Today the Lord gives His people prohibitions against eating blood that we looked at a couple of days ago – “And whatever man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell among you, who eats any blood, I will set My face against that person who eats blood, and will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.” And it will be the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ, whose blood will make the final atonement.
God chose the Israelites as His people whom the Messiah will come; and He desires for His people to be set apart from the ones around them. So He tells them not to be like the people in Egypt where they left nor like the people in Canaan where they are going – “According to the doings of the land of Egypt, where you dwelt, you shall not do; and according to the doings of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you, you shall not do; nor shall you walk in their ordinances. You shall observe My judgments and keep My ordinances, to walk in them: I am the Lord your God.” He goes on to tell the Israelites not to uncover the nakedness of their father, mother, sister, aunt, uncle, etc. The Lord also says to them, “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination. Nor shall you mate with any animal, to defile yourself with it. Nor shall any woman stand before an animal to mate with it. It is perversion.” 🤔 I wonder why He has to tell them this? Oh. That’s right. It’s because the people around them are doing all these things – “Do not defile yourselves with any of these things; for by all these the nations are defiled, which I am casting out before you.” Remember the Canaanites are descendants of Ham’s son Canaan who were cursed as a result of Ham’s perversion toward his father Noah. Well, apparently the Canaanite people have continued in their sexual perversion and the Lord does not want them to influence His people.
God desires for His people to be holy. That’s why the Lord says to Moses, “Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.’” Then He gives them instructions on how to be honest, fair, and kind to one another and says “you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.” God establishes boundaries for His people and He expects His people to exhibit self restraint and care for others, including the poor, blind, deaf, and strangers, which would be different from the people around them. And why does God desire for His people to be holy and set apart from the people around them? So they can be a light in this dark world and draw others into His presence – “You are the light of the world…Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).
During the Conquest Era, we will read an amazing story of a Canaanite harlot who is drawn into the light and glorifies the Lord…so keep reading.
(Leviticus 17:1-19:37)
#bibleliteracymovement #chronologicalbibleteaching
Chronological Bible in Layman's Terms 