If I were a new Christian or a non-believer, and I opened the Bible and read this chapter first thing, I’d probably have to give Christianity a pass. It’s brutal, huh? It says people with defects aren’t good enough to enter the holiest room of God’s house. It says women who have been prostitutes or are divorced are not good enough to marry priests. It says women who have been prostitutes must be burned to death. It’s simply not very nice. Aspects of this chapter have been cherry picked and dramatized, analyzed and defended, scrutinized and even brought to life on the big screen, but that doesn’t make us understand them anymore. I think we have to look at these rules as a whole, as in a piece of the WHOLE book of Leviticus, which is basically a handbook of rules for the Israelites. You can think of it like a constitution, and we all know that every constitution is established according to the environment and atmosphere of the time and then amended as people evolve and grow and take on new roles. It’s the way of the world … because it’s the way of God. I like to look at Leviticus as the original HR manual, the go-to guide for the Israelites, but we have to keep in mind that this is only the beginning.
Writing prompt: constitution
I grew up in America, which has had the same constitution from the day it was established. When I moved to Thailand, I learned that this country has adopted several constitutions. Ain’t nothin’ but a thang. Write about your country’s constitution. Do a little Googling today. How long has it been around? How many times has it been amended since its adoption? Think about how many changes have taken place since it was written and compare it to what has happened since the rules in Leviticus were written. Most importantly though, focus on the whys, particularly when it comes to justice and freedoms. And have fun being nerdy! 🤓
jugglingfire.com 