Law after law after law, Leviticus 19.
Part of the 613 Commandments in the Old Testament Torah, according to the rabbis of old. Just here they are simply repeated!
For example, verse 3: “Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.” Where “fear” means “to revere.”
And verse 4: “Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the LORD your God.” The Decalogue (Ten Commandments) being asserted yet again!
Verse 11 continues the train of thought: “Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.”
Verse 12: “And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.”
Now to personal business dealings: “Thou shalt not defraud (cheat) thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.” Verse 13
This one is pertinent! Verse 16: “Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD.” Sounds a lot like the Book of Proverbs!
Jesus’ Eyes have read Leviticus 19, many times. He even quoted verse 18: “Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, BUT THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR AS THYSELF: I am the LORD. No room for revenge!
At least this Paragraph teaches “self-control” in eating: “And when ye shall come into the land, and shall have planted all manner of trees for food, then ye shall count the fruit thereof as uncircumcised: three years shall it be as uncircumcised unto you: it shall not be eaten of. But in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy to praise the LORD withal. And in the fifth year shall ye eat of the fruit thereof, that it may yield unto you the increase thereof: I am the LORD your God.” Verses 23-25, where fruit trees are also said to being forth far “better produce” after a few years have passed! (See footnote below concerning the trees, just an afterthought.)
Here go tattoos, clearly prohibited. “Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, NOR PRINT ANY MARKS UPON YOU: I am the LORD.” Verse 28 of our chapter.
Spiritism, demonism is “out” as well! “Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.” Verse 31
Respect the elderly. “Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head (gray hair), and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD.” Verse 32, perhaps implying a direct relationship between the way one respects his elders and the way one respects his God!
Even down to caring for the “foreigner” in your midst. “But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.” Verse 34, near chapter’s end. God never allowed Israel to abuse the poor.
Then, quickly back to business procedures, with honesty always the rule. “Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure. Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.” Verses 35 and 36, keep your scales right, a pound for a pound!
Wow!
Saved people (as in the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16) should live like saved people, holy lives (as in Leviticus 19)! It’s that simple!
And though not all, most of this legislation is repeated (in principle at least) in the New Testament! “But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
I am writing this postscript a day after this particular Lesson was composed. I just discovered one more thought about the trees mentioned above. DO NOT EAT OF THE FRUIT TREES FOR AT LEAST THE FIRST FOUR YEARS! That’s what God legislated! Could this have been a little “test” in reminiscence of the Garden of Eden, of the trees there? Genesis 2:17 … “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”
God treasures obedience (often) more than worship! “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice.” 1 Samuel 15:22
Wow!
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