It’s like an Introductory Paragraph, God speaking to Israel just before He presents to them further laws regarding daily life. I’m particularly speaking of Leviticus 18:1-5.
“1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, I am the LORD your God. 3 After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances. 4 Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the LORD your God. 5 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.”
Yes, verse 1 proves God is the Author of “separation from sin,” that kind of lifestyle. However, I must add … “separation from sin” according to God’s Standards, not man’s. Some men wrongly ignore these prohibitions and instruction, others wrongly add to them!
Verse 2 proves that God is Qualified, Worthy to proffer such laws. (Paul summarized them well in 2 Corinthians 6:17 … “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing.”) God being in personal Relationship with Israel, their Creator and Liberator, Redeemer! (God being “Owner” of that little Nation, actually!)
Verse 3 negatively considers the godless cultures around Israel. (The “world” as being under control of the evil one, the devil. Paul again in 2 Corinthians 4:4 literally calls him/Satan “the god of this world.”) Do not be/act/live like THEM!
Verse 4 gives the glorious alternative, walking in God’s Ways! (Not in the ways of the Egyptians and Canaanites and Europeans and Americans!) This Verse highly exalts the Word of God, which always reveals the Ways of God!
Then Verse 5 promises a reward for so living, apart from the heathen around us. In accordance with God’s Ways! And that Reward is “life!” Read it again … “If a man do, he shall live!” This is not just normal nonchalant life, either. It is life abundant! It is life “on the highest plane!” It is life in Jesus! It is (in some ways) eternal life, too! (One of God’s Commands, the most Important, is to “be saved!” As in Acts 17:30, where God “now commandeth all men every where to repent.”)
Wow!
I thought it might be profitable, before plunging into more “clean living” Legislation, to see WHY God so demands this of His people. Some of the REASONS behind His Thinking.
Again, in sum … “Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:16, thus saith the Lord.
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
Did you notice that in our Text today “doing” leads to “walking?”
Committing an act once (that’s “doing”) easily (and most often) leads to “walking” in that way, habitually!
What a caution!
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