Leviticus 19:12

Many people think the Old Testament is mainly about rules and laws. But it tells a deeper story—God’s rescue plan for humanity. From the fall in Eden to the promises of the prophets, the Old Testament reveals the problem of sin and the hope of redemption. The law exposes our need, the sacrifices point to atonement, and the prophets anticipate a transformed heart. In this 5-day plan, discover how the Old Testament prepares the world for salvation and points to the fulfillment of God’s promises in Jesus—a story not just of rules, but of rescue.

Discipleship works against fear. As we obey God’s commands, we entrust ourselves to him. Like the students attending the schools founded by D. L. Moody in Northfield, MA, God’s people “are encouraged to test the meaning and value of the Bible’s teachings experimentally, by acting upon them, and living them out.” As we “test experimentally” the word of God, we will find that we will have fewer and fewer reasons to be afraid. You can get an expanded version of this plan at moodycenter.org/fear.

I dedicate this devotional to my late friend and mentor, Loverna, who lived her life according to Biblical wisdom about the age-old problem, known as aging. In 2021, the global anti-aging market was valued at 62 billion U.S. dollars. The average American spends $15,000 in their lifetime. Together lets change this aging mindset.

Leviticus is the book most readers intend to read and the fewest finish. Where Exodus brings liberation, Leviticus stops the narrative and replaces it with instruction — sacrifice, purity codes, a holiness code covering everything from worship to wages. What looks like a detour is the Torah’s heart: the God who freed Israel now lives in the camp. How does a people that is not holy live in the presence of a God who is? Over seven days, this plan traces Leviticus’s answer — and finds it is less about burden than about grace.