How much?

How much of the Bible could you create from Memory? A list of all the books? Perhaps the number of chapters in each book? At least one verse from each book?

I can’t.

I do know some verses from Genesis – the easy one is In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1) But I could quote a bit more than that.

Exodus? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. (Exodus 3:14) I do love here where God tells us He is forever. Of course I can list most of the then commandments, but in their shortened form. Even now I tend to bring them down to the two Christ gave when asked:

Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:36-40)

Leviticus? Not so much. That’s our reading assignment for this week – actually for two weeks, as we are having a special program this Sunday morning instead of regular Sunday school. I was asked “Is it all about sacrifice?”

Pretty much. Leviticus is the book of law. God speaks the law to Moses. The book carries the name of Levi, the tribe charged with care of the tabernacle – but not until the book of Numbers were they so charged. Sons of Levi are only mentioned in Leviticus 25:32-34, yet the Septuagint (the Greek version of the Old Testament) gave this book their name. The book is a manual for ritual cleansing, but it also tells the “why” the cleansing must be done.

At random, pick chapter 14, just over half way through, and we read of cleansing – but first we’re told why: This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: (Leviticus 14:2), then we’re told how.

Some ask “Why don’t Christians follow these laws?” Jesus told his disciples, in the Sermon on the mount, Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. (Matthew 5:17)

The law remains, but it is complete. Go back up five paragraphs and re-read Matthew 22:36-40. When we accomplish those two commandments, we accomplish them all. I haven’t.

Which is why Peter’s story in Acts 10 and 11 means so much to me, a gentile, and I work to not withstand God.

Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? (Acts 11:17)