First of all, my apologies for not updating this blog in well over a week, and even prior to that very inconsistently.  It’s been a busy stretch with actual human contact.  The hard part is, once you have a season of not updating, you lose readership pretty quickly.  Well, I’m going to work at amping it back up.  In fact, I hope to use the blog more strategically (for UBC) as we go through our Intensify Summer 2010 initiative and as we teach through some key topics this Fall, as well as begin our Hebrews study.  One thing I’d love along the way is more interaction, especially from UBCers.

Well, I’m going to kick this thing back into gear with a series of posts regarding concluding thoughts on Leviticus.  I thought the best place to start is a more personal reflection.

1. God is Holy!  This was one of those foundational truths in my early Christian development as a teenager on into college.  In fact, RC Sproul’s The Holiness of God was quite instrumental in my theological development.  I was brought to a point, through that book, of having to reckon the high view of God that appeared clearly biblical and the high view of man that seemed practically taught in my church growing up.  I simply realized that you cannot have a biblically high view of God and a high view of man simultaneously — a view that man has enough inherent goodness to go after God on his own.  Leviticus has reminded me of this truth, but expanded it to encompass, yet again, that the weight of God’s holiness is felt in the depth of grace He shows His people who deserve nothing less than His wrath.
2. The Law exists because of transgression!  I have to realize that God’s plan for redemption has always been the same.  It has only developed over time according to His plan.  In that, the law shows me that I need redemption because I’m a sinner incapable of keeping the law.  For a guy who has perfectionist tendencies, self-righteous patterns, pride that is loathing, realizing that sin is present AND accounted for (by Jesus) is an enormous relief.  As well, Leviticus’ statutes reminds me of reading good Christian biography:  people stink, are sinners, and God is INFINITELY gracious to still deal with His own.  Yet again, grace comes through — where sin increased, grace increased all the more (Rom.5:18-21).
3. Jesus is there…in THAT text!  Some people have the misguided notion that I teach these things as one who already knows them.  Truth is, and I try to say this so as not to be guilty of pretense, I love choosing books that I’ve never preached nor studied all that much.  Leviticus was way up on that list.  Seeing Christ-types in the priest, offerings, and feasts has been rich.  I need more of Jesus.  I need the constant reminder that the Scriptures (ALL of them) are Christ emphatic!  It’s clear that I must fashion more and more of my life with an emphatic Christ-centeredness.  While in that pursuit, even when I fail, I know that no animal’s blood nor any offering need be made…the cross of Christ that satisfies was, is, and will always be, ENOUGH.