Now this seems to be an impossible task. What human (other than Jesus) could be holy as God is holy? That's a rather tall order, wouldn't you say? Well, of course it is if we try to do it on our own. But in today's reading, we have this great promise in Leviticus 22.
"I am the Lord who makes you holy..."
Wow! HE is the one to make us holy!
God again lays out the punishments for disobedience. In Leviticus 26:27-35 some very specific consequences are spelled out. All these consequences happened when Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to Jerusalem and the people were taken into Babylonian captivity. The people were warned way ahead of time. One of the things listed in this passage is that God collected on his seventy years of violated Sabbaths (in which they were not honored).
And yet another offer is presented from the Father to His children if they follow His decrees and commands. Just read again all the blessings of obedience listed in Leviticus 26:3-13. It sounds almost as a description of the Millennial Kingdom or the Garden of Eden. If they had obeyed, they would have entered the land under millennial conditions. This time He promises them all of this and once again, he promises “I will walk among you.”
2 Corinthians 6:16-18
What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.""Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."
As in yesterday's reading, we are reminded again of avoiding anything indecent. That means staying away from those who might pull us away from God. And again, we are reminded that we are to be different and separate from the world around us. This is not to say that we must remove ourselves from the world, but we are to show ourselves to the world to be different - different in God's ways!
Ephesians 5:11
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
Have no fellowship with people and activities of a sinful nature. Not to say that we shouldn't witness to them, but do not join in their activities.
Even now He promises us an abundant life with Him if we only listen and obey!
Under the punishments for disobedience, in each stage of punishment, God gives them a chance to repent. Then when they disobey, each stage of the punishment gets worse than the one before. Look at the progression:
1. Sudden terror, diseases, and seeds don't grow
2. Punishment seven times over - soil will not yield
3. Multiple afflictions seven times over, wild animals devour children and cattle
4. Suffer the effects of multiple afflictions - plague, sent into enemies' hands, food cut off
5. Punishment seven times over - they will eat their children, cities are in ruin, land is laid waste, people are scattered among the nations
6. Anything left will live in constant fear even though no one is pursuing them
7. They will perish among the nations
Look at the progression from the first to the seventh. But God....
Leviticus 26:46
These are the decrees, laws, and the regulations that the Lord established on Mount Sinai...
All these were given to Moses during the trips up the mountain. It all began with only the "Big 10". God added more because of their disobedience. Many lessons for us to learn from this!
No comments:
Post a Comment