Conversations with friends or among strangers often revolve around our ‘worth’ or the worth of someone we know . . . as society interprets it.
‘I am a doctor, or a lawyer, or an Indian chief’ (shout out to Betty Hutton). Men tend to measure their worth by their occupation.
We measure our children’s worth by what they have accomplished. ‘My son made the honor roll, my daughter is a linebacker on the High School team, or my child is reading at age three.’
We might even transfer another person’s worth to someone we know, ‘my son married a nuclear physicist, or my daughter adopted an orphan AND a shelter pet.’
We even measure the worth of our pets by their looks or achievements.
These are wonderful things and worthy of note, but what are we telling ourselves and others about what we believe is important? Is achieving greatness in the world of men actually meaningful?
We live in a fallen world, so succeeding in it is important (failure could mean starvation and death). Being really, really good at not starving or dying can be a good thing, also, but not if we lose sight of what we need to be to succeed in the next life.
If you believe this life is all we have, then I guess you better do your best before entering into oblivion. But if you know, and believe, that a just God created the Heavens and the Earth (and everything in it), then you also know that He will eventually judge us according to the standard He set.
Man’s standards change frequently, so trying to live within their standards can be difficult . . . or even dangerous.
Theft use to be bad. For thousands of years it was considered bad.
Thou shalt not steal.
Exodus 20:15
Today, depending on the degree of liberalism being exercised by your State’s leadership, theft of as much as $950 is no longer punishable and the police will not respond (unless the theft occurs in conjunction with other, more serious, crimes the government is still enforcing . . . for now).
What is your value as a store owner when the State allows others to seize what you purchased for resale? How successful are you at the whole, ‘not starving and dying’ thing when it costs an enormous amount to stay in business, but sales evaporate because of ‘legalized’ theft?
Yahweh establishes a standard of what is ‘success’ that is not difficult to achieve and cannot be stolen from you. That success is marketable now and in the future, but few hold it in high regard.
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.
Leviticus 19:1-2
‘There you go preaching again!’
People hate to hear from the scripture because they have their own standard of what is right and good and they believe that Yahweh will honor it because they fervently believe that He should agree with their standard of right and good.
I love it when people proclaim, “God knows what is in my heart!”
He knows, alright, and He tells us it is scary.
- And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Genesis 6:5)
- And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. (Genesis 8:21)
- The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9)
- 23 But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you. 24 But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward. (Jeremiah 7:23-24)
- 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 20 These are the things which defile a man: (Matthew 15:18-20)
- 20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. (Mark 7:20-23)
Don’t argue that ‘God is not talking about the actual organ, but about a person’s core beliefs.’ You are saying the same thing when you tell people that, ‘God knows I have a good heart.’
You don’t – get over it. We teach children not to steal, or lie, or hit, or . . . . The instruction does not become unnecessary because we grow older.
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.
Leviticus 19:1-2
He is holy so He is a good judge of what holy is. Let’s see if His standard is within our ability.
Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.
Leviticus 19:3
Commandments five and four, respectively. Fearing (respecting) your parents is something your parents tried (with varying measures of success) to get you to do from a young age.
Interesting to note, Yahweh never tells us to “love our parents”. In many cases, that would be impossible to do. Have you ever tried to make someone love you? That seldom works.
What is possible is to respect someone’s position whether you like them or not. I despised my commander during Desert Storm (he felt the same towards me) but I respected the position he held and followed the orders he gave.
I have two teachings on Sabbath (Keep it Holy and Change to Sabbath?). He thought it was important; Yeshua thought it was important; the Apostles thought it was important; and they will STILL be important in the Millineal Kingdom (Isaiah 66:23).
Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the LORD your God.
Leviticus 19:4
Don’t worship other gods – simple. If you choose Yahweh, don’t profane Him by worshiping others, also.
Did you confess Yeshua as “Lord”? That should mean something [confessing Yeshua as Lord]. One does not accept a wedding proposal and whore around with others.
5 And if ye offer a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD, ye shall offer it at your own will. 6 It shall be eaten the same day ye offer it, and on the morrow: and if ought remain until the third day, it shall be burnt in the fire. 7 And if it be eaten at all on the third day, it is abominable; it shall not be accepted. 8 Therefore every one that eateth it shall bear his iniquity, because he hath profaned the hallowed thing of the LORD: and that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
Leviticus 19:5-8
Thank Yahweh for His blessings – simple.
The peace offering was never mandated, it is an additional sacrifice, made at the worshiper’s discretion, to thank Yahweh for His blessings. Unlike the normal sacrifice, the animal was returned to the worshiper or given to the needy to be consumed.
Waiting too long would allow the animal to spoil and would not be a blessing to anyone.
9 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. 10 And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God.
Leviticus 19:9-10
Give to the poor and needy – simple.
Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.
Leviticus 19:11
Commandments eight and nine. Good advise no matter who you wish to serve.
And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.
Leviticus 19:12
Commandment three. Swearing by the name is the marriage covenant. One shouldn’t take someone’s name in marriage and then deride the person and whore around (worship others). This is the meaning of profaning the name, not cursing (though that’s not a good thing, either).
Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.
Leviticus 19:13
Commandment eight, again. Don’t take from others and don’t keep from others what you owe them. Again, good advice in every situation.
Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD.
Leviticus 19:14
Don’t belittle those of little or no faith. Your judgment will be based on how you measure up to His standard, not how much better you look than others.
Yeshua appeared contradictory because he abused the Pharisees for their lack of faith, but nurtured others because of their lack of faith. It appears that way because two Greek words were translated ‘lack of faith’ in English. The Pharisees knew enough but refused to believe (apeitheia – willful unbelief, obstinacy, disobedience) – the others did not know enough to believe (apistia – unbelief, unfaithfulness, distrust).
Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.
Leviticus 19:15
A righteous standard is its own standard, there should not be two standards of justice (like we have today), one for the elites and another for the rest of us.
Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD.
Leviticus 19:16
Commandment nine, again. Don’t lie about people
17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. 18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.
Leviticus 19:17-18
There is that ‘heart’ thing again. Do not sin against your neighbor and do not allow your neighbor to live in sin. If you do not rebuke sin, the other may not turn from it and sin could rule their life.
Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee.
Leviticus 19:19
Purity is important. All these hearken to the incursion of devil spirits in Genesis 6 that copulated with humans and produced evil giants. The mixing of genes and seeds leads to bad outcomes
Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.
Dr. Ian Malcolm [Jeff Goldblum] – Jurassic Park
20 And whosoever lieth carnally with a woman, that is a bondmaid, betrothed to an husband, and not at all redeemed, nor freedom given her; she shall be scourged; they shall not be put to death, because she was not free. 21 And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, even a ram for a trespass offering. 22 And the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering before the LORD for his sin which he hath done: and the sin which he hath done shall be forgiven him.
Leviticus 19:20-22
The bondmaid was not able to refuse her master, though she should resist if she was betrothed (married, but not consummated – the betrothal period lasted up to a year. This is a HUGE subject and will be addressed in my next book, GRAFTED: Embracing Marriage).
23 And when ye shall come into the land, and shall have planted all manner of trees for food, then ye shall count the fruit thereof as uncircumcised: three years shall it be as uncircumcised unto you: it shall not be eaten of. 24 But in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy to praise the LORD withal. 25 And in the fifth year shall ye eat of the fruit thereof, that it may yield unto you the increase thereof: I am the LORD your God.
Leviticus 19:23-25
I’m assuming the Canaanites had polluted (defiled) the natural food source (mixing seeds?) and it needed time for natural processes to work out the defilement.
Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times.
Leviticus 19:26
This is several prohibitions.
Enchantments and observing times are the easy ones – don’t practice magic or consult horoscopes. This is consorting with other gods because the God does not allow it.
Eating anything with the blood has been interpreted in many ways, and all of them are bad
- Eating raw flesh
- Drinking blood
- Eating the flesh of an animal that had been dismembered, but is still alive (e.g., removing the leg from an animal, but keeping it alive so the rest of the meat does not spoil). The Torah has many laws concerning the human treatment of animals.
Act 15 discusses the counsel of the Apostles who are trying to decide how to incorporate pagans into the faith. The decision was made to have them abstain from four particularly wicked practices (“But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.” [Acts 15:20]) and learn the rest of the law over time by attending Synagogue.
27 Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard. 28 Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.
Leviticus 19:27-28
These are Egyptian customs that are displeasing to Yahweh. He freed them bondage in Egypt – practicing them is like pining for the ‘good old days’.
Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness.
Leviticus 19:29
This is not literal in today’s terms. “Prostituting” often meant defiling or profaning and spoke to idolatry or adultery to the covenant.
“Whore”, noun, “A person considered as having compromised principles for personal gain.” All prostitutes are whores, but not all whores are prostitutes. Read Larry Klayman’s book, Whores, for an indictment of America’s ruling class.
Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.
Leviticus 19:30
Yahweh mentions Sabbaths, again. These are important to Him and should be important to us.
Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.
Leviticus 19:31
Mediums, palm readers, tarot readers, witches, warlocks, and the like are charlatans. If they are actually exercising power, it is not coming from the true God. Stay away.
Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD.
Leviticus 19:32
Respect your elders. They know things from actual experience. You do not have to follow their guidance (it may not long apply in this quickly evolving economy and technically advancing world), but learn what you can.
Do we really need to personally learn by making every mistake or can we learn from others? I know that sounds funny coming from me.
33 And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him. 34 But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.
Leviticus 19:33-34
The Law of Yahweh is for all who want to benefit from a relationship with Yahweh. Torah does not require converting to a specific religion, as all other religions do. His blessings are for all who confess and believe.
The Jews forgot this directive and separated themselves culturally from strangers. When Yeshua commanded his disciples to make disciples ‘of all the world’, the Apostles hearkened to their upbringing and only reached out to fellow Jews.
Yeshua gave Peter a vision (Acts 10), telling him to not regard things as unclean that were not stated to be unclean. Without this vision, he may have ignored the servants of the Roman centurion, Cornelius, who wanted to know about the one, true God.
35 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure. 36 Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.
Leviticus 19:35-36
Use fair and just weights and measures. In this verse, He identifies Himself as the One who “brought you out of the land of Egypt”, so it may have been the practice of the Egyptians to defraud the Hebrews through phony weights and measures.
Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: I am the LORD.
Leviticus 19:37
Yahweh has given us a system of rules to interact with Him and with each other that is good. Even if the atheists are right – Yahweh does not exist and we advance into oblivion upon our death – the worst that could happen is that we follow the rules and we live a ‘good’ life.
Many want to be powerful politicians or professional athletes or mega-media figures. Wouldn’t it be great if we were all just ‘good’?
It is stated that the Torah has 613 instructions from Yahweh. I dispute that since the list has duplicates. No matter the number, knowing the Law is important, but trying to take it all in at once appears to be very daunting (not as daunting as the Code of Federal Regulation [CFR] that is written in small print and yet, still covers over 25 feet of shelf space in the library).
In Acts 15, the Apostles decided to have the new pagan converts abstain from four particularly wicked practices (“But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.” [Acts 15:20]) and learn the rest of the law over time by attending Synagogue.
You can do the same with my book, GRAFTED: Embracing Torah (only five-eighths of an inch thick, but it has much larger print plus pictures and cartoons). It is an easy guide to helps you navigate His perfect Word.
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
Psalms 19:7-11
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