Bible Verse: “You are to be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own.” Leviticus 20:26
Scripture Reading: Leviticus 20:22-26
Every house has at least one or two of them: those special (whether for value or sentiment) items that are not for touching. They are just for looks, to be admired from afar. Most definitely off-limits to the curious, and far too often, clumsy, fingers of children and adults alike. Those things are different than everything else in the house.
Other things in the house serve a purpose. They are utilitarian. The unique items are just not the same as everything else.
It sounds a bit ridiculous, but by definition, those unique things are “holy.” At its root, holy simply means “set apart.” Different than the rest. In some respects, especially when we use it to talk about God, it carries the connotation of perfection. But simply put, it means something or someone is deliberately different from everything else surrounding it.
This is what the book of Leviticus is all about. All the rules and laws within are about holiness: the holiness of God and the holiness that He expects from His people.
Today’s verse, “You are to be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own” (Leviticus 20:26), offers a great overview of the book. The holiness of God is to be exemplified on earth by His chosen people. Jesus carries this same call forward in the Sermon on the Mount when He tells His listeners to “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).
This week, we are going to explore the book of Leviticus. In some ways, Leviticus is like the fine print of a contract— full of many terms and conditions that Israel needed to fulfill to be God’s people and live in His presence. But we will see this week that Leviticus reveals who God is and what it means to live with Him and in His presence.
Let’s walk together through Leviticus to understand what it reveals about God and the requirements of those who would live “deliberately different” in His presence.
Prayer: Redeeming God, thank You that You Yourself are holy. Thank You that You are perfect in Your love, and justice, mercy, and goodness, faithfulness, and righteousness. Help me this week to better understand who You are through the laws and guidelines You put in place for Your ancient people Israel.
Reflection: Have you ever read through the book of Leviticus? Commit this week to reading the whole book and noting whatever new things you discover.
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