 |
The Way To Live (Lev. 18:1-5) The Lord encourages the people of Israel to submit to Him, follow His will, and receive His promises…we have a similar charge today… |
The Way To Live (Lev. 18:1-5)
- Appeal To Authority (v1-3)
- Something is our authority, either God (as it should be) or ourselves, others, human wisdom, etc. Their standard was not to be those around them but what God had said.
- Similar to the exhortation Joshua would later give (Josh. 24:14-15) and the same attitude we must have today (1 Thess. 1:9; 1 Pet. 2:9, 4:1-5; Col. 3:17; Matt. 15:9, 28:18; Eph. 1:22-23; 2 Thess. 2:15; 2 Tim. 1:13)
- Exhortation To Faithfulness (v4)
- More than just acknowledging God’s authority, they needed to submit to it and be active in following God and His will. This was to be their way of life.
- Similar to Elijah’s plea on Mount Carmel, if you are going to call Him God, then live like it (1 Kings 18:21; Lk 6:46). If we really believe Him and His Word, then it should show in our lives (Rom. 12:1-2; 1 Pet. 2:9, 11-12; Eph. 5:1, 8, 15-17; Phil. 1:27).
- Promise To Obtain (v5)
- A conditional promise but one that WILL be fulfilled based on the faithfulness of God. He would cause them to live as they continued with Him, they did not have to fear being cast out like the nations before (v28).
- Moses similarly exhorted Israel later (Deut. 30:14-20), and we have similar promises today (Matt 11:28-30; 1 Thess. 1:10; 1 Pet. 2:10, 12, 4:13; Phil. 1:28-29; 2 Tim. 4:6-8; 1 Pet. 1:3-5; 2 Pet. 3:11-12, 17-18).
