at a glance
author: Moses.
date: During the 1400s BC, while the Israelites were traveling in the desert.
setting: The Israelites hear instructions from God at the base of Mount Sinai.
verse to remember:“I am the LORD, who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy” (11:45).
theme to consider: Holiness, holiness, holiness! The book of Leviticus establishes the ground rules for how God’s people should live. God desires that his people become “set apart” for him.
unchanging truth
Laws, rules, regulations, directions, guidelines. They’re everywhere! Laws tell you when you can drive and how fast you can go. Parents dictate rules about homework, dating and curfew. School regulations tell you when to go to class and what’s appropriate to wear. It seems no matter what you want to do, there is always someone or something telling you how to do it. Just once, wouldn’t it be great to do whatever you felt like doing with no restrictions?
Actually, an unrestricted life probably wouldn’t be that great. In fact, it could be downright scary! Imagine people driving on the road going their own speed and driving on whichever side of the road they wanted. You think traffic is bad now! Rules and regulations are made to protect people and to give some structure to life at home, school and work. Rules enable us to live together with lots of different people.
God also has rules for his people—rules that might seem impossible to follow. But the point of all the laws and rules in the book of Leviticus is that God wanted his people to be “holy” or “set apart” for him. Today, God has rules for you too. But now, as in the time of the ancient Israelites, God’s one desire isn’t to ruin your fun. Instead, he wants the very best for you in every aspect of your life.
1. God wants us to be like him and “set apart” as his people (11:44–45; 20:26).
2. Only with God’s help can you meet his standards (20:8).
3. The Lord truly wants only the best for you and all believers (26:3–13).