Leviticus 18 & 19
Summary
These two chapters begin instructions for the practical living out of the people of a Holy God. They are expanded and amplified instructions of the Ten Commandments given earlier in Exodus. Note that God does not distinguish between the secular and the sacred – it is all the same to Him. Purity is expected and demanded. It is interesting to note that Chapter 18 is read aloud each year on the Day of Atonement.
Over and over through this section, the Israelites are reminded of their status as God’s People. They are warned not to follow the ways and practices of the pagan Canaanites. God reminds them of His Authority to issue this code by the repeated phrase “I am the LORD your God.”
There are interesting and explicit instructions in chapters 18 & 19. What stands out to you? Being familiar with these instructions will help you as we continue our reading through the Bible - for instance 18:24-28 will help you understand why the Israelites will experience the Exile and 19:9-10 will help you understand the gleaning in the book of Ruth. And 19:18 is “love your neighbor as yourself” which Jesus quotes later on!!
Reflection
So what are we to do with all these regulations now that Christ has come? We now have the Spirit to guide us – we don’t need codes to show us the way of holy living. My husband is currently trying to do some improvements to some rental property we own. The unit was built about 50 years ago but the improvements must be made according to the building codes of today. If he were to make the improvements according to the codes of the 1950’s, the project would never be approved. He can read and study them all he wants and he might even find some things that are the same for today but it isn’t the set of building codes that are currently in effect. I think the same is true when we approach this Old Code/Testament/Covenant in the Bible. They are interesting and give us insight into the actions of Old Testament characters and the view of the Pharisees in Jesus’ time, but we are not to build our life around them since we are now under a New Code/Testament/Covenant. Hebrews 10 says that Jesus took away the first covenant and established a second covenant. It says that we can approach God by a new way. God has a new code in effect. In many ways this new way is easier – not so many rules to remember. But in other ways, this new way, this law of the Spirit (Romans 8) seems hard – I need to consult the Spirit in ALL things and ask Him to guide me in living a daily Holy life – I need to live to a higher standard – I am not just to abstain from murdering others but I am to abstain from having evil thoughts about others. Impossible? Yes, on my own. But with the Spirit living in me it is possible!
Prayer
Dear God, I am thankful that you sent your Spirit to live in me. I have your Guidance and Power to live a holy life that is pleasing to you and a blessing to others. Reading the Law reminds me of my sinfulness and leads me to the Cross and your provision. Help me to seek you in all my ways – help me to breathe you.
1 comment:
What stands out to me -- Chapter 19 is focused mostly on how people treat one another. And that is the chapter that keeps repeating, "I am the LORD your God." This makes me think that how we treat others is a reflection of who our God is. The two are linked. It's something we probably don't consider often enough. My behavior toward others should be different than the world's behavior because I belong to the LORD. I should treat others in an upright, honest, and caring way.
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