Seriously
Read Leviticus 16:1-10.
Many people, if they start a "read the Bible in a year" program, hit a brick wall by the time they get to Leviticus. Some plow through, but many good intentions have been left by the wayside at the thought of reading through this book containing seemingly endless regulations. I mean, for goodness' sake, who cares what kind of underwear Aaron is to wear when he presents the offering before God? Underoos or Hanes? Boxers or briefs? Does anyone really care and does it matter?
This passage in Leviticus, like many similar passages in the first five books of the Bible (what the Hebrews understand as Torah or "teaching"), is not ultimately about underwear or casting lots for goats. Those details were important to those first believers in God, to be sure, but as in all such passages, as Christians we need to ask why they were important. What's the purpose, the meaning behind the regulations? Or, to put it another way, does God really care what Aaron wears on the Day of Atonement?
Remember, this is in the early stages of God's working with humanity. He's only just delivered them from slavery in Egypt, and he's working hard on getting Egypt out of them. The rules and the regulations are more about aligning their attitudes and their heart with God's and separating them from the gods they knew in Egypt. All of this is about reminding the people how important and serious the act of atonement and the act of forgiveness is. It's not something we take lightly or shove off to another day. Forgiveness is all about reconciling ourselves with God, and that's serious stuff that ought to be done now.
So don't get bogged down in the detail. Rather, allow the detail to call you to a serious reflection about where in your life forgiveness is needed. Is there something you need to do to make things right with another person? Or make things right with God? Is there forgiveness work that needs to be done? Forgiveness isn't something we do alongside something else. It requires all that we are, focused on all that he is.
Seriously.
Many people, if they start a "read the Bible in a year" program, hit a brick wall by the time they get to Leviticus. Some plow through, but many good intentions have been left by the wayside at the thought of reading through this book containing seemingly endless regulations. I mean, for goodness' sake, who cares what kind of underwear Aaron is to wear when he presents the offering before God? Underoos or Hanes? Boxers or briefs? Does anyone really care and does it matter?
This passage in Leviticus, like many similar passages in the first five books of the Bible (what the Hebrews understand as Torah or "teaching"), is not ultimately about underwear or casting lots for goats. Those details were important to those first believers in God, to be sure, but as in all such passages, as Christians we need to ask why they were important. What's the purpose, the meaning behind the regulations? Or, to put it another way, does God really care what Aaron wears on the Day of Atonement?
Remember, this is in the early stages of God's working with humanity. He's only just delivered them from slavery in Egypt, and he's working hard on getting Egypt out of them. The rules and the regulations are more about aligning their attitudes and their heart with God's and separating them from the gods they knew in Egypt. All of this is about reminding the people how important and serious the act of atonement and the act of forgiveness is. It's not something we take lightly or shove off to another day. Forgiveness is all about reconciling ourselves with God, and that's serious stuff that ought to be done now.
So don't get bogged down in the detail. Rather, allow the detail to call you to a serious reflection about where in your life forgiveness is needed. Is there something you need to do to make things right with another person? Or make things right with God? Is there forgiveness work that needs to be done? Forgiveness isn't something we do alongside something else. It requires all that we are, focused on all that he is.
Seriously.
Well said. (Underoos or Hanes 😄)
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