How many books are in the Bible?
How many are in your Bible?

In theory, each of us can pull any given Bible off the shelf now, and count the contents page from 1. Genesis, to 66. Revelation. In practice, I’ve found over the years that many people have unwittingly removed multiple books, genres, and passages for a variety of reasons. The first on this list is usually Leviticus. Joining soon after are the Song of Songs, Revelation, Jude, as well as genealogies, poetry, the latter chapters of Daniel, as well as anything we find uncomfortable or in conflict with modern sensibilities. The enemy has worked hard to convince the people of God that perhaps some of Scripture is God-breathed, but surely not all of it is profitable for teaching, and goodness know we don’t want to rebuke anyone, right?

Are there any books of the Bible you struggle with?

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There is no shame at all in saying yes, because we all have them. The Bible can be difficult to understand, or to carry out. How does Leviticus train us in righteousness when so much of it has to do with sacrifices and law? Isn’t that Old Covenant stuff?

Today I want to share four good reasons why we should read Leviticus today, as well as one way we can learn to do so well.

The doorbell rings, you open up to two of your closest friends and invite them to join you at the table. Yesterday, your family gathered around that same table for a regular midweek meal, and ate the most decadent food you’ve ever cooked in your life. You enjoyed oysters for a starter, followed by perfectly cooked steaks and rich creamy sauces over a bed of couscous and pomegranate seeds. For dessert you prepared homemade filo pastry parcels, filled with freshly blended pistachio cream.

Tonight though, your pantry and fridge left empty, all you have to serve your guests is overcooked pasta with dry mutton.

How would you feel? How would your guests feel?

Most of us are not Michelin star chefs, and no one expects us to become one when we invite them round for dinner. However. When someone we love crosses the threshold of our home, we want them to receive the best we have to offer. Maybe it’s a leftover bottle of wine that you’ve been saving from a wedding, or perhaps a dessert you wouldn’t usually buy but you know they would love.

When it comes to our relationship with God, do we offer him our best, or just the rest? That question is the central theme of this book.

The book of Leviticus begins with these words:

“The Lord called Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When any one of you brings an offering to the Lord, you shall bring your offering of livestock from the herd or from the flock.

“If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male without blemish. He shall bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the Lord.1

Just imagine that for a second. Every family, every member of the people of God taking the best of their herds, their first fruit, the best grain from the harvest, and sacrificing it to the Lord.

What kind of message does that send?

Imagine if the best meant the only remaining male from the flock following an attack? What if the best grain could be sold at twice, or three times the price of the rest?

What might that do for the rest of their lives?

What kind of trust does that kind of service portray?

In Genesis, we see God providing a way for his people through exile, a torrential flood, the collapse of societies, slavery, prison, and famine. In Exodus he rescues his people from slavery, and despite their unfaithfulness, bestows them with leadership, food, water, and promise of the land their offspring would enter into.

Leviticus, however, is the book where kids Bibles fear to tread.

What would you give to hear the voice of the Lord?

In this book we have over forty instances of God speaking clearly and distinctly to Moses, and to Aaron. These words should be dear to our hearts. In Psalm 1, we’re taught about the lives of the blessèd and the wicked. The life of the blessèd man looks like this:

"His delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and on his law he meditates day and night.
    He is like a tree planted by streams of water
    that yields its fruit in its season,
    and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers."

When it says “Law” here, it means more just the Law, but not less.

If we have received the gift of faith, and are thereby indwelled by the Spirit, our hearts should beat to a rhythm set by the Bible. When our hearts begin to race, or fall out of step, the word of God acts like a metronome, guiding us back to the infallible steadiness of scripture. The law in particular, is a vital way of assessing ourselves, like a doctor’s visit.

Firstly, the law shows us the holiness of God, and the holiness we should be rooted in, “You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.2” the Lord tells us, and:

“Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God.
Keep my statutes and do them; I am the Lord who sanctifies you.”

— Leviticus 20:7–8

Why do we need to follow Jesus? Because the law makes it clear that we will never measure up on our own. When we read these words, and are reminded again and again throughout Leviticus that “the wages of sin is death” we can rejoice with Paul, saying “but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord!”3

Finally, the law helps us on this side of eternity to walk the path of righteousness, bearing the fruit of Spirit. Not out of obligation, but out of our love for God and for the people he has made.

I suggest that while you read this book, you keep Paul’s words to the Galatians close at heart. Maybe you could even print this out as a bookmark, or pray through it before you open the Bible each morning?

“Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.”

— Galatians 3:21–22

“The concept everyone loves, from the book no one reads.”

— David Rowe

Imagine starting a trilogy you’ve never heard of on book three.

You’re one page in, and there are already references to people and places you’ve never heard of, as well as a host of terms that mean nothing to you. Take John 1:19-344 for instance. This is the very first chapter, and it has already mentioned Jews, Prophets, and Levites; Elijah and Isaiah; Israel, Jordan, and Bethany; as well as the Lamb of God, and the Holy Spirit.

In short, John is building on a foundation of the Scriptures that came before. Given that John is widely accepted as the least literate of all the New Testament authors, just imagine what Paul, Jude, and the Author of Hebrews go on to reference.

The Gospel in the Old Testament

If I were to crowdsource a bunch of key words associated with the gospel, I think some of the following would be high on my list, do you agree?

Redemption, sacrifice, blood, repentance, death, life, sanctification, truth, atonement.

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All of these have deep roots in the book of Leviticus.

Think about the necessity of sacrifices, and about their frequency. Every time you read about one, especially for sins you know you have committed yourself, think about the cross.

The more you do, the more you will understand the weight of Jesus’ final sacrifice for us.

Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

— Hebrews 13:15-16; 20-21

Fire shall be kept burning on the altar continually; it shall not go out.

— Leviticus 6:13

There has only ever been one perfect priest.

In the Old Testament, the Levites were supposed to continually tend to the physical, spiritual, and eternal needs of the people of God. They would carry out sacrifices, live at the mercy and charity of the people, and would keep the fire in the tabernacle and temple alight.

That was the idea anyway.

You’re probably getting the picture that the main reason you should read Leviticus is To get to know Jesus more.

When Jesus came, he didn’t abolish human leadership entirely. We still have leaders, Elders who have been chosen from among us to teach, to pastor, and to carry out church discipline where needed5. We’re also called to submit to Governments, and parents, as far as we’re able. Each of these, however, is secondary to the authority of our high priest who is seated in the heavenly places.

In addition, his temple now covers the globe. Rather than being built upon the Temple Mount as it once was, the temple and body of Christ now spans continents, languages, and cultures.

The fire that burns within the temple is still tended to by the high priest, as set out in Leviticus.

How astonishing is that?

Tongues of fire reigned down in Solomon’s temple, and on the day of Pentecost. Today, that fire still burns within us, empowers us, sanctifies us, and speaks to us.

If you pick up the book of Leviticus and read it for yourself, trust in that fire—the Holy Spirit—to guide you as you do.

Do so prayerfully, and with all humility.

Let me know how you get on.

Grace and Peace,

I don’t know how many of you are heading off to University over the next few weeks, but I highly suggest you read the latest piece from if you are. Some of the advice is rather American, and won’t be as applicable across the world, but I’d still advise you to read this and wrestle with the recommendations he makes. You might not agree with everything, but if so, ask yourself why.

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