| The Lord told Moses to tell the congregation of the children of Israel, “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.” Moses was also to tell them that every one of them should revere (deeply respect) their mother and father and keep His Sabbaths. God said, “I am the Lord your God.” They were told not to turn to idols, nor make molded gods for themselves. God repeated, “I am the Lord your God.” If they were going to offer a sacrifice of a peace offering to the Lord, they were to offer it of their own free will. God does not promote compulsive giving. The peace offering should be eaten the same day it is offered and on the next day. If any of it remained until the third day, it was to be burned in the fire. If it was eaten at all on the third day, it would become an abomination. The offering would not be accepted. Whoever eats the offering on the third day would have to bear his iniquity because he profaned the hallowed offering of the Lord. That person should be cut off from his people. When they reaped the harvest of their land, they were not to completely reap the corners of their fields, nor were they to gather the gleanings of their harvest. They were not to glean their vineyards nor gather every grape of their vineyards. They were to leave them for the poor and the stranger. God again said, “I am the Lord your God.” God watches out for the underprivileged. They were not to steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to each other. They were not to swear by God’s name falsely, nor profane the name of the Lord. Again, God said, “I am the Lord.” The Israelites were not to cheat their neighbors nor rob them. They were not to keep the wages of someone they hired with them all night into the morning. They were not to curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but they should fear their God, who said, “I am the Lord.” They were not to be unjust in judgment. They were not to be partial to the poor nor honor the person of the mighty. Only in righteousness were they to judge their neighbors. The Israelites were not to go about being a talebearer among their people. nor take a stand against the life of their neighbor. God repeats, “I am the Lord.” God said that they were not to hate their brother in their heart. They were to surely rebuke their neighbor and not bear sin because of him. Michelle Lesley (Google source), states that Matthew Henry’s commentary says, the synopsis of Verse 17 is “If somebody sins against you, don’t hold a grudge or seek revenge. Go to him in love, talk it out, and forgive him.” They were not to take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of their people, but love their neighbor as themselves. God again states, “I am the Lord.” God also said that the people should keep His statutes. They were not to let their livestock breed with another kind nor sow their field with mixed seed. Any garment they wore was not to be mixed with linen and wool. If a man lies carnally with a woman who is betrothed to a man as a concubine and she has not been redeemed nor given her freedom, he should be scourged, but not put to death because she was not free. He should take a ram as a trespass offering to the Lord to the door of the tabernacle of meeting. The priest should make atonement for him with the ram trespass offering before the Lord for the sin he had committed. The sin should be forgiven him. When they arrived to the land and have planted all kinds of trees for food, they were to count the fruit as uncircumcised for three years. It was not to be eaten, but in the fourth year all its fruit should be holy, a praise to the Lord. In the fifth year they were allowed to eat its fruit, that it may yield its increase to them. God repeats, “I am the Lord your God.” The people were not to eat anything with the blood, nor were they to practice divination or soothsaying. Leave the fortune tellers alone. The Israelites were not to shave around the sides of their heads nor disfigure the edges of their beards. They were not to make any cuttings in their flesh for the dead nor tattoo any marks on their bodies. God said, “I am the Lord.” They couldn’t prostitute their daughters to make them harlots because the land could fall into harlotry and become full of wickedness. No sex trafficking. They were to keep God’s Sabbaths and reverence His sanctuary. God stated, “I am the Lord.” The people were not to give any regard to mediums and familiar spirits nor seek after them, to be defiled by them. God said, “I am the Lord your God.” Leave the dead alone. Let them rest in peace. They were to rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man and fear God. God again repeated, “I am the Lord.” Respect your elders. The people were not to mistreat a stranger dwelling with them in their land. The stranger dwelling among them should be treated as one born among them and they should love the stranger as they loved themselves because they were strangers in the land of Egypt. God said, “I am the Lord your God.” Treat everybody the same whether a stranger or someone close to you. They were not to do any injustice in judgment, in measurement of length, weight or volume. They were to have honest scales, honest weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin. God said, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.” Therefore, God said that the people were to observe all His statutes and all His judgments and perform them. God said, “I am the Lord.” Be honest in all of your dealings. This chapter could also be entitled, “I am the Lord” or “I am the Lord your God.” Is God the Lord of your life? |
| Next week, we will travel to Leviticus 20. To God Be The Glory! Click “Be Encouraged” for Spiritual, Encouraging and Inspirational Uplifting. Be Encouraged Click here to visit Bible Reading Made Different |