The Book of Leviticus

The Book of Leviticus 

Throughout the Book of Leviticus, Israel remains encamped at Mount Sinai, while God appears in the Tent of Meeting, detailing to Moses His specifications regarding the ceremonial laws, which His people are to follow. In Leviticus, God tells the Israelites and their priests, the Levites, how to make offerings in the Tabernacle and how to conduct themselves while camped around the holy tent sanctuary.

The key phrase in the Book of Leviticus simplifies the entire complexity of the Law into one simple statement...

The Lord says to the Israelites:

“Shema!” Hear/Listen, oh Israel!

“You shall be holy to Me, for I the LORD am holy and have separated you from the peoples, …that you should be Mine.”

[Leviticus 20:26

This is why 2,000 years later, the Apostle Peter calls us (believers) to Holy living… In his first letter to the believers, Peter says:

“God’s chosen people, (those of you) who are living as foreigners, in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.” (… this is how Peter greets the believers in his letter, letting us know that he’s talking to us all.)

Then in verses 13–25, Peter makes his call to Holy Living…

He says: “So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you, when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God, who chose you, is holy. 

For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy, for I am holy.” 

And remember that the Heavenly Father, to whom you pray, has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. 

So, you must live in reverent fear of Him, during your time here as “temporary residents.” 

For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. 

And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. 

It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. 

God chose Him, as your ransom, long before the world began, …but now in these last days, He has been revealed for your sake. 

Through Christ, you have come to trust in God. 

And you have placed your faith and hope in God, because He raised Christ from the dead and gave Him great glory. 

You were cleansed from your sins, when you obeyed the truth, …so now you must show sincere love to each other, as brothers and sisters. 

Love each other deeply, with all your heart. 

For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. 

Your new life will last forever, because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. As the Scriptures say, ‘People are like grass; Their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. 

But the Word of the Lord remains forever.’ And that Word (who is Jesus Christ) is the Good News that was preached to you.”

Praise be to God!






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