Leviticus

Who would have thought I could learn something from Leviticus? Not me... but thankfully I have the help of Don Carson's For The Love of God devotional book to give me some pointers and some things to think about.

Last night's reading was Leviticus 5, which talks about various sacrifices to be made to atone for sin. It says that if a person can't afford a sacrificial lamb, they may sacrifice a pair of pigeons or a pair of doves, and if they can't afford that they can offer a certain amount of flour. What can I learn from this? Well, obviously I don't need to offer sacrifices for sin, but this chapter shows us something of God's character. By offering alternative sacrifices for the poor, he provides a way for everyone to be able to seek forgiveness for their sins. Forgiveness and atonement in the Old Testament are not just for the wealthy. This beautifully foreshadows the forgiveness we have in the death and resurrection of Jesus - it's not just for the wealthy or for those who appear 'good' and socially acceptable; it's for everyone... and you don't need lambs, doves or flour, because God has paid for it all.