Leviticus 11
Dietary rules regarding land animalsverses 1-8
And the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron – saying to them
Speak to the children of Israel – saying
These are the beasts which you SHALL EAT among all the beasts
that are on the earth
Whatsoever parts the hoof – and is clovenfooted – and chews the cud
among the beasts – THAT SHALL YOU EAT
Nevertheless these shall you NOT EAT of them that chew the cud
or of them that divide the hoof – as the camel
because he chews the cud – but divides not the hoof
he is UNCLEAN to you
and the coney – because he chews the cud – but divides not the hoof
he is UNCLEAN to you
and the hare – because he chews the cud – but divides not the hoof
he is UNCLEAN to you
and the swine – though he divide the hoof – and be clovenfooted
yet he chews not the cud – he is UNCLEAN to you
of their flesh shall you NOT EAT
and their carcass shall you NOT TOUCH
they are UNCLEAN to you
Dietary rules regarding sea animalsverses 9-12
These shall you EAT of all that are in the waters
whatsoever has fins and scales in the waters – seas – rivers
them shall you eat
And all that have not fins and scales in the seas – and in the rivers
of all that move in the waters
and of any living thing which is in the waters
they shall be an ABOMINATION to you
they shall be even an ABOMINATION
to you
you shall NOT EAT of their flesh
but you shall have their carcasses in ABOMINATION
Whatsoever has no fins nor scales in the waters
that shall be an ABOMINATION to you
Dietary rules regarding birdsverses 13-20
And these are they which you shall have in ABOMINATION among the fowls
they shall NOT BE EATEN – they are an ABOMINATION
eagle – ossifrage – osprey – vulture – kite after his kind
every raven after his kind – owl – night hawk – cuckoo
hawk after his kind – little owl – cormorant – great owl
swan – pelican – gier eagle – stork – heron after her kind
lapwing – bat
All fowls that creep – going upon all four
shall be an ABOMINATION to you
Dietary rules regarding insectsverses 21-23
Yet these MAY YOU EAT of every flying creeping thing that goes
on all four – which have legs above their feet
to leap withal on the earth
Even these of them you MAY EAT
the locust after his kind – the bald locust after his kind
the beetle after his kind
the grasshopper after his kind
BUT all other flying creeping things – which have four feet
shall be an ABOMINATION to you
Unclean by touching carcassesverses 24-28
And for these you shall be UNCLEAN
whosoever touches the carcass of them shall
be UNCLEAN until the even
And whosoever bears ought of the carcass of them shall
wash his clothes and be UNCLEAN until the even
The carcasses of every beast which divides the hoof
and is not clovenfooted – nor chews the cud
are UNCLEAN to you – every one that touches
them shall be UNCLEAN
And whatsoever goes on his paws – among all manner of beasts
that go on all four – those are UNCLEAN to you
whoso touches their carcass shall be
UNCLEAN until the even
And he that bears the carcass of them shall wash his clothes
and be UNCLEAN until the even
they are UNCLEAN to you
Dietary rules regarding creeping thingsverses 29-32
These also shall be UNCLEAN to you among
the creeping things that creep on the earth
weasel – mouse – tortoise after his kind
ferret – chameleon – lizard – snail – mole
These are UNCLEAN to you among all that creep
whosoever does touch them – when they be dead
shall be UNCLEAN until the even
And on whatsoever any of them – when they are dead – does fall
it shall be UNCLEAN – whether it be any vessel of
wood – raiment – skin – sack – whatsoever vessel it be
wherein any work is done – it must be put into water
and it shall be unclean until the even
so it shall be cleansed
Animals dying on things and in things: uncleanverses 33-35
And every earthen vessel – wherein any of them falls
whatsoever is in it shall be UNCLEAN – and you shall break it
Of all meat which may be eaten
that on which such water comes shall be UNCLEAN
and all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel
shall be UNCLEAN
And everything whereupon any part of their carcass falls
shall be UNCLEAN – whether it be oven – or ranges for pots
they shall be broken down – for they are UNCLEAN
and shall be UNCLEAN to you
Animals dying on things and in things: cleanverses 36-38
Nevertheless a fountain or pit – wherein there is plenty of water
shall be CLEAN
but that which touches their carcass shall be UNCLEAN
And if any part of their carcass fall on any sowing seed which is to
be sown – it shall be CLEAN
But if any water be put on the seed
and any part of their carcass fall on any thereon
it shall be UNCLEAN to you
Defiled and unclean principlesverses 39-40
And if any beast – of which you may eat die
he that touches the carcass thereof shall be UNCLEAN
until the even
And he that eats of the carcass of it shall wash his clothes
and be UNCLEAN until the even
he also that bears the carcass of it shall wash his clothes
and be UNCLEAN until the even
Reason given by the LORD for dietary rulesverses 41-45
And every creeping thing that creeps on the earth shall
be an ABOMINATION – it shall not be eaten
Whatsoever goes on the belly – and whatsoever goes on all four
or whatsoever has more feet among all creeping things
that creep on the earth – them you shall NOT EAT
for they are an ABOMINATION
You shall not make yourselves ABOMINABLE with any creeping
thing that creeps – neither shall you make yourselves
UNCLEAN with them
that you should be DEFILED thereby
FOR I am the LORD your God
you shall therefore SANCTIFY yourselves
you shall be HOLY
FOR I am HOLY
neither shall you DEFILE yourselves with any manner of
creeping thing that creeps on the earth
FOR I am the LORD that brings you up out of the land of Egypt
to be your God – you shall therefore be HOLY
FOR I am HOLY
List completedverses 46-47
This is the law of the beasts – and of the fowl
and of every living creature that moves in the waters
and of every creature that creeps on the earth
to make a DIFFERENCE between
UNCLEAN and the CLEAN
and BETWEEN the beast that may be EATEN
and the beast that may NOT BE EATEN
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 2 Speak to the children of Israel saying, These are the beasts which you shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth. (2416 “beasts” [chay] means animals, a non-human, living thing characterized by voluntary movement, all kinds of animals, or wild beast)
DEVOTION: The LORD who is Jehovah which means HE is a personal God interested in every part of the life of those who are HIS followers. In this portion of the book of Leviticus HE is discussing dietary laws for the children of Israel to keep. There were important for health reasons as well.
Food that they could consume was given in great detail. God doesn’t leave anything to chance. HE wants HIS followers to not be in doubt regarding what is right to do in all areas of their lives.
So HE lists the types of animals that can be eaten by HIS people. HE also lists all the animals that were not to be eaten. HE gives specific instructions. Instructions are important in any group.
The religious leaders of Israel were to give instructions to all those who were in the camp. No one was to have an excuse for not following the rules the LORD had given to the leaders.
No one could come to the LORD and say “I didn’t know what was right or wrong.” Many tried through the years but the prophets and religious leaders quoted the LORD’S instructions when this happened. Jesus Christ quoted the Old Testament when HE was tempted by Satan in the wilderness.
We should know chapter and verse regarding any special instructions the LORD has given us regarding any aspect of our lives. We should not be in doubt regarding what the LORD expects of us today.
If in doubt ask a spiritual leader you trust to give you a correct answer from the Word of God regarding any area that you have questions concerning.
CHALLENGE: No excuse is accepted if you are not genuinely trying to find out how the LORD wants you to live.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination to you. (8263 “abomination” [sheqets] means detestable thing, unclean thing, a thing that Is detestable with the implication that it can make a person unclean, or creatures forbidden as food)
DEVOTION: Only a heathen would eat anything the LORD told HIS people was unclean. HE wanted to get across the point that HE was commanding them not to eat certain things because that was HIS rule.
If they chose to eat something on the “do not eat” list they were worshiping the wrong god. It could be the god of their belly that they needed to get under control. It could be that they just desired to eat something that was forbidden by the LORD.
If they ate of these foods they were being disobedient and the LORD would have to judge them for their disobedience.
Today we are given instruction that we can eat anything in moderation. If food becomes a god to us we are in trouble. There was a group of people who were condemned because their god was their belly.
We have to have control over what we eat. Some of us gain weight much easier than others. Some people can eat great amounts of food without gaining weight but they need to understand that if they are eating too much the LORD will judge them just as much as those who gain weight from eating too much food.
Here we have the choice between eating the right food according to the LORD or eating food the LORD put on the do not eat food list.
There are habits that affect our health today. There are things that believers should not be putting in their mouth or stomach. There are things that shouldn’t be put into our bodies by other means as well.
Our habits can be an abomination to our bodies and our testimonies. We need to turn this area of our life over to the LORD regularly. Also those who seem to have control over this habit need not be judgmental of those who do not have control.
CHALLENGE: There should be praying and encouragement given to those who don’t have control rather than a condemning attitude of superiority.
: 44 For I am the LORD your God: you shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall you defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creeps upon the earth. (2930 “defile” [tame] means to be unclean, become unclean, become impure, unclean by idolatry, unclean ceremonially, or unclean sexually)
DEVOTION: Details are important to the LORD. HE doesn’t leave anything to chance. HE gives detailed instruction regarding what animals the children of Israel can eat. HE gives instructions regarding every type of animal: beast, sea life, insects, and all other animals. The issue is again health.
HE gives instructions regarding those who even touch the carcasses of those animals. Those who touch these carcasses are considered unclean until evening.
God wants a holy people. The children of Israel were the ones who received the rules for eating and washing. The key word in this chapter seems to be UNCLEAN. God doesn’t want HIS people to be UNCLEAN. The LORD wants HIS people to be always aware of what they are doing. HE wants them to always be CLEAN.
It is hard to realize that once we are followers of Christ as our Savior, we are HOLY. That doesn’t mean that we are sinless but that we have to keep short accounts with God. Confession of our sins is necessary for us to stay in tune with the LORD.
On a regular basis we need to sanctify ourselves. That means we are to set ourselves apart unto God. Once we have sanctified ourselves, we need to say to ourselves that “I am holy in the eyes of the LORD because of the blood of Jesus.” If we continually remember WHO we serve, we may find it easier to serve HIM.
We are in a position of holiness, but not practically sinless. We need to sin less each day and the only way to do that is to be in HIS WORD. Keep studying. It will help keep the uncleanness of the world from taking a hold of us. A bath in the WORD each day will cleanse us, if we apply it.
CHALLENGE: Our faith is based on our understanding of the Word of God. If we don’t study it we won’t remember the standard. Not the man-made standards of Christianity but God’s standards!!!
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
:46 This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moves in the waters, and of every creature that creeps upon the earth.
(8451 “law” [torah] means 1 law, direction, instruction. 1a instruction, direction (human or divine). 1a1 body of prophetic teaching. 1a2 instruction in Messianic age. 1a3 body of priestly direction or instruction. 1a4 body of legal directives. 1b law. 1b1 law of the burnt offering. 1b2 of special law, codes of law. 1c custom, manner. 1d the Deuteronomic or Mosaic Law. [Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship])
DEVOTION: There are all kinds of laws. There governmental laws, moral laws, physical laws, and spiritual laws. In fact, it is hard to keep up with all the kinds of laws there are! Yet our God is a God of order, and this is shown in how He provided all the various kinds of laws that allow for His creation to work in a smooth way!
This passage mentions both physical and moral laws. The children of Israel were supposed to be holy people, and that required them to live in a certain way with regard to all aspects of God’s earthly creation, including the animals. There was never to be any confusion about the difference between man and the animals, since the animals were created to serve mankind. Animals were affected by the Fall as well after man sinned, taking on baser instincts than they did before. In addition, certain types of animals were to serve a religious purpose. Altogether, man and animal were to live in harmony in God’s order in the Promised Land.
Regardless of whether or not you are an animal lover, realize that God planned for man to use the animals for His purposes, including redeeming man from his sin. We can agree that God provided a remarkable diversity of animals for His creation, and this reflects on His unique creative power.
CHALLENGE: Thank God today for the order that He established between man and the animals when He created the world.
: 47 To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten. (914 “difference” [badal] means separate, segregate, divide, asunder, set apart, to make a distinction, excluded from or to divide into parts)
DEVOTION: One of the main points of the book of Leviticus is to show that there is a group of people called the children of Israel that are separate from the rest of the world. They have been chosen by the God who created the universe to be HIS people. It was not on any merit of their own but by HIS choice from the time of Abraham.
HE is using this group of people to show the world that HE can chose a group and make a distinction between those who obey HIM and those who disobey HIM.
HE gives the rules here regarding the dietary distinctions between what HIS people can eat and what they can’t eat. HE is giving these rule for health purposes as well but HE is not excluding the fact that HE wants them to eat different from the rest of the world.
These rules were in effect from this time period until the New Testament. Peter was introduced to the fact that he was commanded to eat some of these types of animals that were to not be eaten previously. He told God that he would not eat them because he had never eaten them before. He was being obedient to the Old Testament dietary laws but God was changing his diet now.
God was telling Peter in the New Testament that things were different now. The external rules were changing but the internal rules were not. Obedience was the key.
CHALLENGE: Are we being obedient to the current standards of the LORD or are we just doing what we want in our daily activities? God wants us to be clean internally more than externally.
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD (Jehovah)verses 1, 44, 45
God (Elohim)verses 44, 45
LORD your Godverse 44
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Not eatverses 4, 8, 11, 47
Uncleanverses 4-8, 24-29, 31-36, 38-40, 43
Abominationverses 10-13, 20, 23, 41, 42
Touching a carcasesverse 24
Defiledverse 43
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Cleanverses 36, 37, 47
Sanctifyverse 44
Holyverses 44, 45
Differenceverse 47
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Mosesverse 1
Aaronverse 1
Children of Israelverse 2
Dietary laws for children of Israelverses 1-43
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
44–47 The phrase “be holy, because I am holy” is interesting because it is like the words of 19:2, which are said to be characteristic of the Holiness Code (chs. 17–26). Actually the words are characteristic of the laws of holy conduct wherever found. The use of the phrase here unifies stylistically the laws of cleanness and the laws of holiness. (Harris, R. L. (1990). Leviticus. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers (Vol. 2, p. 573). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House)
11:41–47. The whole set of food laws is summarized by the repetition of selected examples (vv. 41–43). As God’s people were to distinguish between clean and unclean animals, so God had distinguished between them and other nations. These food regulations were to serve as a perpetual reminder of the holiness of God and His grace in choosing Israel (v. 45). (Lindsey, F. D. (1985). Leviticus. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 191). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books)
3. Discerning (Lev. 11:44–47)
If the Jewish people were to keep themselves clean and pleasing to the Lord, they had to exercise discernment; this meant knowing God’s Word, respecting it, and obeying it. Fathers and mothers had to teach their children the law and warn them about the things that were unclean (Deut. 6:1–9). The priests had to teach the people and remind them of the commandments of the Lord. It was when the nation of Israel neglected the Word of God and refused to obey it that the people began to follow the abominable practices of the heathen nations around them, and this is what led to Israel’s discipline and defeat.
The Jews had to remind themselves every hour of every day that they belonged to Jehovah, the true and living God, and that belonging to the nation of Israel was a high and holy privilege. “I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy” (Lev. 11:44, NIV). In New Testament language, “Walk worthy of the calling with which you were called” (Eph. 4:1, NKJV). Obeying God’s will isn’t a burden; it’s a privilege! As Moses reminded his people, “For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the Lord our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him? And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day?” (Deut. 4:7–8, NKJV)
The Old Testament Jew, like the New Testament Christian, was not to walk “as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind” (Eph. 4:17). It was a temptation to “go along with” and then imitate the pagan practices of the heathen nations, and this led to Israel’s defilement and discipline. I fear that the church today is following the same philosophy and becoming more and more like the world. G. Campbell Morgan was right when he said that the church did the most for the world when the church was the least like the world.
Jews who exercised spiritual discernment would “walk in love” (Eph. 5:2), and their love for the Lord would motivate them to obey His law. Each morning, the orthodox Jew would recite “The Shema,” the official Jewish confession of faith: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deut. 6:4–5, NIV). That is still the first great commandment (Matt. 22:34–40).
Like Israel in the Old Testament, believers today must not only walk worthy of their calling and walk in love, but also must “walk circumspectly … understanding what the will of the Lord is” (Eph. 5:15, 17). We must keep our eyes open and look around carefully lest we defile ourselves. Jews who knew what God said was clean and unclean, and who exercised constant caution, weren’t likely to touch something unclean and defile themselves. When we “walk as children of light” (Eph. 5:8), we won’t stumble over some carcass in the darkness; for God’s Word is the light that directs us (Ps. 119:105).
The Lord reminded His people that it was He who had redeemed them from Egyptian bondage (Lev. 11:45). Therefore, they belonged to Him and were obligated to obey His will. Christ has redeemed us, not that we might be free to please ourselves, but that we might be free to serve Him, which is the greatest freedom of all. In giving His law, the Lord frequently used the miracle of the Exodus to call Israel to obedience (19:36; 22:31–33; 25:38, 42, 55; 26:13, 45). In New Testament language, the Jews had been “bought with a price” and were obligated to glorify the Lord who had redeemed them (1 Cor. 6:20; 1 Peter 1:18–25).
One of the marks of maturity is the ability “to make a difference” (Lev. 11:47) and distinguish between right and wrong. As a pathologist looks through his or her microscope, he or she can see a difference between a healthy cell and a cancerous cell. The expert musician can hear the difference between the right note and the almost-right note, and the expert writer knows the difference between “any word” and the right word. Likewise, mature believers can exercise discernment, identify that which is unclean, and avoid it. Remember, children are prone to walk into the mud and get dirty.
What the Prophet Hosea said about Israel in his day is true of many professed Christians today: “You stumble day and night, and the prophets stumble with you … My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:5–6, NIV). “But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil” (Heb. 5:14, NIV). Commenting on 1 Corinthians 2:13–16, Vance Havner said, “Nothing is more rare in churches today than discernment. The natural man knows nothing of it, the carnal man is devoid of it. Only the spiritual man has it and we have all too few in that category.” (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Holy (pp. 49–51). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
11:44 I am the Lord your God: The word for Lord is Yahweh, the name by which God had revealed Himself to Moses (Ex. 3:14, 15; 6:2, 3). Consecrate yourselves means “make yourselves holy.” You shall be holy; for I am holy: This is the foundation of the so-called Holiness Code of chs. 17–26. To be holy means to “be separate.” God is holy as the transcendent Creator, above and apart from nature. To be separate to God is much more important than to be separate from other things. As God’s people are separated to Him, we become more and more conformed to His image, to be the persons God intended us to be when He created the first man and the first woman in His image (Gen. 1:26, 27). Holiness in God’s people involves grace, righteousness, integrity, peace, and mercy, because these are characteristics of the God who has redeemed us and whom we serve.
11:45 For emphasis, God reaffirmed His identity. Then He added an astounding commitment to Israel. His purpose in bringing them up out of the land of Egypt was to be their God. Because of God’s holy nature, they too had to be holy.
11:46, 47 This statement summarizes the content and purpose of the chapter by listing again the four broad groupings of animals. To distinguish reminds the reader that these were instructions for the people as well as the priests. The priests were responsible for teaching the Israelites. (Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1999). Nelson’s new illustrated Bible commentary (p. 171). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.)
Ver. 45. For I am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, &c.] He had brought them out of it, and was now bringing them on in the wilderness towards Canaan’s land, in order to settle them there; and this is observed, to shew what obligations they lay under to him to observe his commands; for since he had done such great things for them, it became them to be obedient to him in all things: and the more, since his end herein was, as he observes to them, to be your God; to make it appear that he was their God, and they were his special people, whom he had chosen for himself above all people upon the earth; that he was their King and their God, to protect and defend them, to provide for them, and take care of them, and bestow all good things on them proper for them: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy; separate from all others as he was, living holy lives and conversations, agreeably to his will made known to them, in imitation of him who had chosen and called them to be his people; for, since holiness is his nature, it becomes them who are his house and family, his subjects and people. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 1, p. 595). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
The Comfortable Church
“Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” (Revelation 3:17)
This is the heart of Christ’s rebuke of the church at Laodicea, the “lukewarm” church (v. 16) of the last days. This is an evangelical church for its candlestick is still in place (note Revelation 1:20; 2:5), but it has become a neutral church, “neither cold nor hot” (3:15). The reason for its tepid witness is because it has become “rich, and increased with goods,” comfortable in a culture that tends to equate material prosperity with success and God’s favor. It may have acquired large and beautiful facilities, developed special programs of many kinds, featured a variety of musicians and other artists, and even gained a measure of political power. Yet, Christ calls it poor and blind and naked!
Not all large churches become like this, of course, but it is always a real danger. The desire for large congregations can easily lead to compromising biblical standards of doctrine and practice. “Woe to them that are at ease in Zion,” the prophet warned (Amos 6:1).
Note that the Lord began His letter to the Laodicean church by identifying Himself as “the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God” (Revelation 3:14). This strongly suggests that a major reason for the development of such complacency in a large church (or a small church, for that matter) is neglect of these three doctrines—the sufficiency of Christ, the inerrant authority of God’s Word, and the special creation of all things by God.
The letter to this church ends with the sad picture of Christ standing at its door, seeking admission (v. 20). “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” (v. 22). (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
The Jews have no partiality with God because they live for the Law.
INSIGHT
Without God, there is no right and wrong; there is only preference. We can say that we prefer something to be or not to be; but unless we appeal to God, we cannot use the words right and wrong. If one person says something is right and another says it is wrong, their opinions cancel each other out unless they can appeal to a higher authority. Mankind needs God not only for salvation but also for the normal functioning of society. It is sobering to ask, “If everyone were exactly like me, what kind of society would we have?”
(Quiet Walk)
THE AUTHORITY OF THE APOSTLES
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life. 1 John 1:1
The declaration of the church comes to us on the authority of the apostles. See 2 Peter 1:16. Our only authority is the apostolic witness, and our gospel is based upon what they have said. In the opening verses of 1 John, John keeps on repeating it. Three times he talks about having “seen” it, twice he says, “we have heard” it, and he also says, we “have handled” it. He emphasizes and repeats that because it is the whole foundation of the preaching of the church, and there is no message apart from it. The message is what the apostles have seen, what they have witnessed, and what they have experienced and shared together.
Now, one of the first things we must recapture is the essential difference between witness and experience. What is our fundamental authority as Christian people? There are large numbers today who would say that it is experience. A man once wrote that he had been listening to a radio discussion between a Christian and a modern scientific humanist. During this discussion the scientific humanist asked the Christian, “What is your final proof of the reality and the being of God?” “And,” said the writer of this article, “the Christian failed badly, in my opinion. He tried to produce certain arguments, but he should have turned to the scientific humanist and said, ‘I am the proof of the being of God.'”
I would have been entirely on the side of the Christian in that argument, for I am not a proof of the being of God, nor is my experience. The only reality of the being of God is the Lord Jesus Christ. Experience is of value in confirming, in supporting, in helping me to believe these things, but I must never base my position upon it.
A Thought to Ponder: The declaration of the church comes to us on the authority of the apostles. (From Fellowship with God, p. 48, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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