Dearest e-votees-
Day eight of our cover to cover voyage through the Bible. Leviticus begins in incredible priestly detail. If you care to follow along you can find links to the assigned Bible passages at:
Peace,
Karl
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Day 8 Readings: Leviticus 1:1-14:32
This assigned reading reminds me of some of my worship and liturgy texts from seminary. There in excruciating detail is what is to be done or not done in worship. Some of the bits make sense (or at least seem to) while others seem to be quite arbitrary. The penalties for coloring outside the lines seem quite steep—death or being isolated or completely cut off from community.
In retrospect there are patterns that are established that Jesus in his life, death and resurrection seemed to complete or fulfill.
It is mind-boggling to ponder how much animal blood was spilled, how much flesh was burned up and all the other materials that were sacrificed in these practices.
Two of Aaron’s sons were killed for not offering the proper sacrifice on the altar. Surely things are not nearly so severe when our worship is lacking. Thanks be to God for that.
It is hard to know how to take something of value for us from this much more primitive, blood-drenched and tedious worship. Thankfully Jesus has brought it to a halt (as did the Romans when they destroyed the Temple in 70 AD).
God your some of your forms and instructions for worship seem so very foreign to us. Thank you that Jesus brought Temple and blood-sacrifice to an end. Help us trust in him declaring us “clean” and stir us to live lives of grateful sacrifice in response to you.
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