SCRIPTURE: Leviticus 19
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
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.

“I am the Lord” — this refrain seems to be saying two things:
First, that the Lord is the powerful God that rescued them, so take His commands seriously.
Second, this is how things work with the Lord, as opposed to the religious practices of neighbouring nations.
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.
Some of 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.
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).
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.

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.

At the end of the day, as a Jesus follower, I need to affirm that somehow Jesus fulfills the Law [Matthew 5:17-18], and that He commands me to obey Him and His Law [Matthew 28:19].
Instead of being sidetracked about the laws that don’t make sense to me, I need to focus on the law of love clearly taught and demonstrated by Jesus.

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!