We are in chapter nineteen of Leviticus with our word for today. גֵּר stranger, foreigner, sojourner. It is used 92 times in the Old Testament, 4 times in our chapter. We find our word used in the sense of a person who comes from a foreign country who does not owe allegiance to your country, frequently of someone who does not speak one’s native tongue. A good example of this is Abram and Moses. Gensis 23:4 I am a גֵּר sojourner וְתוֹשָׁ֥ב [This is a different word altogether] and foreigner among you; give me property among you for a burying place, that I may bury my dead out of my sight. Exodus 2:22 She gave birth to a son, and he called his name Gershom, for he said, “I have been a גֵּ֣ר sojourner in a נָכְרִיָּֽה [This is a different word altogether] foreign land.” God knows that because of our sinful nature we tend to take advantage of people who are not like us. This is why he instructs his people in this way. Exodus 12:48-49 If a יָג֨וּר [This is a different word but shares the same root word as our word] stranger shall גֵּ֗ר sojourn with you and would keep the Passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised. Then he may come near and keep it; he shall be as a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person shall eat of it. There shall be one law for the native וְלַגֵּ֖ר and for the stranger who הַגָּ֥ר [This is a different word but shares the same root word as our word]  sojourns among you. This is the sense of how our word is used 4 times in our chapter. Leviticus 19:10 And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor וְלַגֵּר֙ and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God. Leviticus 19:33-34 When a יָג֧וּר [This is a different word but shares the same root word as our word] stranger גֵּ֖ר sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat הַגֵּ֣ר the stranger who הַגָּ֣ר [again different word with same root word as our word] sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for גֵרִ֥ים you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. Did you catch God’s reasoning behind this teaching? Because that is how they also started out as strangers in another country they need to remember this and let it encourage their kindness. This is emphasized specifically by God. Exodus 23:9 You shall not oppress a וְגֵ֖ר sojourner. You know the heart of a הַגֵּ֔ר sojourner, for you were גֵרִ֥ים sojourners in the land of Egypt. This theme of God loving all people regardless of where they came from is seen throughout the Bible. I’ll close with some New Testament examples. Ephesians 2:11-13 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Luke 13:29-30 And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” Revelation 7:9-10 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

We are in chapter nineteen of Leviticus with our word for today. הָדַר honor, be honored, boast, swell, be large. It is used 6 times in the Old Testament, twice in our chapter. Our word is used in the sense to be or become partial, showing favoritism for any reason. Exodus 23:2-3 You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice, nor תֶהְדַּ֖ר shall you be partial to a poor man in his lawsuit. It is also used in the sense to be respected, to be shown respect or esteem. Lamentations 5:12 Princes are hung up by their hands; no נֶהְדָּֽרוּ respect is shown to the elders. Both of these senses are how our word is used twice in our chapter today. Leviticus 19:15, 32 You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or תֶהְדַּ֖ר defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor … You shall stand up before the gray head וְהָדַרְתָּ֖ and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the Lord. Both of these themes of favoritism and respect are seen throughout the Bible. Here are some New Testament examples. James 2:1, 9 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism … But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. Romans 13:7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. Our word is also used in the sense to be glorious, to be characterized by grandeur. Isaiah 63:1 Who is this who comes from Edom, in crimsoned garments from Bozrah, he who הָד֣וּר is splendid in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength? “It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save.” Our word is also used in the sense to exalt or praise. Proverbs 25:6-7 Do not תִּתְהַדַּ֥ר put yourself forward in the king's presence or stand in the place of the great, for it is better to be told, “Come up here,” than to be put lower in the presence of a noble. We find Jesus quoting this Proverb in his parable about humility which I will close with. Luke 14:7-11 Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

We are in chapter nineteen of Leviticus with our word for today used for the first time in the Bible. יִדְּעֹנִי spirit of divination, soothsayer, necromancer. It is used 11 times in the Old Testament. Our word for today is always found right next to our word from yesterday since they are very similar in meaning. Our word is used in the sense of necromancer, one who practices divination by conjuring up the dead. Let’s start with our chapter since it is the first time it is used in the Bible. Leviticus 19:31 Do not turn to mediums or הַיִּדְּעֹנִ֔ים necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your God. Probably the best example of what this looks like is when Saul asks for help to contact Samuel who had already died. 1 Samuel 28:3-18 Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had put the mediums and הַיִּדְּעֹנִ֖ים the necromancers out of the land. The Philistines assembled and came and encamped at Shunem. And Saul gathered all Israel, and they encamped at Gilboa. When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets. Then Saul said to his servants, “Seek out for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold, there is a medium at En-dor.” So Saul disguised himself and put on other garments and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, “Divine for me by a spirit and bring up for me whomever I shall name to you.” The woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and הַיִּדְּעֹנִ֖י the necromancers from the land. Why then are you laying a trap for my life to bring about my death?” But Saul swore to her by the Lord, “As the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.” Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” He said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul.” The king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a god coming up out of the earth.” He said to her, “What is his appearance?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped in a robe.” And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and paid homage. Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul answered, “I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams. Therefore I have summoned you to tell me what I shall do.” And Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since the Lord has turned from you and become your enemy? The Lord has done to you as he spoke by me, for the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord and did not carry out his fierce wrath against Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day. Did you notice that Saul didn’t get the answer he wanted. Instead, he got the same answer from Samuel that he had told him while he was alive. It was because of Saul’s sin that the kingdom would be torn away from him. But because Saul didn’t like what God said through Samuel, he tired to go around what God said to get a better outcome. Saul just made everything worse because Samuel continued to share that he and his sons would die while the Philistines would take over the land. Again God never said not to do these things because there is nothing to them. He warns us not to be involved in them because they make everything worse. The good news is that God is more powerful than any dead spirit that a medium or necromancer can conjure up. And God always brings goodness when he connects and communicates with us. I’ll close with this great passage of what happened in Ephesus when these sorts of things were exposed and Jesus was glorified. Acts 19:17-20 And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.

We are in chapter nineteen of Leviticus with our word for today used for the first time in the Bible. אוֹב spirit of the dead, necromancer, ghost, skin-bottle, soothsayer. It is used 16 times in the Old Testament. Our word is used in the sense of a ghost, the spirit of the dead raised by necromancy. 1 Samuel 28:8 So Saul disguised himself and put on other garments and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, “Divine for me by a הָאֹב֥וֹת spirit and bring up for me whomever I shall name to you.” Isaiah 29:4 And you will be brought low; from the earth you shall speak, and from the dust your speech will be bowed down; your voice shall come from the ground like the voice of a כְּא֤וֹב ghost, and from the dust your speech shall whisper. Most of the time our word is used in the sense of a medium, someone who serves as an intermediary between the living and the dead. This is how our word is used in our chapter today which is also the first time it is used in the Bible. Leviticus 19:31 Do not turn to הָאֹבֹת֙ mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your God. God, throughout the rest of the Bible, clearly condemns such practices because of how dangerous and deadly it is to his people. Leviticus 20:6, 27 If a person turns to הָֽאֹבֹת֙ mediums and necromancers, whoring after them, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people … A man or a woman who is a א֛וֹב medium or a necromancer shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones; their blood shall be upon them. God specifically identifies Saul’s failure and death to participating in this practice. 1 Chronicles 10:13-14 So Saul died for his breach of faith. He broke faith with the Lord in that he did not keep the command of the Lord, and also consulted a בָּא֖וֹב medium, seeking guidance. He did not seek guidance from the Lord. Therefore the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse. God points out how ridiculous it is for people to ask for help from dead people instead of asking the living God. Isaiah 8:19 And when they say to you, “Inquire of הָאֹבוֹת֙ the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter,” should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living? I’ll close with another use of our word that emphasizes what we saw yesterday with all the evil activity around our word for today and yesterday’s word. In fact, this evil is so bad, as we have seen, this was why God drove out the people before them from the land. Deuteronomy 18:9-11 When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a אוֹב֙ medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out before you. 

We are in chapter nineteen of Leviticus with our word for today. נָחַשׁ seek and give omens, foretell. It is used 11 times in the Old Testament. Our word is used in the sense of to divine, to find something out by practicing divination. A good example of this is when Joseph was second in command of Egypt and part of his not revealing who he was yet to his brothers he acted like a powerful ruler who would use our word. Genesis 44:4-5, 15 Now Joseph said to his steward, “Up, follow after the men, and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid evil for good? Is it not from this that my lord drinks, and by this that he נַחֵ֥שׁ יְנַחֵ֖שׁ [This is our word used twice so literally divines by divination] practices divination? You have done evil in doing this.’” … Joseph said to them, “What deed is this that you have done? Do you not know that a man like me can indeed נַחֵ֧שׁ יְנַחֵ֛שׁ [This again, is our word used twice so literally divines by divination] practice divination?” We know Joseph never did this. And later we will see why because he understood that God calls us to let him reveal himself to us as his creatures. We also see our word with Laban who actually did this. Genesis 30:27 But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your sight, נִחַ֕שְׁתִּי I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me because of you. Notice that it worked. God never says don’t do this because there is nothing to it. No, he says don’t do this because there is more to it than anyone realizes. It brings great evil with it. Let’s look at our chapter where God specifically condemns it. Leviticus 19:26 You shall not eat any flesh with the blood in it. You shall not תְנַחֲשׁ֖וּ interpret omens or tell fortunes. This is the idea of rejecting God’s revealed word and opening oneself up to evil to learn the future. Notice the evil activity around our word. 2 Kings 17:17 And they burned their sons and their daughters as offerings and used divination וַיְנַחֵ֑שׁוּ and omens and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger. 2 Kings 21:6 And he burned his son as an offering and used fortune-telling וְנִחֵ֔שׁ and omens and dealt with mediums and with necromancers. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger. 2 Chronicles 33:6 And he burned his sons as an offering in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, and used fortune-telling וְנִחֵשׁ֙ and omens and sorcery, and dealt with mediums and with necromancers. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger. This is why God condemns such practice because it opens one up to all sorts of demonic and evil influence. Contrast this with Joseph when asked to interpret Pharo’s dreams. Notice who he gives the credit to and that he is not seeking to know the future but rather responding to what God was doing in revealing himself and the future of Egypt to Joseph. We see the same thing with Daniel. I’ll close with both of these great examples of humbly waiting for God to reveal himself and always giving him the glory. Genesis 41:15-16 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.” Joseph was not going around God’s revealed word he was responding to God revealing himself. Daniel 2:27-28 Daniel answered the king and said, “No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days.

We are in chapter nineteen of Leviticus with our word for today. רֵעַ friend, companion, fellow, lover, comrade. It is used 187 times in the Old Testament, 3 times in our chapter. We find our word used in the sense of friend, a person you know well and regard with affection and trust. Genesis 38:12 In the course of time the wife of Judah, Shua's daughter, died. When Judah was comforted, he went up to Timnah to his sheepshearers, he and רֵעֵ֥הוּ his friend Hirah the Adullamite. Exodus 33:10-11 And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise up and worship, each at his tent door. Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to רֵעֵ֑הוּ his friend. Most of the time our word is used in the sense of neighbor, one who lives or is located near another, countryman. Exodus 2:13 When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, “Why do you strike רֵעֶֽךָ your companion?” This is how our word is used 3 times in our chapter today. Leviticus 19:13, 16, 18 You shall not oppress רֵֽעֲךָ֖ your neighbor or rob him. The wages of a hired worker shall not remain with you all night until the morning … You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand up against the life רֵעֶ֑ךָ of your neighbor: I am the Lord … You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love לְרֵעֲךָ֖ your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord. This is the same context as yesterday with a different word but also translated neighbor. These two words are acting like synonyms. They are also being used to show real practical ways how God desires us to act towards our neighbor. Our word today shows the aspects of not oppressing, not holding back wages that are due, not slandering, not testifying falsely against in court, not take vengeance and not hold a grudge. Wow that’s a lot of specifics to what God desires when we also include all the details from yesterday. Then God sums this up with these simple but powerful words you shall love your neighbor as yourself. This is interesting that in a book about how priests are to serve in the tabernacle worship we find this gem that Jesus quotes and ties it to our relationship with God. This makes sense though when we think about it because the whole point of tabernacle worship was to connect people to God and each other. When we stop and think about how we would like to be treated that changes everything. The challenge is we don’t always do this. I’ll close with these great words of Jesus how he puts all of this together our relationship with God and each other. Matthew 7:12 So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. Mark 12:28-34 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.

We are in chapter nineteen of Leviticus with our word for today. עָמִית community, association of people, fellow citizen, neighbor. It is used 12 times in the Old Testament, 3 times in our chapter. Our word is used in the sense of neighbor, one who lives or is located near another. It is used 11 out of the 12 times in the book of Leviticus. Leviticus 6:1-2, 5-6 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “If anyone sins and commits a breach of faith against the Lord by deceiving בַּעֲמִית֜וֹ his neighbor in a matter of deposit or security, or through robbery, or if he has oppressed עֲמִיתֽוֹ his neighbor … he shall restore it in full and shall add a fifth to it, and give it to him to whom it belongs on the day he realizes his guilt. And he shall bring to the priest as his compensation to the Lord a ram without blemish out of the flock, or its equivalent, for a guilt offering. It is interesting that the person in the wrong not only had to make restitution to the person they stole from but also had to offer a guilt offering to God. This reminds us that when we sin against others we are also sinning against God who also loves our neighbor. This is how our word is used 3 times in our chapter today. Leviticus 19:11, 15, 17 You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; you shall not lie בַּעֲמִיתֽוֹ to one another … You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge עֲמִיתֶֽךָ your neighbor … You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with עֲמִיתֶ֔ךָ your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. All of this instruction is simple and practical. When you live near someone there will usually be things that need to be honestly talked through instead of allowing hatred or underhanded behavior toward your neighbor. Jesus gave us an amazing picture of what a neighbor does towards those near them. I’ll close with this great parable. Luke 10:30-37 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

We are in chapter nineteen of Leviticus with our word for today. עָנִי poor, without property, afflicted, wretched, needy. It is used 80 times in the Old Testament. Our word is used most in the sense of afflicted, one who has been the victim of some pain, injury, or harm, either physically or mentally; often associated with recurring treatment or events. Psalm 10:2, 8-9, 12 In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the עָנִ֑י poor; let them be caught in the schemes that they have devised … His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless; he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket; he lurks that he may seize the עָנִ֑י poor; he seizes the עָ֝נִ֗י poor when he draws him into his net … Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand; forget not the עֲנִיִּים afflicted. The good news is that God cares about this group. Isaiah 14:32 The Lord has founded Zion, and in her the עֲנִיֵּ֥י afflicted of his people find refuge. Our word is also used in the sense of poor that is people without possessions or wealth considered as a group. Deuteronomy 15:10-11 You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. For there will never cease to be אֶבְי֖וֹן [this is a different word for poor] poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, לַעֲנִיֶּ֛ךָ to the needy וּלְאֶבְיֹנְךָ֖ [this is a different word for poor] and to the poor, in your land.’ Exodus 22:25 If you lend money to any of my people with you who is הֶֽעָנִי֙ poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him. This is how our word is used in our chapter today. Leviticus 19:9-10 When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them לֶֽעָנִ֤י for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God. Notice how God provides for the poor in this practical way by commanding those who owned land in this way. I’ll close with this great Psalm that uses our word 3 times. This Psalm is David’s last one about his son the next King. As a man after God’s own heart and inspired by the Holy Spirit we see the ideal picture of what a King is to do. This picture reflects God’s heart that is one of love and protection of all people especially those that have no one else to protect them. Psalm 72:2, 4, 12-14 May he judge your people with righteousness, וַעֲנִיֶּ֥יךָ and your poor with justice! … May he defend the cause of the עֲֽנִיֵּי poor of the people, give deliverance to the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor! … For he delivers the needy when he calls, the וְ֝עָנִ֗י poor and him who has no helper. He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy. From oppression and violence he redeems their life, and precious is their blood in his sight.

We are in chapter nineteen of Leviticus with our word for today. חָלַל be defiled, put into use, profane, pollute, begin. It is used 135 times in the Old Testament, 3 times in our chapter. We find our word used the most in the sense to begin, to start. A couple of good examples are how the feast of weeks was calculated and the effectiveness of Joshua’s leadership. Deuteronomy 16:9 You shall count seven weeks. תָּחֵ֣ל Begin to count the seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain. Joshua 3:7 The Lord said to Joshua, “Today אָחֵל֙ I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. Our word is also used in the sense of defile, to make morally or ritually impure. Jeremiah 16:17-18 For my eyes are on all their ways. They are not hidden from me, nor is their iniquity concealed from my eyes. But first I will doubly repay their iniquity and their sin, because חַלְּלָ֣ם they have polluted my land with the carcasses of their detestable idols, and have filled my inheritance with their abominations.” This is how our word is used 3 times in our chapter today. Leviticus 19:5-8, 12, 29 When you offer a sacrifice of peace offerings to the Lord, you shall offer it so that you may be accepted. It shall be eaten the same day you offer it or on the day after, and anything left over until the third day shall be burned up with fire. If it is eaten at all on the third day, it is tainted; it will not be accepted, and everyone who eats it shall bear his iniquity, because חִלֵּ֑ל he has profaned what is holy to the Lord, and that person shall be cut off from his people … You shall not swear by my name falsely, וְחִלַּלְתָּ֛ and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord … Do not תְּחַלֵּ֥ל profane your daughter by making her a prostitute, lest the land fall into prostitution and the land become full of depravity. Notice these three things if peace offering, using God’s name to deceive others and prostitution are all ways that defile the goodness that he wants his people to experience. We find this theme throughout the Bible that God offers goodness, but his people instead chose to corrupt it. Jeremiah uses the imagery of a well that does not hold water to contrast the goodness that gives life that God gives his people with what the people chose instead. Jeremiah 2:13 for my people have committed two evils:
 they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water. This reminds me of what Jesus said which I will close with. John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

We are in chapter nineteen of Leviticus with our word for today. יָרֵא fear, be afraid, be feared, be honored, terrible, dreaded, awesome. It is used 316 times in the Old Testament. Our word has a broad range of meanings from dread to respect. Here are some examples of dread that is to be afraid or scared of, to be frightened. A good example of this is right after Adam and Eve sinned there attitude toward God changed. Genesis 3:10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, וָאִירָ֛א and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” Another example is when Jacob was scared of what he thought his brother Esau would do to him based on his wanting to kill him before he fled from their home. Genesis 32:7 Then Jacob was greatly וַיִּירָ֧א afraid and distressed. He divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two camps. This idea of being terrified is this sense of our word when people realize they are being visited by God or one of his messengers. Genesis 21:17 And God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? תִּ֣ירְאִ֔י Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. Genesis 26:24 And the Lord appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the God of Abraham your father. תִּירָא֙ Fear not, for I am with you and will bless you and multiply your offspring for my servant Abraham's sake.” Genesis 46:3 Then he said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not תִּירָא֙ be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. Did you notice the instruction? Do not fear in other words do not be terrified. God wants us to not be afraid of him in the sense that we distance ourselves from him. Instead, he wants us to have the other sense of our word for today. Our word is also used in the sense of respect, reverence, in awe of. Genesis 28:16-17 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” וַיִּירָא֙ And he was afraid and said, “How נּוֹרָ֖א awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.” Exodus 1:15-17 Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, “When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.” But the midwives וַתִּירֶ֤אןָ feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. This is a good example of respecting God because they allowed God to influence them more than the King who commanded them to do evil. They disobeyed the King in order to obey God. Exodus 1:21 And because the midwives יָֽרְא֥וּ feared God, he gave them families. This is how our word is used 4 times in our chapter today. Leviticus 19:3, 14, 30, 32 Every one of you תִּירָ֔אוּ shall revere his mother and his father, and you shall keep my Sabbaths: I am the Lord your God … You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, וְיָרֵ֥אתָ but you shall fear your God: I am the Lord … You shall keep my Sabbaths and תִּירָ֑אוּ reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord … You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, וְיָרֵ֥אתָ and you shall fear your God: I am the Lord. Did you notice that each person identified is contrasted with fearing God. These people could be easily taken advantage of so God is instructing people to fear God so they wouldn’t think of exploiting them in their inability to defend themselves. This would also be true of parents especially as they become older. I’ll close with these passages that sums up this idea well. Proverbs 23:10-11 Do not move an ancient landmark or enter the fields of the fatherless, for their Redeemer is strong; he will plead their cause against you. Psalm 68:5 Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. Psalm 146:9 The Lord watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.