A Clean Environment

Based on Leviticus 18-20

"Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spue you not out. And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them. But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I am the Lord your God, which have separated you from other people."
Leviticus 20:22‭-‬24.

A clean environment is easier said than done (especially with kids!). It's a constant battle of re-organizing and putting things back again & again, all the while hoping the kids will eventually get it on their own! It's a work-in-progress, but it's very comparable to our spiritual environment. God gave His people direct laws which, if left neglected or rejected, would affect the pure land God was going to give them. This new environment was created by God just as the people, and He did not want their sin to clutter up the new living space!

Think about what it's like to move into a new house-your first thoughts might be "Ok this time, I'm doing things differently. I'll have a better system, method of organization, and cleaning schedule" all because you see a clean slate before you. That's what was happening here. God was preparing His people to respect the "clean slate" of the promised land. Yes, the people made past mistakes, but He was willing to give them a fresh start, just like us today!

"(For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;) That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you." Leviticus 18:27‭-‬28.

Just like the people had a sinful past, the land had one as well. God removed those people who corrupted God's land, and before removing them, the land itself rejected them. That's why God was sure to warn His people of how serious it is to walk in His ways. God knows us best, and He knows our environments best! He knows the best methods for having a safe & clean atmosphere, physically & spiritually!

...And remember, clean means holy:

"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy."
Leviticus 19:1‭-‬2.

God also made sure the land provided for the lowly, not only the leadership in society:

"And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the Lord your God."
Leviticus 19:9‭-‬10.

There are many different laws listed in this passage, but the common ground between them all is the effect they have on the land. The land seems to serve as a witness to God! Remember, we did not create the land & we shouldn't take advantage of it in any way, especially with gross sins:

"Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness."
Leviticus 19:29.

One person doing this could fill the whole land with wickedness! A little sin is a dangerous thing!

"And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the Lord am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine."
Leviticus 20:26.

God literally cut them off from other sinful people to be a special people unto Him. However, they would surely be the ones cut off if they defiled the land with sin. Let's follow God's pattern here in order to to have a stress-free & sin-free environment to live in! Our land and our homes are blessings from God to be respected!