This past Sunday marked the “halfway point” through the book of Leviticus. We have been, metaphorically speaking, trekking up the Mountain of Leviticus with the summit being “The Day of Atonement” in chapter 16. There is so much to see from the top! I would encourage you to do some further reading (and/or listening) of the following articles for further edification.
- “You Carry the Fate of Us All, Little One”: The Cosmic Significance of Israel’s Day of Atonement by Nicholas Piotrowski
- The Day of Atonement by Stephen Dempster
- You can hear both of these articles read here or listen to an interview with Nicholas Piotrowski here.
- Check out the picture below of the chiasm of chapter 16 (from Michael Morales’ book Who Shall Ascend the Mountain of the Lord? p 177)
- Just for fun, check out Rick the Screaming Scapegoat Geico Commercial
As we descend the mountain, we will come across some familiar terrain (personal laws, priestly laws, and ritual laws), but with a different emphasis: “communion with God.” The next two weeks we camp out in chapters 17-20. I would encourage you to:
- Read the chapters before the sermon. If you are a parent of young children, be ready to engage your children on appropriate levels of God’s design for sexuality (see chapters 18 & 20).
- Consider how chapters 17-20 fit into the covenant community God established with Israel. Also, consider, the theological rational for these demands God makes of Israel.
- Read a helpful article entitled Finding Life in Leviticus 19: Ten Gospel Notes for Social Justice Warriors by David Schrock.
It is a privilege to be on this journey with you. May we grow in grace and dependence on Jesus together, Bethel. Grace and peace, Pastor Matt.
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