By Rev. Michael Mwangi
Senior Pastor, Fedha Church KAG
Leviticus 11:44-45
Worship is simply drawing near to God yet worship. Since God is holy, we can only draw near [worship] to him in holiness.
True worship is only possible in holiness as Leviticus teaches us.
The book of Leviticus brings out worship powerfully and in its true context
- Genesis speaks of the beginning
- Exodus deals with redemption and instructions
- Leviticus deal with worship. How the redeemed people were to worship
We are redeemed or saved to worship him and Leviticus is a blueprint of worship.
How we ought to worship him in holiness?
A lot of Christians don’t pay attention to Leviticus because it’s full of descriptions of ancient rituals. No wonder we no longer have true worship. How many have read through Leviticus? Our worship is void of the most fundamental ingredient of worship.
Leviticus means – pertaining to the Levites.
Who were the Levites?
They were descendants of Levi one of the sons of Jacob. God chose Aaron and his sons as priests and the rest of the Levites who were Old Testament version of deacons who assisted the priests in the tabernacle, and later in the temple ministries.
- How is this Leviticus written for priests and Levites in ancient Israel, relevant to us today?
- Why is this book so important that God the Holy Spirit saw fit to inspire and preserve it for us?
Though the practices of Leviticus are obsolete because all these ceremonies have been fulfilled in the person of Jesus in his sacrificial death on the cross.
But the principles behind those practices are timeless and they are essential for every genuine Christian.
Is Leviticus still a relevant book today?
- Leviticus is referred to over one hundred times in the New Testament. Many New Testament passages, cannot be understood and applied to our lives without a clear understanding of the book of Leviticus especially the book of Hebrews
- The second big reason – Jesus said that we should live by every word that God has given us. That would include Leviticus because all Scripture was given by inspiration of God. That means that all Scripture is profitable for God’s people for our use in developing Godly lives. In Leviticus holiness is the great and overarching theme. Leviticus tells us what holiness looks like in the worship and the walk of the redeemed believer.
- The word “holy” is used 91 times in Leviticus and in its various forms it appears 131 times.
The key verse is Leviticus 11:44 "For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am holy… 45 For I am the LORD who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.”
This is the very truth that is taught and applied in the New Testament Church.
1 Peter 1: “14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.””
Why is Leviticus so important for us as Christians living in the 21st century?
Because the great pursuit of fallen man is happiness not holiness. This book needs to speak to that reality. And the same is true for a lot of professing Christians.
- People want Jesus to carry their burdens and solve their problems. But they don’t want him to change their lives and character.
Leviticus 11 and 1 Peter 1 doesn’t resonate very well with much of modern church culture. God wants His children to be happy. But true happiness begins with holiness period.
Matthew 5: “6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.”
So here’s the challenge of Leviticus presents to us:
Have you ever thought of personal holiness, nearness to Jesus, likeness to Jesus, as the most important thing in the world for you and me?
Our English word holy comes from the Old English word “halig”. And that means - to be whole and to be healthy.
What health is to the body; Holiness is to the inner man.
That’s the whole point of Leviticus – It shows us what holiness looks like in the worship and walk of the redeemed believer.
That’s the whole point of the book – what holiness looks like in the worship and walk of the redeemed believer.
The structure of Leviticus corresponds with its theme:
The main theme of holiness divides into two sections –
1. Leviticus 1-16
The first dealing with worship, [before a holy God]
Lev 1-7 tells us why we need to sacrifice
Lev 8-10 tell us why we need a priest
2. Leviticus 17-27
The second one deal with walk [fellowship and relationship with God] It relates primarily to walking in holiness before God and man. [ worship and witness]
Worship simply means drawing to God.
The church of today has lost true worship because it is everything else minus holiness.
The only way to worship a holy God is in holiness not sacrifices.
1 Samuel 15:22. Obedient is better than sacrifices.
The central character of God is his holiness that’s what sets him apart from any other.
Rev 4:8 the four living declare his holiness day and night. Therefore only his holiness can we draw near to him.
It is therefore impossible to worship God or experience true worship without holiness. Church rites, activities, sacrifices without holiness amount to religion.
We cannot be living in sin and pretend we are still worshipping God. Hebrews12:14
Without holiness, no man shall see God. We may play church but without holiness, we can never experience an intimate relationship with Jesus. Holiness is the only means of worship.
Our sacrifices and offerings are defiled if our lives are defiled. James 5:16 the prayers of a righteous man is effective. It all depends on the condition of the person offering.
We must be acceptable before our offerings are accepted. We are saved to worship him
Man was created for worship and when he fell into sin he was redeemed for worship,
God redeemed his children from bondage so that they may go and worship him.
Exodus 8:1 let my people go that they may worship me. In the same way, we were redeemed from the bondage of sin so that we may worship him
John 4:23 God is still seeking genuine worshipers
As the redeemed children of God by saving us we are called to worship. He has made us holy so that we worship Him in the beauty of his holiness. Psalm 96:9
Real worship is much more than songs and prayers and sacrifices. It is not an event but a lifestyle. We are saved[made holy] to worship, we must live and worship in holiness.
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