February 8, 2022: Day 30 – Leviticus 24-27 and Psalm 17 and 19

We finish up the book of Leviticus with more requirements for sacrifices, as well as an introduction to the year of Jubilee.  Chapter 24 gives us a story of a young man who is the product of an Egyptian dad and an Israelite mom, not something that was addresses as wrong, but who blasphemed and took the Lord’s name in vain.  As a result he was stoned to death.  

We then are introduced to the year of jubilee.  I’ll never forget living in Italy and the Roman Catholic Church preparing itself for the jubilee year which took place in 2000.  Every 50 years there is the year of jubilee and the great door leading into the Vatican which is sealed up is broken down by the pope.  It is very exciting.  But here the Scripture describes a year when all the slaves are set free, when debts are zeroed out, where property is returned, where fields lay fallow.  It is really a year of Sabbath and an opportunity for the people and the land to recover and heal.  Sounds like something we need right about now as well.

From there 26 discusses what the Lord will do to those who are obedient…and what he will do to those who are disobedient.  It is all connected to being able to enter the land that is promised to the people of Israel or not.  If you obey you will enter without fear, if you disobey you will always be fearful.  Then 27 closes out with more regulations that must be followed in order to please God, and just like that we are done with Leviticus.  

We see two psalms that are assigned.  Let’s focus just a bit on 19.  I really hope that vs.14 sounds familiar.  I say these words every Sunday before I am about to preach.  Psalm 19 is a Psalm that I say could be called a Psalm of Providence (I just made that up), which means that the entirety of the Psalm brings the reader to the realization that all things are under God’s control and under God’s loving guiding hand.