The
Levitical Holiness Code
Many Christians today think that books
like Leviticus and Numbers are no longer of any use to Christians. This is far from the Truth, and I will
illustrate the reason why by presenting the Laws of Holiness, found in the 19th
chapter of the 3rd Book of Moses called Leviticus. This is a set of laws or codes which, when
followed, produces closeness with God and holiness in the individual. Many of these laws can be read in a literal
manner and understood, but some of them need to be given an allegorical interpretation
to be relevant to 21st century society. I will now list the code, and at the end of
each Law I will give the verses which that code is found in. An (a) represents I have not copied the text
literally but have given it an allegorical interpretation.
1)
Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy. v2
2)
Each of you revere your
mother and father, I, the LORD, am your God. v3a
3)
Each of you keep my Sabbaths.
I, the Lord, am your God. v3b
4)
Do not turn aside to
idols, nor make molten gods for yourselves. I, the Lord, am your God. v4
5)
When you approach for
Communion, keep the sacrifice Holy.
Prepare yourself for Communion with the LORD. Whoever partakes of Communion unworthily
profanes the LORD. (a)V5-8
6)
You shall not be selfish
with your food or your property; you shall help the less fortunate and not
horde wealth for yourself. You shall
love people of your own and outsiders equally.
(a)v9-10
7)
You shall not
steal. V11a
8)
You shall not deceive or
speak falsely to one another. V11b
9)
You
shall not swear falsely by my name, thus profaning the name of your God. I am
the Lord. V12
10) You shall not exploit any
person or take advantage of them. (a)
v13a
11) You shall not commit
robbery. V13b
12) You shall not withhold wages
from anybody who does any work for you. V13c
13) You shall respect and love
those who are deaf, blind, or disabled in any way, but fear the Lord your God. v14
14) You shall not render judgment
unjustly, you shall be honest in your judgments, and you shall not show
partiality to anybody no matter what their status is. All men are equal. (a) v15
15) You shall not spread slander
about anyone or be a backbiter. V16a
16) If a person is in danger,
you must help them. You must not pass by
a person in need. V17
17) You shall not hate any
person in your heart, especially your family.
V17a
18) If you see somebody
committing sin, you shall rebuke them and edify them lovingly and with
patience. Otherwise, you become a
partaker of their sin. V17b
19) Do not take revenge on nor
hold a grudge against anybody. Vengeance
is the LORDS. V18a
20) You shall love all people as
yourself. I am the LORD. V18b
21) Keep my statutes and do not
be double minded. Do not say you are of
the LORD, and act as if you are of the devil.
Be sincere in your faith and works of charity. (a) v19
22) You shall not have
premarital sex or unlawful sexual relations, you shall not lust after another man’s
wife, nor shall you dishonor your own wife.
(a)v20-22
23) Any children you bear, you
shall bring them up in the Church. They
shall be baptized, taught the doctrines of the faith, and confirmed when ready. (a)v23-25
24) Do not be cruel to animals. (a)v26a
25) Do not recite charms,
practice soothsaying, or use any spiritual practices outside of what the Church
prescribes. (a)v26b
26) Do not disfigure your body;
do not modify your body for strictly cosmetic reasons. (a)V27
27) Do not cut, tattoo, or pierce yourself in any
way. (a)v28
28) Your sons and daughters shall be raised in
the faith, and treated with the utmost love, respect and care. (a)v29
29) Keep the holy days of obligation, the Lords
day, and reverence the hallowed ground of all Churches. V30
30) Do not perform séances, or use services of
psychics or mediums or enchanters or Ouija boards or anything of the sort. These things defile your spirit. I, the LORD, am your God. It is enough to have Me. (a)v31
31) Treat the elderly with the utmost care and
respect, and fear your God. v32
32) Do not treat immigrants with disdain. You shall love all people, wherever they come
from, no matter how they got where they are, they are humans worthy of dignity
and love. This is because you as well as
them, are alienated from the Lord your God.
Therefore, since the Lord accepts you, you are to accept them. v33-34
33) Do not act dishonestly with your financial judgments;
be honest and upright when dealing with money, especially with others besides
your own. I am the LORD your God, who
brought you out of the land of Egypt.
v35
34) Be careful to observe all my statutes and
decrees, and walk before me blamelessly and in holiness all the days of your
life. I am the LORD. (a) v37
