SCRIPTURE: Leviticus 19
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
1. “I am the Lord”. This refrain seems to be saying: first, that the Lord is the powerful God that rescued them, so take His commands seriously; second, that this is how things work with the Lord, as opposed to the religious practices of neighbouring nations.
2. This mixed list of laws contains many that are very good, some that seem odd, and at least one that seems wrong. Most of the laws relate to respect and justice in relation to one’s neighbour. These commands still make sense today: respect for the elderly, not using dishonest scales, treating foreigners as family, not holding grudges, not lying, stealing, cheating workers or abusing the handicapped etc.
3. Some of the commands relate to their relationship with God: observing the Sabbath, handling fellowship offerings, honouring God’s Name and the Tent, not consulting with mediums or spiritists. Some commands relate to pagan religious practices: not making idols, not cutting hair or beards, not cutting bodies or getting tattoos (likely specific practices of pagan religions).
4. Some commands seem odd: not mating different animals, mixing seeds or weaving clothes of mixed materials. There were probably good reasons behind these laws – not eating the fruit of an orchard for 3 years (plus one year for the Lord) would be good for increasing the yield of the crop.
5. The one that seems wrong is where a person sleeps with a slave girl engaged to another man, but not yet redeemed (i.e. not yet free). The guilty party would not be punished with death, since the girl was still only a slave. Had she been free, it would have gone differently. What seems wrong to me is the double standard, that slaves were treated as lesser.
6. “I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” [Matthew 5:18]. All of these laws, the least stroke of the pen, somehow find their fulfillment in Jesus. He is holy, He is fully obedient to God’s will. He does what we cannot do. And by His death, He pays the price for our sin and sets us free.
PRAYER:
Lord, Your ways are good. I don’t understand all the laws, but I do believe that they are important. And thank You for not just telling me to do them, thank You for leading by example, showing me how!
As I read through this book (Leviticus), I say with all my heart – “Thank You LORD for sending Your Son, finishing this old covenant and issuing the new covenant! Thank You LORD that because of Your Son’s blood, I am free to live in/ by the Spirit and not bound by these laws and practices!
“LORD, forgive me for the ‘casualness’ that I often live out my faith by each day. To have followed the laws and practices of the Old Testament, one would have had to give careful consideration to all the many details of everthing they did for Your glory each and every day, each and every ceremony etc.. The way I live my life each day, the ways I respond, the decisions I make, the responsibilities I have, the ‘offerings’ I make- are they not just as worthy of such consideration?
LORD, grant me a greater understanding of what my life as an offering to You each and every day truly means. May I take nothing for granted. May there be nothing casual about my life that has been saved by Your amazing grace! May I truly celebrate and rejoice in the fact that I am free to live in and by Your Spirit! Thank You LORD for having mercy on me, a sinner such as I am and granting me a new identity in Christ! Your love is AMAZING! LORD, to You be all the glory, honour and praise!”
God is God and He is the Lord, my God. These are laws for life. Many are the ten commandments put in a different way. Those laws were rules for living. Do this and live. As a parent tells his children, do this, the child may not understand why the rule was given. So too is it with the Lord. He knows what is good for His people, but the people may not understand at the time why the rule was given. Yet we need to just do, since our Father knows all of our needs. And we, His children, need to be faithful in obedience, just as Jesus Christ was faithful. God is Who He is and I must live as His child in all I do and say. Thank You Lord for the guidelines/rules/laws for holy living. In order to have real life, I simply must trust and obey.
We will Listen and Obey,
Yes Lord, yes we will.
We will Listen and Obey,
Yes Lord, yes we will.
With a Yes Lord here and a Yes Lord there
Here a Yes, There a Yes, Everywhere a Yes! Yes!
We will Listen and Obey,
Yes Lord, yes we will.