5 Reasons Why We Should Still Read The Book of Leviticus Today

Studying the Book of Leviticus

I just finished reading the Book of Leviticus this morning for the second time this year on my quest to finish two canonical readings for 2012. In honor of that reading, I have finally published my next list page (see my list of lists), called the 613 Mitzvot Laws or Commandments of the Old Testament, many of which are found in the book of Leviticus.

Leviticus is one of those books that Christians tend to want to ignore, while those in the opposite camp tear it apart Hebrew letter by Hebrew letter. About a year ago I actually debated with another Christian about the worth of even reading this book, and he was convinced there was nothing of importance or worthy in Leviticus for us to read today. This was no uninformed, unintelligent Christian, he has a PhD, is a leading scientist in his field, and has a heart for important social justice issues, but Leviticus was not for him (nor really any of the Pentateuch). At that time I did a lousy job at explaining why this book, and every one of the 66 books of the canon, are all still very important and relevant to read in the 21st century. Since that conversation I’ve never really been able to rectify my lack of knowledge in Leviticus and reasons why it is important to read.

This second go-round I started reading Leviticus back on August 14th and finished up today, August 21st, so reading the entire book does not take that long if you read a little bit each day. I will say, Leviticus is not a very difficult book to read, but it is a difficult book to understand, especially in light of our culture today. We are so far removed from the customs of the sacrificial systems and just overall life during the 13th-15th century B.C., it’s very hard for us to understand, within the proper context, how to apply Leviticus to our life today without reading, study, contemplation, and meditation on these 24 chapters.

So here are a few reasons why all Christians should still read this book today. I’m going to skip the obvious reason of because it is part of the canonical Bible, and go on to others, but this is first and foremost. We should read it, because it is part of the writings given to us by God himself through Moses.

Reasons We Should Still Read Leviticus Today

1. It’s the Enemy’s Favorite Book to Tear Apart (Think Shellfish, Polyester, Tattoos, and Homosexuality)

They, the enemies of Truth, call it a book full of contradictions and hypocritical living. This is generally because they don’t understand the book in context any more than we do, but they can read the obvious to make stupid arguments like Christians still eat pork and wear polyester, therefore homosexuality is not a sin (see research on Homosexuality, Polyester, and Shellfish for reasoning behind this debate).

Apologetically speaking, we should know what this book says, because it is used as an excuse for everything under the sun in the 21st century. The book has a great narrative that is often overlooked by the fact that it is a list of laws. These “laws” range from capital punishment for adultery, to not cutting your hair, to laws on homosexuality, to not getting a tattoo because it follows the evil Canaanite tribal practices. Why is it acceptable for Christians to get a tattoo, or eat pork, but not put adulterers to death? Understanding this book in proper context shows exactly why some laws are historically customary for their culture and time, and why some are moral obligations that transcend time.

2. The Theological Holiness Code Developed in Leviticus is Still Used Today

In 1 Peter 1.15-16 the Apostle Peter says, “but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” That is a direct quote from Leviticus 11.44, which is then repeated several times such as in Leviticus 19.2. In seminary circles this is called the “Levitical Holiness Code” from chapters 17-27. It mainly deals with the idea of sanctification, the idea of holiness affecting how one lives in the covenant community.

For Christians today living in the 21st Century, the New Testament applies to Christians using the same principles of life stated in 11:44, and many of the “holiness codes” still show us what is displeasing to God (cf., 19:11-18, 35-36). On the other hand, as noted above, there are also symbolic aspects of the holiness code we no longer follow such as prohibiting garments of two different kinds etc.

3. To Understand How the Work of Christ Saves the Soul

Studying Leviticus today gives us an extremely important understanding of the sacrifice that Jesus made as the Christ when he died on the cross. The animal sacrificial system may be totally foreign to us now, but this enables the 21st century reader to understand why Christ’s sacrifice is one of salvation.

4. The Festal Calendar of Israel in Leviticus Shaped the Christian Calendar We Still Use

The three main festivals, or sometimes called the national pilgrim feasts of Israel, are the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Harvest, and the Feast of Booths. Most of our modern day church denominations from Baptist to Catholic still follow these festivals. These celebrations today find their climax in the corresponding days known as Good Friday, Easter, and Pentecost.

5. Because Without Leviticus the Other 65 Books Don’t Make Any Sense

Every book is intertwined with every other book. This is a huge reason to me. If you are reading Kings or Nehemiah, or one of those other “important” books, you are reading part 11 or part 16, but you never read part 3. Knowing and understanding Leviticus is crucial to understanding any of the other books, just the same as reading and studying Kings is important to reading Matthew.

What sense does Christ being crucified on the cross make without knowing how the sacrificial system works? I understand you can watch the Lord of the Rings or the Star Wars movies out of order and you can still understand them individually, but don’t they make a whole lot more sense as a whole?

So there you have it. Five reasons why Leviticus is important for us to read today. I know these points aren’t developed very extensively, but it that wasn’t really the point.

41 responses to “5 Reasons Why We Should Still Read The Book of Leviticus Today”

  1. […] Five reasons why we should still read the book of Leviticus today The first is: “It’s the enemy’s favorite book to tear apart.” […]

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  2. This is great stuff Scott. Thank you for the encouraging us to study this book. Really good notes here. Thank you!

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  3. Thank you for sharing! My dad preached through the book of Leviticus a couple of years ago and I was amazed at how much beauty is in the book that I had been skipping over. It has since become one of my favorite book. The Gospel is all over the place! Leviticus reminds me that God is holy, I’m a scumbag of a sinner, a blood sacrifice is required, and Jesus is that perfect, all-satisfying sacrifice!

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  4. This is great stuff Scott. Thank you for the encouraging us to study this book. Really good notes here. Thank you!

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  5. Thank you for sharing! My dad preached through the book of Leviticus a couple of years ago and I was amazed at how much beauty is in the book that I had been skipping over. It has since become one of my favorite book. The Gospel is all over the place! Leviticus reminds me that God is holy, I’m a scumbag of a sinner, a blood sacrifice is required, and Jesus is that perfect, all-satisfying sacrifice!

    Like

  6. One of the biggest helps to me when reading Leviticus has been to see it as a book of worship. To know that God cares about how He is worshipped helps me to not come flippantly into His presence, like I am just hanging out with a buddy. He is holy, and for me Leviticus reminds me that that holy God has made a way through Jesus for me to worship. Thanks for the post.

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  7. […] 5 Reasons Why We Should Still Read The Book of Leviticus Today – If you’ve ever skipped over it, never read it, not understood it, or ignored it, this short post might help! Share this:Share […]

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  8. Hate to nitpick, but it would be the other 65 books. Excellent content, though – thanks

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    1. you are correct… I think I meant “the 66 books” lol

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  9. Leviticus is the first book orthodox Jews study, but the last book evangelical Christians study. As a pastor who manfully preached through the entire book a few years ago (some of my people told me they had never heard a sermon from Leviticus before) I can affirm that it can be hard going. The chapter on bodily fluids stands out in the collective memory of my family. But there is much to be marvelled at in this book, especially, and as of foundational importance, the holiness of God. In truth this book very clearly points to Christ. Thank you Scott for encouraging us to read this neglected book.

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  10. What bible app is shown here?

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  11. Ah! I see now. YouVersion.

    Is it possible to have the iPad and iPhone apps sync so that one device will pickup where the other left off?

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    1. Matthew, yes, the YouVersion app syncs across all devices, one of the very best Bible app every put out there, plus they have reading plans, and a ton of other stuff.

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  12. […] A link first seen on Challies.com for Scott Fillmer’s excellent Five Reasons We Should Still Read The Book of Leviticus Today. […]

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  13. “In truth this book very clearly points to Christ?” says David. How so? Being one of those Christians who does not worship the Bible as “the word of God” but rather as the word of inspired writers, I agree Leviticus is a fascinating book that should be read by every Christian who wants to fully understand what Jesus was trying to change in the Jewish understanding of “the Laws”. For those who want to be told how to do almost anything, as spoken by a rather tyrannical God (out to kill evil), Judaism is a rich and wonderful religion. For those who prefer something less dogmatic and more compassionate and loving, Christianity might be best. For God is the God of ALL. We have a wonderful choice of how to worship. Just as in any relationship, each of us will form our own relationship with our God, and it will never be perfect, but it will be good. Leviticus I can handle, but Revelations is the challenge.

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    1. curoius on what your definition of “inspired” is.

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      1. right…..inspired by who?…. GOD… moving forward. Halleleujah

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  14. […] shares some reasons why we should keep reading the book of Leviticus […]

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  15. […] 5 Reasons Why We Should Still Read the Book of Leviticus today […]

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  16. […] 5 Reasons Why We Should Still Read The Book of Leviticus Today – The enemies of Truth call it a book full of contradictions and hypocritical living. But, what sense does Christ being crucified on the cross make without knowing how the sacrificial system works? […]

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  17. Scott – a very interesting justification. Can you recommend particular books/articles (scholarly and general level) for anyone who wants to look into this book a little more deeply? I would find that very helpful. Thank you.

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  18. […] 5 Reasons Why We Should Read Leviticus – “Leviticus is one of those books that Christians tend to want to ignore, while those in the opposite camp tear it apart Hebrew letter by Hebrew letter” However, this post provides 5 solid reasons why knowing this book is important. (H/T) […]

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  19. Check out Samuel Balentine’s commentary 🙂

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  20. Amen!

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  21. […] why we should humble ourselves before God, and suggests some ways in which we can do this. 5 Reasons why we should still read Leviticus today – Scott Fillmer explains why some laws are historically customary for their culture and time, […]

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  22. […] Scott Fillmer, “5 Reasons Why We Should Still Read The Book Of Leviticus Today,” scottfillmer.com (8.21.2012). FacebookTwitterDiggEmailPrintLinkedInLike this:LikeBe the first […]

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  24. […] why we should humble ourselves before God, and suggests some ways in which we can do this. 5 Reasons why we should still read Leviticus today – Scott Fillmer explains why some laws are historically customary for their culture and time, […]

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  25. […] And that’s a point that another blogger, Evangelical Christian Scott Fillmer, tries to address, particularly when it comes to Leviticus, which he describes “one of those books that Christians tend to want to ignore, while those in the opposite camp tear it apart Hebrew letter by Hebrew letter.”  Fillmer provides five reasons why Christians should read Leviticus, the first of which is that it’… […]

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  29. Thank you for making this list! I just finished reading the book of Leviticus and was wondering…”Why did I even read that?” Maybe because I already kind of knew what was in it, I was beginning to feel it was a waste of time, but reading your five reasons helped remind me that it isn’t that at all. I read the article you referenced (Homosexuality, Polyester, and Shellfish) and would really like to hear more about moral vs. civil laws. As in…why is okay to eat pork, shellfish, etc, but not okay to practice homosexuality or adultery? Where do those differentiations come from? I know they are there and I definitely believe in them; I’d like to become better at showing other people where they are though. Thanks!

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  30. Thank you for making this list! I just finished reading the book of Leviticus and was wondering…”Why did I even read that?” Maybe because I already kind of knew what was in it, I was beginning to feel it was a waste of time, but reading your five reasons helped remind me that it isn’t that at all. I read the article you referenced (Homosexuality, Polyester, and Shellfish) and would really like to hear more about moral vs. civil laws. As in…why is okay to eat pork, shellfish, etc, but not okay to practice homosexuality or adultery? Where do those differentiations come from? I know they are there and I definitely believe in them; I’d like to become better at showing other people where they are though. Thanks!

    Like

    1. Is that the blood thirsty, jealous, killing God you love and feel the need to defend. Oh, those damn Christians, how little they understand, thank you for clearing it all up.
      Do you believe those are God’s very words and true sentiments in Leviticus? Yes, you can make all kinds of excuses for these acts, but really, did God, the Almighty, have to follow all the cruel, unjust practices of that time? What was he telling himself: Was it: “Gee, deep down inside I am a really great, fair, impartial, powerful being, but heck, I’ll have to throw out all that is moral and ethical, just to fit in with times and the abysmal way the barbarians act. Yeah, that’s it! I just wanna fit in! It would be way to much effort to change them and show them what is right. Let some else, like Jesus or … whomever… do that! As for me — let the bloody sacrifices begin! Oh how I love the scent of fresh blood!.

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  31. I’d like to find out more? I’d care to find
    out more details.

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  32. […] the idea of sanctification, the idea of holiness affecting how one lives in the covenant community. source __________________________________________________ _______________ "There are abominations […]

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  33. Is that a bad thing? Im just trying to understand. Leviticus 19-27. In any case, what I don’t understand now, I’m confident God will help me understand through someone els or through scripture if you are unable to. God bless!

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  34. This just made such a difference for me, you have no idea. Thank you.

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  35. Okay, so if the number 1 reason is that we need to understand the context… What is the context?

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