Leviticus is primarily a book contain laws for the people of Israel. Throughout the book, God reminds the Israelites why they are to obey His law: because He is holy. These laws reveal how the Israelites are to act toward God. God tells them specifically how the people are to worship Him. He makes provision for the forgiveness of their sin so that He may dwell among them. The first seven chapters focus on the function and form of the sacrifices to be offered to God. Chapters eight and nine regard how to ordain the Aaron and his descendants as priests. Following this is a brief narrative about two of Aaron’s sons attempting to worship God incorrectly and God consumes them in fire. The following chapters are concerned with keeping the people of Israel clean before the Lord, although He makes provision for them to return to cleanliness if they do become unclean. God prohibits several practices from other cultures to which the Israelites have been or will be exposed, mainly Egyptian and Canaanite practices. There is also an interesting narrative on a case of blasphemy against God by a half-Israelite. The people were not sure what to do against the blasphemer and waited upon the word of the Lord. God commanded him to be stoned to death. God established each seventh year to be a Sabbath year, wherein the ground would rest. He also established the Year of Jubilee every fifty years as time of reset. Chapter 26 outlines promises to Israel from God if they are faithful to Him. Yet if they fail to remain faithful to Him, He will pour out discipline against them, driving them out of the land to allow a time of desolation of the land. Yet even in this, He will not forget His covenant with them. The final chapter grants provision for the tithe of the tenth.

God loved His people Israel and wanted to set His people apart from the cultures around them. He gave them a set of rules on how to worship Him and how the people are to live their lives. He also gave for them a way to take care of their sin through certain sacrifices. He set apart certain days as holy, set apart for His purposes. God is holy. The people were to be very careful as to how they approach God because it was very dangerous. When Aaron’s sons did not do things the way God had told them, they were consumed by fire. God promised He would bless the people if they followed His rules, but He also warned them that He would curse them if they failed to follow His laws.

It is easy to approach God in a flippant way. Sometimes I find that I do not give God the respect He deserves. I need to be careful in the way that I approach Him in worship.