Q: Every year when my Bible reading plan leads me to books like Leviticus, I have a lot of trouble slogging through chapter after chapter of God's rules for His people -- particularly when none of it seems relevant to our lives today. Can you give me an idea of how I should approach these chapters and what I should get out of them?
A: Great question Ken! I am guessing that your experience is common to many of the Christians that actually read through that section of the Bible. I can think of a couple of things that might make your reading of Leviticus more profitable for you.
Leviticus is really all about worship and holiness. How could the Hebrew nation rightly worship God and respect God’s holiness? There were sacrifices established to enable a less than perfect people to approach (through the Levitical priesthood) a perfect God. There were laws to enable the people to live lovingly with their neighbors when they came into the land which God was giving to them. There were feasts for the community of faith to celebrate what God had done for them and what he would do for them in the future. While it is true that since we are not under the Mosaic covenant God made with the Israelite nation and as a result "these laws are no longer God’s command to us, they are God’s Word for us." (Fee & Stuart, How to Read the Bible for all its Worth) God still speaks to us through Leviticus today. As we endeavor to hear what he is saying to us sometimes it is helpful to read the text with some questions. Let me share some of them with you.
I find it is helpful in my study to remember that nothing God says is random or arbitrary, though looking back across the chasm of time, culture, language, and covenant, it may seem that way. Just because I don’t see the reason doesn’t mean there isn’t one! When reading, I would ask…
I hope this helps to make your reading of Leviticus more eventful this year!
A: Great question Ken! I am guessing that your experience is common to many of the Christians that actually read through that section of the Bible. I can think of a couple of things that might make your reading of Leviticus more profitable for you.
Leviticus is really all about worship and holiness. How could the Hebrew nation rightly worship God and respect God’s holiness? There were sacrifices established to enable a less than perfect people to approach (through the Levitical priesthood) a perfect God. There were laws to enable the people to live lovingly with their neighbors when they came into the land which God was giving to them. There were feasts for the community of faith to celebrate what God had done for them and what he would do for them in the future. While it is true that since we are not under the Mosaic covenant God made with the Israelite nation and as a result "these laws are no longer God’s command to us, they are God’s Word for us." (Fee & Stuart, How to Read the Bible for all its Worth) God still speaks to us through Leviticus today. As we endeavor to hear what he is saying to us sometimes it is helpful to read the text with some questions. Let me share some of them with you.
I find it is helpful in my study to remember that nothing God says is random or arbitrary, though looking back across the chasm of time, culture, language, and covenant, it may seem that way. Just because I don’t see the reason doesn’t mean there isn’t one! When reading, I would ask…
- What type of law I am reading about? I can see at least four major types of laws in Leviticus: Worship Laws, Anti-Idolatry Laws, Love-your-neighbor Laws, and Public Health Laws. Knowing these groupings will help me to see the purpose.
- Was this law limited or situational in its original application (“if…then”) or was it intended to establish a precedent (“do…”, or “do not…” laws)?
- What does this law teach me about the character of God?
- Was this sacrifice designed to atone for sin or facilitate fellowship with God?
- How did Christ’s sacrifice on the cross fulfill these laws?
- What sacrificial provision was there for intentional sins?
- How is the New Covenant better than this? (Hebrews 9:23)
- What was the stated purpose for this feast?
- When and where was it to be celebrated?
- Is there another symbolic meaning behind this feast?
- How do I see Jesus interacting with this feast in the Gospels?
- What can we learn about how to live as holy priests from the Levitical laws?
- The priest’s job was to represent a flawed people before a holy God, so how can we do that in light of our New Testament context?
- How does this understanding inform our work as "ambassadors of Christ" and "ministers of reconciliation" (2 Cor. 5:11-21)
And
the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
“Speak
to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them,
‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.
Every
one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and
you shall keep my Sabbaths: I am the Lord your God.
Do
not turn to idols or make for yourselves any gods of cast metal:
I am the Lord your God.’” (Leviticus 19:1-4)
I hope this helps to make your reading of Leviticus more eventful this year!
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2 comments:
i just googled "reading leviticus" to see if i would find something helpful, and was brought here. this is a wonderful list of questions, thank you so much for posting them. i have recently been learning how important it is that we realize the Bible isn't a self help book, it isn't about us - it's about God and His story, glory and purpose, and it's his way of letting us know his character. These questions are so great to get to that point in a difficult book.
You're welcome and thanks for the comment!
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