U N E Q U A L Y O K E S A N D
M I X E D S E E D
Lessons for Today from the Old Testament Law
F. Wayne Mac Leod
Light To My Path Book Distribution
Copyright © 2016 F. Wayne Mac Leod
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the
written permission of the author.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®),
copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission.
All rights reserved.
D
PREFACE
on’t let the fact that this is a study of some relatively obscure Old
Testament laws keep you from reading. I am absolutely
convinced of what the apostle Paul said to Timothy:
16) All Scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for
teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in
righteousness, 17) that the man of God may be complete, equipped,
for every good work. (2 Timothy 3)
The laws I want to examine in this passage relate to the will of God
concerning different species of animals and seeds. While there were very
practical reasons for these laws, they also have much to teach us about God
and how to walk with Him. The principles behind these laws are as
applicable to us today as they ever were. The lessons we learn from them
are extremely important.
I know that as I prepare this study I can only present the material in a way
that is easy to understand and applicable to life. The challenge for us is to
take these simple lessons and apply them. For this, I am dependant on the
Holy Spirit who alone can take what He has given me and reveal it to each
reader in a way that can actually change lives.
The principles are very simple, but their simplicity must not be overlooked.
As you study these laws and the requirements of God, take the time to ask
Him to help you to see what they have to do with your life today. Ask Him
to help you apply these principles to your life so that you can be drawn
closer to Him. I commit this work into the hands of the Lord and pray that
He would be pleased to use it to draw each person who reads it into a
deeper walk and relationship with Him. May God be pleased to bless as you
read.
F. Wayne Mac Leod
T
1 - THE SEPARATION OF
SPECIES
here is a set of Old Testament Laws which appears strange to our
modern minds. These laws have always perplexed me, and so I
decided to take the time to seek the Lord about their purpose and
application. This study is an attempt to understand and apply the principles
of these laws to our day.
The laws I am speaking about are found in two Old Testament passages.
The first is Leviticus 19:19 which says:
(19) You shall keep my statutes. You shall not let your cattle breed
with a different kind. You shall not sow your field with two kinds of
seed, nor shall you wear a garment made of two kinds of material.
The second similar passage is in Deuteronomy 22:9-11:
(9) You shall not sow your vineyard with two kinds of seed, lest
the whole field be forfeited, the crop that you have sown and the
yield of the vineyard. (10) You shall not plow with an ox and a
donkey together. (11) You shall not wear cloth of wool and linen
mixed together.
Let me summarise God's requirements of God for Israel as found in these
two Old Testament passages:
1. Israel was not to breed two different kinds of animals
together
2. Israel was not to plant a field with two different kinds of
seed
3. Israel was not to wear clothes made with two different
kinds of material
4. Israel was not to plough a field with two different kinds
of animals yoked together
The requirements of these commands are simple enough. The problem,
however, is to understand why God forbid these actions. The purpose of this
study is to grasp the intent of these laws in the life of Israel. I am convinced
that a more thorough understanding of these verses will also be a great
blessing to us in our day as well.
As we begin, let's take a moment to do a brief word study. Notice from
Leviticus 19:19 and Deuteronomy 22:9 that the word "kind" or "kinds" is
used. The Hebrew word used in both of these passages is the word
"kilayim." "Kilayim" literally means "separation." It comes from the word
"kele" which means “prison.” The word "kele", in turn, comes from the
word "kala" which means, "to restrict," "to hold back," "to shut up," or "to
restrain." It is interesting to note that the word "kilayim" is only used in the
two passages we are considering now. It does not appear anywhere else in
the Old Testament in this form.
The objects God required to be shut up, separated or held in prison are
species of animals, seeds and materials. The word kilayim refers to the way
in which God put boundaries on each species of plant and animal. He gave
them distinct characteristics and abilities. They were constrained to those
boundaries. The papaya tree would never produce apples. The banana tree
would never produce coconuts. The elephant would never fly in the air. The
whale would never walk on dry ground. They were "imprisoned" by their
own characteristics and instincts.
This lines up with what Genesis 1 teaches us about creation:
(11) And God said, "Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding
seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each
according to its kind on the earth." And it was so.
Notice that God created the plants and fruit trees, "each according to its
kind." The word "kind" here is a different Hebrew word from that used in
the Leviticus 19 and Deuteronomy 22 but refers to a "species." In other
words, God created a variety of plants with unique qualities. These plants
were distinguished and separated from one another by these unique
characteristics.
What is true of plants is also true of fish, birds, and wildlife. Consider these
further passages in Genesis 1:
(21) So God created the great sea creatures and every living
creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to
their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God
saw that it was good.
(24) And God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures
according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts
of the earth according to their kinds." And it was so. (25) And God
made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the
livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the
ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
The phrase "according to their kinds" is repeated seven times in these three
verses. Notice also that the verses conclude with the words: "And God saw
that it was good." God was pleased with the variety of species He had
created. Each species had a purpose and provided a perfect balance for the
earth. Some plants would grow well in the sun while others grew better in
the shade. Some animals preferred to eat one type of food while others
preferred something else. God created the earth and all the species to
function in harmony with His eternal purpose. This balance of different
kinds (or species) of animals and plants was perfect.
On a very basic level, the laws of diverse kinds protected animal and plant
species and assured that they would continue as God intended. These laws
also protected God's people from the effects of the imbalance that the
mingling of these species would bring to the earth and to the physical health
of His people.
While this, in a nutshell, summarises these laws, there is much more to
consider. As we continue this study, we will take the time to break down
these laws individually and see what they teach us about God and His
purpose for this world.
For Consideration:
What do we learn here about creation, the order and purpose of God in
creating the various species of plants and animals?
Take a moment to think about the various species God has created on this
earth. How do the different species of animals and plants work together to
create a healthy balance?
What do you suppose would be the effect of tampering with the order and
balance that God has created in the universe?
For Prayer:
Ask the Lord to help you to see the importance of every part of His world.
Thank the Lord for the order He has created in the world. Thank Him for
the variety of animal and plant species and how they all work together to
accomplish His purpose.
Thank the Lord for the incredible wisdom that put this world together with
all its harmony and balance.
I
2 - GOD'S PERFECT WAYS
You shall keep my statutes. You shall not let your cattle breed with
different kind. (Leviticus 19:19a)
n the first chapter, we examined the laws of the Old Testament
regarding different species of plants and animals. Let's now take the
time to examine the various aspects of these laws in an attempt to
discover what is behind them and what they teach us about God and His
purpose.
Leviticus 19:19 begins with God's requirement for cattle. The law of God
specifically stated that Israel was not to breed their cattle with a different
kind. For example, they were not to breed a cow with a horse. The Old
Testament word for "breed" is the Hebrew word "raba." It is only used two
other times in the Old Testament (Leviticus 18:23, Leviticus 20:16). Let's
consider these two verses:
And you shall not lie with any animal and so make yourself unclean
with it, neither shall any woman give herself to an animal to lie with
it: it is perversion. (Leviticus 18:23)
If a woman approaches any animal and lies with it, you shall kill the
woman and the animal; they shall surely be put to death; their blood
is upon them (Leviticus 20:16)
These use of the word in these verses speak about a sexual relationship
between humans and animals. Leviticus 19:19 extends this to the animal
kingdom as well. God forbade the intermingling of different species of
animals. In fact, from a scientific perspective, in many cases, God has made
it impossible for different species to breed and have an offspring.
We have seen the requirement of God here in this passage. The question
that now falls on us is to understand what this teaches us about God, His
purposes and its application to us today.
Most commentators are in agreement that this law, on a very basic level,
prohibited changing what God had established in the natural order of things.
As we mentioned in the last chapter, God created each animal "according to
its kind" (Genesis 1:11, 21, 24, 25). God did this for a reason. There was
purpose and order in the creation. Each species had a role to fulfil in the
chain of life. To break even one link in the chain was to break the chain
itself. As God looked at the various species He had created on the earth He
saw that it was good (Genesis 1:25). He delighted in the perfection of
creation, the order and the balance. He saw how each animal and plant had
a place and role to play in the proper functioning of the world and it was
good and perfect.
As I grow older I have come to see how each part of my body is so
intricately connected. When one part of my body is not functioning as it
should, it affects other parts of the body. What is true of our bodies is also
true of a motor. If one part of a motor is not working, the motor will not
function as it should. This universe is made in such a way that every part is
essential. Take away any part, however unimportant that part may seem to
us, and the rest suffers as a result. God knows what He is doing. What He
created was perfect. Nothing could be added or taken away. He placed man
in this creation to enjoy it and commanded him not to change anything that
He had created.
What do we learn from this law? We understand first that God is a
sovereign and wise God who has a purpose in all He does. Nothing takes
God by surprise. He knows the beginning and the end. He created this
world in perfect balance. I look at my body and often wonder at the
complexity of each part and how it works together so perfectly. How does
my eye see? How do my ears hear? What keeps my heart beating? Consider
the interaction of electrical impulses, biological and chemical components
that make all this possible. Consider the interaction of human beings with
each other and how we form words to communicate. As our vocal cords
vibrate and communicate sounds, those sounds travel through the air to the
person sitting next to us, who receives these invisible sounds and interpret
them in fractions of a second. This is the work of an infinitely wise God. I
stand amazed at such wisdom. God created all things perfectly. To change
perfection is to corrupt it. To think that we can improve on it is
blasphemous.
The laws we are reflecting on in this chapter remind us that God knows
what He is doing. He is a perfect Creator. There is nothing we can do to
improve on what He has done. We are called on to appreciate this perfection
and respect it. We are called on to trust His purpose.
Let's apply this principle to our day. The sovereign God who created this
universe and its different kinds of animal species and plants is also involved
in your life and mine. He has sometimes allowed difficult circumstances in
our lives. Consider Job, who lost his family when Satan inspired an army to
destroy them. Consider Joseph, who was sold into slavery because of the
jealousy of his brothers. Consider Daniel, who was cast into the lion's den
because of a jealous leadership in the nation. All these men suffered at the
hands of evil people, but over them, was the hand of God, orchestrating
circumstances for the good of His servants. Job was drawn closer to God.
Joseph saved his nation from starvation. Daniel was elevated in his position
and protected by God from hungry lions. His testimony in the lion's den
won the heart of the king to God.
How quick we are to change what we do not like instead of accepting what
God has allowed. Did God know what He was doing when He created the
universe with its diverse species? Does He know what He is doing when He
allows circumstances in your life? Can you trust what He is doing or are
you compelled to run from those circumstances, grumble or complain about
them or seek to change them?
Some years ago I was in a car accident. The cause of this accident is still
unknown today. I simply blacked out and ran my car off the road very close
to a pond. The doctor suspended my driver’s license until he could
determine what had caused this accident. I was no longer able to drive my
car to get to ministry events. I lost about 75 percent of my ministry as a
result. I remember walking and praying to the Lord, saying: "Lord, I am
willing to go through this, but don't let me come out the other side the same.
Teach me what I need to learn." I do not want to get into a discussion here
about whether it was God or Satan that caused me to have this accident.
This is really not important. What is important, however, is that we
recognise that what has happened is under the watchful care of a sovereign
God who will teach us and shape us through the circumstances He allows us
to face. We can trust Him in whatever circumstance comes our way. Trust
Him with what He has allowed in your life. The Creator, who made all
things perfect, will shape you through the circumstances He allows and uses
them to create something beautiful in you. As the years have passed I have
great cause to thank and rejoice in God for what He has done through the
circumstances that He allowed into my life.
What applies to circumstances that God allows in life also applies to His
Word. It has never ceased to be a subject of grief for me to see how even
Christians can take the Word of God and twist it to suit their own needs.
They breed the clear and inspired teaching of God's word with the
philosophies and ideals of this world. The result is devastating for the
church. God has a purpose in what He ordains. We may not understand that
purpose but we need to trust that God knows what He is doing. There are
things in Scripture that do not make sense to me. That doesn't matter; I still
need to do things God's way. I still need to trust in His purpose. I, therefore,
commit myself to seek His Word and live by that truth, even when it
conflicts with the modern ideals of my society. I trust in the purpose of the
sovereign God. I will not breed the inspired Word of God with worldly
philosophies and personal ideas.
What God is teaching in this commandment is that He knows what He is
doing. He has a purpose in what He does. His ways are perfect not just in
ancient history but for all eternity. If we want to experience the fullness of
life, we need to respect His ways. You cannot improve on perfection. We
can be sure that what God creates, commands or allows is for a purpose. To
accept that purpose is to honour the Creator.
For Consideration:
What does the law of God in Leviticus 19:19 forbid?
How does seeking to change what God has created cause disorder and show
disrespect for the Creator?
The law of Leviticus 19:19 teaches that God has created all things for a
purpose. What is the implication of this law to the circumstances God
allows in your life?
What is the implication of the law we have considered here concerning the
purposes of God as found in His Word? Can we breed the teaching of this
Word of God with worldly philosophies? What is the result if we do?
Can you trust God with your life and the circumstances He allows?
For Prayer:
Take a moment to thank the Lord that He created all things perfectly.
Ask the Lord to help you to trust Him when He allows difficult
circumstances to come into your life. Thank Him that the One who created
all things perfect is working in you to perfect you and bring you into a
closer relationship with Him.
Ask that Lord to give you the grace to trust in His ways as recorded in the
pages of His Word. Thank Him that His ways are perfect.
T
3 - A CALL TO SEPARATION
... You shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed... (Leviticus
19:19)
You shall not sow your vineyard with two kinds of seed, lest the
whole yield be forfeited, the crop that you have sown and the yield
of the vineyard. (Deuteronomy 22:9)
he next part of this law of God relating to different species relates
to the planting of a field or vineyard. Leviticus 19:19 makes it
clear that a field was not to be sown with two different kinds of
seeds. Deuteronomy 22:9 adds to this by telling God's people that if they
planted two kinds of seed in a vineyard their crop and the vineyard's yield
would be forfeited.
Leviticus and Deuteronomy both use the same wording. God forbade
planting a field or vineyard with "two different kinds of seed." John Gill in
his commentary on Leviticus 19:19 tells us that the Jews of that time would
not plant a field with both wheat and barley.[i] The idea is that each seed was
kept separate from another and grown in its own plot of land. Notice from
Deuteronomy 22:9 that the people of Israel risked forfeiting their yield if
they did not listen to this counsel of God. In other words, the ground would
produce less for them and they would suffer as a result.
Let's consider this in greater detail. From an agricultural point of view, this
law makes perfect sense. God has created each species of plants to have
different requirements. Each plant thrives in different kinds of soil. Some
plants need more water than others. Some require shade and others require
sun. The nutrients each plant needs is also different. If a farmer wants to get
the best yield he needs to prepare that soil for each kind of seed. The
practice of placing seeds of different kinds in separate soil makes perfect
sense and guarantees the best harvest. To plant seeds with different
requirements in the same field would only risk a poor harvest.
There may be another reason for this prohibition. When plants of different
species are planted together in the same field there is a risk of
incompatibility. A simple internet search will reveal lists of incompatible
garden plants. Consider the following information:
Beans
Beans are incompatible with chives, onion, garlic, fennel, and leeks.
Garlic and onion can stunt the growth of beans.
Beets
Keep beets away from pole beans and mustard in your vegetable
garden. Beets and pole beans stunt each other's growth.
Broccoli
Broccoli is incompatible with lettuce and tomato. Both lettuce and
broccoli attract the same aphids.
Celery
Celery is incompatible with corn, as they both attract beetles.
Corn
Keep your corn rows separate from your tomato and celery plants;
they attract the same insects.
Onions
Onions grow best when they are planted away from beans and peas
in your vegetable garden, as they can stunt each other's growth.
Peas
Peas prefer to be planted away from garlic, leeks, onions, potatoes,
and shallots. Garlic and onions can retard the growth of peas.
Peppers
Do not plant peppers near fennel or kohlrabi as they all attract the
same insects.
Potatoes
Potatoes are incompatible with a variety of vegetables in your
garden. Tomatoes, turnips, pumpkins, squash, radish, and
cucumbers can impede potato production. Potatoes and tomatoes
are attacked by the same blight, so planting them close together
creates double incentive for disease.
Tomatoes
Plant your tomatoes far away from broccoli, cabbage, corn,
cauliflower, fennel, kohlrabi, and potatoes. Corn attracts a worm
that also enjoys tomatoes; kohlrabi can stunt the growth of
tomatoes. [ii]
To protect the harvest, God required separation between species of seed.
The Creator knew that certain species could be harmful to each other and
made this law so that they would receive the greatest blessing from their
harvest.
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, in their commentary, believe that there may
also have been a spiritual reason for this law:
This also was directed against an idolatrous practice, namely, that
of the ancient Zabians, or fire-worshippers, who sowed different
seeds, accompanying the act with magical rites and invocations;
and commentators have generally thought the design of this and the
preceding law was to put an end to the unnatural lusts and foolish
superstitions which were prevalent among the heathen. The Lord
wanted His people to make a clear separation between themselves
and the pagan practices of the nations around them. Perhaps this
law was to give an illustration of this separation.[iii]
What is the practical application of the principles of this law for us today?
First, notice the concern of God for the blessing and fruitfulness of His
people. The law about not planting two kinds of seed in the same plot of
land was to guarantee the best harvest for God's people. God was concerned
for the fruitfulness of the land. He is a generous and merciful God who
delights in the well-being of His children.
God's interest in not just in our gardens and fields; He is also interested in
us personally. Listen to what the Lord Jesus said in John 15:
(2) Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and
every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more
fruit.
(8) By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so
prove to be my disciples.
God wants to see us produce fruit for His glory. He has placed us on this
earth and planted His Word and His Spirit in us to empower and guide us in
the production of much fruit. God's delight is to see a great harvest for His
glory. When we produce great fruit for the Lord and His kingdom we reveal
His glory to the nations. They see His power in us and glorify His name
because of that fruit.
Secondly, consider the temptation to compromise in our spiritual life. It is
quite possible that a person might sow his field with many different types of
seeds with the intention of making more money. To this end, he uses every
centimetre of soil to make the biggest profit. What this man fails to
understand is that by compromising the seed in this way he only hinders the
yield and damages the crop. He sacrifices long term sustainability for short
term profit. God calls us to respect and care for His creation. In this case, it
required more land for the planting of different seeds, but in the end,
guaranteed the health of the seed and the harvest. In a similar way,
maintaining purity is costly. It means that there can be no shortcuts or
compromises. God's work must be done in God’s way if we are going to see
the greatest fruit.
Thirdly, God teaches the principle of separation in these laws. Just as some
seeds were incompatible with each other and needed to be planted on
separate plots of land, so there are incompatible seeds in our day as well.
Listen to what Paul told the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 6:17:
(17) Therefore go out from their midst,
and be separate from them, says the Lord,
and touch no unclean thing;
then I will welcome you.
What happens when we begin to mingle with people who do not respect the
things of God? What happens when we begin to compromise our faith and
allow the influences of the world to come into our church? Paul would go
on to say to the church of Corinth:
(15) What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a
believer share with an unbeliever? (16) What agreement has the
temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the Living God...
God calls the believer to make a clear separation from the evil ways of the
world. He wants His seed to be pure and undefiled by the sinful ways of the
world. This is a conscious decision we must continue to make each day. We
are to be holy before God. We must do all we can to walk in obedience and
faithfulness to God lest the holy seed is defiled in our lives.
For Consideration:
How did the law of God about not planting two kinds of seed in the same
field protect the crop and guarantee the best harvest?
What do these laws teach us about the desire of God to bless His people?
How does compromise blind our eyes to future blessing and fruitfulness?
Can we expect great blessing if we are willing to compromise with the
Word of God or His standard?
What has God created you to do? What is His particular purpose for you?
Have you been faithful to that purpose?
For Prayer:
Thank the Lord for His desire to bless?
Ask the Lord to help you to see any way in which you have been
compromising and allowing evil seeds to be planted in your life.
Ask the Lord to show you if there are any alliances in your life that you
need to deal with. Ask Him to help you to maintain the purity of your faith
and walk with Him.
Ask God to enable you to produce even more fruit for His glory in your life.
A
4 - UNEQUAL YOKES
(10) You shall not plough with an ox and a donkey together.
(Deuteronomy 22:10)
s we continue our examination of the laws of the Old Testament
about different species we come to the law of God which forbade
ploughing a field with two different kinds of animals. The
example is used of a farmer yoking an ox and a donkey together to cultivate
his field.
What is behind this command of God in Deuteronomy 22:10? In this study,
we have seen that God has made each species of animals with its unique
abilities and strengths. An ox is much stronger than a donkey. A donkey
could certainly be used to plough a field but an ox, being stronger, has more
endurance. What would happen if these two animals were yoked together to
a plough? The donkey would soon become tired while the ox was still full
of strength. The ox, being much stronger, would quickly wear the donkey
out. If this continued, the life of the donkey was at stake, for he would
certainly not be able to keep up with the ox. The task of the ox would also
be more difficult as the slower and weaker donkey would be holding him
up. Both animals would be frustrated in the process. The law of God
demanded that Israel recognise the uniqueness of each species and not
demand of them more than they were able to give.
This requirement of compassion for animals is found elsewhere in
Scripture. Solomon connects compassion for animals with righteousness in
Proverbs 12:10:
(10) Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the
mercy of the wicked is cruel.
In Exodus 20:8-10 God’s Sabbath rest was also for the animals of the land:
(8) Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. (9) Six days you
shall labour, and do all your work, (10) but the seventh day is a
Sabbath to the Lord your God, on it you shall not do any work, you
or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female
servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates.
Notice in this law how the Lord commanded that on this day of rest, not
even the animals were to work. It was a day of rest for them as well.
Deuteronomy 25:4 speaks about the practice of oxen treading on grain to
separate the stocks from the grain. Notice the requirement of God in this
verse:
(4) You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain.
The idea here is that the ox was to be permitted to eat the grain it was
treading. The reason a farmer would muzzle the ox was to keep it from
eating the grain it was treading. The ox was to be given the privilege of
eating what he was treading.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 10:29:
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall
to the ground apart from your Father.
God sees each sparrow fall to the ground and knows everything about them.
Psalm 104:25-28 speaks about how God provides for each fish in the sea:
(25) Here is the sea, great and wide,
which teems with creatures innumerable,
living things both small and great.
(26) There go ships,
and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.
(27) These all look to you,
to give them their food in due season.
(28) When you give it to them, they gather it up;
when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
It is quite clear in Scripture that God's compassion and mercy reach out to
all His creation. In Matthew 10, Jesus reminds His disciples that they were
not to be afraid. He reminds them of how His Father cared for every
sparrow that fell to the ground. He certainly would care for them as well:
(31) Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
The law of God found in Deuteronomy 22:10 against yoking an ox and a
donkey together shows us that God is concerned about cruelty even to
animals. It also teaches us that if God cares for the animals He created, how
much more does He care for us? There is a children’s' hymn I used to sing
when I was a child that expressed this very well:
God sees the little sparrow fall,
it meets his tender view;
if God so loves the little birds,
I know he loves me too.
Refrain:
He loves me too, he loves me too,
I know loves me too;
because he loves the little things,
I know loves me too.
2 He paints the lily of the field,
perfumes each lily bell;
if he so loves the little flow'rs,
I know he loves me well. [Refrain]
3 God made the little birds and flow'rs,
and all things large and small;
he'll not forget his little ones,
I know he loves them all. [Refrain] [iv]
While it is clear that this law teaches us something about the wonderful
compassion and mercy of God for all of His creation, there is yet another
important point we need to make about this law.
Writing to the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 6:14-16 the apostle Paul has this
to say:
(14) Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what
partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship
has light with darkness? (15) What accord has Christ with Belial?
Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? (16)
What agreement has the temple of God with idols?
We have in Deuteronomy 22:10, an illustration of an ox, which was
considered to be clean animal according to the Law of Moses, being yoked
together with a donkey which was an unclean animal. Paul told the
Corinthians that this was not to be.
The donkey was not to yoked together with an ox, not only because of their
physical incompatibilities but also because of the spiritual requirements of
God. Israel was not to mix clean and unclean. There was to be a clear
separation between the two.
In the passage quoted above from 2 Corinthians 6:14-16 Paul reminds us
that God still has the same requirements today. He challenges us to be clear
in our commitment to the Lord. He reminds us that there is a difference
between the believer and the unbeliever and between the temple of God and
the temple of idols.
All too often the church has looked to the world for its inspiration. Many
churches use the same principles as secular businesses to grow and increase
in number. Many Christian counsellors are using the same techniques taught
to secular society. I am not saying we cannot learn from these techniques,
but the temptation for us is to look to the world for answers instead of
looking to God and His Word. Have we come to the point where we have
more confidence in our human methods than in the teaching of Scripture
and the leading of the Holy Spirit? Has our education replaced our need for
God's Word and His Spirit? Is this an unequal yoke? Have we been seeking
to harvest the fields of the world by yoking ourselves together with the
ideas and methods of a godless society?
The law of the unequal yoke as found in Deuteronomy 22:10 reminds us
that if we are going to advance the kingdom of God and harvest the fruit of
the fields to which God has sent us, we need to be careful not to yoke
ourselves together with people or methods that are incompatible with God's
purpose for our lives.
For Consideration:
What does Deuteronomy 22:10 teach us about the compassion of God
toward all of His creation?
What does God's care even for the animals teach us about His care for us as
His children?
What is an unequal yoke? How is this illustrated in Deuteronomy 22:10?
How can we be unequally yoked? Are their examples of an unequal yoke in
your life? What has been the result?
For Prayer:
Take a moment to thank the Lord for the assurance of His tender care in
your life? Thank Him for how He has provided for you and cared for you in
the past.
Ask the Spirit of God to help you to see if there are any unequal yokes in
your life. Ask for wisdom to know how to deal with these yokes.
Take a moment to ask the Lord to reveal any ungodly methods or
philosophies that you have adopted. Ask Him to reveal His purposes. Ask
for strength to cast of any ungodly yokes so that you can walk in His full
blessing.
T
5 - RESPECTING WHAT IS
HOLY
(19) ... nor shall you wear a garment made of two kinds of material
(Leviticus 19:19)
(11) You shall not wear cloth of wool and linen mixed together.
(Deuteronomy 22:11)
he final aspect of the law as contained in Leviticus 19:19 and
Deuteronomy 22:9-11 deals with wearing cloth that was made
from a linen and wool mixture. Let's begin by examining Leviticus
19:19.
(19) ...nor shall you wear a garment made of two kinds of material.
In Leviticus 19 the prohibition seems to be against wearing a garment of
two kinds of material. This could lead us to believe that any garment made
from different types of material was forbidden. The key to understanding
this law, however, comes in the use of the word "material" in verse 19. The
Hebrew word is the word "shatnez". This term is a common term in
Judaism and refers to two very specific kinds of material –wool and linen.
The only other occurrence of this word "shatnez" in the Old Testament is
found in Deuteronomy 22:11 which is even more specific:
(11) You shall not wear cloth of wool and linen mixed together
The word "shatnez" is translated into English in Deuteronomy 22:11 by the
word "mixed." The particular mixture of cloth that was forbidden is clear in
Deuteronomy 22:11. It is a mixture of wool and linen. Having understood
what was forbidden by the law of God it now falls on us to examine the
reason for this and its application to the Jewish faith and ultimately to us
today.
The question we have to deal with here is this: What was it about this
mixture of wool and linen material that caused God to forbid its use? There
has been much debate over this question. Some suggest that there was a
practice in the pagan religions of wearing garments with a wool and linen
mixture. God wanted to separate His people from these pagan religions.[v]
Others suggest that the combination of these two materials caused a health
risk for the people of God.[vi] Still further suggestions state that God was
protecting His people from vanity and pride and calling them to dress with
modesty as His people.[vii]
While there may be some value to these suggestions it is important that we
examine what the rest of Scripture has to say about this particular mixture
in cloth. Consider what God commanded Moses in Exodus 28:6-8
concerning the priest's garment:
(6) And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue and purple and
scarlet yarns, and of fine twisted linen, skilfully worked. (7) It shall
have two shoulder pieces attached to its two edges, so that it may be
joined together (8) And the skilfully woven band on it shall be made
like it and be of one piece with it of gold, blue and purple and
scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen.
Notice particularly the type of materials that were to be used in making the
priest's garments –dyed yarn (wool) and fine twined linen. These are the
two types of material forbidden by God in both Leviticus and Deuteronomy.
Later in Exodus 28, we read about the breast piece the priest was to wear.
Listen to the instructions of God about how it was to be made:
(15) You shall make a breastpiece of judgement, in skilled work. In
the style of the ephod you shall make it—of gold, blue and purple
and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen you shall make it.
It appears from this that the priest was dressed in material made from wool
and linen mixed together.
Not only was the priest dressed in robes made of dyed wool (yarn) and
linen but consider also the command of God to Moses regarding the
construction of the tabernacle:
(1) Moreover, you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine
twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet yarns; you shall make
them with cherubim skilfully worked into them. (Exodus 26)
At the front of the tabernacle was a screen this too was to be made of this
mixture of material:
(36) You shall make a screen for the entrance of the tent, of blue and
purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, embroidered with
needlework. (Exodus 26)
What do these verses tell us? They tell us clearly that the robes the priests
wore and the tabernacle were all made of the particular mixture of wool and
linen that was forbidden in Leviticus 19:19 and Deuteronomy 22:11.
This brings us to the next question we need to consider: Why would God
forbid wearing a garment made from wool and linen and then command His
priests to wear a garment made of this same material? Why would He
construct the tabernacle from this material but forbid anyone to wear this
same combination of material?
The answer to this appears in two other laws of God found in Exodus 30. In
Exodus 30 God instructs Moses in how he was to make anointing oil and
incense for the tabernacle worship. In Exodus 30:22-25 God gives Moses
the recipe for the anointing oil:
(22) The Lord said to Moses (23) Take the finest spices of liquid
myrrh 500 shekels, and of sweet-smelling cinnamon half as much,
that is 250, and 250 of aromatic cane, (24) and 500 of cassia,
according to the shekel of the sanctuary and a hin of olive oil. (25)
And you shall make of these a sacred anointing oil blended as by the
perfumer, it shall be a holy anointing oil.
Notice also, however, that God wanted this particular mixture to only be
used for the worship in the tabernacle. In fact, He forbade anyone else to
use this recipe:
(31) And you shall say to the people of Israel, "This shall be my holy
anointing oil throughout your generations. (32) It shall not be
poured on the body of an ordinary person, and you shall make no
other like it in composition. It is holy, and it shall be holy to you.
(33) Whoever compounds any like it or whoever puts any of it on an
outsider shall be cut off from his people.
God forbade making oil like the oil used in the tabernacle. The anointing oil
was to be unique and respected. Anyone who used this oil for any other
purpose or who made this oil using the same recipe was to be cut off from
the people of God because they had shown disrespect for the holy things of
God.
What was true for the anointing oil was also true of the incense used in the
worship of the tabernacle. In Exodus 30:34-36, God instructs Moses in how
to make the fragrance the priests were to use. Notice, however, in Exodus
30:37-38 what God has to say about this particular fragrance:
(37) And the incense that you shall make according to its
composition, you shall not make for yourselves. It shall be for you
holy to the Lord. (38) Whoever makes any like it to use as perfume
shall be cut off from his people.
While this incense was to be used by the priests in the worship of the Lord,
it was not to leave the tabernacle or ever be used for anything other than
what the Lord had decreed.
A similar thing is happening here with the type of material used for the
priest's garments and the curtains of the tabernacle. Just as the recipe for the
anointing oil and the incense were never to be used by the common person,
neither was the type of material used for the tabernacle and priest's
garments ever to be used by the common person.
There were certain things reserved for God alone. These things were to be
respected. They were never to be confused with ordinary or common things.
In 2 Samuel 6, we read how the ark of God was being transported by oxen.
On one occasion the oxen stumbled and the ark risked falling to the ground.
A man by the name of Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark. When
he did, the Lord struck Him dead. The Ark of the Covenant was so holy it
could not be touched with human hands.
By forbidding Israel from wearing the same kind of material as the priests
and the tabernacle, God was teaching them respect for His holy name. Is
this something we have lost in our day? Have we trivialized the things of
God?
Who among us has not heard that name of the Lord being used in vain in
our society? To the Jewish mind, the name of God was holy and was to be
used only with great respect and dignity. This name represents a holy and
all-powerful God. Let us honour it.
What about the Word of God as found in the pages of the Bible—do we
honour this Word in our personal lives? I have found it very upsetting to see
how even believers can twist the Word of God to suit their personal
preferences. Some even ignore the clear teaching of this Word because they
are not ready to listen to what it says.
What we need to see here is that the Lord was teaching His people to
respect His name and to treat the holy things of God with deep reverence
and honour. To wear the type of cloth a priest wore was forbidden. To use
the kind of incense used in the tabernacle was a crime that would get you
banished forever from the people of God. Do we treat God and His Word
with the reverence and respect they deserve? Do we come before Him in
reverence and awe? Or have we made Him so common that He is just like
one of us?
I have no doubt of the personal nature of God. He is very concerned for me
and the struggles of life. He reaches down to me, touches me in my trouble
and comforts me in my sorrow, but He is bigger than me. He is one I need
to fear, reverence and respect. May God give us the grace to see Him as He
is. The law about wearing clothing mixed with wool and linen is a reminder
to us that while our God has reached out to us and saved us from our sin,
He is yet a God to be deeply reverence, and feared.
For Consideration:
For what was the material made from wool and linen used in the Old
Testament?
Why did God forbid that the common person wear cloth made from wool
and linen?
Is it possible for us to treat the holy things of God as common or ordinary?
What is wrong with this?
Have we lost a sense of the holiness of God in our day? Explain.
For Prayer:
Thank the Lord that He is a holy and awesome God who is separated from
all that is unclean and impure.
Ask the Lord to show you if there is any way you have been treating Him as
common or with disrespect.
Ask God to help you to walk in deeper respect for His name, His Word, and
His calling on your life.
Ask God to forgive you for times you have not treated Him with the respect
He deserves. Thank Him for His patience with you in those times.
I
6 - NEW TESTAMENT
APPLICATION
n the course of this study, we have examined the laws of God related
to different species with an attempt to understand them and their
significance in the life of the Old Testament believer. We have also
examined what these laws teach us about God and His requirements.
These Old Testament laws give us a greater understanding of our God and
His purpose for us today. In fact, the principles of these laws are still found
in the New Testament. Let's take a moment to examine the principles as
they concern our walk with God today.
PRINCIPLE #1: ACCEPTING GOD'S PURPOSE
The first law we considered had to do with breeding two different species.
There are a number of practical reasons behind this law. One of the key
principles we examined had to do with the fact that what God created and
ordained is perfect. God created each animal and species with a purpose.
All of these species contribute to the incredible balance He created on this
earth. Not one part is without its purpose in the healthy functioning of the
whole.
God still has a purpose in what He ordains. It is true that sin has had
devastating effects on this earth and its inhabitants. Not all circumstances
are from God. Some are purely the result of sin and rebellion against His
purpose.
While sin has ravaged this earth and been the source of tremendous abuse,
hurt and chaos, there is still one thing we can be sure of as believers –God’s
ways are still perfect. What God ordains will be for the good of those who
love Him. Admittedly, some of the things God brings into our lives will be
difficult. Jesus knew what it was like to face deep struggles as He
surrendered to the will of the Father. Listen to His prayer in the Garden of
Gethsemane, just before His crucifixion:
(39) And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying,
"My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless,
not as I will, but as you will." (Matthew 26)
As Jesus prayed that day, He committed Himself to follow and trust the
sovereign will of the Father for His life. He knew that the will of the Father
was perfect. He knew that what God ordained had a purpose and He refused
to do anything that would alter that purpose. The God who created this
universe with all its balance and perfection also ordained the cross He had
to bear. He would trust that purpose and walk in it no matter how difficult it
proved to be. God is always reliable and trustworthy.
This principle is not only true for the circumstances the Lord ordains but
also for His authoritative Word. The book of Revelation ends with a strong
warning about changing anything in the Scripture that God inspired:
(18) I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this
book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues
described in this book, (19) and if anyone takes away from the
words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in
the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
(Revelation 22)
God's words are perfect. Will we dilute this perfect Word with the pagan
philosophies and ideals of this world to make it more appealing to the
modern mindset? Will we refuse to trust God in the circumstances He
ordains for our lives, missing out on the blessings He intends through them?
If we are to become all God intends us to be, we must first surrender to His
sovereign will and purpose. We must accept what He has decreed and
ordained without question, to be our one true authority and guide. We must
not allow our ideas and preferences to stand in the way. The God who
created the world with all its species in perfect balance is a perfect God who
knows what He is doing. Will we trust Him and that purpose in our lives?
PRINCIPLE #2: DEAL WITH INCOMPATIBILITIES
The second law we discussed forbade the planting of two different kinds of
seed in the same field. We saw that there was a very practical reason for this
in that some seeds are incompatible with each other and only hinder growth
and fruitfulness. The New Testament speaks of incompatibilities as well.
Listen to what the Lord Jesus said in Matthew 9:
(16) No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for
the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made.
(17) Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins
burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new
wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.
(Matthew 9)
An unshrunk cloth and an old garment do not go well together. The first
time you wash the garment the new cloth will shrink and rip the weakened
old cloth. If you put new wine, which has a tendency to expand, into an old
brittle wineskin, the old wineskin will not be strong enough to hold up to
the expanding new wine and it will inflate and break. Jesus used these
words to teach the Pharisees that they could not follow Him and maintain
their old ways. The two were incompatible.
Jesus would go on in Matthew 6 to say:
(24) No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one
and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the
other. You cannot serve God and money. (Matthew 6)
There are choices to make in life. This is especially true if we are serving
the Lord. If we are to follow Jesus, we must root out anything that is
incompatible with Him and His purpose for our lives.
The apostle Paul taught that anyone who wanted to be a leader in the church
needed to separate themselves from drunkenness, violence, quarrels and the
love of money (see 1 Timothy 3:1). These things have no place in the life of
a Christian worker and were incompatible with the pursuit of Jesus and His
glory.
Paul would say something very similar to the Corinthians when he wrote:
(14) ...Or what fellowship has light with darkness? (15) What
accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer
share with an unbeliever? (2 Corinthians 6)
Believers are called to separate themselves from the works of darkness:
(12) The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off
the work of darkness and put on the armour of light. (13) Let us
walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not
in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarrelling and jealousy.
(14) But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the
flesh, to gratify its desires. (Romans 13)
All who desire God's will for their lives will be required to weed out
anything that is incompatible with that will. The apostle James reminds us
that even the tongue will need to be controlled:
(9) With it, we bless our Lord and Father, and with it, we curse
people who are made in the likeness of God. (10) From the same
mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought
not to be so. (James 3)
According to James, those who belong to Christ need to separate
themselves from ungodly speech and thoughts. Evil thoughts and words
were not to be allowed to grow in the heart of the believer. They are to be
rooted out so that the fruit of righteousness will not be hindered.
If we are to be all that God intends us to be, not only do we need to accept
His will for our lives without compromise but we also need to separate
ourselves from anything that is incompatible with His purpose in our lives.
Jesus reminds us in John 15 that the Father will cut away from our life
anything that does not bring Him glory and produce godly fruit:
(2) Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and
every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more
fruit. (John 15)
There is a lot of pruning that needs to be done in the life of the believer.
Like that garden with incompatible seed growing together, unfruitful
branches only hinder spiritual growth and fruitfulness. We must allow
nothing to be planted in our life that is incompatible with the call and
purpose of God.
PRINCIPLE #3: REMOVE UNEQUAL YOKES
The third law we examined had to do with yoking a donkey and an ox
together. Not only did this show compassion for the animals themselves but
it also taught an important spiritual lesson. The apostle Paul speaks about
this in 2 Corinthians 6:
(14) Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what
partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship
has light with darkness?
What Paul was saying here is that there are certain types of alliances that
will only hinder us and the work of the kingdom of God. Just as an ox was
not to be yoked to a donkey, so a believer was not to yoke himself or herself
with the unbeliever. The idea of a yoke here invokes a sense of binding
oneself to another. This could be a business partnership or a marriage where
decisions need to be jointly made by people who do not have the same
values. One partner is governed by Christian principles and the other by
worldly or pagan principles. This unequal yoke will only cause compromise
for the believer. Listen to what the apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:
(33) Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins morals." (1
Corinthians 15)
The apostle James would take this a step further when he declared:
(4) You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the
world is enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend
of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (James 4)
These are strong words but they show us just how important it is for us to
yoke ourselves together only with those of like spiritual mind who can
support us and stand with us in a strong commitment to God and His ways.
An unequal yoke is not just with an unbeliever. Sometimes even believers
can fall and become an unequal yoke for us. Consider what Paul told the
Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 5:
(9) I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral
people— (10) not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world,
or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need
to go out of this world. (11) But now I am writing to you not to
associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty
of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or
swindler—not even to eat with such a one. (12) For what have I to
do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom
you are to judge? (13) God judges those outside. "Purge the evil
person from among you." (1 Corinthians 5)
Scripture makes it clear that even believers who wander from the truth can
become unequal yokes and negatively impact the work of the kingdom.
The work of the kingdom of God is not done in isolation. We are called to
partner with one another in the expansion of the kingdom. This will require
yoking ourselves together with others for this purpose. The challenge for us
is to be sure that we are associated with those who will actually help us
accomplish what God has given us to do. Associations with those who do
not know the Lord or who choose not to walk faithfully with Him will only
hinder us in our own spiritual walk. As we seek to do the will of God we
need to surround ourselves with those who love God and walk faithfully
with Him. As we do, we are built up and encouraged by each other in the
call of God on our lives. Let us cast off any unequal yokes that weigh us
down and keep us from becoming all God has intended us to be.
PRINCIPLE #4: RESPECT GOD AND HIS HOLY
THINGS
The final law we considered in this study related to wearing material made
of wool and linen. We saw that this was the material used in the garments
made for the priests and the curtains of the tabernacle. Out of respect for
God and His place of worship, this cloth was not worn by the average
person.
The New Testament also teaches this principle of respect for God and His
holy things. Let's take a moment to consider this.
Respect for the Word of God
One of the most powerful passages that speaks to our need to respect the
Word of God is found in Revelation 22, a passage we have already
examined in this chapter. As the apostle John concludes his prophecy he
says:
(18) I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this
book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues
described in this book, (19) and if anyone takes away from the
words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in
the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
(Revelation 22)
What a tremendous obligation there in on us to honour the Word of God.
We do this by accepting God's words as they are and living in obedience to
them. We must not take away from these words by choosing what we want
to believe and what we don't. We must not add our interpretations to suit
our desires and wishes. We must not compromise these words to suit our
society. They are the words of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit. We must
learn to respect and walk in what they say, even when we do not
understand. God's Word is to be honoured lest the warnings of John's
prophecy become true for us.
Respect for the Holy Spirit of God
Speaking in Mark 3 Jesus said:
(28) Truly, I say to you, all sin will be forgiven the children of man,
and whatever blasphemies they utter, (29) but whoever blasphemes
against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of eternal
sin. (Mark 3)
Jesus makes a very strong statement here in Mark 3, stating that blasphemy
against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. While we do not have time in
this study to deal with what the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit it, suffice it to
say that the Spirit of God deserves our respect. We respect Him by listening
to His prompting and leading. We respect Him by walking in obedience to
what He teaches. We dare not turn from Him when He speaks to our heart.
There is no way to know the Lord or walk in His purpose apart from the
work of God's Holy Spirit. We must learn to honour and obey the Spirit of
God.
Respect for the Work of Christ
In John 3 we read:
(16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that
whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life, (17)
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but in order that the world might be saved through him. (18)
Whoever believed in him is not condemned, but whoever does not
believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the
name of the only Son of God.
Our only hope of forgiveness and eternal life hangs on the person and work
of the Lord Jesus Christ. To honour Him is to recognise Him and His work
and open our heart to it. To dishonour and disrespect His work is to perish.
Respect for the Table of the Lord
There is an interesting and passage in 1 Corinthians 11 where Paul speaks
about the practice of celebrating the Lord's Table:
(27) Whoever, therefore eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord
in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and
blood of the Lord. (28) Let a person examine himself, then, and so
eat the bread and drink the cup (29) For anyone who eats and
drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on
himself. (30 This is why many of you are weak and ill, and some
have died. (1 Corinthians 11)
Notice in this passage that there were people coming to the table of the
Lord without examining themselves. That is to say, they were coming
without confessing their sin or turning from it. By coming to the table of the
Lord in this manner they were showing their disrespect for the work of
Christ who died for their forgiveness. The result was that some became sick
and died as a judgment of God for their disrespect.
Respect for the Servants of God
Scripture teaches that God calls and places people in authority over us.
When He does, He also calls us to respect those He has chosen to be our
leaders. This is true in the church as well as in our society in general.
Concerning spiritual leaders, Paul told Timothy:
(17) Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double
honour, especially those who labour in preaching and teaching. (18)
For the Scripture says, "You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads
out the grain," and "The labourer deserves his wages." (19) Do not
admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or
three witnesses. (1 Timothy 5)
God's people were to honour those He had placed over them by being
careful about any accusation they brought against them and by paying them
well.
Concerning secular leaders Paul would say:
(1) Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For
there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have
been instituted by God. (2) Therefore whoever resists the authorities
resists what God has appointed and those who resist will incur
judgment. (Romans 13)
Notice that God promises judgment on anyone who would resist the
authorities He has ordained.
We could go on with the list of things God has called us to respect. What I
have noted here, however, is sufficient to show us that Scripture clearly
teaches that we are to honour God and His ways. There is a severe warning
for anyone who disrespects God and His purposes.
I fear that we may have lost something of the reverence and respect that
God demands in our day. The law we examined about not wearing the same
material as the priests or the curtains of the tabernacle, shows us that some
things in life are to be given special honour. This is not just an Old
Testament principle but one that follows through into the New Testament as
well.
Those who want to serve God and become all He intends them to be must
learn to accept and trust Him and what He ordains. They must honour His
Word, reverence the ministry of the Holy Spirit and those He has placed in
authority over them. They must also deal with any incompatibilities in their
relationships and walk with God.
For Consideration:
Have you ever struggled with God's will for your life? Does accepting
God's will mean that everything in life will be easy? Can you trust God's
purpose in your life even though it does not make sense?
Are there things in your life that are incompatible with your walk with God
and your spiritual service? How do these things hinder your relationship
with God?
What is an unequal yoke? Are there any unequal yokes in your life? How
does an unequal yoke hinder us in our walk with God?
Can a believer who is not walking with God be an unequal yoke for us?
How can such a believer hinder us in our service?
What does God call us to respect? Have we truly respected the things of
God? What in particular do you need to learn to respect?
Is it possible to advance in our spiritual walk if we do not learn to respect
and honour what God has ordained?
For Prayer:
Thank the Lord that His works are perfect and that all He ordains for life
has a purpose. Ask Him to help you to accept His sovereign plan.
Ask God to show you if there is anything that is incompatible with His
purpose in your life. Ask Him for strength to surrender this and uproot it so
that you can flourish in your relationship with Him.
Ask God to help you to deal with any unhealthy relationships in your life.
Ask God to help you to learn to respect Him and His holy purposes. Ask
Him to forgive you for any time you have not shown respect for Him or
what He has ordained in your life.
M
7 - A FINAL WORD
y purpose in this study has been to understand the Laws of
Leviticus 19 and Deuteronomy 22 and show their application
to us in our day. Let me conclude with a few words of
summary.
THREE IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES
As we examined the laws of Leviticus 19 and Deuteronomy 22, there were
three important principles the Lord God taught His people. These three
principles are still very important in our day and are vital if we want to
grow in our walk with God and become all He intends us to be.
Accepting God’s Purpose
The first principle we see here is that God’s ways are perfect. This truth,
while easy to say, is not so easy to live. We would all say that the ways of
the Lord are perfect but the way we live does not always demonstrate that
we truly believe this principle. We pray away those things we do not like
rather than learning from them or being content in them.
We have all had dreams for our ministries and personal lives. Those dreams
have not always come true. We find ourselves in an ordinary ministry. We
discover that our marriages and families are not always perfect. Our bodies
do not respond the way they used to when we were younger. Relationships
are not what we wanted. Friends and loved ones have left us. There have
been tragedies in life. What are we to do in these situations?
The people of God in the days of Jeremiah found themselves in a situation
they did not like. They had been removed from their homeland and sent into
exile. There in exile, they grieved over their loss. One day the Lord spoke
through the prophet Jeremiah and challenged them:
4) Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles
whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5) Build
houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. 6)
Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons,
and give your daughters in marriage, that you may bear sons and
daughters; multiply there and do not decrease. 7) But seek the
welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile and pray to the
Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.
(Jeremiah 29)
What is God telling His people here? He is telling them to accept His
purpose for their lives and make the most of it. They were to live their lives
to the full in the land of their exile. I have met individuals who have never
fully accepted God’s purpose for their lives. They have lived for years
seeking something more. They wanted different gifts, a different calling, to
be somewhere else or in other circumstances. As long as we fight against
God we will never prosper. God places us in difficult circumstances at
times. The greatest blessings can be found in the driest deserts of life. Only
when we learn to accept what God has ordained and thrive in the
circumstances He has seen fit to place us, can we experience the fullness of
His blessing. The first principle these Old Testament laws teach us in one of
acceptance. We cannot grow if we cannot accept and trust God’s purpose
for our lives.
Separation
The second principle we learn from these Old Testament laws is the
principle of separation. I want to be careful here because the history of the
church has seen many who have taken this principle to the extreme and
have ultimately rendered themselves useless for the kingdom of God. God
calls us to a community. He has placed us in a world that is ravaged by sin.
He calls us to go with the message of the gospel to those who do not know
Him. Jesus lived and walked on this sinful earth. People saw Him as a
friend of sinners (Matthew 11:19, Luke 7:34).
While we are called to be salt and light to this world (Matthew 5:13), God
also calls us to be different from the world (2 Corinthians 6:17). Just as
there are some seeds that were not to be planted in the same field, so there
are relationships that will only hinder our spiritual growth and fruitfulness.
It is important that we seek the Lord about this.
What is true of relationships can also be true of our practices. There are
some practices that are not conducive to spiritual growth. I am not speaking
here only about sinful practices but also good things that can distract us
from the call and purpose of God for our lives. In the book of Acts, the
apostles had to deal with a problem that came up in the church. The
Hellenistic Jews were complaining that they were not being treated fairly
and were being neglected in the daily distribution of bread. The temptation
was for the apostles to get wrapped up in the solution to this problem. In
Acts 6: 2-3, however, we read:
2) And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and
said, it is not right that we should give up preaching the word of
God to served tables. 3) Therefore, brother, pick out from among
you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom whom
we will appoint to this duty. (Acts 6)
The call of God was such on the lives of the apostles that they needed to
separate themselves even from legitimate ministry opportunities so that they
could preach and pray.
The Christian life requires a separation from all that is not God’s purpose.
This requires a clear separation from all that is sinful. It also demands that
our practices line up with the truth of God’s Word. We would do well to
separate ourselves from all that distracts us from the particular purpose of
God for our lives and ministries. This may imply rejecting a call to a more
prestigious church because God has not released you from your present
calling. It may mean a willingness to separate yourself from your present
country and friends to travel overseas in obedience to the missionary call of
God on your life. It may mean turning your back on certain activities or
people who are only hindering you in your walk with God.
Separation requires sacrifice. It involves a willingness to deny ourselves of
the things we may even delight in to do what God is asking us to do. There
can be no spiritual growth if we do not have a willingness to separate
ourselves from those things that will hinder our growth and fruitfulness.
The first lesson the Lord Jesus taught His disciples was that if they were
going to follow Him they would have to leave their boats, their fishing nets
and their families to be disciples. He did not apologise for this for the
blessings that would result in this separation and sacrifice would be far
greater than what they left behind.
There can be no true growth in our spiritual lives unless we are willing to
separate ourselves from those things that keep us from Him. There can be
no growth without sacrifice. Are you willing to separate yourself from
anything that is not God’s purpose for your life? Will you surrender these
things to the Lord today so that His blessing can fall in full measure?
Respect
The final spiritual principle I want to touch on in this context is the
principle of respect. The laws we have examined in Deuteronomy and
Leviticus taught that God demanded that His people respect His person and
purpose. They were not to wear the same cloth as the priests. They were not
to use the same oil as was used in the temple worship. There were to honour
the holy things of God. It is true that we no longer dress our priests or
pastors in special clothes, but there are many things that still demand our
respect. We have examined these things in the last chapter. God calls us to
respect His name, His servants and his purposes.
Disrespect for God and His ways can be demonstrated in many different
ways. The people of Israel grumbled against God and His purpose for them
in the wilderness. This led God to destroy a number of them on different
occasions. One another occasion Miriam, Moses sister, spoke out against
Moses and God struck her with leprosy (see Numbers 12).
Disrespect for God can also be demonstrated in the way we live. Speaking
to the Romans the apostle Paul said:
23) You who boast in the law dishonour God by breaking the law.
24) For, it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the
Gentiles because of you.” (Romans 2)
We cannot be a light to the world if we do not show the utmost respect for
God and His Word. This was what Paul was saying to the Romans. As we
learn to respect God in our words, attitudes and actions our light shines
brighter. As we walk in respect for God and His purposes we are drawn
closer to Him. Listen to what Jesus told His disciples in John 15:
9) As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my
love. 10) If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love,
just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his
love. (John 15)
Notice the connection between keeping the commandments of God and
abiding in His love. God still loves us when we disobey, but the experience
of His love is often diminished as we wander from Him in disobedience. A
respect for God and His ways will allow us to experience the fullness of
blessing in our lives. It will enable us to shine brightly as lights in this
world. It will demonstrate to the world the reality of Christ and His work in
our lives. There is nothing that destroys the testimony of a believer more
than a lack of respect for God and the principles of His Word.
These laws of Leviticus and Deuteronomy teach us some very important
principles. What are the lessons we need to learn from these laws today?
First, accept God’s purpose for your life. Learn to be content with where
God has placed you and the gifts and blessings He has given you. Learn to
blossom and bear fruit where He has planted you. Recognise that all He
does is perfect. Commit yourself to walk in that purpose and to become
everything that He has called you to be with the gifts and circumstances He
has given.
Second, commit yourself to the purpose of God by removing anything in
your life that would distract you from what God has given you to do. Seek
Him about those things that keep you from His purpose. Be willing to
sacrifice whatever it takes to excel in what God has given you to do.
Understand that the things you may need to weed out of the garden of the
heart may be wrong attitudes or selfish ambitions. Surrender everything to
the Lord and separate yourself from anything that would hinder God’s
purpose from being accomplished in your life.
Finally, learn to walk in respect for God, His Word, and His purpose. Make
it your ambition to honour Him in attitude and action. Make glorifying Him
the greatest ambition in your life. Commit your heart and life to live and
think in such a way that in all things His name is respected in your life.
Only then can you become the instrument God can use and a light shining
brightly for His name.
For Consideration:
Have you ever found yourself complaining about the circumstances you
find yourself in? What do we learn about God and His purposes here in this
chapter? Are you right to grumble?
What kind of things can hinder you in your personal walk with God? What
keeps you from becoming all that God wants you to become?
Have you ever been guilty of showing disrespect for God, His Word, or his
purposes? Explain.
For Prayer
Ask God to give you the grace to accept His purpose of your life. Ask Him
to help you to flourish where He has placed you.
Ask God to show you if there is anything in your life that is keeping you
from being everything He wants you to be. Confess this to Him and ask for
strength and wisdom to know what your response needs to be.
Ask God to forgive you for any time you may have shown disrespect for
His Word or His name. Ask Him to teach you how to overcome.
Thank the Lord that His ways are perfect. Ask Him to give you the grace to
surrender more fully to those purposes for your life.
END NOTES
[i] Gill, John, The New John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible, modernised and adapted for the
computer; ed. Larry Pierce, Winterbourne, Ontario, version 1.4
[ii] From http://www.gardenguides.com/75407-list-incompatible-vegetable-garden-plants.html
[iii] Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown: Commentary Critical
and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, Comments on Leviticus 19:19, part of
the AndBible app version 2.1.11
[iv] Author: Mari Straub as found at: http://www.hymnary.org/text/god_sees_the_little_sparrow_fall
[v] "Shatnez" at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shatnez
[vi] Jamieson, Fausset and Brown on Leviticus 19:19
[vii] Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on Leviticus 19:19
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Light To My Path Book Distribution
Light To My Path Book Distribution (LTMP) is a
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America, and Africa. Many Christian workers in
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F. Wayne Mac Leod is a member of Action
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