The book of Numbers is both an organisational manual and a journey narrative. Israel are a people who must entrust themselves entirely to God's direction, believing his promises of protection, of land, and of blessing. The journey narrative hinges on Israel's obedience to God and their belief in his promises.

At the heart of the book of Leviticus, God intends to make home in the midst of his people, a people who accurately display his holiness to all the other nations of the world. But the problem of residual sin remains. Leviticus 16 provides a national day for restoring holiness and purity for Israel in relation to God, for their priesthood and all aspects and elements of the tabernacle.

God says to his people, '�Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.' That command seems to sum up the entire book of Leviticus, which sets up a system whereby God's people can practice holiness'�a system that will touch every area of life with clear distinctions to be made between the holy and the common, between clean and unclean. This devotional seeks to understand why God would apply such a '�strange' holiness code to Israel as they prepare to enter their Promised Land.

In Leviticus chapters 8-10 we notice the contrast between the dramatic approval and affirmation of the work of the priests when done properly, and when God's instructions are ignored. The example of Aaron's sons remind us that God is holy. We learn to respect and honour him-- and to pay careful attention to his word.

The holiness of God's people is important, so sin must be dealt with as soon as it is known. The Levitical sacrificial system provided this opportunity. Similarly, when we sin, our first impulse should not be to run away from God but to run to him, in order to find mercy and forgiveness.

The book of Leviticus is much more than a recipe book of sacrifices and rituals: it sets up the way that God's holiness will not be compromised by his living among his people. In this devotional we consider the variety of sacrifices indicating a breadth of responses to God and his goodness.