THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
I Do Not Like the Old Testament, Especially Leviticus
(Reading Exodus 38 – Leviticus 18) Exodus 39:30-32; 40:34-38; Leviticus 13:1-3
I just recently realized that I do not like Leviticus. It is painful to read. It is hard to understand. It is judgmental about human life and living. It condemns me.
Even if I do not like Leviticus there are some things I can learn from it. Then I need to apply that to my life.
1. We are continually reminded that God is Holy, and that He is the LORD.
2. We are reminded again and again that we are unholy and unclean.
3. We are reminded again and again that there must be a sacrifice, or there is no approaching God.
4. We are reminded that that the most basic sacrifice is the blood of a Lamb.
-Tim A. Blankenship
Broken Pieces 
I look at Leviticus as a beautiful gift God gave to His Jewish people to teach them how to be holy, for He is holy, and to then be a light to the Nations. What kind of love is it that reveals and teaches what holiness is!
I believe the Torah, including Leviticus, must be understood through what Jesus said in response to the lawyer who asked him what the greatest commandment was in Matt 22:37-40. After declaring the S’hma, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.”
He went on to say:
“And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
So every law/command and instruction was given to teach the Jews how to either love God, or their fellow. Seen in this light, it’s quite a gift.
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Thank you for your comment. Moses writing on holiness, and much of the Old Testament, shows the unholiness of humanity; including myself. I agree with you about the book; however, it requires so much of me too. In my humanity, my flesh, and without the Holy Spirit’s filling, I cannot like the book. It is a God thing; a matter of grace. Thank the Lord for Leviticus; and for showing my need.
Thanks again.
T.A.
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Hi T.A.
Yes indeed we are broken and sinful and God’s Word exposes that. But He also knew/knows the limitation and weakness of His creation and so I’m grateful that He points out how to live, and how to love Him and our neighbors, at least for those who care to know His ways!
Leviticus, and most of the Torah, is about loving others. Not to cause harm by action or speech. If we juxtapose the way others were living at the time (ripping off a chunk of animal flesh without killing the animal first, for example, and sexual immorality) and how some continue to live even now, I see great mercy in His giving the book to the Jews!
Lev 19:18 tells the Jewish people to specifically not hate or hold a grudge against their fellow Jews, and then 19: 33-34 says to treat the foreigners in the land the same. Beautiful!
Blessings,
Ruth
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Ruth, I know what you are saying. I am in agreement with you. I love all of God’s Word; but truly it is only because of the grace of God that I can or do. Whether you agree or not or will admit it or not that is the only way any human being can love God or His Word; is because He first loved us.
T.A.
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