Daily Bible Reading – Leviticus 18,19; Psalm 13; Acts 19
Today’s Key Passage – Leviticus 19:1-19
It can be easy to get bogged down in the book of Leviticus. Some people may even dismiss most of Leviticus altogether as a listing of strange rituals that applied in a completely different time. While it is true that some of things we read about in this book, such as animal sacrifice, no longer apply to us after the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, there is still much we can learn about the nature and character of God in this book. The theme of the entire book of Leviticus can really be summed up in a single verse at the beginning of chapter 19 – “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.” (Leviticus 19:2) God wanted His people to be holy and set apart from others around them. He knew that there were really only two options for His people – to separate themselves and be holy or to become corrupted by the world around them. In an effort to separate His people and keep them holy, He provided them with an outline for how to live a holy life focused on God.
As followers of Christ, we too are called by God to be holy. In 1 Peter 1:14-16 we read, “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” The biggest difference, however, it that while the Israelites were able to separate themselves physically from the evil around them, we are literally surrounded by unbelief and evil on a daily basis. The morals of this world constantly degrade the standards set forth by God so many years ago. Many of the sins listed in Leviticus are taken very lightly by the world today and some are even considered acceptable behavior by people judging by their own standards and not God’s standards. The fact remains that our God is a consistent God. The things He found detestable in Leviticus are still the same things He finds detestable today. Fortunately, He does not expect us to try to be holy in this world filled with ungodliness all on our own. While we must still obey His commands out of love for Him, He also gives us some help. In Colossians 1:21-22 we read, “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation”. Through Christ, we have a way to be seen by God as holy and blameless. When the temptation to sin comes, remember the words of God from Leviticus 19:2 – “Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.”
During your Bible reading today, what “key passages” stood out to you? Leave a comment below to share what God is showing you about His Word today.
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May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you today.
