Why is obedience to God's commands crucial, as highlighted in Leviticus 7:21? The Setting of Leviticus 7:21 “If anyone touches something unclean—the uncleanness of man or an unclean animal or any unclean, detestable thing—and then eats the meat of the fellowship offering belonging to the LORD, that person must be cut off from his people.” What This Teaches about Obedience • God’s fellowship offerings were moments of shared communion; He required absolute purity to protect that holy space. • The warning “cut off from his people” shows that disobedience isn’t a minor slip—it severs relationship with both God and community. • “Touches something unclean” covers every category of impurity, demonstrating that no aspect of life is exempt from the call to holiness. Obedience Safeguards Fellowship with God • Leviticus 26:12—“I will walk among you and be your God” hinges on covenant loyalty. • John 14:21—“Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me.” Communion with God is always conditioned on obedience. Obedience Preserves Community Purity • Numbers 15:30-31 warns that high-handed sin defiles the camp and brings guilt on everyone. • 1 Corinthians 5:6—“A little leaven leavens the whole batch,” echoing the same principle in the New Covenant community. Obedience Demonstrates Reverence for God’s Holiness • Isaiah 6:3—“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts.” When God’s holiness is confessed, any willful impurity is a direct affront. • 1 Peter 1:15-16—“Be holy in all you do,” quoting Leviticus, shows continuity of this standard. Obedience Anticipates and Honors Christ’s Perfect Sacrifice • Hebrews 10:10—“We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” The strict purity laws foreshadow the flawless sacrifice of Christ; careless participation mocks the offering that fulfills them. • 1 Corinthians 11:27-29—Those who partake “in an unworthy manner” profane the body and blood of the Lord, mirroring Leviticus 7:21’s warning. Practical Takeaways Today • Treat every act of worship—from prayer to Communion—as sacred space guarded by heartfelt obedience. • Stay alert to hidden “unclean” influences (media, relationships, habits) that dull love for God. • Confess and turn from sin quickly (1 John 1:9) to maintain unbroken fellowship. • Let obedience flow from gratitude, not mere duty, remembering Christ has made you “a kingdom of priests” (Revelation 1:5-6). |
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