City Life Starter

I. The Word: Leviticus 26: 38-45

“You will die among the foreign nations and be devoured in the land of your enemies. Those of you who survive will waste away in your enemies’ lands because of their sins and the sins of their ancestors. But at last my people will confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors for betraying me and being hostile toward me. When I have turned their hostility back on them and brought them to the land of their enemies, then at last their stubborn hearts will be humbled, and they will pay for their sins. Then I will remember my covenant with Jacob and my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land.”

II. Reflection Questions:

1. Do you consider the “Old Testament God” to be forgiving?
2. Why is God’s wrath necessary for Him to be loving?
3. How can you see Jesus here?

By Danielle Clark

Leviticus. It’s unfortunate so many Christians avoid this book due to preconceived notions of fear and disgust. Leviticus is difficult, but putting in the work to learn about it is one of the most rewarding parts of learning the Bible! It makes the rest of the Bible blossom with depth that is otherwise missed.

God spends much of Leviticus 26 warning of death and destruction if Israel doesn’t obey His Law. However, today’s verses immediately follow that long passage of punishment, and they show that God has a plan for reconciliation. These verses set up a pattern that is paramount in the Bible:

Steps to Dealing with Sin

1. Punishment by death must occur
2. This punishment humbles the hearts of His people
3. His people’s humility will compel them to confess their sins
4. Once confessed, His people will experience God’s favor due to God’s promise to reconcile Himself to them.

Leviticus sets up an everlasting pattern of how to handle sin, and Jesus simply substitutes Himself in for Step 1! He took on our capital punishment; if we fully believe in Him we will be humbled, confess, and immediately free of shame due to God’s work alone. Jesus didn’t abolish the way God set up His Law, He fulfilled its ultimate purpose of allowing the Messiah to atone for our sin. Jesus’s sacrifice doesn’t enable us to avoid the statutes of Leviticus, but actually allows us to participate in it to its fullest and most perfect extent!