Every time I read the book of Leviticus, I cannot help but give thanks for the Person and Work of Jesus Christ–and that I live in the time period I do now. For the freedom we enjoy in Christ is unparalleled. It is, historically speaking, wonderful, unimaginable, even enviable.

Just imagine yourself as a Jewish priest in the year 1400 B.C. All the rules and regulations have recently been introduced and you must keep them to a ‘T’! Or, as we are told time and again through the book, ‘that person shall be cut off from his people.’ I simply cannot imagine it. Burn this. Don’t burn that. Eat this. Don’t eat that. No doubt I would have messed something up sooner or later. And that wouldn’t have been fun.

Sure, messing up is never fun, but in Christ, we have a much lesser chance of messing something up and a perfect chance of being forgiven if we do. We have freedom to worship in a variety of ways, so that we shouldn’t often hit a ‘rut’ or some sort. And we need not be afraid that we will be separated from the people of God if we take a wrong turn here or there. Even more than that, we need not approach the priest every time we want to come before the Lord. Because of Christ, we can walk right into His presence, into the Holy of Holies as it were, and fellowship with Him as was always intended.

Chapters 5-7 or Leviticus surely give us much greater insight that what is offered above, but at the very least, we should read them and give thanks for the Person and Work of Jesus Christ, and the fact that we live in days after Christ has come.