Week 12…holiness.
If you’re like me, you might open Leviticus 19 and think, “More rules?!”. Yes, there’s another list of “do nots.” But there’s something different here. Each time God gives an instruction, He reminds His people why, and it’s simple: “I am the LORD your God.”
Not a man-made idol.
Not a ritual.
Not a tradition.
But the living, holy God.
If the Israelites were ever unsure about who they served, this chapter settles it. It sums up their identity, their God’s authority, and the call to live a lifestyle pointing back to Him.
Why Leviticus 19 Matters:
Scholars say the first half of Leviticus (chapters 1–17) shows how to approach a holy God and how to worship a holy God despite sin. The second half (chapters 18–27) teaches how to live once you’re in relationship with Him…the christian lifestyle. Basically, Leviticus as a whole gives us a front-row seat to watch the Israelites learn God’s new law and begin living a new, set-apart lifestyle- and we can draw from those same principles to shape our own walk with Him today.
Leviticus took place around 1446 BC at the foot of Mount Sinai for one full year. The people had already received the Ten Commandments, and chapter 19 mirrors them! Did you notice every single one reappears in chapter 19? It’s as if God stamped this section with His royal signature: “I am the LORD your God.” What a reminder that their new law wasn’t flippant, but divinely guided and sealed with authority! I’d imagine this would have felt brand new, and maybe a little intimidating to the Israelites because up until this point (post Exodus), God’s people had not been called to live a holy life. This was all new to them. It wasn’t about random rules, it was about reflecting the character of the One who saved them.
Pastor Bob Deffinbaugh put it well:
“Leviticus 19 is vitally important because of the desperate need for the practice of holiness. As badly as holiness is misunderstood by Christians, it is practiced even more pathetically.”
Yikes. Holiness had to be spelled out for Israel. Yes, it was a brand-new concept, and God tied it to His own nature: “Be holy, because I am holy.” But when we bring that same calling into today’s world, it’s easy to see how we’ve diluted it. We’ve traded the costly pursuit of holiness for shortcuts and excuses—lowering the standard so it feels more “attainable,” while filling our lives with distractions and modern idols that pull our focus from God. Double yikes. Knowing human nature, it’s probably safe to say that our modern struggles with holiness more than likely mirror the struggles of the Israelites - hence God’s repeated reminder in Leviticus 19.
We now live under the New Covenant through Jesus, the ultimate sacrifice to which the Law pointed. So, do these commands mentioned in chapter 19 still matter?
Absolutely.
Both Jesus (Mt. 5:43; 19:19; 22:39; Mk 12:31; Lk 10:27) and the apostles (Ro. 13:9; Gal. 5:14; James 2:8; 1 Pet. 1:16) emphasized two commands from this chapter:
“You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.” (Lev. 19:2)
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Lev. 19:18)
However, it should be noticed that some specific laws don’t translate directly to today…like prohibitions about harvesting fruit in its first years (v. 23–25) or mixing fabrics (v. 19). But even these reveal God’s heart and can teach us principles of integrity, patience, and compassion.
So, what IS holiness?
Leviticus 19 shows us that holiness is not optional, it’s a calling. It looks like:
Obedience to God’s commands
Sacrifice
Worship
Loving others and yourself
Imitating God’s character
*God’s holiness was revealed in His compassion when He delivered Israel from Egypt. In the same way, our holiness should be visible in kindness, grace, and care for the afflicted. Plus, Jesus never lowered the standard. In Matthew 5:48, when He says, “Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect,” that word “perfect” carries the idea of holy.
Through Christ’s death and resurrection, we are cleansed and made blameless before God, but we are still called to live set apart. Holiness isn’t about being flawless, it’s about living differently because of who God is and what He’s done.
It’s a joy-filled obedience that points people to Him. The same God who signed His name to the commands in Leviticus signs His name over our lives today.
So, what’s your view of holiness now?
It’s not a burden, it’s a gift. It’s part of our witness in the world. And it’s something the enemy will always try to convince us is optional.
But God says:
“You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.”
REFLECTION:
When you think about holiness, do you see it more as a list of rules to follow or as a reflection of God’s character in your daily life? Why?
What “shortcuts” or “modern idols” might be distracting you from living set apart for God, and how can you begin removing them?
If someone were to watch your life closely, what glimpses of God’s holiness would they see, and where might they see something different?
PRAYER: Father, thank You for being holy and for inviting me to walk in that holiness with You. Forgive me for the times I’ve lowered Your standard or let distractions pull my heart away from You. Teach me to see holiness not as a burden, but as a beautiful calling and privilege. Shape my thoughts, words, and actions so they reflect Your compassion, grace, and truth. Help me to love You fully and love others well, so that my life points back to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
**Deep dive into more Lev 19 commentary here. It’s a resource I super enjoy using! It will definitely expand on what I talked about in week 12.