Sanctification

Leviticus 17-25: Sanctification

Leviticus 11:44-45; 19:2; 20:7, 26; 21:8

Theme of Leviticus: Sanctify the saints so they can be holy even as the Lord is holy. 

Definition of Holiness and Sanctification

Sanctification: To be holy and sanctified means that you are pure, clean, and have high moral character. 

Jehovah was able to command his followers to be holy because he himself was holy in character and example.

We can listen to the spirit to help as we strive to follow Christ to know how to appropriately balance the letter of the law with the spirit of the law in our practices. 

As I have studied the principles in the book of Leviticus, I have a greater appreciation for the why of commandments.  I know now better their purpose and the result if they are kept.  Basically, we want to be like Christ so we have to follow his law.  He teaches us how to become like him so we must trust him.  This is hard, but that’s why we must have our faith firmly founded on him so nothing else can keep us from receiving the blessings he has in store for those who keep the commandments in the letter and spirit becoming clean and pure like him.

Leviticus 18:4-5 

By doing/keeping Christ’s judgments a, keeping his ordinances, and his statutes we are keeping his commandments. 

  Leviticus 19:3-4, 11-20, 28-31; 20:10, 13

Commandments: 

Keep the Sabbath day holy, don’t have idols, or create gods, don’t steal, deal falsely, lie, swear by my name falsely, profane God’s name, defraud or rob thy neighbor; don’t keep your employees’ wages from them, don’t curse the deaf or tease the blind; fear God; don’t judge unrighteously, *don’t respect one person over another, don’t gossip, betray, hate, avenge, or bear any grudge;  love thy neighbor as thyself; don’t mix the cattle, seed, or clothing with a different kind; investigate sexual crimes before killing; don’t commit adultery, or homosexuality. 

*This commandment of not respecting people based on their social status is from Lev. 19:15 and I think that it’s very difficult in our culture and society to avoid it.  Ways that I could work on this are praying for an eye single to the glory of God so I can see all His children like he does or by striving to live complete integrity so my actions are not based on what other people think or do, but on what’s right (this can prevent treating someone unfairly because of their status or any reason). 

Prophets: Moses and the Miracles

Prophets Talk to God Face to Face: 

Scriptures/summaries mainly from: Exodus 14:19-30 and Corinthians 10:1-4 

After the children of Israel finally made an escape from Pharaoh following a series of plagues caused by Pharaoh’s disobedience, they were led by divine help toward the promised land.  In Exodus 14:19, it says an “angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them.”  There was a pillar and an angel watching over them. A footnote in the LDS King James version of the Bible leads to Numbers 9:15 which describes a pillar as fire.  This shows how the children of Israel were protected by fire.

Later, the children of Israel are crossing the sea on dry ground because Moses parted it with the power of God.  The Egyptians followed them but eventually, “the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea” after Moses caused the sea to “return to his strength” (Ex. 14:27).  This shows how they were protected by water also.   

This in interesting to me beause in the Book of Mormon, is says: "Behold, it was the faith of Nephi and Lehi that wrought the change upon the Lamanites, that they were baptized with fire and the Holy Ghost" (Ether 12:14).  Besides the importance of baptism by water there is also a spiritual quality to fire of the Holy Ghost that ultimately saves us.  

Importance of a Prophet: Communicating with the prophet specifically

This principle stood out to me when I was reading Exodus 24: 1-3 when the Lord tell the leaders of Israel to come up to the mountain to worship him and then tells Moses specifically to come to him.  He instructs Moses regarding the children of Israel.  This is striking to me because he can talk to his people individually as well as in smaller groups.  He can also talk to the leaders in groups, but this time, he wanted just the prophet.  I think that this shows the importance of having a current prophet and trusting in him to reveal the Lord’s revelations of hope, warnings, instruction, etc. because if there was not a need for this particular communication, the Lord would not have a prophet.  He would just inspire individual men.  It’s important to have a signal mouthpiece at the head of the Lord’s church.  

The Children of Israel

Lesson of God's Patience:

In Exodus 7-10 where the scriptures tell the story of Moses and Aaron trying to convince Pharaoh that he should release the Israelites, there is a long process of agreement.  As Pharaoh requests for each plague to be removed, Moses goes to the Lord as asks of the Lord to remove it.  This process cycles many times while Pharaoh, his servants, and the people of Egypt suffer, sadly.  This is a very historical moment for the Israelites and also very detrimental in a way for the Egyptians.  It’s curious to me that the Lord allows it to be a process and is so willing to comply to Pharaoh’s pleas and yet so firm that Pharaoh must let the people go.  I can see that Heavenly Father’s willingness is there.  He is so patient and wants us to be happy.  Knowing this reminds me of how I can receive so many blessings if I just try my best always to be like Christ and follow his commandments. 

After Moses carefully lead the Children of Israel successfully out of bondage from Pharaoh in Egypt, he found himself a lot of responsibility.  Here is a story about leadership and delegation: 

Taken from this passage: Exodus 18: 13-24

Each day Moses was a judge for the people and helped them learn of God.

He did this morning to evening. Then, his father in law saw this and counseled with him.  He said that it was “not good” to judge for the people all day because it would make him weary and he was not able (vs. 17, 18).    He suggested that he just judge the weightier matters and appoint judges over divisions of the people to be judges over the lesser matters.  

In our day, we have wards, stakes, areas, and the whole world under one president of the church.  This means that each ward calling all the way up to the counselors of the prophet/president of the church helps bear the responsibility that he has to lead and guide his sheep.  Each calling is in charge of just a fraction of the ultimate responsibility but it’s still important because it is a valuable piece of a greater picture.  

Compassion and Story of Joseph of Egypt

An admirable trait about Joseph was his compassion to his brothers: 

Compassion: brings more joy than revenge. 

(Joseph tearfully reveals himself to his brothers: Gen 45:1-5) 

When you are treated badly, having compassion on those who hurt you ultimately brings more happiness to the forgiver.  I love how Joseph was not revengeful in his reunion with his brothers.  He was definitely prepared by faithfulness to the Lord after he was sold into Egypt to be able to forgive and love his brothers even though they were disrespectful to him.  I think that it shows the value of the atonement in each of our lives.  Most, if not all humans would not be capable of such a charitable act without the blessing of the atonement.  I am hopeful that it will help me overcome anything that would keep me from becoming like Heavenly Father.  I think that it is a trait (compassion/ trying to be more like Jesus) that comes as we constantly try our very best!

Story of Joseph of Egypt:

Readings from: Genesis 29-30, 35, 37, 39-41 -inclusive 

Birth Order of Jacob’s sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Nephtali, Gad, Asher, Isaachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin.

Joseph’s brother’s: Joseph’s brothers had several reasons to envy him.  First of all, he was not clearly the first born.  Other brothers could have assumed their right to the birth right because they were either “a” first born (Jacob had several wives/sons of different women) or they were in order to receive the blessing that an elder brother or brothers forfeited by sin (Explanations based on the Institute Student Manual for Old Testament). The fact that Joseph had a dream that he told his brothers and father about depicting him as a leader and his family paying respects to him was also a reason they were jealous(Genesis 37:5-11).

 Challenges Joseph faced (from Genesis 37): Joseph’s brothers hated and envied him(vs. 8,11); Joseph’s father did not understand his dream (vs.10); Joseph’s brother’s conspired against him (vs.18); Joseph’s coat was taken from him (vs. 23); his brother’s cast him into a pit without water (vs.24); Joseph was sold basically as a servant to some travelers going to Egypt and became a servant (vs.28, 36); Joseph’s brothers conspired again and were dishonest to their father about what happened to Joseph (vs. 31-33).

How Joseph faced his challenges successfully/How the Lord was with him:

In Genesis 39:2-3, 21, 23 the phrase “the Lord was with [him/Joseph]” is similar.  In Genesis 39, Joseph is invited again and again by Potipher’s wife to lie with her.  He refused and eventually she was more demanding, so he ran.  He was falsely accused of adultery and was sent to prison (vs. 7-20).  

Remaining morally clean:

I think Joseph made the decision to be morally clean when he was young.  He made consistent decisions to resist anything that would keep him from remaining morally clean up to that point in his life, so he was prepared to resist.

In Genesis 40:12-13, 18-19, Joseph is able to interpret two dreams of his fellow prisoners.  He is able to do this because the Lord blesses him.  Later this proves to be a great blessing when the butler remembers and tells Pharaoh that Joseph interpreted the dreams accurately and Pharaoh asks Joseph to interpret his own dream (Gen.41:12-16).  Joseph then goes on to interpret Pharaoh’s dream (vs. 25-32) and then gives Pharaoh wise council regarding the dream (vs. 33-36).  Following the council to appoint a wise man to lead the people through the time of prospering and famine successfully, Pharaoh recognizes that the Lord is with Joseph and appoints him (vs. 39-41).

~Lessons learned from Joseph’s life~

There are many lessons that I can learn from Joseph’s life.  First of all, he was born to a situation easily suited for hardship because his brothers were jealous of the blessings and favor that Joseph would receive from their father.  He, however seemed unaffected by their envy-ings because he just kept going in life, as far as we know, without complaint.  I think he was blessed with a disposition to be kind and a desire to be righteous. 

The result of his brothers’ continued jealousy was a great adversity to Joseph in my eyes.  Being away from home because your brothers don’t like you and paid someone else to own you as a servant is not ideal by most peoples’ standards, but he didn’t seem to complain here either.  As he was pressed with adversity by temptation and betrayal his spirit was strong in keeping the commandments and not losing faith in God.  He was blessed because he was obedient and I think also because he did not complain but made the best of each situation steadfastly and seemingly cheerfully! :)