Sometimes, I think we all wonder why God gives the restrictions He does in our lives. Some things that seem good are forbidden, or we are instructed to do something in a way that seems like the harder way. As I read Leviticus 17:1-9 the other day, I was struck by this question and I was given a very good answer to it.
In this passage, God is commanding that His people only offer their sacrifices at the tabernacle (later, only at the temple). They had been accustomed to making their family sacrifices on their own, wherever they chose. In fact, in earlier times, before they entered Egypt, Abraham's family would build altars and make sacrifices wherever they were living at the time. This was normal. In fact, it was a way of living that had more liberty than the way God was now directing them to live. So, why take away their freedom? Why restrict them this way?
The answer is in verse 7 - "So they shall no more sacrifice their sacrifices to goat demons, after whom they whore."
Had they shown already a tendency to use their freedom for sin? Yes, definitely. We think of the golden calf idol at the foot of Sinai. Freedom is a good thing, but it only works where there is righteousness. Where there is no righteousness, or a mixture of right and wrong, freedom will tend to be abused for sin. This in no way makes freedom bad. Freedom is good, all by itself. Galatians 5:1 says "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." So, Christ has set us free to enjoy freedom, but don't miss the second part of the verse. We should not use that freedom to once again become slaves to sin. And that is why God gives us good boundaries, laws, and restrictions. He knows who we are, in our hearts, you and me. He knows we will wander away given complete freedom. So, instead, He has created a good way to be His bond-servants, free but also bound to Him and bound away from the sin that destroys.
In the final analysis, we must over and over repeat - God is good in all His ways!
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