YEAR 2, WEEK 10, Day 4, Thursday, 6 March 2025

https://esv.literalword.com/?q=Leviticus+19

Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Thursday, 6 March 2025:

Listen to this teaching from Bob Davis of North County Chapel on Leviticus 19 — https://www.blueletterbible.org/audio_video/popPlayer.cfm?id=10398&rel=davis_bob/Lev

Leviticus 19:1-2 — And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.

“Heinrich Heine, a famous nineteenth-century German poet, allegedly spoke these last words: ‘Of course God will forgive me; that’s His job.’ Whether or not this man died in faith is debatable, but if we simply isolate these words from their context, we end up with a phrase that could summarize how much of modern Western culture thinks about the Creator. Vast numbers of people today believe that it is God’s duty to forgive — that He is obligated to pardon people no matter what they have done. Though people may fall far short of what they know to be right, they think the Almighty must forgive them, even if they never seek absolution.

Of course, we know our Father in heaven is abundant in mercy and eager to forgive the repentant (Luke 15:11–32). Yet we also know that God is not obligated to forgive anyone, especially if it would violate His righteousness, thereby trivializing sin. He will have mercy upon whom He will have mercy and show compassion to whomever He wills (Rom. 9:14–18). The only way He forgives without violating His holy character is in having “steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other” (Ps. 85:10). God will forgive only those who trust in His promises — those who rely wholly upon Jesus, who was condemned for sinners so that they might receive the blessing of forgiveness.

We need forgiveness not merely because we have sinned against others; rather, we need forgiveness because we have failed to reflect the image of God, having fallen far short of the glory He intended for us (Rom. 3:23). Our Creator demanded that His old covenant people be holy just as He is holy — set apart from all uncleanness and pure in character (Lev. 19:1–2). Ultimately, this call is given to all, Jew and Gentile alike (Acts 17:22–34), and especially to the church (Matt. 5:48; 1 Peter 1:13–16).

The demand could not be higher — everyone is to be as holy as God is holy; our predicament could not be greater — sinners cannot possibly be this holy; and the Father’s answer could not be more gracious — His Son died in our place to satisfy His wrath, making Him able to forgive without forsaking His own righteousness. May we always recognize our failure to be holy as God is holy, our inability to obligate our Creator to forgive us, and the great mercy He has shown us in His Son, Christ Jesus.

We are often tempted to trivialize God’s demand for holiness and instead look to somebody or something other than God as the standard by which we measure ourselves. Remember, though, that the Lord has pronounced judgment on His image bearers for failing to reflect His holiness. Thanks be to God, He has provided a way to escape this wrath by confessing our failures and turning to the One who sacrificed Himself for our salvation.” (Ligonier Ministries)

Leviticus 19:12 — You shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the LORD.

“Within the new covenant community, the most common way the name of God is taken in vain seems to be the frivolous making of promises and failure to keep sworn oaths and vows. During the time in which the Bible was written, Israel understood that the third commandment prohibits the false swearing of oaths. Ancient commentaries on this commandment interpret it as ‘You shall not swear falsely by the Lord your God,’ and the serious way in which the New Testament looks at oaths and vows confirms this as a proper reading (Matt. 5:33–37; James 5:12). Moreover, today’s passage tells us explicitly that to swear falsely by the name of the Lord is to treat His name as less than holy.

There are perhaps three main ways to swear an oath falsely. First, we profane God’s name if we swear by a name other than His own. We swear oaths in the presence of the Lord as a witness, in effect testifying to the parties with whom we are making a compact that if we are not true to our word, God will hold us accountable. Even when others do not pick up on our failures or when they cannot prosecute us for breaking our word, the Lord knows, and He will have the final say in the matter. To swear an oath by one other than the triune God is to usurp His judging power, His ability to prosecute an oath made by a creature of His design. Consequently, we falsely attribute power and knowledge to things and persons that really possess neither (Gal. 4:8).

Second, we abuse the name of the Lord when we swear oaths on frivolous occasions. The Westminster Confession of Faith 22.2 affirms that oaths and vows are proper only in weighty matters, largely because these are the only occasions in Scripture where we see oaths being made (Ezra 10:1–5; Ps. 132:11). Swearing oaths on frivolous occasions can be done only if we do not take God seriously.

Third, we trample upon God’s name if we make promises that we do not keep. When we do not keep a sworn oath, we act as if the Lord does not care about the truth and that He will turn a blind eye when we tell outright falsehoods or misrepresent the facts — that He will not let our lies find us out. What could be more vain or foolish than that (see Num. 32:23)?

Consider today whether you are a person of your word. Can your friends and family count on you to keep your commitments? If you consistently fail to keep your promises, then take better care to decide whether or not the promises you make can realistically be kept. It is better not to make promises than it is to promise and then fail to keep them. Let us make only promises that we are realistically able to fulfill.” (Ligonier Ministries)

“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 6 March 2025: Today and every day, be wholly true to your word. Always do what you say you are going to do, treating every commitment as an unbreakable promise before the LORD. If you have failed to keep a previous commitment, do it now.

• Matthew 5:37 — Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.
• James 5:12 — But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.