It is a situation most of us are familiar with. At least I think we are. A new year arrives, and we plan to read our Bible every day. Then we get to Leviticus and some lose interest. Others take an “I think I can, I think I can” approach and manage to read all of Leviticus, but they have trouble recalling anything they examined.
Still, there has to be something in Leviticus that pertinent to us, right? The Bible tells us in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that all Scripture is good for us and helps us in many ways. Even so, I know I am not alone in my struggles through Leviticus.
Bert Harper, a man who was in vocational ministry for 30 years and currently co-hosts the radio program Exploring the Word, also finds that people doing a Bible reading plan stumble or quit when they get to Leviticus.
“If a person can get the big picture of the offerings and feasts and how they give meaning to the character of God, the book comes alive,” he said.
As to whether Leviticus is important for Christians, Harper says it is not the most important book of the Bible.
“But it does show God’s interest in details,” he stresses. “Therefore, we know God is interested in the details of our lives.”
Speaking of our lives, the way I look at Leviticus is this: I live in the age of grace, and I am saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son. It was Him that I asked to save me after admitting that I, too, am a sinner in need of a Savior. That said, I read some or all of Leviticus each year and thank God that I’m not bound by the same set of rules the Israelites faced before, during, and after their time in the Promised Land.
For example, God does not require a burnt offering from me. He does not expect a meat offering, a peace offering, or some other offering outlined in the first seven chapters of Leviticus. And while there are plenty of creatures in Leviticus 11 I have no problem avoiding, I do enjoy eating pork. It’s worth noting here that pigs are considered unclean because they do not eat cud. It has nothing to do with the fact that they are filthy animals (Leviticus 11:7, Deuteronomy 14:8). Plus, it is generally accepted that Gentile Christians are allowed to eat pork based on Peter’s vision in Acts 10:9-15.
To be honest, I have not revealed anything here you could not take away from personal Bible study. But can Christians still learn from Leviticus?
“Two things come to mind,” Bert said. “Worshipping God was not a casual event in the Old Testament and it isn’t today. Traditions and customs can be and should be filled with meaning.”
One thing is certain, we all should read our Bible, and read it often. Bert recommends finding or developing a plan that mixes it up and includes both the Old and New Testaments.
“If you can find a Bible reading system that connects them, it will make the Old Testament passages more meaningful,” he says. “If you get behind, don’t try to catch up, and don’t quit. Just keep reading at your pace, and go longer than a year if necessary.”
