(4) Ordinances concerning the Covenant and Holiness

 

(4) Ordinances concerning the Covenant and Holiness

Leviticus chapters 21 and 22 are about the holy lives of the priests and are composed of six sections, distinguished by the phrase, “I am the LORD who sanctifies them.” The phrase, “I am the LORD who sanctifies you,” is repeated in the concluding section of the six sections. Additionally, the passage from Leviticus 22:31 to 33 corresponds to the overall concluding section of Leviticus chapters 21 and 22.

Chapter 22 consists of three parts. The first part is Leviticus 22:1 through 9. Here, it warns that if priests become unclean through various means, they must never eat the food that priests are permitted to eat. Priests become unclean by coming into contact with a person suffering from a skin disease or with a deceased person. Verse 9 strongly states that for unclean priests to eat the priestly food is a sin against God and could result in death.

The second part is found in Leviticus 22:10–16 and concerns the food that priests are permitted to eat. While the first part dealt with cases where the priests' food was never to be eaten, the second part clarifies who is allowed to eat the priests' food despite not being priests. The priests' food was available not only to the priests but also to their families. This family included household servants. It also records the circumstances under which married daughters are permitted to eat the priests' food.

The third part is Leviticus 22:17 through 33. It speaks of the fact that when offering gifts to God, one must bring an animal without blemish. This implies that when offering gifts to God, one must offer the very best. Verse 25 states, “Do not accept such things from foreigners as food for your God, for they are defective and blemished, and will not be acceptable to you.” The gifts offered to God are described as “food for God.”

Leviticus 22:2 “Speak to Aaron and his sons and have them separate themselves from the holy things that the children of Israel present to Me, so that they do not profane My holy name. I am the LORD.”

It is an ordinance concerning sacred objects, and what the priest eats is the sacred object. Sacred objects are sacrificial food offered before God. However, with the advent of the New Testament, every single believer becomes a priest. The sacred object that believers must eat as priests will be the flesh and blood of Jesus. Jesus said, "Whoever does not eat my flesh and drink my blood has no part with me." Drinking the blood of Jesus signifies that one has died with Jesus on the cross, dying to sin and to the soul. Eating the flesh signifies that one has resurrected with Christ.

Leviticus 22:3 “Tell them: ‘Anyone among your descendants who, throughout his generations, is unclean and comes near the holy things that the Israelites consecrate to the LORD, shall be cut off from my presence. I am the LORD.’”

The priests had to live a life worthy of eating. Therefore, they could only partake of the sacred offerings if they first lived a holy life free from impurity. On the surface, they likely thought that being holy meant keeping the law well and refraining from sin. They also believed that even if they sinned, they became holy by offering sacrifices to God. However, holiness is a gift from God given from heaven. One who dies with Jesus on the cross—that is, one who dies to sin—becomes holy.

Romans 6:6-7 "And we know that our old self was crucified with Jesus so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be slaves to sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin and declared righteous."

Leviticus 22:4-7: “Among the children of Aaron, no leper or any who has a discharge shall eat the holy food until he is clean. And anyone who has touched a dead body, or has had a discharge, or has touched any worm that makes a person unclean, or has touched anything that can defile a person—anyone who has touched such things is unclean until evening; unless he washes his body with water, he shall not eat the holy food. He shall be clean at twilight, and then he shall eat the holy food, for it is his food.”

Leprosy was perceived as a disease resulting from God's curse, so those afflicted were isolated and lived outside the city walls. Consequently, if a priest contracted this disease, he was strictly forbidden from performing his duties until he was fully cured; only after recovery could he resume his work. Leprosy is a disease that spreads. That is why isolation is required. It is a disease that must be resolved through burning. Leprosy is defined as an unclean disease. Being unclean reveals the sinful nature of those who have turned away from God. Through the uncleanness of the leper, God shows that you are all unclean individuals who have departed from the Kingdom of God.

Regarding the discharge, Leviticus 15:2 states, "Speak to the children of Israel and say: 'If anyone has a discharge (zav) in his body (basar), he is unclean because of the discharge.'"

דַּבְּרוּ֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֖ם אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אִ֣ישׁ אִ֗ישׁ כִּ֤י יִהְיֶה֙ זָ֣ב מִבְּשָׂרֹ֔ו זֹובֹ֖ו טָמֵ֥א הֽוּא׃

The root 'Zav' (זָ֣ב, the base form is 'Zub') carries meanings such as "to flow naturally (like water)," that is, "to hemorrhage (especially of the genitals)," "to symbolically use up," "to overflow," "to flow," "to gush out," "to continuously discharge," "to weaken," and "to leap."

 

This discharge must be cleansed according to the regulations established by God. Leviticus 15 distinguishes the regulations regarding this discharge into four categories: first, the unnatural discharge of men; second, the natural discharge of men; third, the natural discharge of women; and fourth, the unnatural discharge of women. The Korean Revised Version translates this as "discharge disease," which brings to mind sexually transmitted diseases. It signifies that this discharge originated from the 'basar'.

Mivsharou (מִבְּשָׂרֹ֔ו, the base form is Basar) means "from the body." Basar is derived from words meaning "fresh" or "to convey good news," but it carries meanings such as person, humanity, nakedness, and self. Looking at English translations, it is rendered as "fresh" (KJV) and "body" (NIV), where "fresh" is translated as the physical body. "Body" refers to a mass of flesh. The physical body signifies religious sentiment and the self that manifest from the flesh. This word represents religious sentiment for oneself. Those who believe in God receive good news from Him, but if they consider Him a god for themselves, it is akin to eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Thus, one becomes naked.

Leviticus 15:10 describes the uncleanness caused by a discharge as, "He shall wash his clothes and wash his body with water." This symbolizes the death of the old self (sin).

Leviticus 21 speaks about “those who have become unclean by a corpse.” What God requires of the priests can be broadly categorized into three points. First, He requires them to maintain purity of body and mind. Regarding physical purity, this means they must not touch a corpse. “You shall not defile yourselves by touching a dead person among His people.” While “corpse” or “dead” superficially refers to the physically dead, here it signifies the spiritually dead.

If one touched a corpse, one was forbidden from entering the sanctuary for seven days. Those who are spiritually dead have no rest in heaven. Just as the seven days signify the seven days of creation, they represent the state of those trapped in the world. Those trapped in the world have no rest and become those who cannot enter the sanctuary. However, on the seventh day—that is, when one discovers Christ within the law—one obtains rest.

However, it was permitted when a member of the priest’s family died. "He may defile himself through his flesh and blood, whether his mother, his father, his son, his daughter, his brother, or his sister who is an unmarried virgin."

The priest symbolizes Jesus Christ. It signifies that if one becomes one who has died by being united with Jesus, the corpse who died on the cross, God makes one holy. During this time, the priest was unclean for one day; while wearing this uncleanness, he could not touch or eat the holy things, and he could only eat them again after washing his body and waiting a day. Washing the body represents death to sin. It is water baptism.

Regarding the one who has ejaculated, ejaculation refers to a man secreting semen unconsciously or through nocturnal emissions. In this case, the man who has ejaculated was, superficially, considered unclean under the law until that evening. This is because the semen that flowed out at that time came from the fallen and corrupt human flesh. As such, in the Old Testament era, secretions from the human body—namely, blood, semen, and saliva—were regarded as unclean, because the intention was to teach inner purity through outer purity.

The focus is placed on physical and environmental impurity. In the New Testament era, the focus shifts to spiritual sacrifice. In Romans 12:1-2, it states, "Therefore, brothers and sisters, I urge you, by the mercy of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God—this is your spiritual worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to discern what is the will of God—what is good, pleasing, and perfect." Worship is becoming a holy living sacrifice. It refers to being crucified with Jesus on the cross. It does not mean serving and striving diligently with a good heart, but rather that the old self must die.

"Unless he washes his body with water, he shall not eat the holy food; he shall be clean only at sunset, and only then shall he eat the holy food." Washing does not signify cleansing from impurity; rather, washing also signifies death. Although the baptismal ritual is performed with water, it does not signify a ritual of washing away sins, but rather a death to sin.

Leviticus 22:8 “Do not defile yourself by eating a corpse or a torn animal. I am the LORD.”

A corpse or a dead animal becomes rotten food. This is the heart of one who claims to be born again by the Holy Spirit yet tries to keep the law. It is like a dead animal that is outwardly food but inwardly rotten. "Do not cast your pearls before swine." The pearls refer to the church that Jesus Christ buys by selling everything.

Those who have received forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ and been freed from the law, yet still try to follow the law and fall into sin, are called dogs and pigs. Even though all sins have been forgiven in Christ, if one tries to become a holy person by judging whether or not to sin again based on the law, that person becomes a dog or a pig in the sight of God. Therefore, it is written, "Beware lest they trample it under their feet and turn and tear you to pieces," meaning that dogs and pigs harm the church.

Leviticus 22:9 “They shall keep my commandments, lest they sin through them and die in the midst of it. I am the LORD, who sanctifies them.”

 “If one makes it profane”—on the surface—means that if a priest who is impure violates the prohibitions commanded by God and touches or eats the holy objects, the objects themselves, which were consecrated and offered as holy, ultimately become impure. For an impure person to defile the holy objects in this way is to blaspheme God’s holiness and lead to death. If one participates in the Holy Communion—drinking the blood of Jesus and eating His flesh—while believing one has become a child of God without being spiritually united with Jesus Christ (remaining in a state of sin), the result is that he drinks and eats sin. He remains in the carnal state that ought to die. The reason for keeping God’s commands is to become holy. Therefore, being united with Jesus and dying is a prerequisite for becoming holy.

It commands that if a priest becomes unclean through various means, he must never eat the food that priests are permitted to eat. Priests become unclean if they come into contact with a person suffering from a skin disease or with a deceased person. It was stated that for unclean priests to eat the priestly food is a sin against God and could result in death.

The point is that those who died with Jesus on the cross must no longer eat spiritually dead food. The living food of life is food from heaven. Jesus is the one who came to the world to die on the cross to atone for sin. He became impure. Therefore, He died to sin. Those who died with Jesus on the cross have also died to sin.

Leviticus 22:10-11: “No ordinary person shall eat the holy food, nor shall the priest’s guest or hired servant eat it. But if a priest has bought someone with his own money, that person shall eat it; and he shall do likewise eat the one born in his household, and they shall eat the priest’s food.”

This is a regulation concerning those who may share food with the priest. It implies that this is possible if one lives in the same house as the priest. This is equivalent to eating the flesh of Jesus and drinking His blood in Christ. The Holy Communion must be eaten and drunk by those who are in Christ. Otherwise, one is drinking sin. Those who are in Christ refer to those who have died with Jesus Christ. This is because Jesus Christ purchased with His blood those who enter into Christ—that is, those who have died with Him. By purchasing with blood, He enables them to enter into the resurrection of life. Therefore, He allows them to eat the food of heaven.

Leviticus 22:12-13: “If a daughter of a priest marries a commoner, she shall not eat the holy offerings of heave; but if she returns to her parents’ home—whether as a widow, divorced, or childless—and becomes like she was in her youth, she shall eat her father’s portion of food, but the commoner shall not eat it.”

If a priest's daughter had married and left home, she could not eat, but if she returned to her parents' home, she could. Those who enter into Christ confess that they are sinners, just like the widow, the poor, the blind, and the tax collector, and turn their hearts to Christ. Turning one's heart means repenting, realizing that one is a being destined to die before God, confessing that one has died with Jesus, and believing in resurrection with Christ. Although they were sinners who had left the Kingdom of God, just as the prodigal son returns to his father, they have now become children of God and can eat the food of heaven. Previously, they ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but now they will eat the fruit of life.

Leviticus 22:14 "If anyone eats a holy thing without intent, he shall give one-fifth of it to the priest."

“If a person eats a holy thing unwittingly,” the Hebrew word ‘ish’ (אִ֕ישׁ) corresponding to ‘person’ here refers to all the ordinary people of Israel, excluding the family of the priests. Furthermore, the word ‘unwittingly’ (ִּשְׁגָגָ֑ה ‘bishgaga’, the base form being ‘shegaga’) means ‘thoughtlessly, by mistake, without realizing it.’ Therefore, if there was anyone who intentionally ate a holy thing knowing that they were forbidden to eat, they could not escape the punishment of death before God.

To partake in the Lord's Supper of His blood and eat His flesh, which symbolizes His resurrection, without understanding the meaning of union with the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, is to eat and drink sin. In cases where one had sinned against the holy things, the regulations for the guilt offering had to be followed, specifically by “adding one-fifth to the holy things.” Therefore, in such cases, the offender had to offer a guilt offering and also give the priest an additional one-fifth of the holy things as restitution (Leviticus 5:14-16).

 

The regulations concerning the guilt offering continue from Leviticus 5:14-19 through Chapter 7. The guilt offering is called *Asham* in Hebrew and carries the meanings of guilt, compensation, and restitution.

According to Leviticus 5:14 to 6:7, the guilt offering was a sacrifice of atonement in which, after committing a sin against God’s holy things—such as stealing tithes or offerings—or committing a sin against another person and causing damage to their property, one had to make restitution by adding 20% ​​to the value of the property, and then offer a flawless ram as a guilt offering required for the transgression.

One-fifth means twenty-hundredths. It is ten and ten. The ten signifies the atoning death of Jesus Christ, and the remaining ten signifies death on the cross in union with Jesus Christ. It is offering myself. The root of sin is the desire to become like God. He who dies to sin obtains life.

Regarding the offering of myself, the number 10 signifies the whole. The number 20 symbolizes the whole twice: one for sin, and the other for the physical body. Sin must be repaid, which is death with Jesus. This is expressed as water baptism. The remaining one is the death of the physical body. It signifies baptism by fire and carries the meaning of casting off the former garments.

Leviticus 22:15-16: “The children of Israel shall not profane the holy offerings to the LORD; for if they eat of them, they shall be punished for their sin. I am the LORD, who makes the food holy.”

The holy offering is Jesus Christ. Eating the holy offering signifies union with Jesus, who died on the cross. Thus, one becomes one who has died to sin. However, God makes the one who has eaten the holy offering holy again. It is resurrection with Christ. One who believes that He died on the cross and resurrected while alive becomes holy.

Leviticus 22:17-20: “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the house of Israel: When the children of Israel or the sojourners among them offer a vow offering or a freewill offering to the LORD, along with a burnt offering, they must offer a male without blemish—a bull, a sheep, or a goat—that is acceptable to him. You must not offer anything with a blemish, for it will not be acceptable to him.’”

The spotless sacrifice is Jesus Christ. Humans cannot be a spotless sacrifice. Only those who have entered into Christ become a spotless sacrifice. Therefore, the sacrifice God desires is to be united with Christ. Galatians 3:26 states, "But you are all sons of God in Christ Jesus through faith. And all who have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ."

Leviticus 22:21-22: “If anyone offers a peace offering of an ox or a sheep to the Lord to fulfill a vow, or to offer a gift of his own accord, he must choose one that is whole and without blemish, so that it may be accepted by the Lord. You shall not offer to the Lord anything that is blind, bruised, cut off, has a sore, has a skin sore, or is mangeful; such things shall not be offered to the Lord as a burnt offering on the altar.”

Peace offerings were offered for various purposes. First, they were offered when a vow was necessary. Second, they were sacrifices offered when there was something to be thankful for. Third, they were offered to express love and joy to God. This section explains the vow offering and the voluntary offering.

Leviticus 7:14 states, "From the whole offering, you shall bring one to the Lord as a heave offering, and return it to the priests who sprinkled the blood of the peace offering."

 

A heave offering (Tyruma) is a sacrifice performed by lifting the offering high and lowering it. It signifies that peace offerings, the first fruits of the land, and spoils of war have been offered to God and are now being received back. It is used when offering sacrifices of devotion and thanksgiving to God. Leviticus 7:32 states, "You shall also give the right hind leg of the peace offering to the priest as a heave offering."

Geoje is a ritual of offering up to God and a ritual of receiving back. When offering to God, one offers oneself. It signifies the destruction of the self. The self is a soul that desires to become like God. Therefore, that soul must inevitably die. Dying with Jesus on the cross refers precisely to this. Receiving back means receiving the spiritual body, which is new life. This is resurrection.

Chapter 22, Verse 22 specifically points out the blemished animals that must not be offered as sacrifices to the LORD. On the surface, the purpose of specifically identifying the objects that could not be offered as sacrifices was, first, to make the people of Israel realize the necessity of their own sanctification through the offering of perfect sacrifices, and second, to teach that anyone who approaches God must first cleanse themselves from all impurity in this way.

The word "damaged" is derived from *shavar* (שָׁב֜וּר), meaning "to break" or "to be wounded," signifying a state of disability resulting from a broken limb or a severe injury. The word "cut by a limb" is derived from *haratz* (חָר֣וּץ), meaning "to sharply stimulate," signifying a state of disability resulting from the amputation of an arm or leg. The word "sore" is derived from *yaberet* (יַבֶּ֗לֶת, base form *yabal*), meaning "to flow," signifying a state where a festering wound bursts open and pus flows out. The Hebrew word *yalephet* (יַלֶּ֔פֶת) refers to an animal covered in ringworm.

On the other hand, however, all the diseased or abnormal animals listed here are not treated as unclean because they inherently possess some sin. Rather, these are things that deviate from God's order, and are intended to reveal the essence of sin. Therefore, there is no perfect and spotless sacrifice other than Jesus Christ. Only he who enters into Christ becomes the one who offers the perfect sacrifice.

Leviticus 22:23 "You may use any part of an ox or a sheep as a freewill offering, but if you offer it as a vow offering, it will not be accepted by Him."

“Those with more or less than the same body” refers to cases where an animal is not disabled due to illness or injury, but has an abnormally small body or limbs that are too large or too small.

“It may be used as a vow offering.” In principle, no animal with even the slightest blemish could be offered to God; however, it was possible to offer it as a sacrifice specifically for the reconciliation and fellowship between God and the worshipper, particularly in the case of a voluntary offering (freewill offering) offered with thanksgiving. This signifies that a relationship of true peace will be established between God and all saints who will overcome sin and be redeemed in Christ, and it represents the relationship between the resurrected saints and God. Even though one has been resurrected in the present, there may still be physical deficiencies. God is forgiving of this. This is the reason He commands us to make signs while we are alive.

Leviticus 22:24-25: “You shall not offer to the Lord a testicle that is bruised, torn, ruptured, or cut off; nor do you do such things in your own land, nor accept such things from a foreigner to offer as food to your God, for they are defective and blemished, and will not be acceptable to you.”

On the surface, it is a command never to use an animal with testicles that are broken, ruptured, severed, or otherwise abnormal as a sacrifice to Jehovah. It states, "Do not do such a thing." This is a warning against castrating animals, as was practiced by the Gentiles of that time. In ancient Hebrew society, the testicles were regarded as the core of a male's ability to conceive offspring, or the source of life. Therefore, castrating them was considered the removal of the ability to reproduce—an act of destroying life—and furthermore, a criminal act that broke God's order; thus, it was strictly prohibited.

Spiritually, God promised Abraham descendants and land, and descendants signify the seed of promise. Regarding the presence or absence of the seed of promise, Genesis 6:2 uses the expressions "daughter of a man" and "son of God." Those without the seed of promise cannot become children of God. Therefore, they cannot be used as a sacrificial offering. This is because Jesus Christ is the very seed of promise and becomes the sacrificial offering.

Regarding foreigners, the Hebrew word *nekar* (נֵכָ֗ר) refers to a pure foreigner completely unrelated to the Israelite community. "Food of God" is an expression referring to sacrificial offerings presented to God. In other words, it describes the act of slaughtering an animal, shedding its blood, and burning its meat on an altar for the forgiveness of sins and salvation as if it were an offering of food to God.

“For they are defective and blemished.” The prophet Malachi rebukes the Israelites for offering defective animals as sacrifices, stating that it is an act of contempt for God, saying, “Is it not evil to offer blind sacrifices? Is it not evil to offer lame and sick sacrifices? Now try offering them to your governor; will he be pleased with you? Will he accept you?” (Malachi 1:8).

Leviticus 22:26-27: “The Lord said to Moses, ‘Whenever a bull, a sheep, or a goat is born, let it stay with its mother for seven days. From the eighth day onward, the Lord will accept the offering as a burnt offering.’”

Animals could be offered as sacrifices as long as they were at least eight days old, but generally, animals one year old or older were used as offerings. An animal suitable for use as a sacrifice had to be at least seven days old. “Let it stay with its mother for seven days.” On the surface, this is a command to keep the animal with its mother for at least seven days after birth, even though it is an offering to God. This is a regulation that deeply reflects the spirit of God’s compassion and mercy toward all living things.

In a spiritual sense, the eight days are a symbol of resurrection and are deeply connected to the circumcision ritual performed eight days after birth. Staying with the mother for seven days is an expression of the old man (the first man Adam: death on the cross), and the eight days signify the beginning of the new man (the last man Adam: resurrection).

Leviticus 22:28 "You shall not slaughter a mother and her young on the same day, whether cow or ewe."

“You shall not take the mother and the young on the same day.” On the surface, this is a regulation prohibiting humans from cruelly slaughtering animals. At that time, cruel customs were prevalent among Gentile tribes, such as slaughtering the mother and young together (Deut. 22:6,7) or boiling the young of an animal in its mother’s milk (Ex. 23:19), either out of superstitious beliefs or for gastronomic pleasure.

However, such acts broke the sacred moral laws established by God, and the people of Israel were never to follow them. Therefore, this ordinance ultimately reflects God’s deep compassion and teaches us that the affectionate relationship between mother and child, which is formed even in the animal world according to God’s order of creation, must be preserved as sacred.

However, spiritually, all humans in this world are those who have turned away from God. Although they were originally children of God, humans are those who are trapped in the dust of the world due to the sin of failing to maintain their status in the Kingdom of God. It is a concept similar to the parable of the prodigal son. As a Father, God could not judge them. Therefore, He raised up Christ to be born into the world as a human being, and that One is Jesus.

Jesus died on the cross as the mediator between God and man. It carries the meaning of God sacrificing Himself to save His child. Through the relationship between mother and offspring, it is a call to deeply reflect on God the Father and the sinners who have turned away from God.

Leviticus 22:29-30: “When you offer a thank offering to the Lord, you must offer it in a way that is acceptable to you. You must eat it on that day and not leave it until the next day. I am the Lord.”

The thank offering refers to the sacrificial offering presented as a thank offering among peace offerings. “Eating the offering on the same day”: In the case of peace offerings, the sacrificial offering presented as a thank offering could only be eaten on the day the sacrifice was offered. However, in the case of a vow offering or a voluntary offering, it could be eaten until the following day.

Dying with Jesus on the cross and rising with Christ signifies a complete resurrection. Resurrection is not merely a change of mind. It does not mean eating only a portion of meat and leaving the rest for the next day. Resurrection is not a gradual change of the mind. Being born again is the same concept as resurrection. The physical body received from one's parents is bound to die. And if one believes in the death of the body while alive, one can also believe in receiving a spiritual body from heaven. Resurrection is not incomplete, but a complete transformation. The former has vanished (the old self), and one has become a new creation (the new self).

Leviticus 22:31-33: “Keep my commandments and do them. I am the LORD. Do not profane my holy name, for I shall be sanctified among the children of Israel. I am the LORD who sanctifies you, and I am the one who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God. I am the LORD.”

“Keep and obey the commandments.” The purpose for which God established the law is clearly revealed. That is, God’s purpose in establishing the law was by no means to condemn or judge Israel, but to enable His covenant people to maintain continuous fellowship with Him by keeping and obeying it, and as a result, to enjoy eternal blessings. Therefore, although the law may appear to impose bondage and condemnation on humanity, in its fundamental spirit it reflects God’s love for His people, which was later sublimated and developed into the Gospel in Christ.

It means to realize that while trying to keep the law, one is a sinner who cannot keep it completely, and to realize that unless the offspring of the woman, the sacrificial offering, comes, one cannot approach righteousness. However, the Pharisees and scribes of Jesus' time believed that they could approach righteousness by strictly keeping the law. Jesus said that they were children of the devil.

On the surface, it means that glory is given to God only when His people revere Him and faithfully observe His statutes and ordinances. However, within this lies the message that you are all sinners. It means to discover that the Tree of Life is hidden within the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

It presents the reasons and grounds for all the ordinances that God commanded the people of Israel through Moses. In other words, the reason why Jehovah God chose Israel—a humble and insignificant slave nation among all peoples—to deliver them from Egypt and make them His people was precisely to be sanctified through them. That is, it was to become their holy God. Because of this very reason and purpose, God desired to separate them from other Gentile nations, and He gave them various laws as a specific method of that separation.

Therefore, outwardly, for the people of Israel, when they faithfully observed the various statutes commanded by God and correctly realized the true meaning embedded within those statutes, that is precisely what makes God God and becomes holiness for them. Holiness does not lie in the regulations and letters of the law, but rather in knowing the meaning of holiness when one realizes God's will contained within them.

Holiness is becoming one with God. It is shedding former sins and returning to God. Therefore, one must die with Jesus to be resurrected with Jesus. Resurrection is holiness. The people of Israel should have looked toward the coming Messiah, the offspring of the woman, but they thought more of their own righteousness.