What connections exist between Leviticus 22:1 and New Testament teachings on holiness? God Speaks—Holiness Begins “Then the LORD said to Moses,” • The sentence is short, but weighty: God literally, audibly addressed Moses. • Every call to holiness—Old or New Testament—starts with God’s own voice revealing His character and will. • Because the Speaker is perfectly holy (Isaiah 6:3), every word He utters carries that same moral purity and authority. The Unbroken Thread into the New Testament • Hebrews 1:1–2 reminds us that “God, after He spoke long ago… has spoken to us by His Son.” The same God who spoke in Leviticus still speaks, now through Jesus. • Jesus Himself repeats the divine mandate: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). • Peter connects the Mosaic call directly to believers: “Just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do” (1 Peter 1:15–16; quoting Leviticus 11:44). Priestly Stewardship Then—Royal Priesthood Now • In Leviticus 22 the immediate audience is Aaron and his sons; in Christ, that priesthood expands to every believer. • 1 Peter 2:9: “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation…” • Handling holy things reverently (sacrifices in Leviticus, the Lord’s Supper in 1 Corinthians 11:27–29) shows that sacred service still demands purity. Safeguarding God’s Name • Leviticus 22:2 (following verse 1) warns the priests not to “profane My holy name.” • Jesus teaches the same priority: “Hallowed be Your name” (Matthew 6:9). • Holiness is never merely private; it protects God’s reputation before the watching world (Titus 2:10). Holiness as Separation and Dedication • 2 Corinthians 6:17: “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord.” • The call is not withdrawal from culture but separation from sin, just as the priests were separated from common uncleanness to serve at the altar. Christ—The Perfect and Permanent High Priest • Hebrews 7:26: “Such a high priest truly befits us—One who is holy, innocent, undefiled, set apart from sinners…” • Because Jesus embodies flawless holiness, He both fulfills Leviticus and empowers believers to pursue the same standard (Hebrews 4:15–16). Pursuing Holiness Today • Make room for God’s voice daily in Scripture; holiness flows from hearing and obeying (James 1:22). • Treat every act of worship—prayer, giving, communion—with priest-level reverence. • “Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). • Cleanse heart and conduct: “Since we have these promises… let us purify ourselves from everything that defiles body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1). The same God who spoke in Leviticus still speaks today, calling His people to reflect His own pure and radiant holiness in every sphere of life. |
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