The LORD Is Holy
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy. Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and you shall keep my Sabbaths: I am the LORD your God. Do not turn to idols or make for yourselves any gods of cast metal: I am the LORD your God.
In these three chapters of Leviticus Moses is writing to the nation about being holy. The reason they are to be holy? Because God is holy. Though out these chapters we read that the reason for a practical aspect of their journey with God is because, “I am the LORD your God.” Our holiness is demanded by a holy God because He is God!! We are not to take this demand for holiness lightly. It is interesting that as he starts to speak about being holy, Moses immediately tells them to “revere” their mother and father. Perhaps one reason for this is that their mother and father are their first likeness, authority and provider in life. Holiness toward God is to recognize we are to be “like” Him because He is THE authority in our lives and He is THE provider of our lives. By mentioning the parental reverence first, Moses goes to the known (they knew what it was like to have parents and to honor them) to the unknown (they were learning what it was like to honor a sovereign God). Moses also mentions the Sabbath. The Sabbath is the day that God rested. God gave them the Sabbath to rest from their works, but also for them to honor God. God rested from His work on the Sabbath and honored what He created. Again, Moses is showing them some tangible and practical ways to demonstrate holiness in their lives. Holiness is not a theory. Holiness is a practice of life by which we honor God because He is our God. Throughout these chapters there are practical instructions about holiness. Holiness is not about worship for an hour on Sunday. Although it includes that, it is about practical day-to-day living that honors God’s order of life and His personhood in our lives.
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