Bible Pathways 02/05/2003
February 05
Read Leviticus 11 -- 13
In Today 's Reading:
Health and dietary laws; the cleansing (purification) of women after childbirth; signs and laws concerning leprosy
Over 40 times in Leviticus we read: I am the LORD or I am the LORD your God; and more than six times the Lord demands: You shall be holy; for I am holy. Both inward and outward, morally and spiritually, we must separate ourselves from all that defiles: For I am the LORD your God, so you must consecrate yourselves and be holy because I am holy (Leviticus 11:44). The Israelites were to eat clean food (chapter 11); have clean bodies (chapter 12-13), clean clothes (13:47-59), clean houses (14:33-57), clean personal hygiene (chapter 15); and be a clean nation (chapter 16).
The word unclean is used about 100 times in chapters 11 through 16, showing us that God required every unclean thing to be removed from their lives. God also required that the Israelites separate themselves from heathens, idolatry, immorality, and even unsanitary habits. The people of God were not to intermarry with gentile unbelievers. The many sacrifices, rules, and regulations concerning what is clean and unclean (what defiles a person) lead us to understand how sin separates us from God.
This is also a daily reminder to every New Testament (covenant) Christian that whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for God's glory (I Corinthians 10:31).
The Holy Spirit led the apostle Paul to write: Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship (Romans 12:1) And, to the church at Corinth, he wrote: Don't you know that you are God's sanctuary and that the Spirit of God lives in you? If anyone ruins God's sanctuary, God will ruin him; for God's sanctuary is holy, and that is what you are (I Corinthians 3:16-17). To the Ephesians, he wrote: Be holy and blameless in His sight (Ephesians 1:4). God has not called us to impurity, but to sanctification (I Thessalonians 4:7).And it is also written: Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness - without it no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).
Christ Revealed:
Through the clean food of the believer (Leviticus 11:47). Our Lord is the Bread of Life (John 6:35), supplies living water (4:10,14), and His Father's will was His food (4:34).
Prayer Needs:
Government Officials: Gov. Charles Turnbull (Virgin Islands) · Country: Nicaragua (5 million) in Central America · Major languages: Spanish and English · Limited religious freedom · 95% Roman Catholic; 5% Protestant · Prayer Suggestion: Ask for forgiveness for particular sins (Psalms 51:1-9).
Optional Reading: Mark 8
Memory Verse for the Week: Matthew 5:8
