Many well-intentioned readers, determined to read the Bible from beginning to end, bog down in Leviticus. It's a law book, a procedural manual for getting along with a holy and powerful God. Sheer detail can bore you, especially if you miss the point behind it.
When you read the Bible, careful attention to detail is usually a key to understanding. In Leviticus, however, you will get more from looking at the big picture than from studying the details. Some laws we simply don't understand. But Leviticus as a whole shows what kind of people God wanted Israel to be. As you read, keep your mind on the big picture. Pay special attention to the explanatory notes. Try to imagine how these laws affected everyday life. Keep asking yourself: how would these laws make the Israelites different from other people - and why were those differences important to God? |
