Even in Leviticus He is Before Us

It is His book still.

I have to testify that this time reading through Leviticus and the end of Exodus has been the most impacting part for me so far. Wow, I'll bet for those of you who are new to the Bible that that sounds like someone from a different planet, huh? This is I think the fifth or sixth time I have read through my Bible, and it seems to get better each time. Especially when I pray. I do not doubt that that will be true for you who are newer to this book, in time. But that's why we're walking together, isn't it? To be encouraged and challenged to know God and love Him more.

I find a lot of similarities between how I read the Bible and Job's experience that is recounted in Job 9:11, “Behold, He passes by me, and I see Him not; He moves on, but I do not perceive Him.” As we came to this book, I looked at it and thought I was in for a long ride. And I'm not saying it hasn't been a hard read. I don't always know what is going on, and I certainly don't understand God's reasonings behind all of His commands. So I began to beg God to open my eyes. He says this is all His book; that He is in every book, every chapter, and every verse. But I didn't see Him. Perhaps you can relate. So I prayed more. And in the past few weeks God has increasingly shown me the gap between who He is and who I am. As a matter of fact, I think that if I was not saved that the last two weeks would have been terrifying. He brings me to trembling now as I read and pray; and I am in awe and deep reverence, not terror. What must have been like to be and Israelite?! As we have read in Numbers, if the Kohathites had looked at the holy things before Aaron and his sons had covered them, they would have died! So many rules and guidelines, and God is naming every single one. He is calling all the shots. He is so different from us; have you seen that? If we think through it, would any one of us have had Moses and Aaron do the things they have been told to do? I know I wouldn't have. God's holiness is beyond measure and far beyond finding out. He is otherly and different. Holy.

This book is in the Bible for a reason. Let it show us the gap between what a holy God must do with sinful men, and what He has done with them through the Hero of the story Jesus. Truly, though He is before us in His own words and pages, we do not see Him; and though He passes right by us, He is as a phantom in the night and we do not perceive Him. But He can and will open our eyes if we ask Him. Wonderfully, we can ask Him with confident access through the mediation of the holy and sinless Son of God. May He open our eyes to be touched with power and understanding from on High.

We have peace with this otherly God.