Leviticus

 Leviticus in a week!

We're going to cover Leviticus in a whirlwind!  It's easy to skip over a book like Leviticus because it seems so far removed from us from both cultural and faith perspectives.  Why learn about rituals and festivals we no longer keep?

Here are three reasons to invest in Leviticus: 1) The sacrificial system, while no longer in effect, points us to the work of Christ.  As the book of Hebrews points out, those sacrifices happened day in and day out for years, but now Jesus is the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice for sin. 2) The three major Jewish festivals have carried over into the Christian tradition.  The Feast of Unleavened Bread points us to Good Friday; the Feast of Firstfruits points to Easter; the Feast of Booths points us to Pentecost. 3) Chapters 17-27, sometimes called the Holiness Code, deals with sanctification (being made holy) and help us to better understand who we are called to become in Christ.

As you read, keep in mind our reading questions.  Use these as general questions to keep in mind as you read to help formulate your reflections, observations, and questions.

Our guiding questions are these:

  • What stood out to you in the reading?
  • Was there anything confusing or troubling?
  • Did anything make you think differently about God?
  • How might what you read change the way you live?

Please post a comment below with some of your questions, comments, and reflections from this week's reading.

Comments

  1. TameraJanuary 18, 2022 at 5:23 PM

    I have two questions, in chap 2, vs 1 &9, what is the memorial portion? And in vs 13, what is the salt of the covenant?

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    1. TameraJanuary 19, 2022 at 11:49 AM

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  2. TameraJanuary 18, 2022 at 5:42 PM

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  3. Becki SweetmanJanuary 18, 2022 at 7:17 PM

    Those are good insights, Tamera! I read in my Bible’s study notes that in ancient times salt was often costly and a valuable part of their diet and that may be why it was required in a sacrifice. I couldn’t find anything on the memorial portions, though. Anyone else have ideas? And I love how God knows us so well that he covers over ALL our sins, even ones that are unintentional or unknown for a time!

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    1. TameraJanuary 19, 2022 at 7:58 AM

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  4. Becki SweetmanJanuary 18, 2022 at 7:27 PM

    I noticed the repetitive and consistent nature of the sacrifices. God is always a God of order and beauty and this fits in with that. (I can’t imagine that all that blood smelled or looked beautiful, but certainly a good visual of what we deserve as sinners.) I am grateful for grace. I was reminded of Ephesians 5:2 where Paul reminds us that Christ gave himself as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

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  5. CarleneJanuary 19, 2022 at 10:18 AM

    I'm glad you mentioned the outcome of so much blood. I was thinking flies would be swarming, etc.
    Just a detail I was wondering about is how the priest's wife and daughters ate. Lev.10:14 mentions daughters eating some of the cakes of grain, but earlier verses mention that only sons can eat of the meat. Do you know about that?

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    1. TameraJanuary 19, 2022 at 12:46 PM

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    2. TameraJanuary 19, 2022 at 12:53 PM

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  6. TameraJanuary 19, 2022 at 1:25 PM

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  7. CarleneJanuary 26, 2022 at 10:38 AM

    Still have some questions we may not know the anwers to, but where did the fresh water come from for all the rituals while in the desert - the rock that provided a spring? I thought the people live in tents, but there is mention of plaster in their homes. And in Lev. 19:5, it sounds as if the people could eat their peace offerings themselves. Any thoughts?

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