I’m reading through the Bible chronologically. I’ve read through it a few times before, but never in any order that could be considered logical.

I’d been praying about direction, and where God wanted me to go in studying His word.

I read through Acts very slowly in El Salvador, then I began my “through the Bible” journey. I should finish before the race is over.

I’m in Leviticus now, and while I could easily say “dry dry dry dry dryyyyy” I have to admit I am getting something out of this fibrous tedious bore that is Leviticus:

Sin is disgusting.

(that’s what I am getting out of it so far)

God is weird (no offense, it’s true though, He knows it) and sin is absolutely disgusting.

Sin is so gross that God made atonement gross.

Slaughtering animals, bleeding them, sprinkling their blood everywhere, separating the fat, the kidneys, anointing furniture with oil, wringing off heads of doves and pigeons, I mean…. come on.

That’s so gross! Lord, that’s totes sick nasty!

God was super specific and graphic. He wasn’t kidding around. And all this is for unintentional sin. There is no offering for intentional sin. Let that sink in.

Sin was also costly. We’re talking about a whole calf here, burned to ashes, or a goat, or doves, or pigeons, or grain. This could be so much food for a family, yet it’s being burned or quartered or given over to the priests to eat instead. Can you imagine how hard it must have been to realize you sinned unintentionally and to lose all that food, or else be destroyed?

The old covenant was a bloody, expensive, gross mess. No guts, no glory, literally.

I am so thankful for the cross. SO THANKFUL FOR THE CROSS.

God took all that disgusting, barbaric, costly punishment and put it on His one and only Son.

Jesus was the once-and-for-all sacrifice for our sins, and not just our unintentional sins! All sins!

Leviticus, albeit dry, is revealing to me the costly mess of sin in God’s eyes.

I praise You, Daddy, for the blood of the Lamb, slain for my sins.

Our debt was paid.