And that’s Leviticus. It’s a lot. It’s difficult. Simply, though? It’s about bringing the people closer to God. It’s about helping them understand that God is holy, a being of purity, perfection, wholeness and life. It’s about helping them understand that the world is everything but those things. It’s about teaching them to pull away … Read more
I have to address the ‘eye for an eye’ passage. I know a lot of people have used this passage to present the ‘two different characters’ view of the Bible, the idea that the image of God presented in the Old Testament is drastically different than the image presented in the New Testament. This has … Read more
Here we have a couple different things worth discussing. First of all, the restrictions on priests serving specific roles. It seems harsh to exclude some from serving for being disabled. But it isn’t a judgment against them personally, it is an emphasis on God’s perfection, his perfect wholeness. It also serves as a reminder that, … Read more
I do not believe we are any longer prohibited from blended fibers for our clothes. I don’t believe this was a moral stance, or a scientific one. I’ve never heard anyone suggest it was either. I can’t say I heard much discussion on it at all. God is pure. His people are to be pure. … Read more
The scapegoat. You’ve heard of it. The person designated to take the blame for a particular failure or offense, usually with the implication that others who are at the very least equally responsible are getting off without being held accountable. Well, this is where that concept comes from. Here you have the literal scapegoat. The … Read more
So I was talking with my husband about the challenges of reflecting on readings from this section of the Bible. What can I say today that I didn’t say yesterday? Well, he reminded me of something I failed to consider yesterday. Yes, this law came directly from God, but it was still influenced by their … Read more
Ritual purity. Cleanliness and uncleanliness. I don’t think this was explained to me very well when I was growing up. I’m not sure it was explained to me very well when I was attending Bible college. My husband listens to Bible podcasts and does a lot more reading than I do. He’s also smarter than … Read more
So, Nadab and Abu offered an unauthorized sacrifice and were immediately killed. It’s pretty intense. The Faithlife Study Bible suggests that the likeliest explanation of their offense is that Aaron was the only one who should have offered the incense. Maybe they had mixed the incense incorrectly, or maybe they were offering it at the … Read more
Here’s the thing about the law: It’s both protection and education. It is full of images and reminders as well as practical and moral protections. It demonstrates the impossibility of anyone remaining pure and holy, that we all need atonement. It’s a constant reminder of our need for cleansing, for substitutes to pay our debts … Read more