Leviticus 11–12, Psalms 13–14, Proverbs 26, 1 Thessalonians 5

Date	Version	Reading Plan
@April 8, 2024	ESV (2016)	M’Cheyne Plan 2024

Leviticus 11–12

Leviticus 11:44–45 (ESV) 44 For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming thing that crawls on the ground. 45 For I am the LORD who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.

The Lord spoke to Aaron and Moses to tell the people which animals were to be considered clean and unclean. Great detail is given in Lev. 11 as to what could be eaten and touched, the duration of uncleanness (often until evening – Lev. 11:24, Lev. 11:25, Lev. 11:27, etc.) the handling of carcasses and other related procedures. However, in Lev. 11:44-45, Moses and Aaron are given the reason why all this was necessary. The people were to consecrate themselves through these practices so as to emulate God’s own holiness. As God’s chosen people whom He brought up out of the land of Egypt, they were to adhere to the divinely-appointed standard to which they had been called.

Psalms 13–14

Psalm 14:1 (ESV) 1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.

The fool speaks of God’s non-existence in his heart and from this springs corruption and abominable deeds. This is not a head-level denial based on logic or reason, but a refutation from his core, the very seat of his will. This is every one of us, a fallen fool by nature, set at enmity with God from the beginning. Only by His grace and His work within us are we made capable of doing good.

Proverbs 26

Proverbs 26:4–5 (ESV) 4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself. 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.

This is a fascinating pairing of proverbs that both prescribes one to not answer a fool in his folly but also describes what will happen if answer is given. The effect is twofold: 1) you will become like the fool and 2) he will be wise in his own eyes. The one who answers will be lowered and the fool lowered further in the reinforcing of his foolishness. The wise and discerning are those who avoid such exchanges, preserving their own integrity and preventing the fool from thinking himself to be wise.

1 Thessalonians 5

1 Thessalonians 5:1–2 (ESV) 1 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

Paul acknowledges that he has no need to write to the Thessalonian church about the coming Day of the Lord because they were already fully aware of how it would come. To Paul, it was more important that they live ready for its coming than to know the exact time. We are to share in Paul’s perspective as we look on and study things regarding the end times. John Piper has said that we should have a “ready, alert, lively expectation of the coming of the Lord.”

Carson on Leviticus 11-12

At its core, holy is almost an adjective corresponding to the noun God. God is God; God is holy. He is unique; there is no other. Then, derivatively, that which belongs exclusively to him is designated holy.

Carson provides here a wonderfully concise and insightful explanation of God’s holiness. It is an attribute so tightly attributed to Him that all that belongs to Him and derives from Him is to be considered no less than holy.

Justin Houtz