Chap 18  A lot here about sexual sins.  We cannot live like the world lives with all its sinful sexual practices; we must obey God.  Sanctioned sex is honorable between married partners—a man and a woman who are faithful to each other. America’s craziness in accepting almost all “sex between consenting adults” has led to a lot of unfulfillment, disease, and broken hearts among “those consenting adults.”

Chap 19  I think you will like to read this chapter.  It is the basis for a lot of present day laws.  I find them interesting, satisfying to see how many of our laws are based right there in Leviticus. It also includes another account of the Ten Commandments.

Chap 20:4,5  I think it is a stern warning regarding abortion.  In the practices of that day it is regarding child sacrifice made to the idol, Molech.  God said those who watched and did nothing will be punished!  This is somewhat like Chap 5:1 if we witness wrong doing we are also responsible if we let it go unchallenged.  This principle is very much needed in our country at this time.  Especially as it relates to abortion, homosexuals, drugs, greed, dishonest judges, and many other things.  We need to speak up, try to do right, pray, and vote for honest leaders.  One of the senators recently said, God was not a concern for congress!  With that attitude no wonder we suffer God’s judgment.

Chap 23:22  Be generous.  Don’t use all your assets for yourself.  Give to the unfortunate.

Chap 26:1-13  Promised blessings for the obedient; 14-39 punishment for disobedience.

Verse 40 is Good News as it presents forgiveness for those who confess and repent. It is required that they repent for father’s sins also. This is a question/situation I am unsure about. But I think there might be some truth to that need. We cannot change the past for their actions on earth or for their souls, but we could be more broken-hearted for what they allowed to happen.

You see Leviticus has some very important stuff mixed in with some hard reading stuff.  If you learn the things I’ve pointed out to you, you will be far ahead of most folks.  Don’t get bogged down in the sacrifices, feasts, priests garments, etc.   Just take what is helpful to you.  It reminds me of Mark Twain who said, “It ain’t the parts of the Bible that I don’t understand that bothers me; it’s the parts that I do understand.”  So, don’t worry about the part I’m not telling you, just get the part I’m giving you!  Then sometime read all of Leviticus for curiosity.  Maybe you will find important lessons to point out to me.

For some discussion of how Leviticus points to Jesus Christ go to https://salvageable04.wordpress.com/2021/03/11/leviticus/

Yesterday’s lesson on Leviticus is important as a basis for todays continuing “living lessons from Leviticus.

Chap. 6:1-5 is interesting.  If you steal something and then decide to return it, you must add 20% of the value.  Another scripture says that about paying your tithes.  If you do not pay tithes in a timely manner, you must add 20% when you get around to catching up! I would like to see our justice system arrange a way for thieves to make restitution. If a thief steals a hundred dollars from me, I’d rather have my hundred and twenty back than have her/him spend a month in jail. Now I know there are hardened criminals that have to be removed from others. But that’s a different issue. This passage of scripture is referring to neighbors who have entrusted one another with some item of value. I think it supports the idea of restitution in other thefts.

Chap. 9:7 and 22  Nice picture of what the priests (leaders) should do for the people.  We are blessed when we have good pastors who care for, pray for, and give blessings to their congregation.

Chap. 9:23-24  show how God’s glory came down in the tabernacle and how the people responded.  One of the things that breaks my heart is that so many people under about sixty have not witnessed the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in churches of today.  Many denominations have not allowed “freedom” of worship in their congregations for many years if ever.  Truthfully there are many churches where God may not even stroll through for a visit.  🙂 

But the good thing is that one does not have to be in a church building to have an awesome awareness of the presence of the Lord.  Try just wholeheartedly giving him your focused worship and see if He responds in some way. 

Chap 11:44-45 tells me to be holy as God is holy.  Whoa there! Impossible?  Yes, that is why we must have Him to be holy in us.  One visual image scripture uses is “to cloth” ourselves in righteousness. Chap 20:7,8 says to “sanctify” yourself, it also says that He (God) sanctifies us.  Most translations use the word “consecrate” instead of “sanctify.”  We cannot change ourselves just by making a decision to avoid sin; we have to have the help of the Holy Spirit.

The experience of sanctification is explained differently among church denominations, but I believe all churches teach some form of sanctification. I have an essay I hope to use before long which dwells more on this subject. Like all my lessons, it is pretty simple not very deep in theological language and concepts.

Tomorrow we will take a look at these chapters: 18, 19, 20, 23, and 26 Hope you will be back.