A Book for New People

A Book for New People

You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the Lord your God (V.4).

Leviticus 18:1-5

Reading

People who try to read the Bible through in a year get bogged down and quit about half-way through Leviticus. After the exciting stories in Genesis and the amazing rescue in Exodus, Leviticus seems like a major let down. It reads like some kind of ‘how to’ manual for ancient priests! But don’t let the details kid you. This is a book for people made new by Jesus; a life-guide for anyone who has been rescued from their past and is headed towards the promise of heaven!

Near the centre of the book we find God’s command to His people. He told them they must not live like the people of Egypt, where they had been rescued from. And they shouldn’t copy the ways of those in Canaan where they were going. In Leviticus 18:4, He said to them, “You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the Lord your God.”

Leviticus, written almost 1,500 years before Jesus was born, is also filled with images of God’s salvation. Every offering and sacrifice in its pages gives an insight to the cross of Jesus, “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (JOHN 1:29).

If you’re reading through the Bible, don’t let Leviticus derail you. Instead, let it be a helpful bridge that takes you from the Old Testament sacrifices to our sacrifice: Jesus our Saviour.

What I’m thankful for…

Thank You, Father, that all of the Bible is relevant to me. Please help me read even the difficult bits to learn more about You and what Jesus did for me on the cross.

THE OLD TESTAMENT SACRIFICES POINT TO THE NEW TESTAMENT CROSS

Youth Edition – Our Daily Bread Ministries