God's Weird Rules

God's Weird Rules

Leviticus 14:33-57

Read "These are the instructions for dealing with serious skin diseases, including scabby sores; and mildew, whether on clothing or in a house; and a swelling on the skin, a rash, or discolored skin. This procedure will determine whether a person or object is ceremonially clean or unclean. "These are the instructions regarding skin diseases and mildew." (Leviticus 14:54-57)

Reflect God's instruction helped the Israelites diagnose serious skin diseases and mildew. This way they could avoid them or treat them. These laws protected the people's health and the community's stability. The people wouldn't have understood the biological reasons for some of these laws, but their obedience made the people healthier. Many of God's laws must have seemed strange to the Israelites, unlike any laws they'd ever known, with reasons they didn't understand. Still, these restrictions were for their good. Do you sometimes feel like God's restrictions don't make sense? Do you ever wonder why obedience in certain areas is so important? God seems to have a good history of giving good counsel in every facet of life—not only physical life, but also moral, spiritual, emotional, and even intellectual life. The Word of God still provides a pattern for healthy living. We may not always understand the wisdom of God's laws, but if we obey them, we will thrive.

Respond Are there instructions that God has given that you don't understand? Faith sometimes involves obeying God before we understand him. If you're facing questions like this, consider obeying and seeing if things begin to make sense afterward.