Over the last few months, we’ve journeyed through the book of Leviticus which documents specific laws and principles for the priests and people of Israel. These laws and principles were given to Moses while at Mount Sinai for the purpose of instruction to meet God’s highest standard of holiness for His chosen nation.
Reading in Leviticus 27, a person, animal, or property could be dedicated to the Lord by vow but some things belonged to the Lord outright. A first born animal belonged to the Lord, a tithe of everything from the land including the grain or fruit, and every tenth animal.
These promises to the Lord were meant to maintain Israel’s holiness because there needed to be a sacrifice for sin but the people were not able to follow these specific laws and principles. The law was intended to maintain Israel’s justified relationship to God but the easier Way of the gospel is Good News for all. Christ became the temple, altar, sacrifice, and all that was needed to be in a right relationship with God.
Christ became the ultimate sacrifice to meet our every need. This made things easier so we don’t have to follow complicated laws, rules, and regulations but simply accept the invitation to follow the path laid down by Christ. This day with God, determine what steps to start taking and step ahead with boldness.
This day with You Lord, we step ahead going steadily forward with great expectancy. We can accomplish so many things in life but the most important accomplishment is the acceptance of You in our heart. On the journey from here to there, we need a life transforming relationship with You because You take our strengths and liabilities and turn them into more than we can imagine. Amen.
Mark, thank you for sharing. You said: “This made things easier so we don’t have to follow complicated laws, rules, and regulations but simply accept the invitation to follow the path laid down by Christ.” Are you saying God’s laws or the man-made traditions from the Pharisees are too difficult to follow?
1 John 5:3 says, “In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.” The Psalmist writes: “The Law of the Lord is perfect; reviving the soul (Psalm 19:7).”
I find that theologians often mix up God’s perfect Law, such as keeping the Sabbath and regulating their diet with the “added” traditions of the Pharisees, such as forcing people to wash their hands before they eat or extra-biblical commands.
The question really becomes: Is Jesus saying in the book of Galatians that the Law is burdensome, or the oral traditions passed down by the Pharisees which had extra rules and regulations not found in Torah are burdensome?
Thanks for your feedback!
Yes, the “added” traditions of the Pharisees which had the extra rules and regulations. Thanks for reading and commenting.
Keep sharing the gospel my friend. Blessings to you!
That’s good stuff Mark. Excellent use of the OT, as it really is the foreshadowing of what was to come, finding it’s fulfillment in Christ
Thanks for Sharing. Have a blessed day!