Leviticus-How to please the Lord

If you have ever had a conversation with a non believer, you have likely had the "laws" of the Bible thrown right in your face. I'm no expert but I think one of my Pastors said one time there are approximately 690 something Laws in the Bible, if that's so 600 of them have to be in Leviticus.

This chapter would have been easy for me to gloss over, because I believe in a relational God not a religion based God. However that same God that I believe in that I love so much, included these laws in the Bible knowing full well that someday this day would come and I would read them. Ive heard many times over, the Bible is complete neither lacking nor having too much. This chapter is here for a reason. So I said a prayer asking God to lead me through this book and come out on the other side, with, if nothing else, understanding.

As compared to Genesis and Exodus I view this book as more of a "working out the details." I want nothing more in this life that to please God, (and fairly obviously enough people). As a self proclaimed people pleaser, I found comfort in God laying out the things that would please him, and the things that would not please him. It was a but hard for me to get into at first because punishments for disobedience were listed far before the rewards for obedience.

I found it particularly interesting coming across some of the passages that society throws around any time it fits their needs. Actually that has been one of the more interesting parts of this journey for me, coming across versus Ive heard a lot before, but now understanding more of the context. So as I come across verses about sexual immorality and murder, I notice they are in the same chapter, tone and often punishment as gossip, slander, and adultery. God views these all as disobedience of a law, and all are punishable, however some are far less talked about because far more people are guilty of gossip than murder, and heaven forbid any stones be thrown from our proverbial glass houses.

Even though many of the laws of Leviticus are not observed today, there importance has not diminished. Rather than looking at this book as a book of Laws, I'd like to look at it as a book on "How to please the Lord".

I'm missing the pictures lately, I got a new lens yesterday so maybe I'll have time to play with it soon. :) Thoughts or comments always welcome, especially on Biblical stuff, because I'm really excited to learn all I can.