February 25

Leviticus 21-23 outlines the standards of holiness for Israel’s priests, the sacredness of offerings, and the appointed feasts of the Lord. These chapters highlight God’s desire for His people to reflect His holiness in worship, conduct, and community life. The priests, as mediators between God and the people, were called to uphold a higher standard of purity. The feasts, from Passover to the Day of Atonement, pointed to God’s redemptive plan and His provision for His people to celebrate and remember His faithfulness.  

Hebrews 8 shifts the focus to Jesus, the mediator of a better covenant. The old covenant, established under Moses, served its purpose in pointing to God’s holiness and humanity’s need for atonement. However, it was limited and incomplete. The new covenant, fulfilled in Jesus, is based on “better promises” (Hebrews 8:6). Unlike the old covenant, which relied on external laws, the new covenant transforms us from within: “I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts” (Hebrews 8:10).  

These passages together remind us of God’s unchanging holiness and His desire to draw His people closer to Him. The laws and feasts in Leviticus were shadows of the greater reality found in Christ. Jesus, our High Priest, fulfills the priestly role perfectly, offering Himself as the ultimate sacrifice and establishing a covenant that brings us into a direct, personal relationship with God.  

As God’s people today, we are still called to live holy lives, reflecting His character in a world that often rejects His ways. However, we do so not out of obligation but out of gratitude for what Jesus has done. Through the new covenant, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to live in obedience and worship, no longer bound by the letter of the law but transformed by God’s grace.  

To receive daily One Year Bible devotionals directly to your email, sign up here.