Leviticus 11 provides instructions on which animals the Israelites may and may not eat. The chapter begins with a reminder that the Lord has set the Israelites apart as a holy people, and that they must therefore be careful to distinguish between clean and unclean animals.
The chapter then provides specific guidelines for determining which animals are clean and which are unclean. The Israelites are allowed to eat any animal that has cloven hooves and chews the cud, such as cows, sheep, and goats. However, they are forbidden from eating any animal that does not have both of these characteristics, such as pigs and camels. The chapter also provides guidance on which water creatures the Israelites may and may not eat, and which birds are considered unclean.
In addition to dietary restrictions, the chapter also provides guidance on how to handle the carcasses of dead animals. The Israelites are warned not to touch the carcasses of unclean animals, as this would make them unclean. However, they may touch the carcasses of clean animals without becoming unclean, as long as they wash their clothes and remain ceremonially unclean until evening.
Overall, Leviticus 11 emphasizes the importance of holiness and purity in every aspect of life, including what the Israelites eat. The chapter provides clear guidelines for distinguishing between clean and unclean animals, and it highlights the importance of obeying God's commands in order to remain holy
I am the Lord your God: For emphasis, God reaffirmed His identity. Then He added an astounding commitment to Israel. His purpose in bringing them up out of the land of Egypt was to be their God. Because of God’s holy nature, they too had to be holy.
The word for Lord is Yahweh, the name by which God had revealed Himself to Moses (Ex. 3:14, 15; 6:2, 3). Consecrate yourselves means “make yourselves holy.”
You shall be holy; for I am holy: This is the foundation of the so-called Holiness Code of chs. 17–26. To be holy means to “be separate.” God is holy as the transcendent Creator, above and apart from nature. To be separate to God is much more important than to be separate from other things. As God’s people are separated to Him, we become more and more conformed to His image, to be the persons God intended us to be when He created the first man and the first woman in His image (Gen. 1:26, 27). Holiness in God’s people involves grace, righteousness, integrity, peace, and mercy, because these are characteristics of the God who has redeemed us and whom we serve.
Psalm 112 is a wisdom psalm that celebrates the blessings of the righteous. The psalmist emphasizes the importance of following God's commands and trusting in him, and he lists a number of blessings that come to those who do so, including prosperity, security, and honor. The psalm concludes with a reminder that the righteous will ultimately triumph over their enemies, and that their righteousness will be remembered forever.
Psalm 113 is a hymn of praise that focuses on the greatness and majesty of God. The psalm begins by calling upon the servants of the Lord to praise his name, and it goes on to describe his power and his compassion for the poor and needy. The psalm emphasizes the Lord's sovereignty over all creation, and it calls on all people to join in praising him.
Psalm 114 is a hymn that celebrates God's deliverance of his people from slavery in Egypt. The psalmist uses vivid imagery to describe the miraculous events that took place during the Exodus, such as the parting of the Red Sea and the shaking of the mountains. The psalm concludes with a reminder that the Lord is the source of all power and strength, and that he alone is worthy of praise.
Overall, these psalms highlight the importance of praising God for his greatness, his blessings, and his deliverance of his people. They also emphasize the importance of following God's commands and trusting in his power and faithfulness. Together, these psalms remind us of the importance of worship and gratitude in our relationship with God.
Mark 4:1-20 is a parable told by Jesus, which is commonly known as the Parable of the Sower. The passage reads as follows:
"Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, so that “they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.”
And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”
This parable illustrates the different responses that people have when they hear the word of God. The sower represents the one who preaches the word of God, and the seed represents the message of the gospel. The different types of soil represent the different types of hearts that people have.
The seed that falls on the path represents those who hear the word of God, but because they have hard hearts, the message is immediately taken away by Satan. The seed that falls on rocky ground represents those who hear the word and receive it with joy, but because they have no depth in their faith, they quickly fall away. The seed that falls among thorns represents those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desire for other things prevent them from fully accepting the message. And the seed that falls on good soil represents those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit in their lives.
The point of the parable is that the condition of the soil determines the potential for growth. The principle is true for Christians and non-Christians alike. Those who have become complacent and lackadaisical are not likely to receive the Word with benefit (James 1:22–25). Jesus is warning his listeners that it is not enough to simply hear the word of God. The important thing is to have a receptive heart that is willing to accept the message.
11 A mystery in Scripture is a truth God has revealed or will reveal at the proper time (Rom. 16:25, 26). Jesus apparently used parables for several reasons. First, they are interesting and grab the listener’s attention. Second, such stories are easily remembered. Third, they reveal truth to those who are ready spiritually to receive it. Fourth, they conceal truth from those who oppose Christ’s message. Frequently, Jesus’ opponents failed to understand the lessons because of their own spiritual blindness. for example, Matt. 21:45, 46.
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