Read Boring Books of the Bible

My Bible study plan had me read Leviticus this week. 

Yes, you all may cringe with me. 

This wasn’t my first time reading Leviticus before – I had done Bible in a year plans several times before. But it WAS the first time I was determined to truly digest the book. To not allow my eyes to glaze over while reading. 

And folks, the exhortation from 2 Timothy that ALL Scripture is God-breathed and useful remains true. 

To illustrate this, here are just a few things of note from my study: 

Illustrated The Protective Care of God 

Out of context, a lot of the rules laid out in Leviticus about cleanliness, eating, etc. seem restrictive. But context is key. This book wasn’t written in modern-day America – it was written to the ancient Israelites. 

This means there is one thing that needs to be hammered into us when reading these: Modern medicine and science didn’t exist. 

When you place it in context, you see the care and protection that God shows for the Israelites. I was talking about this with a family member earlier this week, and we were both wishing that we could see statistics about disease rates among the Israelites compared to nations around them. I’m guessing they were much, MUCH lower. 

Emphasized My Need For Jesus

Reading the law in Leviticus is overwhelming. Can you picture that way of life being our only means of salvation? Having that distance between us and God and constantly slaughtering innocent animals in an effort to bridge it?

I need Jesus. Constantly, continually. Jesus, as quoted in the Gospel of Matthew, points out that he is the fulfillment of the law. He is the one who bridges the gap, he is the one who is the better sacrifice, he is the one that lived the law on our behalf. We all need him. 

Exhortation for Holy Living

Leviticus 20:7 captures a reoccurring theme in the book: 

“Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am the LORD your God.”

Life after salvation means we’re walking in a new way to be human. While the New Testament calls us to holy living over and over, Leviticus connects that holy living to the God who heads our lives. A much-needed exhortation.

I could continue, but I would rather just leave you with a simple exhortation: Read the boring books of the Bible. They are there for a reason, for your good, for God’s glory.