Bro. Bruce's commentary for the book of Genesis is
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LEVITICUS
CHAPTER 19

1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.

"Ye shall be holy" carries understanding of being separate from all worldly
customs which aren't God's.
Notice that Moses is to speak these things to the congregation, not just to Aaron
and the priests. These laws will distinguish the people as unique and with a genuine
devotion to God.
This also is the law of the NEW TESTAMENT! (See Matthew 5:48, 1Peter 1:15-16)
As followers of Christ, let us be sanctified from the world by a unique devotion
to God's Word.
Are you seeking to EXPERIENCE God in every part of your daily life? Are you seeking to
realize His PRESENCE in all that you do?

3 Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.

God is truly CREATOR and LORD of all things. But is He Lord of ME?
This is a reminder that we should hold parents in highest esteem. When children disregard
parents, they grow up to be poor parents. When children of God disregard His Sabbath,
they grow up to be rebellious children and never really become PARENTS of new Christians.
Besides that, when people of God disregard the Word of God, they are not easily
distinguished from the world.
As one old preacher put it, "We Christians oughta LOOK like God, SMELL like God, and
ACT like God. And the ONLY way to do that is to be obedient as CHRIST was obedient!" 4 Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the LORD your God.

The Lord God is a jealous God. He is the One and ONLY TRUE God. He is
omnipotent, omniscient, and holy. How could a Christian ever turn to idols
such as PRIDE, WEALTH, POWER, LUCK, etc.?

5 And if ye offer a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD, ye shall offer it at your own will. 6 It shall be eaten the same day ye offer it, and on the morrow: and if ought remain until the third day, it shall be burnt in the fire. 7 And if it be eaten at all on the third day, it is abominable; it shall not be accepted. 8 Therefore every one that eateth it shall bear his iniquity, because he hath profaned the hallowed thing of the LORD: and that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

All God's work is to be done timely. It is (was) certainly unsnitary to eath things
left-over the third day. But there is a special significance attached to this. These were
peace offerings made in relation to fellowship with God. Our relationship to Him as Creator,
Saviour, and Sustainer is all-important, and is established upon our obedience.

9 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. 10 And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God.

God is concerned with the poor and sho should we be concerned. As He directs and
guides us, He makes provision through us for the poor. We would have a much better
country if Christians were more concerned for the poor, and less governmental care would
be necessary!

11 Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.

Stealing from another brother in Christ is a most horrendous offense. We believe God,
in providential care, has given all that we have. If then we steal from one another
we are stealing from God!
Dealing falsely or lying to one another is another crime (Colosians 3:9). As Christians,
we are interested in THE truth, so we should be truthful "especially to them which
are of the household of faith."(Galatians 6:10)

12 And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.

Notice that God does not say one cannot swear by His name. Jesus approached this
subject in Matthew 5:34-37. Between Moses' deliverance of God's law and Jesus' accuarate
interpretation of that law, som erroneous teaching appeared. Many Rabbis taught that men
were not to swear by God's name, but could swear by the temple, the gold in the
temple, the earth, etc. However, Jesus taught that we ought to be so truthful from day to
day that we don't have to swear for people to believe us!
Jesus did NOT teach we couldn't be put under oath. In fact, when He was put
under oath, He accepted it willingly. (See Matthew 26:63-64)

13 Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide

When a man works, he is due his pay at the agreed time. When we agree together
on a payment over a period of time (say weekly, monthly, etc.) we should PAY on time.

14 Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD.

Again, we see a providential God. If HE, in HIS PROVIDENCE, allows someone to be deaf
or blind, we most certainly should care for them and not treat them badly.
It is part of God's providence that we care and give help to those who are physically impaired.
In doing so, we honor our Creator and give Him glory (see John 9:3).

15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.

Partiality has no place in judgment between people. FAIRNESS is the issue.

16 Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD.

WHOAH!! DUDE!! Would you LOOK at that again? WOW!
Yes. There IS such a thing as "free speech." But swapping stories about
someone for money or other favors is AGAINST God's law!!
Proverbs 11:3 says, "A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful
spirit concealeth the matter."
There IS such a thing as proper, impartial reporting; although we don't see much
of it today. Too many editorials are just glorified slanderings, filled with inuendos
and half-truths for the purpose of getting people's attention and money.
James 1:26 says, "If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue,
but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain."
James 3:5 says, "Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things.
Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!"
1Peter 3:10 says, "For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his
tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:"

I think those are appropriate verses in context with the Scripture which we are presently
studying. Just IMAGINE if newspapers, TV reporters, and rag-mag editors would
ABIDE by the law of REAL REPORTING!

17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.

Jesus said the "first and greatest commandment" is to LOVE GOD! And then
Jesus said that the "second is like unto it - thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."
(Matthew 22:37-39).
Our love for GOD is expressed by our love for one another! (John 13:55)

19 Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee.

Faith is a simple thing. This is indeed a complex world; why make it MORE complex?
God has made things the way He wants them. Can we do better than God? NO!
There is perhaps an imitation here about faith and works. Salvation is the work of God,
not OURS! We simply truts, repent, and receive. God creates the miracle of birth and
rebirth. So let us not brag on our works as if it brought faith, because in all actuality
works are a PRODUCT of faith!!

20 And whosoever lieth carnally with a woman, that is a bondmaid, betrothed to an husband, and not at all redeemed, nor freedom given her; she shall be scourged; they shall not be put to death, because she was not free. 21 And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, even a ram for a trespass offering. 22 And the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering before the LORD for his sin which he hath done: and the sin which he hath done shall be forgiven him.

To force a woman into sexual misconduct is sin even if she is a slave. Note that the man
was to openly confess his sin.

23 And when ye shall come into the land, and shall have planted all manner of trees for food, then ye shall count the fruit thereof as uncircumcised: three years shall it be as uncircumcised unto you: it shall not be eaten of. 24 But in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy to praise the LORD withal. 25 And in the fifth year shall ye eat of the fruit thereof, that it may yield unto you the increase thereof: I am the LORD your God.

Ordinarily fruit trees will not bear fruit the first three years. If they do, the fruit
will hinder the growth of the tree. Therefore, God admoninishes them to pluck such
fruit and count it unclean. Any fruit born the fourth year could be eaten as consecrated to
God in offering, or given to the priests; but must be counted "holy to the Lord."

26 Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times.

This is a reiteration to the priests, but news to the people. God wants ALL His
people sanctified. Don't eat blood; don't use worldly "sayings;" or superstition.

27 Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard.

Have you noticed how many men will cut the corners of their beard and form goaties, Van Dykes, etc.?
That is done to draw attention to SELF. Most people like to be different so they do things
with their hair that are ODD. To be different from everyone else, God says, "just trim it!"
Don't TRY to be different, and you WILL be!

28 Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.

This law is to keep them from following the customs of the heathen idolators. Mourning is good
for the soul, but it needn't be carried to extreme. Christ has made the grave a FRIEND to all
who are His. It is the doorway to eternity WITH HIM for those who believe in Him.

29 Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness.

Some idolators gave their daughters to be prostitutes in the temple. And some just sought
to make money from such a horrible thing. But God's people are to esteem daughters as sons - for
children are a gift from God and not to be used as merchandise.

30 Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD. 31 Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.

Observance of God's statutes and sabbaths are enough. There is no need to observe unholy ceremonies of
other folk. It is the LORD GOD Who gives the true ordinances and ceremonies.
Ever been to a "palm reader" or a "psychic?" Ever read a horoscope?

32 Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD.

It is also the LORD GOD Who demands respect for elders. When an elderly person enters a room
the younger ones should "rise up" and give place to them. "The hoary head is a crown of glory,
if it be found in the ways of righteousness(Proverbs 16:31).
When a person is older, he/she has been blessed of God with that age. If he's blessed of God,
we should respect him. "The face of the old man" may refer to the elder in the church.
The Bible says he is worthy of double honor (1Timothy 5:17).
If religion is pure and undefiled, ti will teach decency and humility. And if religion does not teach
such, then degeneracy and disorder will naturally follow.

33 And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him. 34 But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

A migrant is to be respected. Until and unless he/she proves to be unworthy, then that person is to be
loved as a brother/sister. We know love because we are no longer strangers to God. Strangers can
come to know God through the love we show. Besides this we read, "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers:
for thereby some have entertained angels unaware."(Hebrews 13:2)

35 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure. 36 Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.

Having "just" measures and weights is a law of God for fairness.
I heard an old story about a woman who sold butter to the grocer. She always brought five-pound blocks
so he could cut it into one-pound blocks. One day he said, "Mrs. Jones, your butter only weighs FOUR and
one-half pounds! You are trying to cheat me!" She said, "My dear sir, I'm very sorry. You see
I misplaced my five-pound weight, and this week I just measured the weight of the butter by the weight of
the five-pound bag of flour YOU sold me last week!"
To be treated fairly - be fair!

37 Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: I am the LORD.

Here is a conclusion statement. It is the LORD GOD Who has given these laws and statutes.
If indeed He is Lord, God, Creator, Saviour, Sustainer, and Judge; we should be following these laws
because they represent His WILL.

Please continue to follow along with us in Bible study.

Please continue to follow along with us in Bible study.