Consequences

Readings for today: Leviticus 26-27, Psalm 39

I’m a huge fan of the John Wick movies. I know they are violent and pretty gory but one of the main messages in the series has to do with the consequences a person faces for their actions. I grew up in a home with consequences. Good behavior was rewarded and bad behavior punished. Positive. Negative. Otherwise. There were always consequences to one’s decisions and actions. It is tempting to read Leviticus 26 and assume the Kingdom of God works in much the same way. Follow God’s rules and you will be blessed. Ignore God’s rules and you will be cursed. Obey God and it will go well with you. Disobey God and life will get hard. The text itself promises rain, good harvests, great victories, and the abiding presence of God to those who are faithful and it warns those who are unfaithful of famine, drought, defeat, and abandonment.

There is a branch of Christianity that makes much of verses like these. They promise health and wealth to those who have enough faith. They challenge people to put God’s Word to the test, treating the Bible like a book of magical incantations. They even go as far as to encourage people to use their obedience to get what they want from God. But when God refuses to to be manipulated, they blame the victim. They tell people they obviously failed to be fully obedient or they don’t have enough faith or they tolerate too much sin in their lives. It’s a toxic version of the Christian faith. 

So what can we draw from verses like these? They seem so clear. Their promises so sure. Like every passage in Scripture, we have to read them against the backdrop of the larger story. The covenant of works was first established with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. They were given clear instructions, a law to follow, and the promise of paradise. However, they disobeyed. In their disobedience, the very ground began to reject them. All the curses listed in Leviticus 26 came to pass as humanity was exiled from Eden into a broken, hostile, and sinful world. From this point forward, life would be chaotic and unstable. One could do all the right things but still experience the curse. One could do all the wrong things and seemingly receive the blessing. The world had turned upside down. 

Only God can make things right and thankfully, He establishes the covenant of grace. Founded on His unconditional love and predestined according to His sovereign will, God reaches out to humanity. He clothes Adam and Eve after their sin. He saves Noah and his family from the flood. He taps Abram and Sarai on the shoulder in Ur. None of these people are perfect. None of them are able to keep the Law or earn the blessings promised in Leviticus 26. But all of them walk with God. Their hearts are hungry for more of His glory. More of His presence. More of His love. They want nothing more than to serve Him faithfully all of their lives. Sin prevents them from being able to do so perfectly but it never stops them in their tracks. Even more important, sin presents no barrier for God. He reaches out to them in spite of their sin, in the midst of their disobedience, in the face of their rebellion and He grants them grace. He rejoices with them when the rains come and harvests are good and their enemies are put to flight. He grieves with them when they face drought, famine, disease, and death. No matter where they go or what they do, God is with them.  

God is with you as well, friends! He promises never to leave you. He is with you when you wake up in the morning. He is with you when you go to sleep. He is with you when you work. He is with you when you play. There is never a moment when you are alone. He sees every choice you make. He knows every feeling you feel. He watches over every action you take. And He is at work turning every decision towards His perfect will.

Readings for tomorrow: Numbers 1-4, Psalm 40

Sacred Trust

Readings for today: Leviticus 24-25, Psalm 38

Leviticus 25 is one of my favorite chapters because it gives us a snapshot of what life looks like under the reign and rule of God. If you’ve ever wondered what life will be like once heaven comes to earth and Jesus returns again, spend some time meditating on these verses. Consider the care God exercises over creation. Ponder God’s perspective on personal property. Think deeply about God’s special love and provision for the poor. Fundamentally, these laws are designed to build trust. Sacred trust.

Will you trust God to provide when you give your land a Sabbath rest? Will you trust the land to yield up enough of a crop on its own to feed your family and your livestock? Will you trust God to bless the land and make it fruitful? Allowing land to lie fallow for a period of time is important. It allows nutrients to replenish so it can produce during the years where you sow seed.

Will you trust God with your personal property? The Year of Jubilee was designed to serve as a reset for the people of Israel. All property was returned every fifty years to the original owners. Those who had fallen on hard times over the previous fifty years and were forced to sell off their inheritance as a result had the opportunity to get it back and start over. Those who had accumulated much and grown wealthy during the previous fifty years were reminded who truly owned the land and therefore were set free to be generous. While there is no evidence Israel ever declared a Year of Jubilee, the principle is a beautiful one. We are all essentially “stewards” of what we’ve been given. Everything we own is God’s and is intended to be used for the blessing of others.

Will you trust God as you care for the poor? No charging him interest. No enslaving him for economic gain. No price gouging or huge markups to take advantage of his helpless condition. On the contrary, you are called to take him into your home. Care for him as you would your own. Treat him as part of the family. You do this to honor the memory of your family’s slavery in Egypt and to honor the redemption of God.

Can you imagine how different life would be if we would follow these principles? Imagine a world where the church was on the frontlines of caring for creation, caring for the poor, and held all things in common. You actually don’t have to imagine it. Just look to the early church. This describes the life they pursued and it’s what gave their witness such power. From the first to the fourth century, the number of believers grew from a few thousand to almost twenty million! They literally conquered an empire! Not by military might but by the sacrificial way they lived. Look at the global church. They are following these very principles in communities all over the world. May our churches hear and respond to the call of the gospel! May our lives become a reflection of what it means to live in God’s Kingdom!

Readings for tomorrow: Leviticus 26-27, Psalm 39

Sacred Time

Readings for today: Leviticus 21-23, Psalm 37

I still remember the first time I celebrated the Day of Atonement. I was with my grandmother in Beijing, China. She belonged to a religious group that made it a point to celebrate all the Jewish high holy days and festivals. Each year, they would host “feast sites” around the world where church members could go to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles and the Day of Atonement. It was a day of self-denial. It was a day of prayer and fasting. It was a day when we basically engaged in little to no activity. I was twelve years old and I have to admit I found it very strange. I wasn’t sure I understood all the reasons why non-Jews would engage in Jewish religious practices. As I got older, I learned that my grandmother was part of a Christian cult who believed they had “replaced” Israel on some level. Not only that but they preyed on the elderly and widowed - my grandmother was both - and stole millions from the people who belonged to their “church.” It was a textbook case of spiritual abuse and my grandmother would eventually die, in part, from the guilt and shame of being part of it.

Though the views of the religious cult were abusive, manipulative, and highly destructive; they gave me my first introduction to God’s time. God’s time is not like our time. It is not time as it ticks away on a clock or watch. It is sacred time. It is heavenly time. It is time oriented around the first commandment which is to worship God alone. In the passage we read today, we are introduced to God’s time. He sets up the Sabbath. One day out of every seven in which we are to honor God with worship and rest. He sets up the annual feast days and festivals that will govern the life of Israel once they are in the Promised Land. These festivals center around the agricultural rhythms of the ancient near east. And they serve as a regular reminder to the people that it is God on whom they depend. He is the one who provides the rain and sunshine that allows their crops to grow and their herds to flourish. This is why they are to bring the firstfruits to the Lord. It’s an acknowledgement that God has the first claim on their lives.

As Christians, we believe the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus fulfills the true meaning of these ancient feasts. This is why we no longer celebrate them nor do we offer animal or grain sacrifices. However, that doesn’t mean we don’t hold to sacred time. Christmas, Easter, Advent, Lent, Pentecost, and Epiphany. These are the Christian feasts and festivals we honor and celebrate because they help us center our hearts around the life of Jesus. We continue to keep the Sabbath holy - though it is now held on the first day of the week because of the resurrection - for Jesus is worthy of all praise, honor, and glory. We continue to orient our lives around God’s time in order to remember all He has done for us. And we offer ourselves as living sacrifices now. Holy and pleasing to God as a spiritual act of worship. We’ve become the firstfruits of repentance and we acknowledge God holds the first claim over our lives.

Readings for tomorrow: Leviticus 24-25, Psalm 38

Loving One Another

Readings for today: Leviticus 19-20, Psalm 36

Everyone is a fan of love. We all want love. We all need love. We all crave love. It’s essential for the flourishing of human life. Without love, we fail to thrive. Without love, we struggle to connect. Without love, we become isolated, alone, afraid, and anxious. If we remain without love, our hearts fill up with hate, rage, and potentially, even violence. Violence against others. Violence against ourselves. Communities that lack love are fractured, divided, abusive, and exploitative in all kinds of ways. Nations where love is absent are chaotic, unjust, oppressive, and volatile. The lack of love in our world today creates all kinds of trauma and brokenness in our lives.

This is why God gives us a law. He is not only seeking to restrain our worst impulses as human beings but also seeking to create an environment where love is put into action. Don’t glean to the edges of your fields. Why? Because you are to love the poor. Don’t dishonor your father or mother. Why? Because you love your parents. Do not steal or lie. Why? Because you love your neighbor. Do not have sex with someone other than your spouse. Why? Because you love others and don’t want them to be exploited for your own sexual pleasure. Give the land rest from agriculture. Why? Because you love creation. Offer pure offerings before the Lord. Why? Because you love the Lord. Such boundaries are not arbitrary. They are absolutely necessary to create the conditions for love.

Loving one another is not an abstract idea. It’s not an aspirational idea or wishful thinking. Love takes concrete form in laws and regulations and policies and healthy boundaries that define relationships. The relationships might be familial or collegial or communal or civic. As much as we may resist them at times, they are essential for us to experience love or learn love or show love to those around us. The fact that we don’t often associate laws with love - especially God’s Law with God’s Love - only shows how much we need them. As you read through the laws in Leviticus, I know many of them may seem archaic and strange. It’s because they were designed to some extent for a far different world. Don’t let that throw you. Instead, think about how such laws might promote the experience of love in an ancient near east context. Now think about the laws we live by in our own world. The moral law God has given us through His Word. The civic law we live by in our communities and nation. Prayerfully reflect on how such laws lead you to experience love and share love with others.

Readings for tomorrow: Leviticus 21-23, Psalm 37

Fear of Disease

Readings for today: Leviticus 14-15, Psalm 34

One of humanity’s deepest fears is disease. Pestilence. Plague. Something unseen that steals life. We’ve all felt it. We’ve all struggled with it. If not personally then with those we love. Unseen proteins build up in the brain, robbing us of our memory. Unseen plaque builds up in our arteries, causing our hearts to fail. Unseen blood clots break loose, laying us low with a stroke. Unseen cells go haywire and we’ve got cancer. Unseen viruses infect and millions die.

I think of the rising anxiety and panic in the gay community in the early 1980’s as a mysterious disease began to appear in different clusters around Los Angeles, New York City, and San Francisco. A new epidemic had been born that seemingly attacked the human immune system. As gay men began to die in ever-increasing numbers, the reaction was tragic. Preachers called it God’s judgment on immorality. The government put quarantines in place and began stopping the infected at the border. Those exposed to the disease were isolated and ostracized as our society gave into her homophobic instincts. Thankfully, there were many who fought their fear and took action. Raising awareness and funds for research. Lobbying the government to institute more humane public policy. Developing more effective treatments that allowed those with the disease to live relatively normal lives and put an end to the stigma that isolated them from society. More recently, of course, we all know about COVID. A disease that has impacted just about everyone on the planet. Mass quarantines. Mandatory masking. Government bailouts to stem the economic fallout. Treatments and vaccines being fast-tracked in order to save as many live as possible. Wave after wave of variants. Fears about the potential of overwhelming hospitals and other health centers. It’s been crazy and it only illustrates how deep our fears run when it comes to disease.

The ancient Israelites were no different. They too struggled with all kinds of anxiety over disease. They feared what they could not see. What they could not understand. They had firsthand experience watching a plague burn through an entire village. They knew what could happen should disease be left unchecked. So they were meticulous. When someone’s skin erupted, they were sent to the priest. When someone’s home showed signs of mildew or rot, they were quick to respond. When mold started to grow on clothing, they wasted no time. Please note the goal was never to marginalize the sick. Never to tear down a home or burn a garment. The hope was always to restore. To trust God for healing and provision. However, there were times when extreme measures had to be taken to protect the rest of the village or community.

Thankfully we live in a time where medical miracles have become the norm. Modern medicine. Surgical techniques. Treatment options. These are signs of God’s Kingdom breaking into our world. It is part of the dominion God originally intended for human beings. We were designed to be healers. To care for all creation. To mend that which is torn. To restore that which is ruined. To make the broken whole. This is why so much of Jesus’ own ministry was one of healing. One of restoration. One of purifying the unclean. God desires that all should be saved and salvation impacts the whole person. God desires our healing from disease. Our healing from isolation and loneliness. Our healing from marginalization and ostracism. Yes, such healing may not come this side of heaven but it is always what God is working towards. It is what we should be working towards as well. This is the heart that beats behind the words of Leviticus.

Readings for tomorrow: Leviticus 16-18, Psalm 35 (No devotionals on Sundays)

Clean vs. Unclean

Readings for today: Leviticus 11-13, Psalm 33

As I said a few days ago, Leviticus can be very challenging. Holy. Unholy. Clean. Unclean. Common. Polluted. Lots of words that we don’t think much about in our own context and culture. This begs for some explanation. Scholar Gordon Wenham does a great job describing the distinctions in his commentary.

“Everything that is not holy is common. Common things divide into two groups, the clean and the unclean. Clean things become holy, when they are sanctified. But unclean objects cannot be sanctified. Clean things can be made unclean, if they are polluted. Finally, holy items may be defiled and become common, even polluted, and therefore unclean… . cleanness is a state intermediate between holiness and uncleanness. Cleanness is the normal condition of most things and persons. Sanctification can elevate the clean into the holy, while pollution degrades the clean into the unclean. The unclean and the holy are two states which must never come in contact with each other.” (pp. 19-20)

Why does all this matter? Because God’s stated goal for His people is for them to be holy as He is holy. “For I am the Lord, who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God, so you must be holy because I am holy.” (Leviticus‬ ‭11‬:‭45‬ ‭CSB‬‬‬) Yes, in Christ the ceremonial laws of Leviticus have been fulfilled. We no longer need to worry about clean and unclean animals. (See Peter’s vision in Acts 10 as an example.) We no longer need to fear being made unclean by touching lepers or coming into contact with the dead. Through His shed blood, Christ has not only washed us clean (in the Levitical sense) but also sanctified us permanently. This is incredible to think about as we read about the rituals the Israelites had to perform.

At the same time, the call to personal holiness has not been set aside. God still calls His people to be set apart. By thought, word, and deed. We are called to “be holy as He is holy” and to offer our lives as “living sacrifices” according to Romans 12. The moral law is still in effect. God still has expectations for His people. Sin is still serious and should not be treated casually. This is why Jesus spends a great deal of time talking about the heart in the Sermon on the Mount and Paul spends a great deal of time on the ethical obligations of Christians in most of his letters. As Christians, we no longer need to undergo elaborate rituals to maintain a state of cleanliness or sanctification before the Lord but we should undergo regular examination and confession of our sin in light of the Word of God. 

Readings for tomorrow: Leviticus 14-15, Psalm 34

A Higher Standard

Readings for today: Leviticus 8-10, Psalm 32

I was always taught that leaders are held to a higher standard. As an Eagle Scout, I was held to a higher standard than a Tenderfoot. As a senior on the football and lacrosse teams, I was held to a higher standard than a freshman. As a leader in my college youth group, I was held to a higher moral standard than someone who just attended. As a Manager of Patient Access Services at Boulder Community Hospital, I was held to a higher standard than my employees. And, of course, as a pastor, I’ve always been held to a higher standard because of the nature of my position in the church.

It’s why it’s so painful when leaders fall. Over the years, I’ve been called to help in situations where pastors have failed. Sometimes it’s a moral failing usually having to do with sexual sin. Sometimes it’s a leadership failure usually having to do with the sin of pride. In either case, the fallout is brutal. The congregation suffers the most. Their trust is broken. Their faith is shaken. Their fellowship with believers is typically torn apart by division as people take sides. The pastor’s family suffers as well. Especially in the case of sexual sin, there is often a divorce. The wife and children lose friendships and community as the pastor is no longer allowed to be part of the church. And then there is the pastor themselves. The damage to the soul of their leadership is almost incalculable. Not to mention the loss of a job or career or livelihood. Most refuse to walk the road of restoration and instead try to find ways back in without having to repent. It’s painful to witness.

Nadab and Abihu are prime examples of what happens when leaders fall. They have been instructed by Moses in how to perform the sacred rites. They are entrusted with the worshipping life of Israel. Through their priestly actions, the people of Israel are given an opportunity to experience the glory of the Lord. There is no higher calling. Nothing more sacred or precious in ancient Israel than to be called a priest of the Living God. But they decide to do things their own way. They decide to offer “unauthorized fire” before the Lord. No one really knows what constituted the “unauthorized fire” but what we do know is it dishonored God. They deliberately presented something unholy before the Holy One and they paid the ultimate price. Fire came down from heaven and consumed them on the spot and they died “before the Lord.” Their disobedience was so severe, their father, Aaron, and their brothers, Eleazar and Ithamar, were forbidden to grieve. Why did God treat them so harshly? Here is what He says, “This is what the Lord has spoken: I will demonstrate my holiness to those who are near me, and I will reveal my glory before all the people.”(Leviticus‬ ‭10‬:‭3‬ ‭CSB‬‬) God will not be mocked. He will not be trifled with. He will not be taken for granted or treated with contempt. His glory and holiness are a double edged sword.

This is worth thinking about in our own lives. All of us hold positions of influence and power in some way, shape, or form in life. It may be in our homes. It may be at school or at work. It may be in our church or community. The greater the influence and power and leadership entrusted to us, the more God expects of us. The more He demands from us. And the greater the consequences when we fail. As Christians, all of us are called to a higher standard. The standard set by Jesus Christ. How are you seeking to embody that standard today?

Readings for tomorrow: Leviticus 11-13, Psalm 33

Holiness

Readings for today: Leviticus 5-7, Psalm 31

“Be holy because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16 CSB) God created us to be holy as He is holy. He created us to be perfect and pure just as He is perfect and pure. He created us as eternal beings, vessels made in His image, literally built to carry the weight of His glory. But we fell from grace. We sinned and went our own way. We decided we wanted to be our own gods. As a result, sin and corruption and impurity and unholiness polluted our souls. We are conceived in iniquity. Born with a sinful, broken condition. Our loves are disordered. Our desires disoriented. Our focus is inward rather than outward and upward. And this creates separation between us and God. So how do we bridge the gap? That’s the question this section of Leviticus is attempting to answer.

The first thing to remember is Leviticus comes from God. In this book, He is providing a way for the breach to be repaired. Through His laws, He is offering to restore that which was broken. It is at God’s initiation. God takes the first step towards us. He builds the bridge from heaven to earth in order to give us a chance to walk across it and return to Him. He does this eyes wide open. He knows the depth of our sin. Still He shows us grace. Still He provides a way. Still He longs to be in relationship with us. And yet, He also refuses to take away our voice. He refuses to deny us agency. He offers us a choice because love must be freely offered and freely given. It can never be coerced or forced.

The second thing to keep in mind is the vast chasm between a holy God and an unholy people. We can’t begin to fathom the distance between us. We can’t begin to understand the sheer breadth and depth of the void we created when we walked away from God. The reality is we don’t take God’s holiness nor our unholiness with enough seriousness. If we did, we would find the stories of the sacrifices told in these chapters far more palatable. We would understand our need for atonement. We would fall on our knees in worship and deep gratitude for all God has done.

The third thing to remember is God’s mercy and grace. He meets us where we are in life. The poor are not required to give a disproportionate sacrifice. Means are offered to make their offering proportional to where they find themselves. Two turtle doves. Two handfuls of flour. God makes allowances for each and every one of us. It’s yet another powerful reminder of His amazing grace.

I know the Old Testament sacrificial system seems weird and arbitrary and archaic. We are too far removed from the ancient world and therefore have a difficult time wrapping our minds around all the death and blood. But when we fast forward to Calvary, we see where it all comes to fulfillment. God offering up Himself as the perfect sacrifice for our sin. God building the bridge all the way from heaven to earth. God making us holy by washing us clean once and for all through His shed blood.

Readings for tomorrow: Leviticus 8-10, Psalm 32

Sacrifices

Readings for today: Leviticus 1-4, Psalm 30

Today we dive into Leviticus and the reading gets significantly more challenging. The biggest reason is the cultural distance between us in the 21st century and the people of Israel living in the ancient near east. Much of what you will be reading was fairly normative back then. Sacrifices were made to gods and goddesses of all kinds throughout the region. At the same time, there were some stark differences between Israel and her neighbors which we will see as we move through this book. What was the point of all the sacrifices and especially, all the blood? Purity. Ritual purity before the Lord. Ancient Israelite culture - much like ancient near east culture - was deeply concerned with purity. There were very specific rules regarding what was clean and unclean, pure and impure, holy and unholy. And when those rules were violated, a sacrifice was required to “atone.”

Atonement is a reparation made to right a wrong or restore that which was broken or repair an injury. It’s a key word in Leviticus. It’s God providing a way for Israel to dwell in His Holy Presence. Remember, everything we’re reading must be seen through the lens of relationship. God wants to restore the relationship He once had in the Garden of Eden with humanity. But humanity has fallen. She is unclean, impure, and unholy. So God, in His graciousness and because of His great love for us, provides a way to reverse our condition. He gives us specific instructions on how to maintain our relationship with Him. It requires a series of sacrifices and, as we’ll see as we get deeper into Leviticus, a specific way of life but it’s all done so that we can walk with God and talk with God just like it was in the beginning. In fact, one might argue what we’ll read here in Leviticus is what life would have looked like in the Garden pre-Fall and it is what life will look like in the New Jerusalem when Jesus returns. In the Garden and in the New Jerusalem, there is no sin. The law of God is written on our hearts. We walk in obedience out of our deep love and affection for the Lord. This is what God desires but we live in the “in between.” We live in the “already but not yet.” And that requires us to resist the desires of our sinful nature and walk by the Spirit.

So why don’t we perform the sacrifices listed here in Leviticus? Why don’t we follow all the laws we’ll be reading about in the days ahead? Because of Jesus. Jesus Christ is the perfect sacrifice. On the cross, He made full atonement for all our sin. He is the “once and for all” sacrifice that puts an end to the need for bulls and goats and sheep. His blood is powerful enough to wash away the sins of the world. Jesus also perfectly fulfills the law. And because He lived the life you and I were designed to live, we are set free from the tyranny of legalism and offered forgiveness and grace. This brings us back to the video we watched for our devotional about the favor of God. The favor of God is granted to us not through human effort but because of what Christ has done. Thanks be to God!

Readings for tomorrow: Leviticus 5-7, Psalm 31

The Beauty of God’s Law

Readings for today: Leviticus 26-27, Numbers 1-2

Wow. You’ve just finished Leviticus! Well done! Your reward? You now get to read Numbers! ;-) In all seriousness, this is one of the harder stretches of the Bible for sure. But if we persevere, we reap the rewards of our reading. Take our passage for today which describes the purpose of the Law.

Theologically speaking, God’s law serves three distinct purposes. The first is to act like a mirror. It mirrors the perfect righteousness of God as well as our imperfect unrighteousness and reveals our desperate need for Christ. Second, the law restrains evil. While the law itself cannot change human hearts, it can protect the vulnerable from oppression. The righteous from the unjust. The third purpose of the law is to train us on how to live for God’s glory alone. To show us what it means to bring Him honor in all we say and do. As we finish Leviticus today, we see all three of these “purposes” on display.

In verses 1-13, God lays out the blessings of obedience. “If you live by my decrees and obediently keep my commandments, I will send the rains in their seasons, the ground will yield its crops and the trees of the field their fruit…I’ll make the country a place of peace—you’ll be able to go to sleep at night without fear; I’ll get rid of the wild beasts; I’ll eliminate war. You’ll chase out your enemies and defeat them…I’ll give you my full attention: I’ll make sure you prosper, make sure you grow in numbers, and keep my covenant with you in good working order…I’ll set up my residence in your neighborhood; I won’t avoid or shun you; I’ll stroll through your streets. I’ll be your God; you’ll be my people.” (‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭26‬:‭3‬-‭13‬ ‭MSG‬‬) It’s a beautiful picture of what happens when we commit our way to God and something Jesus Himself reinforces when He commands His disciples to “seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all the rest will be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33)

The script flips in verses 14-39 where God invokes the second purpose of the law. “But if you refuse to obey me and won’t observe my commandments, despising my decrees and holding my laws in contempt by your disobedience, making a shambles of my covenant, I’ll step in and pour on the trouble: debilitating disease, high fevers, blindness, your life leaking out bit by bit…I’ll discipline you seven times over for your sins. I’ll break your strong pride: I’ll make the skies above you like a sheet of tin and the ground under you like cast iron. No matter how hard you work, nothing will come of it…If you defy me and refuse to listen, your punishment will be seven times more than your sins…And if even this doesn’t work and you refuse my discipline and continue your defiance, then it will be my turn to defy you. I, yes I, will punish you for your sins seven times over: I’ll let war loose on you, avenging your breaking of the covenant; when you huddle in your cities for protection, I’ll send a deadly epidemic on you and you’ll be helpless before your enemies…And if this—even this!—doesn’t work and you still won’t listen, still defy me, I’ll have had enough and in hot anger will defy you, punishing you for your sins seven times over…I’ll abhor you; I’ll turn your cities into rubble; I’ll clean out your sanctuaries; I’ll hold my nose at the “pleasing aroma” of your sacrifices. I’ll turn your land into a lifeless moonscape…I’ll scatter you all over the world and keep after you with the point of my sword in your backs…You’ll perish among the nations; the land of your enemies will eat you up. Any who are left will slowly rot away in the enemy lands. Rot. And all because of their sins, their sins compounded by their ancestors’ sins.” (Leviticus‬ ‭26‬:‭14‬-‭39‬ ‭MSG‬‬) If we reject God’s law, He becomes our adversary. He disciplines. He punishes. He gives us over to the consequences of our sin and removes His protective hand.

Finally, as chapter 26 comes to a close, we see the first purpose of the law on full display. “On the other hand, if they confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors, their treacherous betrayal, the defiance that set off my defiance that sent them off into enemy lands; if by some chance they soften their hard hearts and make amends for their sin, I’ll remember my covenant with Jacob, I’ll remember my covenant with Isaac, and, yes, I’ll remember my covenant with Abraham. And I’ll remember the land…in spite of their behavior, while they are among their enemies I won’t reject or abhor or destroy them completely. I won’t break my covenant with them: I am God, their God. For their sake I will remember the covenant with their ancestors whom I, with all the nations watching, brought out of Egypt in order to be their God. I am God.” (Leviticus‬ ‭26‬:‭40‬-‭45‬ ‭MSG‬‬) The reality is God’s people will not be able to fulfill God’s law and this is by design. God is teaching us that righteousness and holiness are beyond us. He brings us to our knees in what I call “holy despair.” He drives us to the end of ourselves. The end of our strength. The end of our ability. The end of our self-sufficiency. All so we get to a point where we cry out to Him for mercy and grace and turn to Christ. This is the beauty of the law.

So here’s the most important question as you finish Leviticus...do you find yourself resenting the Law of God? Dismissing the Law of God? Or do you find yourself overwhelmed by a deep sense of inadequacy before the Lord? If it’s the former, I would encourage you to go to prayer and ask God to soften your heart towards Him. If it’s the latter, be encouraged that you are drawing ever closer to Christ and He stands ready to take your place! 

Readings for tomorrow: Numbers 3-5

Holy and Healthy Rhythms

Readings for today: Leviticus 23-25

We had some neighbors over for dinner a few years back. A young couple with two young children. We had a delightful time getting to know them. We laughed. We shared. We ate good food. Our kids played well together. But in the course of our conversation they let us know they had NEVER been over to another person’s house for dinner. Crazy, right? So we started asking them about their lives. The husband travelled almost 300 days a year for work. The wife woke up early every morning to take her daughter to softball training. Dropped her son off at before care at his school. Went back to get her daughter to take her to school. Went to her job. Had her parents pick up both kids after school. Dropped by her parent’s house to get the kids on her way home from work around 6 pm. Took them to their softball and baseball practices respectively. Tried to grab a quick bite to eat and some quick snatches of conversation along the way with her kids. Finally got home around 9 pm every night. This was their life in some form seven days a week. 52 weeks a year. Occasionally, they would get a vacation here and there but always in and around their kids’ sports schedules. It was brutal. Unsurprisingly, they didn’t make it. They got divorced about a year later.

Sadly, this is normal life for a lot of people. They work hard. They play hard. They drive their kids hard. They barely get enough sleep. Barely get enough to eat. Barely get enough time together. Their relationships fracture. Their friendships are non-existent. They suffer from anxiety and depression. But rather than slow down. Rather than pump the brakes on life. They medicate. They act out sexually. They crash and burn. It’s heartbreaking.

Contrast this way of life with God’s ways in Leviticus 23. Sabbath. One day out of every seven where we refrain from work. One day out of every seven where we slow down. Focus on worship. Focus on each other. Focus on the relationships that are most important. Passover. An annual celebration intentionally focused on the salvation of God. Firstfruits. An annual celebration intentionally focused on God’s abundant provision. Weeks. An annual celebration of God’s revelation of Himself to His people though His Word. Trumpets. Another celebration of God’s provision at harvest time. Day of Atonement. One day set aside each year for national and individual confession and repentance of sin. Booths. An annual celebration designed to remind God’s people of their utter dependence on God as they wandered in the wilderness. Taken together, these weekly and annual feasts serve to slow God’s people down. They act as spiritual speed bumps in life. They remind us life is more than what we produce. Life is more than what we achieve. Life does not depend on us and our strength and our willpower. Life is God’s. He gives. He takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Friends, we must face reality. The American way of life is killing us. Literally. It is bad for our mental, physical, and emotional health. We were not built for the pace we’re trying to keep. We were not designed for the race we’re trying to run. We were not created for the life we’re trying to live. We were made for a different world. A different life. An eternal existence. Something so deep and meaningful and purposeful, the garlands of this world come off withered by comparison. In the face of all God has planned for us, the trophies of this world lose their shine. As the old hymn says so well, “the things of earth grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.”

Readings for tomorrow: Leviticus 26-27, Numbers 1-2

A Life of Blessing

Readings for today: Leviticus 19-22

Here’s a potential new thought for you…a holy life equals a blessed life. Following God’s way leads to the flourishing of human life. The deepest intimacy in human relationships. The redemptive lift of all human society. For far too long, holiness has been perceived as a net negative. We tend to look at God’s laws as restrictive, confining, even limiting. They cut against the grain of our natural desires so we tend to reject them.

But what kind of life have we created for ourselves? What kind of life have we gained by indulging our desires? What kind of life have we found by going our own way? Not a great life. Not on balance. Humanity’s inhumanity is on display every single hour of every single day. Despite the fact that there is plenty of food to go around, millions are starving. Despite the fact that we have the ability to deliver clean water to every person on the planet, millions go without access. Despite all our medical advances and technology, millions go without access to basic healthcare. Despite our aversion to suffering and death, millions suffer violence and abuse every single day. If we focus our attention closer to home, things don’t look much better. Our selfishness tears apart relationships. Our greed widens the gap between the “haves” and the “have nots.” Our laziness makes hard work seem like a necessary evil. Our lack of resiliency makes us vulnerable to anxiety, despair, self-harm, and suicide. It’s tragic and heartbreaking on so many levels.

Friends, God’s ways are higher than our ways. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. He knows exactly what we need to grow and flourish and thrive. The rules He sets out are for our good. Yes, some of those rules change over time because our Heavenly Father knows our needs change over time. What human beings needed in the ancient near east or in 1st century Greco-Roman culture is different to some extent than what we may need in 21st century America. For example, the civil laws governing ancient Israel no longer apply in our context nor do the ceremonial laws governing ancient Israelite worship and purity. At the same time, some of the rules God lays out are eternal. Moral laws restricting violence, deceit, stealing, and sexual immorality appear throughout the Scriptures, are affirmed by Jesus and His apostles, and therefore remain in force in our day as well.

Do you want to live a life of blessing? Listen to what the Lord says, “Set yourselves apart for a holy life. Live a holy life, because I am God, your God. Do what I tell you; live the way I tell you. I am the God who makes you holy.” (Leviticus‬ ‭20‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭MSG‬‬) Holiness equals blessing. Holiness leads to human flourishing. Holiness is what sets us apart as followers of Christ and makes us His light in this dark world.

Readings for tomorrow: Leviticus 23-25

Sexual Ethics

Readings for today: Leviticus 15-18

One of the hallmarks of the Judeo-Christian faith is its sexual ethic. From the opening pages of Genesis, God makes clear His design for sexuality. It is to be enjoyed within the boundaries of covenant marriage between one man and one woman. The physical act of sex is one sign among many of the “oneness” God created us to reflect as His image-bearers. Though it is often claimed otherwise, Jesus Christ affirms God’s design in Matthew 19:4-6 as does the Apostle Paul throughout his letters. This ethic is consistently portrayed throughout Scripture as the norm. The pattern. The paradigm for godly human relationships. Are there examples where God’s design is not followed? Absolutely. Polygamy, adultery, incest, rape, etc. all make their appearance in the Scriptures, many of them being committed by God’s people. However, at no time does God affirm them as acceptable alternatives to His design. 

The sexual drive of human beings is a powerful force. Almost impossible to resist. God knows this because He created it in the first place. Corrupted by the Fall, it leads to all kinds of self-destructive behaviors. Just look at the Canaanites as an example. Their culture was rife with sexual immorality. The fertility rites of their religion were essentially largescale sexual orgies in which the priests and priestesses had sex with multiple men and women. They also might re-enact Baal’s copulation with cows or offer their children as sacrifices. They communed with the dead by having sex with their closest living relative. All this in an effort to ensure the harvest for the coming year. Archaeological evidence suggests most Canaanites lived in fear of their priests. Marriages and families were torn apart and the unwanted children of these annual unions were often slaughtered on altars to Baal or Dagon. Sexually transmitted disease was likely epidemic; rape was perhaps as common as it is in the worst of today's war-ravaged nations. It is against this horrific backdrop that God issues the laws concerning sexual behavior in Leviticus 18. 

Sadly, humanity refuses to listen. Sexual restraint is considered antiquated at best, bigoted at worst. Even the suggestion that sexuality be reserved for covenant marriage between a man and a woman is considered hate speech in some circles. Human beings desire sexual freedom above everything else but what have we gained? Shattered relationships. Rampant sexual abuse. A rise in sexually transmitted disease. Thousands of unwanted pregnancies. Does any of this give us pause? Cause us to stop and reflect that maybe our way is not the best way? No. Instead, we seek ways to make sex “safer.” We ignore the emotional toll it takes in a person’s life. We kill our babies in the name of “choice” because we don’t want to face the very real consequences of our actions. Far from making progress, we have simply reverted to type. We are no different, and certainly no better, than the ancient Canaanites! 

There is only one way to experience true sexual freedom and that is to live within the restraints God has set up. They are for our good. For our protection. They are designed to help us flourish as human beings and experience the depths of intimacy. There is nothing like giving one’s whole self - body, mind, and soul - to a member of the opposite sex within the sacred covenant of marriage. It is designed to be a reflection of the unity God desires to have with His people. Some will argue this isn’t fair because not everyone can get married. Not everyone experiences heterosexual desire. Not everyone is able to find their soulmate. I understand and I grieve. It is a tender subject for me personally as I walk alongside those I love. Our world is truly broken. Our sexual desires are disordered, misdirected, and all jumbled up. All of us look forward to the Day when God makes all things new and sets all things right. On that Day, marriage will cease to exist according to Jesus because we will enjoy perfect intimacy with Him and with one another. No one will be left out. But until that Day comes, we must submit our sexuality to God. We must embrace God’s design. Sexual faithfulness within the covenant of marriage between one man and one woman or sexual faithfulness in celibacy as a single person. 

I know that last statement sounds scary and again, unfair. It feels like God is robbing many of us of something very special. Unrequited sexual desire can lead to a sense of existential loneliness which is painful and all to real to so many in our world today. Depression, despair, and suicide haunt our loved ones who are struggling. This is where we must cling to the sufficiency of Christ. He is more than enough to meet all of our needs. He is faithful to comfort us in the midst of our grief. He gives us the strength to follow His commands. He recognizes we will suffer in this life and He promises He will make it up to us in the world to come. Furthermore, Christ does not leave us alone or adrift. He gives us the gift of His church. A family. A community of believers to fill the empty void in our hearts. Now I get the church is all kinds of messed up. The sexual abuse propagated by Roman Catholics and Protestants alike is terrifying and traumatic. But that’s not every church. In fact, it’s not even most churches. Most churches are like families where people from all walks of life can connect and find community.

Friends, if you are struggling to submit your sexuality - in whatever form - to Jesus, I want you to know you are not alone. I am here for you. Our church family - PEPC - is here for you. If you live out of state or out of the country, look for a local church who will come alongside you in the journey and a local pastor who will pray with and for you.

Readings for tomorrow: Leviticus 19-22

Community Above Self

Readings for today: Leviticus 11-14

God’s stated goal for His people is for them to be holy as He is holy. “Make yourselves holy for I am holy. Don’t make yourselves ritually unclean by any creature that crawls on the ground. I am God who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Be holy because I am holy.” (Leviticus‬ ‭11‬:‭44‬-‭45‬ ‭MSG‬‬) Yes, in Christ the ceremonial laws of Leviticus have been fulfilled. We no longer need to worry about clean and unclean animals. (See Peter’s vision in Acts 10.) We no longer need to fear being made unclean by touching lepers or coming into contact with the dead. Through His shed blood, Christ has not only washed us clean (in the Levitical sense) but also sanctified us permanently! This is incredible to think about as we read about the rituals the Israelites had to perform.

It’s so tempting to read the Bible through western eyes. We read these chapters and immediately our hearts go out to those individuals who are hurting like those who contract leprosy. Leprosy was considered a highly contagious disease in ancient Israel. One they took very seriously. Those with leprosy were removed from community. They were isolated. Quarantined. Often grouped together in colonies where they struggled to survive. They were not allowed to mix with healthy people. They were barred from corporate worship. The local priests - who also served as frontline healthcare workers in their communities - monitored their care closely with the goal of restoring them to fellowship as soon as possible. But most westerners reading these texts react to their pain on a visceral level. We can’t get our heads around why they would be cast our of their homes and separated from their families. We fundamentally believe such measures are unjust and unrighteous. But there is another angle here as well. Reading these chapters through Middle Eastern eyes brings us to a much different conclusion. While we acknowledge the pain and suffering of the individual, we also acknowledge the need to protect the community. When an individual becomes “unclean” by contracting a disease, they are often isolated in order to stop the spread. The same might be true in cases of habitual or addictive sin as well. For example, a Christian recovering from alcohol addiction would need to isolate themselves from situations where temptation might rise that would cause them to drink. Practically speaking, these chapters from Leviticus show us what it means to put the needs of others before our own. To put the needs of the wider community above our own. To sacrifice for the greater good of those around us.

As an aside, it’s fascinating to read these passages in the wake of a global pandemic. These are good words to prayerfully consider as we reflect on our experiences over the past few years. How do we balance the needs of the most vulnerable and less vulnerable in our community? How does the needs of others factor into our decision-making? When is the right time to put the good of the community above our own? When have we gone too far? These are very complex questions and there are no easy answers. Global pandemics impact every sector of society and the public health issues are multivalent. One response here has unintended consequences over there. We need to be praying for our leaders to seek God’s wisdom for the good of our communities and the welfare of our cities.

Holiness, for the Israelites, was a way of life. It impacted their diet, their homes, childbirth, the way they treated disease, and their interactions with others. Why did they follow these laws? What motivated them to break dishes when something unclean fell into them? Or make the sacrifice to remain outside the camp for long periods of time? They fundamentally believed holiness led to human flourishing. They believed God’s ways were better than their ways and would result in greater blessing. Do we believe the same? Do we believe the way of Jesus is better than our way? Do we believe the life Jesus offers us is truly abundant? Do we believe following His commands will lead to blessing? This is the challenge set before us by Old Testament books like Leviticus.

Readings for tomorrow: Leviticus 15-18

Holy and Common

Readings for today: Leviticus 8-10

“This is a fixed rule down through the generations. Distinguish between the holy and the common, between the ritually clean and unclean.” (Lev. 10:10)

Today’s reading challenges us. Two young men make a mistake as they go about their fairly new, priestly duties and die as a result. They offer “unauthorized” or “strange” or “profane” fire before the Lord and, as a result, fire breaks out from the Shekinah glory of God and consumes them. It’s a sobering reminder of what happens when the unholy comes into contact with the holy. Reminds me of the experiments we used to conduct in science class in middle and high school where certain elements would immediately burn when coming into contact with water. This is what I imagine happening as I read this passage. The two men come into God’s presence with fire that has not been consecrated and the reaction is deadly. Moses’ explanation says as much, “To the one who comes near me, I will show myself holy; before all the people I will show my glory.” (Lev. 10:3)

The holiness and glory of God is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it inspires awe and wonder. Reverence and fear. It brings us to our knees in humility. On the other hand, it puts us in danger for we are, by nature, unclean. We are, by nature, unholy. We are, by nature, impure. Entering into God’s presence requires a ritual of consecration so that we can stay safe and not be consumed. It requires great intentionality and attention to detail lest we pay the price for being careless or flippant about our worship. As many of the prophets will later say, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God.” God is, by nature, pure. He is, by nature, clean. He is, by nature, holy and though we were originally made to stand without fear in His presence, our sin corrupts us and separates us thus our need for a Savior.

Thankfully, we no longer need to be afraid. God has done what we could not. He has sent His Son to be the pure and spotless sacrifice that makes us clean once and for all. On the cross, Jesus takes all our uncleanliness, all our impurities, all our unholiness on Himself and, in return, gives us His cleanliness, His purity, and His holiness. Now when we can approach God’s throne of grace with confidence. Now we can come into God’s presence without fear. Now we can bask in the glory of God for we have “put on” Christ and are “covered” by Him. Furthermore, we are made a holy priesthood called to intercede for the world just as Aaron and his sons did for the people of Israel. As we come to worship each and every week, may we fix our eyes on Christ and ask the Spirit to continue to do His sanctifying, purifying work in us!

Readings for tomorrow: None

Restitution

Readings for today: Leviticus 5-7

Why so many sacrifices? It’s a great question to ask as we read through Leviticus and some of the other books of the Old Testament. Why so much blood? Why so many animals? What is the point of it all? The sacrificial system of ancient Israel was a massive operation. Fires were kept burning continually as priests performed their duties. Rivers of blood would have flowed from the mercy seat. The carcasses of the dead animals piling high as each family came forward to atone for their sin.

At the heart of this system is the need for restitution. Forgiveness is not free. It is not cheap. It is not easy. It is far more than feeling sorry. It is far more than feeling guilty for getting caught. Sin creates offense which must be addressed. Sin creates brokenness which must be made whole. Sin damages our relationship with God and therefore requires reparation. This is why God requires sacrifice because the price that must be paid in order to make things right with God is death. Death was the penalty for original sin - “on the day you eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17) - and thankfully, in His mercy, God allowed His people to offer animals in their place.

“For the wages of sin is death…” The Apostle Paul clearly understood the seriousness of sin. He understood the righteous penalty God demands from those who rebel against His glory. Thankfully, the Apostle Paul also understood what God did to remove the penalty of sin in the sending of His only begotten Son to take our place. To die in our place. To become the “once for all” sacrifice that fulfilled the requirements of Levitical law. It’s why he goes on to say that though the wages of sin is death, “the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

Why did Jesus have to die? He died as the perfect sacrifice, the spotless Lamb of God who was slain before the foundations of the world. (Revelation 13:8) In so doing, Jesus offers Himself up as restitution for sin. To make right what went so wrong. To repair that which was broken. To restore that which had become marred and defaced. To redeem that which was lost. This, friends, is the heart of the gospel and what we read here in Leviticus foreshadows the cross. It is designed to point us forward to Good Friday where God Himself took on the sins of the world and paid the price so that we might receive forgiveness and grace.

Readings for tomorrow: Leviticus 8-10

Reading Leviticus

Readings for today: Leviticus 1-4

Leviticus. The book where well-intentioned Bible reading plans go to die. The laws seem archaic at best. They deal with issues that seemingly have little relevance to 21st century postmodern Christians living in the wealthiest nation the world has ever seen. The cultural distance is extreme and difficult to overcome. The minutiae wears down even the most faithful reader. And yet, Leviticus is God’s Word as much as the Gospels. The laws contained in this book are as divinely inspired as the “red sections” of the gospels. Reading them devotionally helps shape our hearts as much as the language of the Psalms. So how can we read in such a way that we profit from spending devotional time in this book? 

Two keys principles...

First, keep in mind there are three different kinds of laws listed here. There are the ceremonial laws that govern worship. Sacrifices. Personal hygiene. Disease. Particularly focused on ritual purity, these laws were designed to create the conditions where holiness could flourish so the people could come before their God without fear. Second, there are the civil laws that govern the nation of Israel. Tithing. Inheritance. Sentencing guidelines. These laws were necessary to maintain order in society, create revenue for the national government, and promote social welfare. Third, there is the moral law governing behavior. Exemplified by the Ten Commandments, these laws were designed to teach us righteousness. Many of the laws governing violence, sexuality, lying, honoring parents, and how to observe the Sabbath were created to embed this moral law in the day to day and shape a covenantal understanding of life.

The second principle to remember is that Levitical law served three overarching purposes. First, as I just mentioned above, it was given to us by God to teach us righteousness. Righteousness is not a relative category. It is not something we create for ourselves. God sets a standard for righteousness that we, as His creation, are bound to follow. The Law is His standard. Second, the Law was given to restrain evil. Because we live in a society based on the principles of proportional justice, we fail to see how radical “an eye for an eye” truly was in ancient near east culture. Setting limits or restraints on vengeance was a massive leap forward for human society and while not necessarily unique to Israel, it did set them apart. The punishment must fit the crime and be serious enough to act as a deterrent to potential future crimes. Third, and most importantly, the Law was given to teach us our need for a Savior. We cannot keep the Law. We cannot achieve righteousness on our own. Our sinful nature rebels against God’s commands and, if we’re totally honest, we find ourselves violating them on a daily basis. The Law acts as a mirror of sorts to show us the true condition of our souls. Not to make us despair but to bring us to a point where we’ll cry out to God! The Law ultimately humbles us. Brings us to our knees. Breaks our stubborn pride. It paves the way for Jesus. 

As you read through Leviticus over the next several days, keep these things in mind lest you get lost the weeds of this important book. Put yourself in the place of an ancient Israelite living in abject poverty in a subsistence agragrian economy where the most important daily task is to secure enough food for you and your family. Imagine yourself living in a village with one to two hundred of your relatives. Raising kids together. Doing life together. Learning to survive together. Imagine going up to Jerusalem a few times a year to worship and the preparations you have to make for that particular journey. Then think about your own life. Do you live with the same intentionality? What would it look like if you did?

Readings for tomorrow: Leviticus 5-7