Good Morning.

You shall have the same law for the stranger and for one from your own country; for I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 24:22)

In connection with the instructions given in relation to the incident we discussed in the previous devotion is the commandment above — one law for all people. Where the congregation of the LORD is concerned, God’s law applied to those who were born into the family and those who had, like the mixed multitude, joined themselves to Israel. It was impractical and counterproductive to think that a people could be united if they were living by different sets of rules. This notion is accentuated by the fact that the mixed multitude were continually stirring up trouble, probably because they were more suited to the ways of the nations.

To put this in perspective, consider the chaos that is currently erupting within the U.S. because some ignore the laws of the land in deference to the laws and traditions of other lands. The idea that there should be different sets of rules for different people cannot work. Put simply, a divided house cannot stand, and so there must be “one law” for both the home-born and the stranger. Furthermore, contrary to popular opinion, this concept actually strengthens the idea of equality rather than working against it.

Because all are responsible to the law of the land, all are equal and protected under that law. So then, if the Creator of the Universe acknowledges the wisdom in this principle and compels us to accept it, shouldn’t we do just that? Even more so, as the people of God, should we not consider that this concept applies to us, and embrace this principle?

Let’s come back to the idea that a “divided house” cannot stand, and then, compare that to the reality that there are tens-of-thousands of denominations within Christianity. Then ask yourself why do all these denominations exist. Obviously, there is a great deal of division within Christianity and much of it connected to the idea that we, not God, can decide what is right and what is wrong.

To underscore the point, there are church organizations who have recently decided that certain lifestyles are appropriate and lawful in direct contradiction to what the Word of God has to say. This “mixed” ideology has created confusion to the point that many “Christians” are doing what seems right in their own eyes.

The point is this: we must return to the idea that God alone has the authority to establish what is right and what is wrong and that we, as His people, are to comply and conform to His Will. We should not think that, because of custom, tradition or opinion, we have the authority to make up a different set of rules to suit our situation. If we continue in this way, the end result is chaos. On the other hand, when we commit ourselves to follow His instructions without adding to or taking away, we will be well on our way to becoming one in Him. As it written, Messiah died to break down the middle wall of separation that men built that we might be one and that “He might reconcile them to God in one body through the cross” (Ephesians 2:16).

Blessings and Shalom,  

Bill 

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