◄ Leviticus 18:4 ►
You are to practice My judgments and keep My statutes by walking in them. I am the LORD your God.
Study Bible
You are to practice
The Hebrew root for "practice" is "עָשָׂה" (asah), which means to do, make, or execute. This word implies an active, intentional engagement with God's commands. It is not merely about passive acknowledgment but involves a deliberate effort to incorporate God's judgments into daily life. In the ancient context, this would have been understood as a call to live out one's faith through actions, reflecting a commitment to God's will.

My judgments
The term "judgments" comes from the Hebrew "מִשְׁפָּט" (mishpat), which refers to decisions or ordinances. These are divine decrees that provide guidance for moral and ethical living. Historically, these judgments were seen as God's way of establishing justice and righteousness among His people. They are not arbitrary rules but are rooted in God's character and His desire for His people to reflect His holiness.

and keep
The word "keep" is translated from the Hebrew "שָׁמַר" (shamar), meaning to guard, observe, or give heed. This suggests a vigilant and careful attention to God's statutes. It implies a protective stance, ensuring that God's laws are not only remembered but also preserved and honored in one's life. This reflects a deep respect and reverence for God's word.

My statutes
"Statutes" is derived from the Hebrew "חֻקָּה" (chuqqah), which refers to decrees or laws that are prescribed. These are specific commands given by God that define the boundaries of holy living. In the historical context of Israel, these statutes were integral to maintaining a covenant relationship with God, setting His people apart from surrounding nations.

by walking in them
The phrase "walking in them" uses the Hebrew "הָלַךְ" (halak), which means to go, walk, or live. This metaphor of walking suggests a continuous, habitual lifestyle. It indicates that adherence to God's judgments and statutes is not a one-time event but a lifelong journey. This imagery of walking is prevalent in Scripture, symbolizing a dynamic and ongoing relationship with God.

I am the LORD
The declaration "I am the LORD" uses the divine name "יְהוָה" (YHWH), emphasizing God's eternal, self-existent nature. This statement serves as a reminder of God's authority and sovereignty. It underscores that the commands given are not merely human constructs but are issued by the Creator Himself, who is intimately involved with His people.

your God
The phrase "your God" personalizes the relationship between God and His people. It highlights the covenantal bond, where God is not a distant deity but a personal God who has chosen Israel as His own. This relationship is foundational to understanding the purpose and significance of the laws given, as they are meant to foster a community that reflects God's holiness and love.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The prophet and leader of the Israelites who received the laws from God on Mount Sinai. He is the central human figure in the delivery of Levitical laws.

2. Israelites
The chosen people of God, who were delivered from slavery in Egypt and are now receiving God's laws to live by in the Promised Land.

3. Mount Sinai
The place where God gave Moses the Ten Commandments and the laws, including those found in Leviticus.

4. Canaan
The land promised to the Israelites, where they are to live according to God's statutes and judgments.

5. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant-keeping God of Israel, who establishes His laws for His people to follow.
Teaching Points
Obedience to God's Law
God's statutes and judgments are not merely suggestions but commands that require our obedience. As believers, we are called to live in a way that reflects His holiness.

Identity in God
The phrase "I am the LORD your God" reminds us of our identity as God's people. Our actions should reflect our relationship with Him.

Walking in God's Ways
Walking in God's statutes implies a continuous, daily commitment to live according to His will. It is an active, ongoing process.

Holiness and Distinction
God's laws set His people apart from the surrounding nations. As Christians, we are called to be distinct in our conduct, reflecting God's holiness.

Covenant Relationship
The laws are given within the context of a covenant relationship. Our obedience is a response to God's faithfulness and love.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding the historical context of Leviticus 18:4 enhance our appreciation of God's laws today?

2. In what ways can we "walk" in God's statutes in our daily lives, and what challenges might we face in doing so?

3. How does the identity of God as "the LORD your God" influence our understanding of His authority and our response to His commands?

4. What are some practical ways we can teach and pass on God's statutes to the next generation, as seen in Deuteronomy 6:1-9?

5. How does the New Testament, particularly the teachings of Jesus and the apostles, affirm and expand upon the principles found in Leviticus 18:4?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Exodus 20
The giving of the Ten Commandments, which are foundational to the statutes and judgments mentioned in Leviticus 18:4.

Deuteronomy 6:1-9
Emphasizes the importance of keeping God's commandments and teaching them to future generations, reinforcing the call to live by God's statutes.

Psalm 119
A meditation on the beauty and necessity of God's laws, echoing the call to walk in His statutes.

Matthew 5:17-20
Jesus' affirmation of the Law, emphasizing that He came not to abolish it but to fulfill it, highlighting the continuity of God's moral standards.

James 1:22-25
Encourages believers to be doers of the Word, not just hearers, aligning with the call to walk in God's statutes.
Sermons
Two Aspects of SinW. Clarkson Leviticus 18:1-4
Obedience EnjoinedS.R. Aldridge Leviticus 18:1-5
Safety in the Observance of God's LawsBp. Babington.Leviticus 18:1-5
Abominable DoingsJ.A. Macdonal Leviticus 18:1-30
The True Morality is Based Upon the True ReligionR.A. Redford Leviticus 18:1-30
UnworldlinessR.M. Edgar Leviticus 18:1-30
People
Israelites, Molech, Moses
Places
Canaan, Egypt, Teman
Topics
Accord, Careful, Decisions, Decrees, Follow, Guided, Judgments, Laws, Observe, Ordinances, Perform, Rules, Statutes, Therein, Walk
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Leviticus 18:1-5

     1235   God, the LORD
     7258   promised land, early history

Leviticus 18:1-22

     5714   men

Leviticus 18:1-24

     8273   holiness, ethical aspects

Leviticus 18:4-5

     8402   claims

Library
General Character of Christians.
"And they that are Christ's have crucified the Flesh, with the Affections and Lusts." St. Paul is supposed to have been the first herald of gospel grace to the Galatians; and they appear to have rejoiced at the glad tidings, and to have received the bearer with much respect. But after his departure, certain judaizing teachers went among them, and labored but too successfully, to alienate their affections from him, and turn them form the simplicity of the gospel. The malice and errors of those deceitful …
Andrew Lee et al—Sermons on Various Important Subjects

"They have Corrupted Themselves; their Spot is not the Spot of his Children; they are a Perverse and Crooked Generation. "
Deut. xxxii. 5.--"They have corrupted themselves; their spot is not the spot of his children; they are a perverse and crooked generation." We doubt this people would take well with such a description of themselves as Moses gives. It might seem strange to us, that God should have chosen such a people out of all the nations of the earth, and they to be so rebellious and perverse, if our own experience did not teach us how free his choice is, and how long-suffering he is, and constant in his choice. …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The Doctrine of Arbitrary Scriptural Accommodation Considered.
"But the Righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise,--Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into Heaven?' (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) or, Who shall descend into the deep?' (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth; and in thine heart:' that is, the word of Faith, which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from …
John William Burgon—Inspiration and Interpretation

Epistle Lxiv. To Augustine, Bishop of the Angli .
To Augustine, Bishop of the Angli [174] . Here begins the epistle of the blessed Gregory pope of the city of Rome, in exposition of various matters, which he sent into transmarine Saxony to Augustine, whom he had himself sent in his own stead to preach. Preface.--Through my most beloved son Laurentius, the presbyter, and Peter the monk, I received thy Fraternity's letter, in which thou hast been at pains to question me on many points. But, inasmuch as my aforesaid sons found me afflicted with the …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

The Two Sabbath-Controversies - the Plucking of the Ears of Corn by the Disciples, and the Healing of the Man with the Withered Hand
IN grouping together the three miracles of healing described in the last chapter, we do not wish to convey that it is certain they had taken place in precisely that order. Nor do we feel sure, that they preceded what is about to be related. In the absence of exact data, the succession of events and their location must be matter of combination. From their position in the Evangelic narratives, and the manner in which all concerned speak and act, we inferred, that they took place at that particular …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Obedience
Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the Lord thy God. Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the Lord thy God, and do his commandments.' Deut 27: 9, 10. What is the duty which God requireth of man? Obedience to his revealed will. It is not enough to hear God's voice, but we must obey. Obedience is a part of the honour we owe to God. If then I be a Father, where is my honour?' Mal 1: 6. Obedience carries in it the life-blood of religion. Obey the voice of the Lord …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

The Blessings of Noah Upon Shem and Japheth. (Gen. Ix. 18-27. )
Ver. 20. "And Noah began and became an husbandman, and planted vineyards."--This does not imply that Noah was the first who began to till the ground, and, more especially, to cultivate the vine; for Cain, too, was a tiller of the ground, Gen. iv. 2. The sense rather is, that Noah, after the flood, again took up this calling. Moreover, the remark has not an independent import; it serves only to prepare the way for the communication of the subsequent account of Noah's drunkenness. By this remark, …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Meditations for Household Piety.
1. If thou be called to the government of a family, thou must not hold it sufficient to serve God and live uprightly in thy own person, unless thou cause all under thy charge to do the same with thee. For the performance of this duty God was so well pleased with Abraham, that he would not hide from him his counsel: "For," saith God, "I know him that he will command his sons and his household after him that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Appendix ii. Philo of Alexandria and Rabbinic Theology.
(Ad. vol. i. p. 42, note 4.) In comparing the allegorical Canons of Philo with those of Jewish traditionalism, we think first of all of the seven exegetical canons which are ascribed to Hillel. These bear chiefly the character of logical deductions, and as such were largely applied in the Halakhah. These seven canons were next expanded by R. Ishmael (in the first century) into thirteen, by the analysis of one of them (the 5th) into six, and the addition of this sound exegetical rule, that where two …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Leviticus
The emphasis which modern criticism has very properly laid on the prophetic books and the prophetic element generally in the Old Testament, has had the effect of somewhat diverting popular attention from the priestly contributions to the literature and religion of Israel. From this neglect Leviticus has suffered most. Yet for many reasons it is worthy of close attention; it is the deliberate expression of the priestly mind of Israel at its best, and it thus forms a welcome foil to the unattractive …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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