Feb. 14, 2021

Leviticus 19, Leviticus 20, and Leviticus 21

The Lord gives Moses specific instructions about holiness for the people before their God. To be holy means to be set apart, unique, and distinct from sinful practices for service to God. For humans, holiness is the imitation of God, becoming more like him. 

The Lord shows Israel that a crucial part of holiness is seeing people the way he sees them. He gives them laws that protect the most vulnerable of society: the poor, the immigrant, and the hired worker. Jesus quotes from this section of Leviticus in Matthew 22:39 when asked to sum up the law in one commandment. 

The Lord’s holiness cares for those who cannot protect themselves. He detests sinful practices from Israel’s surrounding nations that harmed women and children. Child sacrifice and cult prostitution were common practices in religious rituals Israel’s neighbors. The Lord promises to drive them from the Promised Land because of their customs that are against his design for humanity. 

You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord. - Leviticus 19:18
Matthew 27:1-31

After the hasty trial before the chief priests and elders, they deliver Jesus to Pilate and condemn him to death. The Jewish leaders did not have the authority to carry out death sentences themselves. They must convince their Roman governor that Jesus is a political threat to Ceasar as well. 

When Judas realizes the implications of his betrayal, his remorse drives him into despair. But rather than godly grief that leads to repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10), Judas’s regret drives him to his death. 

Matthew shows how even Judas’s betrayal served to fulfill Old Testament prophecies from Jeremiah 19:1-13 and Zechariah 11:11-13. Every detail in Jesus’ crucifixion points to him being the promised Messiah to atone for the sins of all.

Make it Personal
  • What does it mean for you to be holy as the Lord as holy? How can you practice holiness by loving your neighbor as yourself this week?
  • When the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, we have two choices: repentance or despair. Confess your sins before God and find a trusted friend to talk through anything in your life that the Holy Spirit is drawing to the surface. 
Learn More

Check out this video from the Bible Project to learn more about holiness in the Bible. 

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