The Book of Leviticus is one of the least inviting books in the Bible. I have heard it referred to before as “where Bible reading plans go to die.” ouch!

I have been fascinated by Leviticus for a while now though and I hope for a brighter future where Leviticus is loved and used more in Church. This is a blog series of my meditations and thoughts on Leviticus as I am preparing to preach a series from it soon called “The Gospel According to Leviticus.” Those sermons will eventually be available on my podcast – access here.

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Before offering my thoughts, meditations, and prayers on the text of Leviticus, this inaugural post is my assumptions and biases that I will be bringing with me to the text in the posts to come:

• I am not a fan of the Torah-Observant Christian readings of Leviticus – that is, I do not think we are required to keep the food laws, festivals, etc.
• I am reading through a Christo-tellic lens – that is, I read the text as ultimately pointing toward and ultimately fulfilled in Christ.
• I am reading devotionally – that is, I am not concerning myself – at least in what I post on this blog – with academic debates and highly detailed issues in the text and its interpretation.
• I am reading with a homiletical lens – ultimately I am studying Leviticus because I plan to preach from it soon. Thus, my eye is always with the idea of presenting this in the Sunday morning sermon and applying it to people’s everyday lives.

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Here is a list of helps I would recommend for the average everyday reader of Leviticus:

• Buy and read: Mark W. Scarlata, A Journey Through the World of Leviticus: Holiness, Sacrifice, and the Rock Badger.
• Read Leviticus in the Message Bible. [If it helps, follow along to a read aloud version available for free on BibleGateway – see here]
• Dive into the text using my “God’s Word Search” method: Leviticus God’s Word Search.
• Explore Leviticus using the free online resources I recommend for Bible Study. See here.
• I’d also recommend these videos from the Bible project: Holiness, The Law, Leviticus Overview, Leviticus Torah series.

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Oh Lord, teach us from all of your Bible. Reveal yourself anew through this text of old. As we lean into Leviticus let us lean further into your heart. As we learn from Leviticus let us love you more. Amen.