God
has called His people to be set-apart for Him. That means they must
not practice the abominations of Egypt, but also must guard against
taking on the lustful practices of Canaan, the country they would be
entering. In Leviticus 18, I see that God, in order to protect His
people from being defiled, is beginning to put a system of ordinances into place that
will safeguard the sanctity of the family and of marriage, and most
importantly, the sanctity of the heart.
As Paul says in 1 Thes 4:3-4,7, “For this
is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from
fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in
sanctification and honor For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but
unto holiness.”
I believe this is the key thought behind this whole
chapter in Leviticus. “Israel, listen, you must not defile
yourselves as the other nations around you do. I’ve called you to a higher
standard. It’s the heavenly standard, and it’s called holiness to the Lord, for
as He is, so should you be" (Lev 18:24, Ex 28:36).
The devil is in the business of uncovering our spiritual
nakedness. It was true in Bible times, and unfortunately, it’s true today
as well. But God is in the business of trying to help His people cover
the spiritual nakedness of their hearts as well as their bodies. Of course, we cant cover ourselves any more than Adam and
Eve’s could using fig leaf aprons. Our righteousness is filthy rages. So a lamb was slain, and we inherited Christ’s cloak of
perfect righteousness.
Nakedness does not separate us from God, it shows us our
need to be covered and cleansed, and God is ready and willing to do this. “While
we were yet sinners (or while we were yet naked) Christ died for us!” (Rom
5:8). In Romans 8:35 it says, “Who shall separate us from the love of
Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or
nakedness, or peril, or sword?” No, none of these. It is our
refusing to be covered that separates us from God!
These chapters have really convicted me afresh for my need of Christ covering. I'm reminded of Revelation 3:18, “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest
be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of
thy nakedness do not appear."
Tomorrow's Reading: Lev. 19-20 and Ps. 23-24
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