Leviticus 6:8-7:38

It seemed a bit harsh to me, at first, that if someone was unclean and ate of the sacrifices that they should be completely cut off from Israel (Lev. 7:19-20).  What if that person didn't have time to go through the whole ritual before being there at an appointed time?  What if something happened on the way?  I could think of a half dozen excuses why this might happen.  Was it necessary to completely shun them?

But then I began to think of the full implications of such actions.  God had commanded that no person who had touched uncleanness take part in the sacrifices.  Period.  Being clean before the Lord was a condition of sacrifice.  Everyone in Israel knew this.  So no matter what had happened prior to a sacrifice, one who had touched uncleanness had a perfectly good excuse to abstain, and no reason not to.  It struck me: this isn't really an issue of being ceremonially clean before the Lord, but a matter of the heart.  God wanted people to be clean before they came to Him; uncleanness and sin were the very things that separate us from God.  Making sure one was ritually and spiritually clean was a part of the preparations for sacrifice and worship before the Lord.  It was a matter of the heart being right.  Could you really say that someone who heedlessly went forward with sacrifice before being cleansed truly had a heart right before God?  If they were were completely ignoring His commandments?  I don't think so.  It was necessary to be ritually cleansed, not only to fulfill the Law, but to prepare the worshiper for worship.

How many of us do that today?  How many of us actually take a moment to cleanse and purge ourselves of our sins before standing up to sing in church?  Before partaking in communion?  Offering?  Listening to the sermon?  All of these are forms of worship.  All of these are part of the things we do in order to focus on God and to attribute to Him His worth.  Have we ever taken so seriously the preparation to meet our Lord in worship?  What would it look like if we did?  How many of us would need to step back from worship in order to deal with some things that needed to be cleansed from our lives, from our hearts?  And are we truly worshiping God if we allow sin to fester in our hearts, disregarding His command to be clean before Him?  This bears some serious thought, because while the answers seem obvious, they're not necessarily pat, are they?

Tomorrow's Reading: Leviticus 8:1-36

Leviticus 5:14-6:7

This is a passage that actually gave me some difficulty last time: mostly because I couldn't see the difference between the sin offerings and the guilt offerings, at least on their condition of being offered.  It again boils down to, it would seem, unintentional sin.  After reading some commentaries, they point out specific differences, such as the guilt offering deals with the Lord's "holy things" (I would assume Tabernacle articles), the Lord's commands, breaches of faith between man and God, etc.  Also, you might notice that restitution was to be made in full to the injured party as well as an offering to absolve the guilt of the sinner.  The Teacher's Commentary pointed out one thing that I have been concerned about: as all of these offerings are for unintentional sins, sins even when maybe the sinner only suspects their guilt rather than knows if for sure, there is no provision for those who willfully sin. 

The question, then, is: if you have sinned intentionally and willfully, does that mean there is no forgiveness for you, no means to be made right?  I don't think Scripture supports that.  After all, there is the promise in 2 Chronicles that if God's people would humble themselves and pray and turn to Him, He would forgive them and heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14).  Rather, it seems that the sacrificial system was to be specifically used by those who have turned or softened to the Lord.  So, perhaps it was necessary for the sinner to be softened to the Lord, to desire repentance, and understand that it would not be an easy road to turning their life around that the sacrifices would fulfill their purpose.  But it definitely seems that there is no easy sacrifice for the person who sins and wants absolution so that they can go out and do more of the same.

Tomorrow's Reading: Leviticus 6:8-7:38

Leviticus 4:1-5:13

Ever played that game, "One of these things is not like the other"?  Did you notice which paragraph/passage it was here?  Tucked between paragraphs of "If X sins unintentionally, comes to know of it, and confesses his sin, then he shall offer..." there is a portion that actually gets a little more specific.  I was struck with that among any unintentional breaking of the law by priest, leader, congregation, or common person, there are instructions for uncleanness.  Why, might I ask, is that?  Why are instructions for becoming unclean by touching an animal carcass, human uncleanness (I particularly thought of bodily fluids and excrement here), and various ways to make oneself, well, unclean included among the offerings of unintentional sin?  It rather drives home the point that sin makes us unclean, doesn't it?  That is essentially what it does.  I still think of the Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) explanation for sin: anything you think, say or do that does not please God.  Sin is anything that does not please God, and sin is what makes us unclean, unrighteous, unholy.  If you even break the smallest part of the Law, you are guilty of breaking the entirety of it.  That included touching foulness and carcasses and offal, etc., even if it was necessary.  After all, didn't the priests have to cleanse themselves after burning the carcasses of the offerings?  It seems like such a little and simple thing, but the gravity of it is real.  We are all unclean because of our sin.  Thankfully, Christ came to fulfill the Law: we are now made clean by His blood, not an animal's, and His cleansing is permanent.  Praise be to God!

Leviticus 3:1-17

This may seem very shallow, but I was struck by the commandment that the Israelites could not eat the fat of meat.  I knew they were not to eat blood, as it is the life of a creature (human or animal).  But I hadn't realized the fat (I know, I realize I know little about kosher Jewish food).  My main thought was, "Man, that sure takes the flavor and enjoyment out of eating meat!"  Yes, I'm a good gentile.  There is a spiritual lesson here, though, isn't it?  It's a good lesson on giving the best to the Lord.

I watch Food Network.  I'm a fanatic.  I know my palate is too narrow to be really considered a good foodie (as well as my budget too small) but I love and am fascinated by food, and wish I knew more about ingredients, especially quality ones.  I know from my education from said network that the fat is where the flavor is.  Want a good burger?  Have at least 80/20 fat ratio in your ground meat for juiciness.  I've learned these things.  Here, though, in Leviticus 3, all fat belongs to the Lord.  Not just the fat of the peace offering, though that does seem to be the main components of the peace offering, but all fat.  It says so in v.16: all fat is the Lord's.  Israelites are not to eat fat.  It boggles my mind a little (no wonder pork isn't kosher).  But here, you see that the best is given to the Lord, and going without any fat is a remind of it.  How good those peace offerings must have smelled when being offered to the Lord!  (Suddenly, how decadent lardo, an Italian dish of herb-cured fatback, seems!)  It would be a daily, thrice-daily!, lesson in remembering that God deserves and should have the best of anything we can give or want, as everything is from Him, all of our blessings, necessities, all from Him.  What a humbling lesson.  How hard might it have been to keep one's attitude in check on something like that and be glad to sacrifice the best flavor to please the Lord?

Side note: note that the peace offering could be a male or female animal offering.  The burnt offering in ch.1 could only be male.

Leviticus 1:1-2:16

I had a bit of a chat with the Lord before plunging into Leviticus again.  It went something like, "Ok, God, there's no way I am going to really understand Leviticus without your help; in fact, I may still be too thickheaded to really get it then.  But I want to know and understand Your Word, so I would greatly appreciate it if You'd sit by me and help me to at least glimpse into what You wanted us to know here."  I always encourage those that study the Bible with me to ask for the Lord's help and blessing before plunging in.  After all, He wrote it because He wanted to communicate things to us, right?  If we're willing to listen, He's willing to open His words for us.  This will be my constant prayer throughout Leviticus and through the rest of this Bible reading plan.  I have to say: I'm a little excited to be back.  A little intimidated to be sure, as I know I've already failed once, but I can't wait to read God's Word and hear the things there are for me to learn.

I have nothing really spectacular to say.  I still don't understand the why's and wherefore's like I wanted to the first time through.  But maybe it is not so important to know why you can't present a grain offering with honey or why you discard the crop of a bird in the ash heap, but that if you want to be right before the Holy God this is what is required of you.  If it really came down to it, if I was standing before the Holy God, not right and not covered by His forgiveness, would I really quibble about the why's when performing these actions is what came between getting zapped or not?  I'd hope not.  Wouldn't I much rather do what is required to please Him?  I should hope so!

One thing that did intrigue me and may require some further study is this idea of the covenant of salt in Leviticus 2:13.  I'd never noticed it before.  It's mentioned just two other places in the Bible (that my cross references show): Numbers 18:19, and 2 Chronicles 13:5.  Both talk about the offerings given to the Lord as a covenant of salt.  In Numbers, it says it is their due, and here in Leviticus it talks about their offerings should never lack salt as part of this covenant of salt.  Of course, there are lots of implications from salt: salt's ability to cleanse, to preserve; in the NT we are encouraged to not lose our saltiness just as we are encouraged to be lights in the world: our saltiness is our righteousness in the metaphor.  I need to do some digging to make sure that similar implications are here in this covenant of salt, but it seems likely, doesn't it?  I am intrigued.

Just a note

I'll be starting this project again, officially, tomorrow, as it was easiest to begin on the first day of a new month and go from there.  I'll also be starting at the beginning of Leviticus again.  This makes the most sense because: a) I get to read the book in its entirety together, and b) I scratched my head over it some last time.  Doing this, however, does mean that the reading portions will be longer, a bit.

Tomorrow's Reading: Leviticus 1:1-2:16

Second Chance, Second Try

It is important to me to state that this is not a New Year's Resolution.  This resolve was made a few weeks ago, actually, and it is something I've been praying over and thinking over for awhile.  I would rather it didn't coincide with New Year's at all, actually, as New Year's Resolutions have become synonymous with decision and new habits meant to be broken.  They're almost laughable.  The start of a new year is an excellent time to evaluate, rethink, rework, and begin anew, but let's face it folks: most of us fail miserably at it.  And since I have already failed here, I'd like to avoid doing it again.

I've decided to take up my Bible reading blog again.  The reasons are many: without a worked out reading plan, my quiet times are spotty at best, and often directionless.  I need something to keep me in the Word.  I need something that is easy for an accountability partner to check and help me remain accountable.  I need a way to think through what I've read so I don't simply check things off.  All the same reasons I started the blog in the first place.

It was no easy decision to return to it.  In some ways, it's far easier to ignore it and set to the side that I failed.  Going back means I have to admit that I failed and that I am going to have to try again.  Going back means I have to understand why I failed and what I can do to make sure I succeed this time.  It takes a greater amount of humility and guts to try again than to simply ignore it or even take it down from the web.

Why did I fail?  The possible reasons are several, and I am not entirely sure if it was a culmination of all of them, or if it really came down to one or two and I let the others be an excuse.  I don't think I'll really know which it is unless I try again.  Here are some possible culprits:

• Leviticus got the better of me after all.
• I went away on a trip without a firm plan to keep up on both reading and writing and got too far behind.
• I allowed myself to get overwhelmed by being behind instead of plugging ahead or making a good plan to catch up, and just stopped.
• No one took me seriously on the accountability aspect and no one said much to me about stopping, if anything.  (And if you did, then I apologize, but I may have mistook your comments to be pertaining to Wordisbawn.) 
• Few read the blog in any occasion and so had no idea that I was floundering and needed some encouragement.

There are a few others, but those are the main.  Granted, I have to admit that maybe the blog was dry, dull, or insipid and no one had any interest in reading it anyway, and if so, who could blame them?  Then, it is no surprise that there wouldn't be any accountability.  But I've taken some steps to combat them.


First, I lowered my expectations for Leviticus.  I had really wanted to understand some things (like why so many doves for this sin and a lamb for that one but not for this one) about the sacrificial system and was having difficult finding resources that could fully explain it, at least in the time I had to search.  Secondly, I wanted to have something interesting to say, but as I was dumbfounded by some of the things, I didn't know what to say at all.  It stopped me from writing in my attempt to meet those expectations.  Not this time.  Even if I have to grimly plug my way through Leviticus and have little more to say than, "I read it.  Who knew there were so many skin diseases?", then I'll do it.


Second, I have pointedly asked a good friend to be my go-to accountability partner on this.  I know she can't check in every day, but I have asked her to be a real partner to me and at least check regularly to see if I'm staying on point and to call me on it.  This is what I need most of all.


Thirdly, I only have a few trips planned for the next year and I'm already looking into how to keep up, even if it means typing out entries on my tiny little phone keyboard.

The rest I'm leaving up to a great deal of prayer and the Father's help.

If you, though, ever get the notion, please do go over there and check an entry or two out.  I do actually ask that you leave a comment, let me know you stopped in, and even if you have something to say on the matter.  It would be a great encouragement to me.

Chronological Bible Reading

*Please note, this post in its entirety also appears on my Wordisbawn blog site.