Good Morning.
You shall keep My statutes. You shall not let your livestock breed with another kind. You shall not sow your field with mixed seed. Nor shall a garment of mixed linen and wool come upon you. (Leviticus 19:19)
As I have stated previously, there are practical reasons why God gave His people these instructions. For instance, when linen and wool is mixed together there are certain chemical reactions that occur that are not beneficial to the person wearing this type of blended garment. In other words, the literal command was in the best interests of the people. Spiritually speaking, linen is produced by what grows from the earth through man’s toil; wool is the byproduct of what lives among the flock. Think Cain and Abel here; one brought an offering of what he produced while the other brought the “firstlings of his flock and of their fat” (Genesis 4:4). One was acceptable while the other was not.
The greater point is that God is only one authorized to determine what is acceptable behavior and what is not. As Leviticus 19 continues, through Moses, He describes behavior in relationships that is not acceptable and is regarded as another type of “forbidden mixture.” Put simply, by using examples of what not to do in physical relationships, He hints at the weightier matter — be attentive and careful about who we join ourselves to. Who we hang around, who we listen to and let speak into our lives can have a negative impact if they are of a “different seed.”
This is exactly what Paul was referring to when he warned us not to be “unequally yoked.” As he said, “What fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Messiah with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?” (2 Corinthians 6:14-15). In short, when we mingle with those of another seed — anything other than what is born of the Word of God — we are essentially allowing mingled seed to be sown in the same field. We are clothing ourselves with a blended garment that may not have beneficial results. Therefore, though we are in the world and should engage the world, we mustn’t let the world determine our mindset and behavior — we should be the influencers because we have the One and Only Truth, that is the Word of God. Let’s be clothed in righteousness and be the light that dispels the darkness.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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