Reading Leviticus

Plenty of well meaning individuals have tried to read through the Bible by starting at Genesis 1 and going straight through. These attempts often correspond to New Year’s Resolutions, you know “new year, new you” kind of turning over new leaves. Many times, I can’t say always, but more often than not that person gets through Genesis and Exodus because those books are narrative. That’s the kind of story we are used to reading; there are characters and a plot. Sometime in the middle of February, about halfway through the book of Leviticus, plans to read through the Bible this year and this time I mean it fall by the wayside. Hopefully your Bible doesn’t get pushed up against the wall and covered with laundry like that new treadmill you bought – I mean, somebody bought – after Christmas.

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Read the Bible: Leviticus 23

The holy days and fests outlined in Leviticus 23 are The Sabbath, the Passover (including the Feast of Unleavened Bread), the Feast of Firstfruits, the Feast of Weeks, the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, the Feast of Booths. In the discussion, we will talk about the meaning of convocation.

Leviticus 23

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying:

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Read the Bible: Leviticus 22

I’ve said before that God is very detailed oriented when prescribing the Law. Here are 33 more verses which prove that point. What we can learn from this chapter is that God is holy and he is the one who sanctifies his people; although you probably already knew that. If you are looking for a fun fact, the phrase “I am the LORD” appears in this chapter seven times.

Leviticus 22

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying:

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Read the Bible: Leviticus 21

The priest must not become unclean because of a dead body, however there are exceptions for immediate family members. The priest must remain pure by not marrying a woman that is profane. And finally anyone with a physical deformity, and a long list of those is given, shall not serve in the sanctuary. Leviticus is written for the priests and so once again these restrictions are for the priests that serve before God and do apply to everyone.

Leviticus 21

The LORD said to Moses “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them ‘None of you shall become unclean for the dead. 

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Read the Bible: Leviticus 20

Chapter 19 listed every inappropriate act and sexual sin that the Canaanites did that polluted the land and caused God to detest them. Chapter 20 lists the penalties if the Israelites do the same things, up to and including the land spewing them out as well.

Leviticus 20

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying:

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Read the Bible: Leviticus 19

This chapter reminds us to respect the things of God and love the people that he loves. That’s the long and the short of it. God is saying “when you come into the land that I am giving you, don’t forget who I am.” There are a couple of well known, highly quotable statements in this passage.

Leviticus 19

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying:

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Read the Bible: Leviticus 18

This is the list of sexual sins. Some may seem rather obvious, perhaps a couple of things in this list will shock you. These are things the Egyptians did, the Canaanites did, and God warns the Hebrews if they do them too the same thing will happen to them that happened to the Egyptians and is about to happen to the Canaanites.

Leviticus 18

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying:

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Read the Bible: Leviticus 17

The life of an animal is in its blood, that’s why no one among the children of Israel was to eat the blood of animal. The life of an animal is in its blood, the blood is life, and that’s the key to the sacrificial system and atonement. This will be another discussion that transitions from a chapter in Leviticus to Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Leviticus 17

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 

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Read the Bible: Leviticus 16

Good news, no skin diseases or bodily fluids in the reading today. These are the instructions for Aaron (and other high priests that come after him) to enter the veil of separation and sprinkle the blood of atonement on the Mercy Seat.   

Leviticus 16

The LORD spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they drew near to the LORD, and died;

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