Our sins are atoned for, our alliance with the King is restored, we share a hospitable meal between friends, the defilement is purified, and our debt is repaid in the person and work of our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. We can rejoice that our High Priest is at work to accomplish all these blessings of redemption (Hebrews 10:1–18).
Every Christian should seek to sit under the whole counsel of God. This means, in part, meditating on the entire expanse of the biblical Word. Toward this goal, we all find ourselves naturally attracted to some biblical books and, if we are honest, not as attracted to others. One commonly avoided book of the Bible is the book of Leviticus. Located right in the middle of the Pentateuch, the book of Leviticus is written in such a way that many modern readers find it a difficult book to crack. Yet, despite its seemingly obscure interest in the tabernacle worship of ancient Israel, we should not miss what this book has to offer us.
Here are three things that every reader of the Bible can take away from the book of Leviticus.
1. God goes to great ends to meet with His people.
The tabernacle of the Lord is exactly what the Scripture says it is: the house of God. It’s His sanctuary, His palace, and as such, it is the place where He receives His guests (Ex. 25:8–9). God’s house reflects His character, holiness, glory, perfect righteousness, and role as primary creator. Those who enter the tabernacle, therefore, must be prepared for an audience with the King. Without such preparation, they cannot hope to survive the visit. Leviticus reminds us, however, that no amount of fallenness or finitude can keep our God from us. He made us to dwell in communion with Him, and His will is bent toward that communion. This desire for reconciliation and restoration is, of course, the backdrop to Scripture’s entire story of redemption.