Promises And Holiness Series

Promises and Holiness

Leviticus Lesson #11

I. Introduction

A. God’s Promises

1. God has made many promises to His people.

a) The Promise of His Presence – Hebrews 13:5

b) The Promise of Protection – Genesis 15:1

c) The Promise of Power – Philippians 4:13

d) The Promise of Providence – Romans 8:28

e) The Pathway Promise – John 10:4

f) The Purifying Promise – 1 John 1:9

g) The Promise of Provision – Psalm 84:11

2. There has always been an overriding condition to God’s promises.

a) The “IF, THEN” condition.

b) In the English language, if is a word that carries a lot of weight.

c) Genesis 4:7 – “If you do well, will you not be accepted?”

d) Deuteronomy 30:17-18 – “But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, I will announce to you today shall you shall surely perish…”

e) Leviticus 26:3-4 – “If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments and perform, then…”

B. The Levitical Promises

1. In Chapter 26, God sets forth his conditional promises.

2. In this chapter, God sets forth three keys to meeting God’s conditions of His promises from three “if statements.” (3,14, 40)

II. Meeting God’s Promises

A. Keep God’s Commandment (1-13)

1. Because of Who God Is (1)

a) God is unique – There is no other God.

b) Micah 7:18 – “Who is a God like you…”

c) God is loyal – “Your God”

d) God is eternal – “I Am”

2. Because of What God Does (2)

a) He reserved special days for the Jews (Sabbaths).

b) The feasts served as a reminder to the people of God’s provision.

c) They served as a reminder of the rest that awaited them.

d) God dwells among His people – Revelation 1:12

3. Because of What God Promised (3-13)

a) Prosperous Life (3-5) – Joshua 1:8

b) Peaceful Life (6)– 1 Timothy 2:2

c) Protected Life (7-8) – John 10:18

d) Plentiful Life (9) – John 10:10

e) Partnership in Life (10-11) – John 17:20-21

f) Privileged Life (12-13) – John 8:31-36

B. Accept God’s Correction (14-39)

1. The Lord’s correction and chastisement.

a) Those that He loves – Proverbs 3:11-12

b) Job 5:17 – “Happy is the man that God corrects.”

2. Seven Outcomes of a Disobedient Life

a) Confused Life (16-17) – Confusion and dismay and confusion of mind.

b) Barren Life (18-20) – Life of Vanity (Ecclesiastes 1:1ff)

c) Desolate Life (21-22) – Fear, discomfort

d) Violent Life (23-25) – As opposed to peace

e) Unsatisfied Life (26) – Philippians 4:10-11

f) Immoral Life (27-30) – They would turn on their own

g) Unstable Life (31-39) – God would remove them from the land (See James 1:8)

3. God’s promises are both pleasant and unpleasant.

a) Pleasant to the obedient – Hebrews 11:6

b) Unpleasant to the disobedient – 2 Thessalonians 6-10

C. Remember God’s Covenant (40-46)

1. The Forgiving Nature of God

a) Exodus 34:6-7 – “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin…”

b) God’s character does not change – Malachi 3:6

c) His promises are always true – 2 Peter 3:9

d) He promised to forgive and to restore when the conditions are met – Leviticus 26:40-42, Nehemiah 9:2

2. The Forgetful Nature of Man

a) While God never forgets His covenant, man often forgets God’s law.

b) However with repentance comes restoration and reconciliation.

c) Physical Israel was restored to their land in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah.

d) Christians are reconciled through the work of Christ – 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

e) To be reconciled on must be in Christ – Galatians 3:26-27

f) Then must walk in the light of Christ – 1 John 1:7

3. The Formula to Remember.

a) Confession of Sin (40) – 2 Samuel 12:13

b) Contrite Hearts (41) – Psalm 51:17

c) Corrective Measures (41b) – Luke 15:20

d) Compassion of God (42, 45) – Matthew 9:36

III. Conclusion

A. The Book of Holiness

1. A Summary of the Lessons Learned from Leviticus

a) Our God is a Holy God – 19:2

b) God desires His people to be holy – 11:44-45

c) Holiness requires sacrifice

d) Holiness demands obedience.

e) Holiness produces purity.

f) Holiness pleases God.

g) Holiness brings honor to God

2. God’s Holy People

a) 1 Peter 2:9-10 – “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him, who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who were once not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.”

b) A two-verse summary of the book of Leviticus.

c) Are we that holy and special people?

B. Invitation