Leviticus 26

In this chapter we see three major sections. 1. God’s promise to those who keep his laws. 2. God’s curses for those who break his laws. 3. God will remember his promise. These are fairly straight forward when we look at this passage. We are blessed and reward because we obey God’s laws. We are in his favor. If we choose to disobey his laws there are consequences for disobeying. The consequences increase the more one refuses to deny God and walk away from him.

What shows God is the same yesterday, today, and forever is the showing of grace and mercy he has. This was not a new concept because of Jesus coming we find an example of his grace in verse 40 through 46. God says that if the people will repent, confess their sins and humble themselves he will remember his promise to Abraham. Look at the end of this chapter. We see that though he forgives them there are still consequences for their sins. We often think that because we ask God to forgive us that he should immediately relinquish the punishment. Just because your kids seek forgiveness do you not still punish them for their disobedience?

Application

Though we are not under the law because of Jesus we still have to adhere to what God commands of us. We are to live holy lives. When we choose to not obey his commands to not live holy lives there are consequences for our sins. God’s blessings and rewards are not because you have prayed a certain way it is more about the fact that you have lived a holy life. Remember also that there may still be consequences for sin even after you have sought forgiveness. A murderer must still be held accountable for the murder even if he has turned his life to God

Leviticus 25

In this chapter we are in general dealing with three sections. The year to honor the LORD, the Jubilee for the land and the jubilee for the people. The over lying them that I see in this chapter is that we must remember who’s we are and who truly owns all that we have. The year to honor the LORD was the first year that they were in the promised land. For this first year they were not to harvest. For the next 6 years they could harvest as normal. The seventh year was to be a year of Jubilee for the land. They were not to harvest or plant during this year. It was to give the land a time of rest. It is similar to working for six days and resting on the seventh. In this case it is a larger scale for the land by working the land for six years and letting it rest in the seventh.

There are many other things connected to this year of Jubilee to include returning land to the one you got if from. The reminder that the Israelite did not have a permanent home but they were travelers with their only permanent home being with God.

The final part of this chapter was the jubilee for the people. No one was intended to remain a slave or servant forever. An individual specifically an Israelite was only to be a servant for a certain period of time and then just like the year of jubilee there was a year of jubilee for the servant and slave. Without getting into the weeds of the chapter the bottom line is that because people are children of God and made in his image we are to treat them with honor and respect.

Application

The application for this chapter is more practical than it is spiritual. I believe that it has spiritual results. We need to remember that all that we have all that we have responsibility for is not ours it or they belong to the LORD. Those we supervise are children of God made in his image. Even if they are not Christians they are still made in God’s image and we are to treat them with respect. We are to care for them and honor them. The land is not ours. We may not have the same standards as far as returning the land but none the less the land belongs to the LORD.

We have a responsibility as Christians to care for the land. It is interesting to me that Christians do more to hurt this land then they do to help. We should be the first to be concerned about what is happening to the land. Not because there is “global warming” (which I don’t believe is the case) but because we have been given the responsibility from God, the creator of heaven and earth, to care for it.

Leviticus 24

Chapter 24 is divided into two sections. Section one is dealing with the duties in the tent, specifically dealing with the bread and the lamps. Section two deals with various types of punishment for various types of offenses. Most of the section deals with what requires capital punishment.

The bread was to be made in a specific way with specific ingredients. The purpose of the bread was to be set aside as holy and was to be eaten only by Aaron and his sons. What strikes my interests the greatest is the fact that the lamps were to be remained lit from dusk to dawn. Providing a physical light in the physical darkness. Possibly a analogy to spiritual light in a spiritually dark world.

Though I am glad that we live under grace and not under the law there is a part of me that can’t help but consider what kind of world would we have if we held to some of the laws. Specifically considering some of the punishments for ones actions spoken of in the second part of the chapter. We have a story of a man that cursed God. The results was him being stoned to death. When you look at the other laws I am sure that it would deter some of the crimes we have today. The bottom line of the laws was that it was a bone for bone, eye for eye, tooth for tooth consequence.

Application

The greatest focus in this chapter is the talking of keeping the lamps lit during the time of darkness. How important it is for us to keep our spiritual lamps lit and shining bright in the spiritual dark world. We must not allow our lamps to dim or go out. The lost world needs to see our light.

We should rejoice that we are not under the law but under grace but does not mean we should not be held accountable for the wrongs that we do. So many people look for excuses or someone else to blame for our actions. We need to accept responsibility for our actions.

Leviticus 23

Leviticus 23 has three sections, “The Day of Worship,” “The Spring Festivals,” and “The Fall Festivals”.

The first section is short dealing with the Day of Worship. It is simple guidance the Israelites are to work only six days and on the seventh day they were to rest. To do no work it is the LORD’s day of worship.

As I consider the two festival seasons we can look at the details of each of the festivals in detail but I am not sure that is what is important here. I think what is important is the purpose of the festivals. As I read through these it is about celebrating God and worshipping him. Giving him the thanks and glory for the harvest along with seeking forgiveness for sins.

Application

We may not do the festivals as they had them then but we need to keep a Sabbath. It is difficult in this day and age for many people to celebrate the Sabbath on Sunday. Some, depending on their faith see the Sabbath on Saturday but even that is difficult to at times celebrate. I believe it is important that we gather together as the body of Christ for fellowship and worship that may be Sunday or Saturday. In Korea we had a service on Friday evenings. I think that we need to also consider what we are doing on that day. As a minister Sunday is often not a day of rest. It is often more work then many other days. I believe it is important you have a day set aside for rest and meditating on God. A day set apart as holy for the LORD.

We don’t have to wait for a certain time of year to give God glory and to celebrate what he has done for us. We do need to make it a point to give God praise for all that he has done and given us.

Leviticus 22

This chapter deals with both the animals that are acceptable for sacrifice and the guidelines that were put in place concerning the eating of the priest’s share of the sacrifice. When the sacrifice was brought to the priests a portion was given to them, kind of like pay. Since the priests only job was to serve in the temple they had to “earn a living” and thus they were given some of the sacrifice.

What is of specific importance in this chapter is found in verses 31 – 33, “Carefully obey my commands, I am the LORD. Never dishonor my holy name. I will show my holiness among the Israelites. I am the LORD, who sets you apart as holy. I brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the LORD.”

Application

Look at these verses what do you see. I see that we are to carefully to obey God’s commands. We are not to dishonor his name. He will show his holiness. He sets the Israelites apart as holy. He brought them out of Egypt. Notice that it is about God not about us. We are part of his plan but our holiness does not come from our ability but from God. He sets us apart and thus we are not to dishonor his name. It is not of our own accord that we are saved but God brings us out of our sinful nature.

It is not about us. It is about Him. I don’t think it can be said enough. We are to be set apart and to be holy as he is holy.

Leviticus 21

This chapter involves the holiness of the priests and remaining holy and clean in order to come into the presence of the LORD. As I read through the list I am glad that we are bound by grace and not the laws because if we were bound by the laws then I would not be acceptable for the priesthood.

The thing to remember when you read this is that though this was directed at a select group of people and we can also apply this chapter to modern day ministers and use it as a reminder that ministers are to be set apart as holy and are held at a higher standard than others because of being God’s representative to the people. It is kind of like when I was a military police officer. As a keeper of the regulations we were expected to not just adhere to the regs but to exceed the regs where we could. For example not just shine our boots but spit shine them. Ministers have a requirement to be holy. Not holier than thou type but holy to the LORD because they are God’s representative.

Here is the catch. We see in scripture that we are a royal priesthood set aside for God’s purpose. This means that these passages apply to all of us as we are God’s representatives to the people.

Application

There is a theme over the last few devotions. Be holy as God is Holy. We must remember that we are God’s representative to the masses thus we must not just meet the standards we must exceed the standards. Many non-Christians meet the standard as far as being good. Excepting Jesus raises us to another level, but we know that there are many that believe yet will not get to heaven. We need to seek to go above the average and seek God’s holiness. To be perfect as Jesus was. This is not done by works but by prayer and walking after God.

Leviticus 20

When you read this chapter consider that fact that if it was not for the grace of God we would still be in this situation. People being killed for their sins. Instead Jesus died for all sins. This does not give us the right or okay to go out and practice these sins. The point is that God was making the Israelites to be a separate holy people. He was distinguishing them from those they were with and those who’s land they were going into.

Look at some of the sins listed. God is making a point of the seriousness of the sin and specifically these sins. We may not put people to death for these sins anymore but it does not mean that they are less important. We have God’s grace. There is those that mistakenly think that God is less concerned about the sin. God does not change. If it was a sin then it is a sin now.

Verses 22 – 26 speaks about being holy as God is holy. To be a separate people. There should be a difference between the Israelites and the other people.

Application

As a Christian can people tell a difference between you and others. I am not talking necessarily how you look but by your actions, what you do, what you say. Do you stand out as being set apart. This does not mean you are not to be a part of the world. We are to be in the world but not of the world. Be holy as God is holy.