Deep into Leviticus
The great thing about the 90 day plan is that I started Leviticus today and I finish is tomorrow.
The ministry of the priests. Okay, Leviticus tells me what the priests do. Basically they operate a slaughter house. So all of the work, the beauty of the Temple. The ornamentation. The gold. All of it surrounds the bloody slaughter of animals.
I raised sheep and cows growing up. These weren't just animals you just herded into town. These animals had to be especially selected and prepared for slaughter. You don't want a bull that could be featured in a Rodeo traipsing through the temple. And bulls, even young ones, can be dangerous animals.
All of this must have been a graphic display of what man's sin does to creation. Israel had conducted a beautiful temple according to God's instructions, then also according to his instructions, made it a slaughter house. And remember, these animals were without blemish. The priests were in charge of slaughtering perfection and somehow this blood provided a means for God to be among his people.
So through the slaughter of animals by the priests in the Temple, God orchestrates a way for his people to commune with him.
The priests also seemed to function as doctors. They examined skin ailments and functioned as a sort of CDC for Israel. They were responsible for declaring someone unclean or clean. And if that person required purification, the priests did that. Just as blemished animals would not have been allowed at the Temple, neither would be blemished people.
So now what do we do? Now with Christ inside of us we are the Temple and we are priests. How do these ancient practices given to God's selected people inform us how to live for today?
The ministry of the priests. Okay, Leviticus tells me what the priests do. Basically they operate a slaughter house. So all of the work, the beauty of the Temple. The ornamentation. The gold. All of it surrounds the bloody slaughter of animals.
I raised sheep and cows growing up. These weren't just animals you just herded into town. These animals had to be especially selected and prepared for slaughter. You don't want a bull that could be featured in a Rodeo traipsing through the temple. And bulls, even young ones, can be dangerous animals.
All of this must have been a graphic display of what man's sin does to creation. Israel had conducted a beautiful temple according to God's instructions, then also according to his instructions, made it a slaughter house. And remember, these animals were without blemish. The priests were in charge of slaughtering perfection and somehow this blood provided a means for God to be among his people.
So through the slaughter of animals by the priests in the Temple, God orchestrates a way for his people to commune with him.
The priests also seemed to function as doctors. They examined skin ailments and functioned as a sort of CDC for Israel. They were responsible for declaring someone unclean or clean. And if that person required purification, the priests did that. Just as blemished animals would not have been allowed at the Temple, neither would be blemished people.
So now what do we do? Now with Christ inside of us we are the Temple and we are priests. How do these ancient practices given to God's selected people inform us how to live for today?
posted by Leslie at 11:28 AM
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