Reflecting on Leviticus

Coming to the end of Leviticus, I sat reflecting on what God was trying to teach me through this book.  There are lessons on sacrifice, worship, the priesthood, ceremonial cleanness, the Day of Atonement, feasts and holy days, and the Year of Jubilee.  But the main focus of this book is holiness.  "For I am the Lord your God. You shall, therefore, consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy" (Lev 11:44).  The other practical laws for everyday life, the sacrifices, and other instructions have this one principle as their foundation- holiness. God is holy, and He wants us to be holy, sanctified, and set apart.  Commentators say that the word "holy" is found 95 times in Leviticus. Holy things. Holy place. Holy Name. Holy offerings. Holy Priests. Holy people!  We are to be separated from sin, morally pure, and consecrated to God.

The Lord Jesus has saved us and called us with a holy calling. The Bible tells us, " … you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light" ( 1 Peter 2:9).  What does it mean to be holy?  To be holy means to be dedicated to God and to be set apart from sin. To be a holy person does not mean we have to dress in any particular way. But it does mean that we behave differently from unbelievers in our daily lives.  In this connection, the golden plaque on Aaron's turban comes to my mind. The Lord wanted Moses to make a plate of pure gold and engrave upon it the words, "HOLINESS TO THE LORD"  (Ex 39:30).  This plate was to be fastened above on the turban.  This is beautiful since our life of purity and holiness has to start in mind!  We serve a holy God, and without a pure heart, we cannot see God (Mt. 5:8).

My friend, just because 'everyone else is doing it’ does not mean something is right. We are not to be contaminated by the values, beliefs, and habits that are contrary to God's Word.  Our thought life is critical.  That is why the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 10:5, " … we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."  May we always strive to keep our thoughts, our mind, and body holy so that we can see God!

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