DAILY TEXT, From today, Sunday, November 26, 2023, You must respect my Saturdays. I am Jehovah his God (Lev. 19:3).

Let us examine the scriptures every day 2023

Sunday, November 26

You must respect my Saturdays. I am Jehovah your God (Lev. 19:3).

Leviticus 19:3 said that the Sabbath had to be respected. Since Christians are not under the Law, it is not necessary for us to keep a weekly day of rest. But we can learn a lot from what the Israelites did on that day and the blessings they received for keeping it. They were to dedicate the Sabbath to resting from their daily work and worshiping Jehovah. Therefore, Jesus went to the synagogue that day and read from the Word of God (Ex. 31:12-15; Luke 4:16-18). The divine command found in Leviticus 19:3 to observe the Sabbaths should motivate us to take time out of our daily activities to give more attention to spiritual matters. Do we think we need to improve in this aspect? If we regularly devote time to spiritual matters, our friendship with Jehovah will grow stronger and stronger. And that is fundamental to being saints. w21.12 5 para. 13.

What essential truth is highlighted throughout chapter 19 of Leviticus?

Leviticus chapter 19 repeatedly mentions an essential truth that will help us continue to be holy. Verse 4 ends by saying, “I am Jehovah his God.” These or similar words are found 16 times in this chapter. This reminds us of the first of the Ten Commandments, which says: “I am Jehovah your God […]. Have no other gods besides me” (Ex. 20:2, 3). Every Christian who wants to be holy must make sure that nothing and no one is more important than his friendship with God. And, since we call ourselves Jehovah's Witnesses, we are determined not to do anything that will tarnish his holy name (Lev. 19:12; Isa. 57:15).

What should the verses in Leviticus 19 that talk about sacrifices drive us to?

The Israelites showed that they accepted Jehovah as their God by obeying his laws. Leviticus 18:4 says, “Keep my judicial decisions and walk according to my statutes and obey them. I am Jehovah your God.” Chapter 19 includes some of these statutes that he gave to the nation of Israel. For example, verses 5-8, 21, and 22 talk about animal sacrifices. These were to be done in a way that would not profane “a holy thing of Jehovah.” Reading these verses should prompt us to want to please Jehovah and offer sacrifices of praise that are acceptable to him, as Hebrews 13:15 encourages us to do.

What principle from Leviticus 19 reminds us that those who serve God are different from other people?

To be holy, we must be willing to let it be known that we are different. This is not easy, because sometimes schoolmates, coworkers, family members who are not believers, and others can pressure us to do things that interfere with our service to Jehovah. When they do, we have to make an important decision. What will help us choose well? Let's look at an interesting principle found in Leviticus 19:19, which says in part: “Do not […] put on a garment made of two kinds of thread mixed together.” This law made it clear that Israel was different from the nations that surrounded it. Nowadays, there is nothing wrong with us wearing clothes that mix, for example, cotton and polyester, or wool and rayon. But it would be wrong for us to be like people who believe and practice things that are against what the Bible teaches, no matter if they are schoolmates, coworkers, or family members. Of course, we feel natural affection for our family members and show love to the people around us. But, when we have to make important decisions, we are willing to show that Jehovah's servants are different. Let us remember that, if we want to be holy, it is essential that we be separated for God (2 Cor. 6:14-16; 1 Pet. 4:3, 4).

What valuable lesson does Leviticus 19:23-25 ​​teach us?

The phrase “I am Jehovah your God” must have helped the Israelites see their friendship with Jehovah as the most important thing. Let's look at one way they could do it according to Leviticus 19:23-25 ​​(read it). Let's think about what these words meant to the Israelites after they entered the Promised Land. If someone planted a fruit tree, he could not eat its fruit for three years. In the fourth year, the produce was reserved for use in God's sanctuary. It was only from the fifth year that the owner could eat the fruit of it. This law should have helped the Israelites understand that their needs did not come first. They were to trust that Jehovah would provide what they needed and give priority to serving him. He would make sure that they did not lack food. And God encouraged them to make generous donations to the sanctuary, which was the center of their worship.

All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2023 Watch T ower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania JW.ORG.