I’m Not Looking Forward to Deuteronomy
One of my all time favorite pieces of literature is Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s Rime of the Ancient Mariner. If you’ve never read it, it tells the story of a sailor, his crew, and their last voyage out to see.
During their journey, they veer off course and end up in the icy seas of the Antarctic. As the sailors struggle to find their heading and escape the cold, an albatross–a messenger of hope to sailors–appears and guides them to back to warmer waters. The bird is seen as their savior and revered by the crew, but the captain foolishly shoots and kills the bird. As if in answer to the mariner’s sin, the ship is almost immediately cast into the doldrums–the accursed portion of sea where winds stop, the ship ceases to move, and all hope seems lost. And for a long time this is where the crew and captain find themselves, and they fear they will never escape.
That’s where Amanda and I are right now in our Bible reading plan. We’re about 10 chapters into Leviticus, and we feel like we’re in the midst of the doldrums. It’s just list after list of how to make sacrifices, where to sprinkle blood, what portion to burn and what do give to the priests, yada yada yada. And about 83.325% of each sacrifice is the same as every other sacrifice.
I know it’s Scripture and so there has to be some spiritual learning to be had from it, but I gotta be honest, I’m having a hard time figuring out what it is. So could you help me?
What are some of the spiritual lessons God has taught you from the book of Leviticus?
P.S. Amanda and I were discussing the implications of Genesis 8:21 which says, “the intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth” (NASB). Does this mean we have a “sinful nature”? Do we give children too much leeway for innocence when in actuality they may be sinful much earlier than we recognize? I’m not sure. What are your thoughts?
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