Tag: Leviticus

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

What a mess

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Image by starline on Freepik

A “through the bible” devotion from Leviticus 8.

Shortly after beginning my first job after college, I found a church that was very welcoming and encouraging. It wasn’t long before someone asked this twenty-something if I’d be interested in teaching the high school Sunday School class. I had no experience. But I was closer to their age, so they figured I could relate to to the teenagers. I I asked, “When would I start?”

“This Sunday.”

I had no experience, training, or curriculum. But now I had my first church ministry experience. It’s not the best way to fill a teaching slot. But how many church volunteer positions have been filled by someone who said, “If no one else will do it, I will”?

My prayer was simple. “God, don’t let me mess this up.”

The consecration or ordination of Aaron and his sons to be priests is complicated. It involves specially crafted clothing, ritual washings, and animals for slaughter. It’s messy. By the time it’s over, everything is covered in oil and blood. It takes a long time. The whole ceremony was done in public and lasted seven days.

By the time it was over, Jesus was covered in blood, too. The bloody sweat of his prayers stains the ground in Gethsemane. Streaks of red drip down his face a crown of thorn. Blood spattered everywhere as he is beaten and then nailed to a cross. Blood and water spurt from his chest as a spear pierces his heart. It’s messy, as it should be, for he is a priest, too.

Want to see people get upset? Just make a mess at church. Well-meaning members go ballistic when there are crumbs in a pew, a coffee stain on the floor, fingerprints on a window, and unflushed toilets. Just imagine if Aaron or Jesus showed up!

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

A better life together

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Bekir Donmez on pexels.com

A “through the bible” devotion from Leviticus 5.

I don’t believe it. Someone backed into my car a second time in the gym parking lot. Now I had matching dents in the front bumper. Of course there are no other cars around. No clue who did it. (Relax. This happened a long time ago.)

Every once in a while, the person who dinged your car lot will leave a note on the windshield with a phone number you can call and work out payment for repair. Most of the time, though, you’ll never find out who dimpled the bumper, scraped the paint, or broke the tail light.

After a chapter all about unintentional sin, the laws in Leviticus move on to “guilt offerings.” You did it. You’re guilty. Admit it, seek forgiveness, and make it right.

It seems like a random collection of offenses:

  • You saw something but said nothing (Leviticus 5:1)
  • Touching something unclean (5:2-3)
  • Promises you never intended to keep (remember those New Years resolutions?) (5:4)
  • Extortion, lying, deception (Leviticus 6:1-3)

These don’t seem like horrible sins. It could be a lot worse. But they affect the community. If we don’t trust each other life together is hard.

We can make life together better. Anything on the list sounds like you? Don’t brush it off. Deal with it.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Oops.

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Sven Brandsma on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Leviticus 4.

“Did you take out the trash?” “I forgot.”

“How did the dog get out?” “Oops.”

“Did you eat all of that?” “I didn’t know you wanted some.”

“Why are these cookies burnt on the bottom?” “I didn’t hear the timer go off.”

“If a person sins unintentionally” (Leviticus 4:2). This chapter covers all the “I forgot,” “Oops,” and “Was I supposed to do that?” moments in life. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a priest, the entire congregation, a leader, or anyone else, it must be dealt with. Yes, there’s a sin offering for that.

You and I would brush off the above offenses with a quick, “I’m sorry.” Most unintentional sins won’t fall into the categories of murder or theft, so how bad can they be?

Back then, such sins cost you an animal and required a meeting with the Lord through a priest. Any sin is a big deal in the presence of a holy God. Most of the sins Jesus died for unintentional sins. You and I may not have many “big” sins, but we have an extensive collection of “little,” unintentional ones that need forgiveness. And our Savior takes care of them all at the cross.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Let’s do lunch

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Anastasia Shuraeva on pexels.com

A “through the bible” devotion from Leviticus 3.

One of my favorite things to do with the church preschool was to eat lunch with the students. The table was short and the chairs were tiny but my lunch was much like theirs: a sandwich, some fruit, something sweet, and sometimes a little bag of chips. Sometimes I would wait to eat with the teachers, who had their lunch during nap time. Those were the best times to connect with everyone at the school.

The peace offering of Leviticus 3 is like having God show up for lunch. This sacrifice wasn’t about sin, but about the peace they already had with God. Paul wrote, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). People of faith, trusting God’s promises of salvation, can enjoy some food together with the Lord. As someone who enjoys eating, I like this chapter of Leviticus.

There are some important instructions to take note of. The fat around the entrails, the kidneys, and the long lobe of the liver are God’s. Apparently, those fatty parts were the best parts, and of course, God always gets our best. You like bacon, right? That’s fatty. (I know, they didn’t eat pork. But I do.) How about butter? Fatty. A ribeye steak is delicious because it’s nicely marbled with fat. Cheese? You get the idea.

Oh, and don’t eat the blood, either. Blood is about life in the bible, and life belongs to the Creator. So the blood is his, along with the fatty parts.

I wonder what God would think of school lunches?

  • Imagine the all-knowing God looking at his lunch tray and wondering, “What kind of meat is this?”
  • Do you think he would trade something in his lunch for something in yours?
  • If he brought his lunch to school, what kind of lunchbox do you think he would have? If he bought his lunch, would he be excited about pizza day?

God is great. God is good. Let’s do lunch! (I told you Leviticus would be fun!)

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Pancakes!

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Luke Pennystan on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Leviticus 2.

When the grandkids spend the night, I ask them first thing in the morning, “What do you want for breakfast?”

“Pancakes!”

I knew they would say that. That’s why I’ve already got the batter mixed up and the cast iron pan is heating up on the stove.

But a few weeks ago, I leveled up and asked, “Do you want pancakes or waffles?”

“Waffles!”

I had a feeling they would say that. So now I get to have fun with the new round non-stick waffle iron I found on eBay.

I chuckle when I read the second chapter of Leviticus. “When anyone brings a grain offering” it sounds like they’re baking a loaf of bread, making pancakes, or cooking waffles for God!

The grain offering is different than others. A person plants a field, harvests the grain, grinds and sifts it into fine flour. They mix it with oil and bake it in the over, on a griddle, or in a pan. It’s the work of your hands from cultivation to preparation. It’s not a sin offering. It’s a grateful reminder of and response to God’s provision.

Later in the chapter, we learn that no leaven or honey is to be used. Pagans used honey in their offerings. Leaven symbolizes sin. Animal offerings are to be without blemish. Grain offerings need to be pure, too.

But don’t forget to include a pinch of salt. Salt is not just for taste. Salt was not only of value, but it also represented purity and preservation. A lasting covenant with a holy God is precious!

I love to hear the words, “I made you some cookies!” I’ll stop whatever I’m doing to eat one. I like knowing that God feels the same way.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Something smells good

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Oskar Kadaksoo on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Leviticus 1.

Yes, you read that last sentence correctly. Leviticus. Supportive friends have thanked me for these “through the bible” devotions. Back in Genesis, I told them, “We’ll see how it goes when we get to Leviticus.” Many “I’m going to read the bible” endeavors get out of the blocks fast in Genesis, plod through Exodus, and stall out in Leviticus.

However, the last few times through the bible, I’ve found the guidelines for sacrifices, ordination of priests, foods, festivals, and holiness to be fascinating. So I’m going to share my thoughts with you. I dare you to hang in there with me.

So much changed when the Covid pandemic hit in 2020. There was so much we didn’t know. There was a lot of misinformation, too. I never knew there were so many epidemiologists in my congregation! Everyone had expert opinions on communicable diseases, masks, and immunizations.

To the relief of some, the dismay of others, and the anger of a few, we shut the doors of the church and learned how to stream worship into our homes. As I preached to an iPhone camera on a tripod in an empty sanctuary, I wondered if anyone was watching or listening.

Suddenly, we didn’t have to get up, shower, dress, and drive to church on Sunday morning. We could worship virtually via a streaming device in pajamas as we ate breakfast at the dining room table.

It was convenient. But it wasn’t the same. We didn’t have the chance to catch up with friends we hadn’t seen for a week. For better or worse, our singing voices stood out rather than blending in with others. We missed the flock!

God lays out instructions for worship in Leviticus. “When anyone of you brings an offering to the Lord” (Leviticus 1:2), it was to be done in a certain place (not your tent or home) and a specific way. With humility and obedience, worshipers focused on God without creativity or personal preference. In other words, it wasn’t about you, but about about the Lord. The whole community did this together.

Worship cost you something. Worship cost you a bull, a sheep or a goat, or if you were poor, a couple of birds. As you laid your hands on the offering, you identified with that gift, giving yourself to the Lord. After all, God doesn’t want some thing from you. He wants you. He desires a relationship with you. He loves you.

Worship in the Old Testament points to Christ, who will be the ultimate sacrifice. The blood of beasts foreshadowed the blood of Christ shed on the cross which truly covers all our sin. “Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma” (Ephesians 5:2).

It smells amazing when I’m walking around the block and catch a whiff of someone grilling meat on the back porch. In the same way, these burnt offerings were a “soothing aroma to the Lord” (Leviticus 1:9,13,17). Something smells good because Jesus gave his life for us!