“For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy.” Leviticus 11:45a
At the opening of Chapter 11 we are introduced to the Dietary Law where God spoke to Moses and Aaron these words “These are the creatures which you may eat from all the animals that are on the earth.” He then goes on to describe what was, and what was not, allowed. He also outlines what one is to do if they ever touched an “Unclean” animal, or if it touched something they would use. It is quite specific and doesn’t leave much room for uncertainty. Now, no matter how unfamiliar this may be to us as Gentiles (which most of us are) or what we might think of them altogether, This Was their Law and they were obliged to honor and keep it. And until the time of Christ, when it was abrogated, this Law governed the People of God’s Diet!
It is in light of this Law and these Demands we have Today’s Verse. Consider the demands: They were to Consecrate themselves, to be Separate from the rest of the World by way of Diet. They were to be Holy, Religiously Separate, and unlike the World. And finally, they were to do this recognizing that The LORD was their God. Out of all the People groups in the World, God chose the Jews to be exclusively His! This Verse, more than any other Verse in the Bible, summarizes the Unique and Special relationship they were to have with the “LORD their God”!
Fast forward to today. Not much has changed since then. Though much of the Law (such as the Dietary Law) has been fulfilled in Christ, this particular Injunction has not. This is what God expects of His People TODAY – Holiness! His primary and ultimate goal for each of His Children is that we become Holy!!! Essentially, that we become like Jesus. And, this is Not An Option. This Verse applies to Everyone who names the name of Christ. We have a sober reminder of this in the Book of Hebrews: “Pursue peace with all people, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord”! May God give us Grace, and a Heart totally committed to this Command!