It comes as no surprise that Leviticus doesn’t feature in the top 10 favourite books of the bible according to the Bible Gateway Statistics quoted by one blog. Although I wasn’t exactly looking forward to this week’s book, it did feed my prayers and I was able to do some small bits of art in my journal. For the overview from the bible project click here.
I was encouraged when someone said they thought the blessing, glory, joy picture would make a good poster. I did not enjoy reading chapter 12 and 15 which you will have picked up by reading my journal entries in the photo. Interestingly the subject of being cleansed/purified after childbirth came up in our bible study on Wednesday while we were looking at Jesus’ presentation at the temple. The elderly ladies remembered how they were not allowed anywhere after giving birth until they had been ‘churched’. Such was the superstition that had grown up around it. The service is simply a thanksgiving for safe delivery but by the mid 20th century women were not allowed anywhere, not even into their own home, until they had been churched because it would bring bad luck or somehow taint those who came in contact with her. click here for a link to the words.
Overall, I think the book of Leviticus, despite being very repetitive, is worth reading. Our culture is very different from that of the people of God back then. And there are some of the laws that I think are not relevant now, and especially to those of us who are Christian. Nevertheless, we still need to be reminded to give God of our best, to live sacrificially and to live out our faith in our everyday lives.
Elizabeth Jones' Diary 