Leviticus – You might be surprised by how much you like it!
This book could be written off as another list of rule and regulations but a closer inspections shows that actually God’s heart to have relationship with the Israelites come through strongly.
Obviously it is an understatement to say that God is not like us but his holiness is a key part of this book. In his goodness and desire for relationship God is making a way for sinful people to have a relationship with a holy God. He is also making sure that his people are nothing like the nations around them.
The Canaanites were the people living in the land which God promised to Israel and their lifestyle was perverted and distorted. Their religious practices included weird stuff like drinking menstrual blood and killing their children in a fire to a god. It is pretty clear why God didn’t want his people and worshiping him to look anything like them.
Some of the more random rules also have a great meaning and show that God cares about how we live our lives whether in how we worship him, how we treat our neighbors and how we protect those who are most vulnerable in society.
Through it all I also saw how the system God put in place for Israel point to and are fulfilled in Jesus. Jesus is the final sacrifice for all sins!
I have to say I was surprised by how much I liked this book!
