OT Fire Starters – Day 52: Leviticus 19-20
READ: Leviticus 19-20
THINK: Are you having more influence on society than society is having on you? Are you bringing your non-Christian friends closer to Jesus, or are they pulling you farther from Him? Are you changing the culture around you, or are you merely adapting to it? Christians won’t make a difference in the world if they aren’t different from the world.
RESPOND: What does it mean for God’s people to be holy, and why is this necessary? (See 19:2 note.) What positive actions are involved in pursuing holiness? What kind of restrictions are involved in maintaining holy behavior and character? Who is a person’s “neighbor,” and how are God’s people to treat their neighbors (19:15-18)? (See 19:18 note.) What’s the possible significance of the laws regarding the mixing of two kinds of material? (See 19:19 note.) How did many of these laws relate to the cultures surrounding the Israelites? What are mediums and spiritists, and why did God forbid His people from consulting them? (See 19:31 note.) How were God’s people to treat people of different backgrounds and nationalities who lived and participated in their community? (See 19:34 note.) Why were they to behave in this way? Who makes people holy (20:8)? Why do you think the penalty for breaking some laws was death (cf. 20:14), while others carried a less severe punishment? Why and in what ways were the Israelites to be different from nations around them (20:26)?
PRAY: Ask God to help you live in such a way that people notice a positive difference and ask you about it.
ACT: Show extraordinary kindness to everyone today, and pray that God will open opportunities for you to talk about your faith as a result. Determine that you will not intentionally watch or listen to entertainment that disrespects God or shows disregard for His standards. If such a situation arises this week, turn it off or walk away. When you have time, read the articles on Sanctification, p. 1852, and Spiritual Separation for Believers, p. 1672 in the FBSE.