Leviticus chapter 19 verses 1 – 2(NIV)
The LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.”
Leviticus chapter 19 verse 18 (NIV)
“‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.”
Leviticus chapter 19 verse 37 (NIV)
“‘Keep all my decrees and all my laws and follow them. I am the LORD.’”
Matthew chapter 22 verses 36-40 (NIV)
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’–All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
The Lord’s exhortation to be holy in chapter 19 of Leviticus, will I’m sure, mean different things to different people, and if you asked people what it means to be holy, I think there would be many different answers.
The Hebrew word for ‘holiness’, kedushah, conveys the twin ideas of separation from and dedication to something and hence holiness as a religious ideal refers to the attitude and state of mind in which certain activities and thoughts are rejected in order to come closer to God. That is indeed an important principle but the remainder of Chapter 19 lists very practical decrees that the Lord expected His people to keep. Indeed, chapter 19 were often referred to as the holiness code. It lists a whole series of practical things God expected His people to do to show that they did love their neighbour as themselves. And this after all, Jesus taught is the second greatest commandment.
I think that we practice the spiritual side of being holy by following the greatest commandment, and the practical side of being holy by following the second. And we need to do both, not one or the other. Many people avoid the book of Leviticus because of the rules and regulations about the sacrifices people had to make, but I think chapter 19 is worth pondering a lot more, and putting into practice.
Dear LORD,
Thank You for reminding me that it is possible to be both heavenly minded, and of earthly use. Help me to take the time to meditate on how I can do both and this fulfil the two greatest commandments. I ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.