Leviticus 19:19-28 – Practices that God’s people should avoid (1)

In Leviticus 19 starting from verse 19, we come to the last section of this chapter. Leviticus 19:1-8 talk about practical holiness in personal life, verses 9-18 gave instructions for God’s people to love their neighbors as themselves. There is a list of things they need to do to show neighborliness. In verses 19-36 we see a list of actions they must observe as God’s covenant people.

Verse 19 specifies three things God forbade His people to do. They must not practice crossbreeding. They were disallowed to plant two kinds of grain in the same field and they were told not to mix two kinds of materials together. We find similar instructions in Deuteronomy 29:9-11. What could be the reasons for these instructions? We can only venture a guess. Crossbreeding would result in perversion and a third mutant type of animal that would be weaker. Mixing of two grains in the same field could cause similar results as cross-bred animals. What about mixing materials? Cotton mixed with another kind of linen would probably result in a poorer quality of the material. We cannot know for sure. Perhaps all these could be God’s intention to signal to the people that they were God’s unique set apart people. Could these instructions also meant for God’s people to live in simplicity rather than living a complicated life? Bear in mind that God had all along wanted His people not to compromise, and perhaps these instructions constitute a call to stay single-minded in commitment to God alone.

Verse 19 specifies three things God forbade His people to do. They must not practice crossbreeding. They were disallowed to plant two kinds of grain in the same field and they were told not to mix two kinds of materials together. We find similar instructions in Deuteronomy 29:9-11. What could be the reasons for these instructions? We can only venture a guess. Crossbreeding would result in perversion and a third mutant type of animal that would be weaker. Mixing of two grains in the same field could cause similar results as cross-bred animals. What about mixing materials? Cotton mixed with another kind of linen would probably result in a poorer quality of the material. We cannot know for sure. Perhaps all these could be God’s intention to signal to the people that they were God’s unique set apart people. Could these instructions also meant for God’s people to live in simplicity rather than living a complicated life? Bear in mind that God had all along wanted His people not to compromise, and perhaps these instructions constitute a call to stay single-minded in commitment to God alone.

Next, in verses 20-22, God gave instruction concerning a master having sexual relationship with his slave girl who had been promised to another person but had not been redeemed. The emphasis here is a call not to violate another person’s property. If even non-believers know this principle how much more should a believer be careful not to violate another person’s property. Hence, a person caught doing this would have to make a guilt offering to receive God’s pardon.

In verses 23-25, God’s people were instructed not to eat the fruit of a tree in the first three years. And on the fourth year, the fruit bore must be dedicated to the Lord. They could only eat the fruit produced on the fifth year. Why?  This is because a fruit-bearing tree requires time to mature and bear quality fruit. Thus, the period of waiting with plenty of pruning was needful. Similarly, in order to bear much fruit as the heavenly Father expected, we will be pruned so that more fruit could result.

In verse 26 again the Israelites were warned against eating blood. This regulation as we have discovered in our previous reflection was to be considered sacred and not to be trifled with. This practice would set them apart from the pagans. In  the rest of verse 26 right through to verse 28, detail four practices that they were not to do. They must not practice divination; they must not practice sorcery; they must not follow the mourning rites of the Pagans, and they must not mutilate their bodies on behalf of the dead.  A word of caution for those who would like to have their body tattooed. As God’s people, we are told not to have any tattoo on any part of our bodies. This was a pagan practice that God wanted his people to avoid.

Bear in mind that we are God’s representative here on earth. Hence, we must not engage in practices that the people of the world would engage in. The call not to emulate the practices of the world reminds us that we are God’s marked people. Our practices must be appropriate, and our minds must be renewed, so that our lives will bear the transforming work of His Word and the power of the Holy Spirit. Let’s be God’s transformed people!