I am by the actual blessing of rest in the 7th year.

The more I grow in knowledge and depth of insight, the more I am aware of my misplaced focus and prayers. James 4:3 says that we don’t receive because we don’t ask, and when we do ask, we ask with the wrong intentions. I’m mindful of the fact that while I only half understood the concept, God answered my prayer, which tells me something about what God hears from our prayer in relation to praying “according to the law”. I feel that by my own example, I’ve witnessed something extraordinary about the fulfilling the requirements of the law and receiving God’s promise, although I really don’t know what it is that I witnesses and I certainly can’t properly explain it. I’m hoping that further exploration of the Scriptures will illuminate the questions and provide satisfactory explanations.

Clean/Unclean

Significant portions of Leviticus are devoted to establishing what was clean and unclean. As much as I am able, I understand the reason for such strict cleansing laws is because God, who is holy, would dwell among them. That thought, in itself, is a revelation and new way of understanding the law, however, my thoughts jump to Jesus, who was a “friend of sinners”. How then, might Jesus by-pass the law? I realize that the Pharisees asked this exact question. Prior to posing the question myself, I thought I had an answer but I don’t. I don’t understand at all.

I have an easier time to explain that Jesus was a friend of sinners in view of his death and resurrection, but not with his life. Jesus was born within a Jewish culture that lived by the law. There are so many cases of Jesus being with unclean people, but the one most quickly comes to mind is the woman who was bleeding for 12 years. She would have probably lived outside of the city, in an isolation/quarantine camp (probably a modern-day slum). To touch someone who was unclean, would deem the ‘clean’ person unclean and would have to wash their clothes and would remain unclean until the evening. How then, could Jesus have carried on with his day, when he was now ‘unclean’. I feel like a juvenile asking the question, but…”Why did Jesus get a free pass when it came to obeying the law?”


Holiness

Discipline is a long, thankless process. Currently, Gary and I are going through a difficult time with Max. Max is a bright boy, he can think strategically and he is spirited and socially engaging and he has a tenacity that can serve him well in life. The trouble we are having is trying to develop Godly character and discipline. At this stage in his life, this means doing the best he can in his school work and respecting his teacher and his school peers by listening and working without being a distraction. This is always a challenge for an active boy, who is already a little younger than most of his classmates.

Several times in recent weeks/months, I’ve felt quite exasperated and frustrated by Max’s behaviour. It feels like an uphill battle, the positive result of which I’m not sure I’m going to witness not because it won’t happen, but I’m sure that character improvement will be best exhibited when he is no longer living at home. Over and over again, I reason with Max, saying the purpose for the rules is because the God, through his Word (Scripture) tells us it’s the right thing to do. In a small comparison, the Lord says something similar in his oft repeated phrase throughout Leviticus, “Be holy because I am holy.” The Lord wanted to develop a people that were set apart, just as he was set apart from other gods. He is Holy, therefore his people were to be holy also.

I take comfort that God understands my frustration, because he has been frustrated. When I want to throw in the towel, and say to Max, “The hell with it, do whatever you want,” the Lord causes me to recall my own rebellious and stubborn nature and the patience and forgiveness he affords me. God’s desire for Israel’s holiness is a theme that continues throughout the OT, and also follows into the NT. He relentlessly disciplines and corrects his people until the day that we will finally stand before his throne having been perfected in holiness, just as he purposed in us. And this evening during family devotions, I was reminded again of the end purpose. Hebrews 12:11, No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

On the lookout for:

• Salt - understanding the impact salt had on as a commodity in the ancient world, as well as the properties of salt that give it value, in light of the Scriptural context and relevance.
• Sabbath rest – rest began as part of life from the beginning and Jesus carries the theme and command in the new covenant as well. I’ll be on the look-out for references to sabbatical rest and wrestling with the practical application of participating in holy rest
• Holy sacrifice – There comes a point in Israel’s history where sacrifice is prohibited, (prophesy found in Daniel). As a Christian, I believe and understand that Jesus was the one sacrifice that was necessary to make a new covenant, but I wonder how that affected the Jews when what set them apart as holy, was taken away. How did they retain God’s presence, if sacrifice was forbidden?
• How did Jesus live within the culture of the law and not break the law?