Making Sense out of Leviticus #1

Making Sense out of Leviticus #1

Many of you follow my daily reading plan for reading the Bible through in one year. As of tomorrow, we enter the book of Leviticus. It is often the place where people grow discouraged and stop reading and I have yet to hear anyone say, “Yeah, Leviticus!” It is usually one of those books where we just put our nose to the grindstone and read, often not comprehending anything of the text, because it seems so removed from our daily lives. It is my intent with these posts, to make reading this dynamic book more accessible and more exciting to read. It is, however, one of those books (all Bible books are like this) that as long as we live, and as long as we read, we keep finding treasures and concepts we have not previously seen. It is just the way our Father is. He is always beyond what we know and can grasp and has buried treasures in the Word that await our discovery. (See Proverbs 2:1-6)

This will not be so much of a commentary, as a way of looking at the text so the Holy Spirit can begin to unfold its treasures into our beings. So I will be posting as often as I can, and pointing out various ways of “seeing” the text. In Habakkuk 2:1 the prophet says that he will stand on his watch in the watch-tower to “see what He says to me,…” There is an element in reading and working with the Word, that enables us to “see” in our inner beings the things that are being said. We do this all the time in every day life. We see it as it is spoken and then we do not forget it. This happens each time we read a novel, mystery etc… We see the people, action and feel the emotions. So as we expect the same (even more) as we read the Word we will begin to “see” what He is saying. Then we begin to go beyond understanding into “knowing” what is being said.

The Hebrew text above is simply “And YHWH called…” keeping in the Hebrew tradition of naming all the books by their first words. The book is a “calling” to draw near and to embrace the sacrifice provided. The first seven (7) chapters enumerate the various designated sacrifices that were to be given for and over the Israelite community. They are an in-depth look at the work our Lord Jesus accomplished on the cross, because all five (5) were completed in His death. That is what this part of the book is really about. To read, study and meditate on Leviticus is to spend time examining the sacrifice of Jesus and just what it did for us. That is the overall treasure of these first seven (7) chapters. As we read and allow the truth of all to immerse us in the provision of the Lord Jesus, we will be able to bless Him and enjoy Him deeply.

Use any translation of the scriptures that you will read.

Reading for Tuesday, March 6: Leviticus 1-3; Matthew 16; Psalm 65.