I recently bought a complete set of J. Vernon McGee's Thru the Bible commentary series. These books are loosely based on his popular radio program. I have read a handful of his commentaries in the past--including this one--but I plan on reading and/or rereading all of the commentaries (again).
His commentary on Leviticus is divided into two books. The first book covers Leviticus 1-14. The second book covers Leviticus 15-27.
These chapters in the Bible may not be winning any popularity contests--but McGee continues to have a few key insights to share with his audience.
These chapters focus on how the Jewish people--the would-be Jewish nation--should live. God has called his people to live consecrated, set apart, peculiar, holy lives. He does something similar for the church in the New Testament. These rules and regulations seem tedious, odd. But they can reveal just as much about where they've been as to where they're going. [That is the Israelites. They left an idol-worshipping Egypt and are heading towards an idol-worshipping Canaan.] I believe McGee points out that all these "thou shalt nots" mean that there were actually people who were--be they Egyptians, Canaanites, or the Israelites themselves. These chapters stress that there are no "little" or "harmless" sins. All sin--no matter the size, shape, or color--is offensive to God.
Quotes:
- “I do not know what the heart of a villain may be—I only know that of a virtuous man, and that is frightful” (Count de Maistre).
- I live my life in you, and you live your life in me. It cannot be otherwise. You are a preacher, whether you know it or not. You are preaching by your life.
- Well, my friend, whoever you are, you are a preacher. You are preaching some message by your life. You are influencing someone.
- We need to confess and be cleansed of our secret sins.
- Jesus is the fountain for the cleansing of the uncleanness of our hearts.
- God did not take away sins in the Old Testament; He covered them until Christ came and removed them. There are a number of Scriptures which teach this.
- The Day of Atonement pointed to Christ and His redemption as did no other sacrifice, ceremony, or ordinance of the Old Testament. It reveals Christ, as our Great High Priest, going into the Holy of Holies for us.
- There is a great gulf between God and man, but it is not fixed. Thank God for that! It has been bridged.
- It is not the cross that is important; the importance is in the One who died on the cross.
- Christ shed His blood on the cross and then He presented His blood for your sins and my sins. We have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ.
- It is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. The blood of Christ is the only thing that can wash away sin. There is nothing offensive about the blood; the offense is in our sin.
- We are living in a day when the moral foundations have been broken up and removed. “Who makes the rules, and what is right and wrong?” asks the sneering skeptic.
- God demands that His people be holy. Purity in all life’s situations is the command of God.
- The Egyptians were behind them, the Canaanites were ahead of them, and both of them were grossly immoral.
- God says, “I am the LORD, your God,” and “I am the LORD.” Who makes the rules? God makes the rules.
- The things that God said were immoral are still immoral today.
- The child of God in any age is called to holy living.
- Many folk say that if you are going to reach the crowds, you’ve got to go down and live with them. You’ve got to be like they are. This has been tried, both by individuals and by groups. And do you know what? They don’t reach the crowd; they become a part of the crowd.
- God’s love of children is evident in Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. The Lord Jesus said, “Let them come to Me.”
- The Law can not produce the holiness which it demands. It demanded, but it did not supply.
- Don’t volunteer to do God’s work unless you are going to give it everything you have. I’m of the opinion there will be a lot of Christians judged someday because of their laziness.
- The church today is called a royal priesthood. Every believer is a priest and has access to the throne of grace today. Every believer-priest is required to live a holy life which is possible only by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
- The unbelieving world gains its impression of the church from the members of the church. Indifference and irreverence is detected immediately by the outside unbeliever, and his attitude and conduct is governed accordingly.
- The Gospel is written a chapter a day By the deeds that you do and words that you say. Men read what you say whether faithless or true. Say, what is the Gospel according to you?
- Men are not reading the Bible today. They are reading you and me. What are they reading in you, my friend?
- All those who love the Word of God should get involved in getting the message to people.
- God loves you and wants to shower you with His blessings. But you can put up an umbrella of indifference, you can put up an umbrella of sin, you can put up an umbrella of stepping out of the will of God.
- When you do that, the sunshine of His love won’t get through to you. You must put down your umbrella to experience His spiritual blessings.
© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible
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