Leviticus
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Leviticus Chapter 19

• Leviticus 19:1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, 
• 2 Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy. 

They were to strive for holiness in all that they did. God made these laws for their good and their protection. 

After the coming of Jesus Christ a way was made for us to live and walk in holiness better and with more power that animal sacrifices could not do. When we believe in Jesus Christ to take away our sins, we are made holy by the righteousness of Jesus Christ. We are sanctified and set apart for good works and holy living. We are not saved from sin only to go back into sin and expect to be saved by grace. Sanctification and holiness follows true repentance of sin and salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. We are to come out from the world and be separate. 

• 2Corinthains 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 
• 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 
• 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 
• 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. 
• 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. 

We can only be holy if we are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ and clothed in His righteousness. Imagine the joy and peace that we can receive by becoming a son and daughter of the Lord God Himself. Whoa.

• Leviticus 19:3 Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God. 

Honoring father and mother still is a commandment that we should keep under the law of grace. With it comes the promise of a long life. 

Although Jesus fulfilled the Sabbath by becoming a Sabbath for us, for the sake of those that labor and work hard, we need a day of rest both physically and spiritually. This was made for man. It is a gift. We should observe a Sabbath day of rest and spiritual refreshing for our souls. This is good for us.

It is also a preview of the eternal rest to come when we suffer no more death, sorrow, pain or sickness. Our labor in this life is over and eternal joy awaits us. 

• Leviticus 19:4 Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the LORD your God. 

Mixing true religion with idols has always been and still is an abomination in the sight of God. God hates a mixture of good and evil, false religion and truth. Come out and be separate. 

• Leviticus 19:5 And if ye offer a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD, ye shall offer it at your own will. 

These can be compared to our offerings of praise and worship willingly as we come to a place or worship. No one compels us to praise and worship. It is not like a sin offering necessary for our salvation. It is a type of thanksgiving and just willingly worshipping God. We should not attempt to guilt people into worshipping God. 

Peace offerings were freewill and at the desire of those that brought the gift to be shared and eaten together in fellowship similar to our coming together to worship God in a church type of setting. 

• Leviticus 19:6 It shall be eaten the same day ye offer it, and on the morrow: and if aught remain until the third day, it shall be burnt in the fire. 
• 7 And if it be eaten at all on the third day, it is abominable; it shall not be accepted. 

Perhaps food spoils in that length of time. I'm reminded of the 3rd day being the day of the resurrection of Jesus. 

Still they had to offer offerings according to the pattern and instructions given to them or else their offerings were not accepted. Perhaps these things are a hint as to why Cain's offering was rejected and Abel's offering was accepted. Abel came God's way and Cain did not. 

• Leviticus 19:8 Therefore every one that eateth it shall bear his iniquity, because he hath profaned the hallowed thing of the LORD: and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 

This reminds us again of how holy the law was and how serious it was to disobey it or take it lightly. 

• Leviticus 19:9 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. 
• 10 And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God. 

This is a good law showing the very heart of God when He shows them how they can give to the poor and provide for those that do not have anything. 

This reminds me of the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 25 concerning feeding the hungry, clothing the naked and visiting those in prison. I believe that refers to how nations treat the Jewish people but it could also have individual applications and refer to taking care of the poor in our land. I believe also it can apply to spiritual food and be faithful to give the word of God to those that need to hear. 

• Leviticus 19:11 Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another. 
• 12 And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD. 

Lying, deceiving, taking the Lord's name in vain or using the name of the Lord in deceit and fraud was forbidden. He is a holy God. 

I would be afraid to use the name of Christ as an excuse to fleece the flock of God and demand money for the preaching of the gospel making merchandise of the gospel. Like the freewill offerings given here, support for pastors and the church should be willingly, not with threats and false promises of wealth. 

We must not add to the word of God that covers offerings and support of laborers in the Lord by the apostles for the church. Nothing should be added to that teaching. 

• 1Timothy 5:17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine. 
• 18 For the Scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The laborer is worthy of his reward. 

New Testament giving is willing, giving with love and it is actually fun to give. I don't like the saying, "Give until it hurts." Giving with a pure heart with love doesn't hurt, it causes us to rejoice.

• 2Corinthians 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 

We are never to use high pressure when we ask for offerings.

• Leviticus 19:13 Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbor, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning. 

I never hear this verse preached on much but we are not to use people's labor without paying them. In fact we should pay them right away. 

I believe this goes for those that labor in the gospel also. This does not say one has to be a bishop, be on the payroll or staff of a certain church or be a licensed minister. Anyone that does labor for the church should be paid if possible. 

This of course does not mean that one cannot volunteer their services for free but it means that we are not to use the name of Christ that we represent to get out of paying people for their services to the church. 

I don't mean that we should get paid to worship, sing or any such thing because that is a freewill offering to the Lord. Freely we have received and freely we should give. However, if a person leaves a secular job to pastor a church and he has a regular job of caring for a flock of people to administer the word, then we should be willing to support him financially. He has to provide for his family. He is laboring for the Lord and we can't expect him to do that on a regular basis and not be paid. 

• Leviticus 19:14 Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD. 

Unless there comes along someone particularly cruel, most of us would never be guilty of this law. 

• Leviticus 19:15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor. 

Fair judgment for rich and poor alike is needed in all societies. In the past the rich were treated favorably and the poor was shunned. Now we overtax the rich and favor the poor. Balance is needed. 

• Leviticus 19:16 Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbor: I am the LORD. 

This has caused more trouble in general as well as in the church than probably any other thing. Repeating a bad thing one says about another will cause strife to continue. When the talebearer ceases, so will the strife.

• Leviticus 19:17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor, and not suffer sin upon him. 

Hate destroys our own souls. It is like a cancer that eats the flesh. It consumes and destroys. To rebuke and correct is not hate if done in love and genuine concern for the state of their soul.

• Leviticus 19:18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am the LORD. 

When we learn this one commandment, what joy and peace it brings to our soul. When we can keep this one commandment, keeping all the commandments become possible. 

• Leviticus 19:19 Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle engender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woolen come upon thee.

This verse shows us how God hates a mixture. Good and evil, light and darkness, truth and error do not mix. This is why a believer in Christ should never marry one who does not believe. It creates a mixture. 

We never should bring idols or icons into the church, it creates a mixture. We should never bring the evil of the world into the church or use ungodly entertainment to lure people into church, it creates a mixture. 

• Leviticus 19:20 And whosoever lieth carnally with a woman, that is a bondmaid, betrothed to a husband, and not at all redeemed, nor freedom given her; she shall be scourged; they shall not be put to death, because she was not free. 

Someone who was a slave or servant many times had no choice in whether they sinned in that manner. 

• Leviticus 19:21 And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, even a ram for a trespass offering. 
• 22 And the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering before the LORD for his sin which he hath done: and the sin which he hath done shall be forgiven him. 

This type of sin didn't bring the death penalty and could be forgiven if the sin was forsaken and the person brought a sacrifice to the Lord. 

• Leviticus 19:23 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. 
• 24 But in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy to praise the LORD withal. 
• 25 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. 

I can't understand the reasoning for this commandment unless it was a lesson of how holy God was and uncircumcision represented sin and being unclean before God. This seems to be a lesson on holiness and being clean by controlling our appetites and choosing to live in holiness. 

The trees themselves benefit when we allow them to grow and be left alone a few years before picking the fruit. 

• Leviticus 19:26 Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times. 

Blood represents life and the blood of Jesus was shed as an atonement for sin. It was never to be eaten. Using enchantment or witchcraft would get advice or power from the great deceiver himself, Satan. God wants us to trust Him for direction.

• James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 
• 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 
• 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 

God is out for our good, Satan will steal, kill and destroy. God has provided not only our salvation but the written word to go to for council and the Holy Spirit to give us understanding of the written word. We do not need witchcraft. 

• Leviticus19:27 Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard. 

This was a sign of idolatry. They were not to copy off the ways of the heathen and idolaters. 

• Leviticus 19:28 Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD. 

This is why I abhor tattoos, holes and cutting the flesh even for ornamental things. It is a heathen custom. It is a sign of slavery and bondage to sin, idols and being a slave. Through Christ we are free. 

• Leviticus 19:29 Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness. 

It is inconceivable to hear of anyone who would do this but it would seem that it was a heathen practice to give their children over to those that served the temple of false religions and idols to use church as whores and prostitutes. They sometimes were so deceived that they thought it was a good thing for religious purposes. 

• Leviticus 19:30 Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD. 

We still should reverence the place where we gather together to worship the Lord. God is a holy God and His presence must never be taken lightly with a lack of respect and awe. 

Although under the new and living way through faith in Jesus Christ, we are to walk in the spirit every day and worship God in spirit and in truth everywhere we go, when we gather together for the purpose of corporate worship, we must show honor and respect by being reverent and be aware of God's holiness. 

• Leviticus 19:31 Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God. 

I repeat again that they had God to go to and were not to go to wizards and witches for advice. Devils were behind the spirits of those that divine and use such methods to control people. Now we have the written word and the Holy Spirit and we do not need anything else. 

• Leviticus 19:32 Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honor the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD. 

Respect for the elderly has long since departed from our land. It is a command of God to care and respect the aged and elderly. 

• Leviticus 19:33 And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him. 
• 34 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. 

Being kind to strangers should always be practiced. This does not mean we follow after them if they do evil and do not believe in the true God but we are not to be cruel or vex them in any manner. 

• Leviticus 19:35 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure. 
• 36 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. 

Loving one's neighbor as themselves would cover most of these laws. If we love our neighbor and treat them as we would want to be treated, we would never cheat them in business for we would not want to be cheated. 

• Leviticus 19:37 Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: I am the LORD. 

In all these laws, I see a loving God, not one who is mean. I see a God that is out for good and not evil. I see a God that cares for the poor and stands up for the cause of the abused and weak. I see a holy God that has provided a way for us to be holy through the atonement provided by the death of His only Son, Jesus Christ. 

Reading these things make me desire to seek holiness more than before for God is holy and through the power of His holy Spirit, I can be holy and strive to be like He is. I don't want to be separate from this holy God. The law truly is holy and it was made for the good of mankind. 

Through Christ the way of holiness was made perfect, power was given to us to overcome sin and walk in holiness. We do not have to return to the bondage of sin. Christ has made us free. DC