 The book of Leviticus is a challenging read. It’s a detailed history describing the priesthood, offerings, sacrifices, and other laws given by God to His people. Because of this, it’s easy to view Leviticus as an outdated, confusing book about the “old days.” After all, God’s people no longer rely on priests to sacrifice animals in a tabernacle for the forgiveness of sins. But the book of Leviticus is more than bloody altars and gruesome stories. It’s a book about worship.
“And they brought what Moses commanded in front of the tent of meeting [tabernacle], and all the congregation drew near and stood before the LORD. And Moses said, ‘This is the thing that the LORD commanded you to do, that the glory of the LORD may appear to you.’ Then Moses said to Aaron [the High Priest], ‘Draw near to the altar and offer your sin offering and your burnt offering and make atonement for yourself and for the people, and bring the offering of the people and make atonement for them, as the LORD has commanded’” (9:5-7 ESV).  I deleted Instagram. One of the most popular social networks in the world. A photo sharing platform used by one billion people. And I’m no longer one of them.
Why? Not because it’s bad. I’m not discouraging people from using it. Instead, there’s something about Instagram that causes me to stumble. Let me explain.  I don’t wear an eye patch. I don’t hold a hook. There’s no peg on my leg. But I’m a pirate. I search for treasure each and every day.
I look for happiness. I search for peace. I seek satisfaction. I long to find a treasure chest full of joy. You’re likely a pirate, too. So let’s dig up some treasure in God’s Word, matey. Jesus says, “‘Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened’” (Matt. 7:7-8 ESV). We’re all searching for treasure. But here’s the question: where are we searching?  I had my wisdom teeth removed last week. The surgical crew took me to a room. They discussed the procedure. I gave my consent in the form of a pathetic signature. Then, I gave my consent again because the first signature was a straight line. I was slightly nervous. But before I knew it, I was sound asleep with anesthesia.
The surgery went well. I remember nothing. As I escaped anesthesia’s strong grasp, I pointed to the sky and mumbled words. That’s what they told me. I like to say I came out preaching.  “Moses, Moses!”
The voice comes from a burning bush—well, it isn’t really burning. But it’s on fire. “Then the LORD said, ‘I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites’” (Ex. 3:7-8 ESV). The Israelites have been under Egyptian bondage for nearly 400 years. But God, seeing the hurt of His people, decides to come down for them. |