BibleProject | One Story That Leads to JesusSample

Today’s reading outlines the qualifications for Israelite priests—the ones who mediate or stand between God and the rest of Israel. Priests represent God to the people and represent the people before God.

Priests “serve” and “keep” the holy tabernacle space—the Eden tent. Adam and Eve were given the same instruction when they first lived in the garden; God told them to “serve” and “keep” the land, suggesting that he designed all humanity for a royal priestly kind of life.

Eden should be free from any sign of death, destruction, or decay. This means priests cannot enter the tent while displaying symbols of death. In their ancient Near Eastern context, these symbols included specific ways of shaving one’s hair and cutting or marking one’s skin, as well as specific physical deformities that signaled a state of corruption.

Leviticus explains not only how to honor God’s sacred space but also how to honor God’s sacred time. Israel’s annual calendar was structured with seven ritual feasts, synchronizing the people’s lives to ongoing celebrations that tell the story of God’s redemption. Every time the Israelites inaugurated a new year over unleavened bread and a Passover lamb, they remembered that their national story began with God rescuing them from slavery. And spending a week living in temporary shelters reminded them of God’s provision in the wilderness.

On one hand, these festivals invite Israel to remember and proclaim their national identity year after year. But they also provide new generations with a way to tangibly enter into that story in their own time. Watch today’s video to learn more about the connection between Israel’s laws and story.

Reflection Questions

• The number seven plays a key role in the literary design of Leviticus. How many sets of seven do you see in today’s passage? (Look for repeated words, phrases, and concepts.)
• Reflect on the regulations for Israel’s ritual feasts in Leviticus 23. How do you think these annual celebrations would have helped Israel understand God’s character and their place in God’s redemptive story?