DAILY TEXT, From today Tuesday July 18, 2023, You have to be holy because I am holy (1 Pet. 1:16).

DAILY TEXT, From today Tuesday July 18, 2023, I will not lay my hand on my lord (1 Sam. 24:10).

Let's Examine the Scriptures Every Day 2023

Tuesday July 18

They have to be holy because I am holy (1 Pet. 1:16).

The words of today's text teach us that we can imitate Jehovah, the supreme example of holiness. We must be holy in our conduct, even if it seems impossible due to our imperfection. The apostle Peter himself was wrong several times, but his example shows us that we can be saints. When they think of someone holy, many imagine a religious figure with a melancholic and sad appearance, like those depicted in some works of art. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Bible says that Jehovah, who is holy, is the “happy God” (1 Tim. 1:11). He also says that the people who worship him are happy (Ps. 144:15). Jesus condemned those who wore long robes and did what is right for others to see (Matt. 6:1; Mark 12:38). Christians know what holiness is because of what the Bible tells us. And we know that our loving God would never tell us to do something impossible to obey. w21.12 2 pars. 1, 3.

What do the words holy and holiness mean?

What is it to be holy? In the Bible, the words holy and holiness basically refer to what is clean or sacred in a moral and religious sense. These terms can also convey the idea of ​​being set apart or separated to serve God. In other words, we will be holy if we are morally clean, if we worship Jehovah as he expects, and if we have a close relationship with him. It impresses us to think that we, who are so imperfect, can be friends with Jehovah, that he is absolutely holy.

What do faithful angels teach us about Jehovah?

Jehovah is pure and clean in every way. This was what some seraphim said, which are angels that are near the throne of Jehovah. They proclaimed: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts” (Is. 6:3). Sure, to have such a close relationship with God, they themselves must be holy, and they are. Therefore, when an angel of Jehovah came to Earth, his mere presence could make the place where he was holy. This is what happened when Moses approached the burning bush (Ex. 3:2-5; Josh. 5:15).

According to Exodus 15:1, 11, how did Moses emphasize that God is holy? What reminded the Israelites that God is holy? (See cover drawing.)

After Moses led the Israelites through the Red Sea, he emphasized that their God, Jehovah, is holy (see Exodus 15:1, 11). The conduct of those who worshiped the gods of Egypt was not holy in the least. And the same is true of those who worshiped the gods of Canaan, who sacrificed children and practiced depraved sexual acts for their gods (Lev. 18:3, 4, 21-24; Deut. 18:9, 10). But Jehovah is very different from these false gods, for he never asks us to do anything that lowers us. He is totally holy. This was made clear by the words inscribed on a gold plate that the high priest wore on his turban. They said: “Holiness belongs to Jehovah” (Ex. 28:36-38).

What that plaque said made it clear to anyone who saw it that Jehovah is supremely holy. But what if an Israelite didn't see the plaque because he couldn't get close to the high priest? Would he have any way of knowing that Jehovah is holy? Of course. All the Israelites could hear him when the Law was read before the men, women and children (Deut. 31:9-12). If we had been there, we would have heard these words: “I am Jehovah your God, [...] and you must be holy because I am holy” and “you must be holy because I, Jehovah, am holy” (Lev. 11 :44, 45; 20:7, 26).

What do the words of Leviticus 19:2 and 1 Peter 1:14-16 teach us?

Let's focus on some words that were read to the entire nation of Israel and that we find in Leviticus 19:2. Jehovah told Moses: “Speak to all the people of Israel and tell them: 'They must be holy because I, Jehovah their God, am holy ['].” The apostle Peter may have quoted these words when he told his fellow Christians to “be holy” (read 1 Peter 1:14-16). It is true that we are not now under the Law of Moses, but what Peter wrote confirms what we learn in Leviticus 19:2: that Jehovah is holy and that those who love him should strive to be so. This applies to all of us, whether we expect to live in heaven or in a paradise on earth (1 Pet. 1:4; 2 Pet. 3:13).

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