Leviticus 19
If you think that some of the content in Leviticus 19 is familiar, well, it is. In this chapter, God applied the Ten Commandments to various aspects of one’s life. From the outset, we are again reminded that God’s intent is for the Israelites to be holy (separate, set apart), just as He is holy (v. 2). As G. Campbell Morgan wrote, “A people created and governed by God are intended to represent Him and the truth concerning Him to other people. When they fail to do so, His name is blasphemed by that failure.”[i] Whether it was by extending compassion to those with physical disabilities (v. 14), separating themselves from pagan practices (vv. 26-31), or showing kindness to the foreigner or those with more years under their belt (vv. 32-37), God’s people are called to be different. Warren Wiersbe reminds us that “While Christians shouldn’t look like they came from ‘out of this world,’ they certainly ought not to imitate the world.”[ii]
Additionally, we see a fairly obvious, yet consequential, declaration several times in today’s reading that the LORD is God of His people (vv. 3, 4, 10, 12, 14, 25, 31, 32, 34, 36). The implication, therefore, is that we belong to Him, and as such, should trust that what He instructs is for our best (similar to how a parent lovingly teaches a young child the way he or she should go to avoid disaster).
As we move our way into verses 9-18, we are reminded of God’s tender care for all people. He desires for us to deal justly with one another, ensure those with less means are provided for through a spirit of generosity, and not to harbor hate in our hearts for our brothers and sisters. This passage can be summed up in God’s exhortation in verse 18: “you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” More on that in a moment, but I want us to first make sure we bookmark the instructions from God to His people found in verse 9: “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest.” We will read through the book of Ruth in a few months, and when we do, you will see why I wanted you to keep this verse in mind.
The command to love your neighbor as yourself carries with it the idea that, in the same way we ensure our needs are taken care of, we look out for and seek to meet the needs of others around us. Lest we think this is some outdated, Old Testament law that no longer applies to us, Jesus likened this command to the greatest commandment to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). In Romans 13, Paul states that “Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law” (v.10).
This is a sobering truth for the body of Christ to dwell on, particularly in cultures that promote accumulating massive amounts of goods, gratifying insatiable desires, and saving stockpiles of cash for the future. Based on a full counsel of Scripture, I do not believe that is what God intended for His children. To that end, those members of the early Church were known to sell their own land to ensure there was no need among the congregation (Acts 4:34-35). Friends, this radical type of love, generosity, and kindness is a rare find these days, but it should not be so (I’m preaching to myself). Christians are called to a higher standard: to love, care, tend to, serve, sacrifice, and live differently. One might say, to be holy, as our God is holy.
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Journal responses to the following prompts:
· How are you practically living out the command to love your neighbor as yourself?
· What would it take for the body of Christ (starting with you and me) to maintain a steady focus on ensuring the needs of others are taken care of around us?
[i] Morgan, G. C. (2010). Exposition of the whole Bible: Chapter by chapter in one volume. Wipf and Stock. p. 59.
[ii] Wiersbe, W. W. (2001). The Bible exposition commentary: The Pentateuch. David C. Cook. p. 281.