18 Holiness to the Lord

Holiness to the Lord

Holiness to the Lord



“Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy” (Leviticus 19:2).

We have a temple to help us prepare and to learn how to become holy. Ancient Israel had the portable temple, the Tabernacle in the wilderness.

Animal sacrifice invited the Israelites to look forward to the coming of Jesus Christ, who is the Savior of the world. He sacrifice Himself to make it possible for us to be forgiven and to be resurrected.

Baptism, the sacrament, and temple worship invites us to look towards the Savior also as the Lamb of the World, who continues to rescue and deliver us all.

What are you willing to sacrifice to have the Spirit to be with you, so that you can become holy, without spot.

“I am able to make you holy” (Doctrine and Covenants 60:7).

Leviticus

The Lord wants me to become holy.
Exodus 35–40; Leviticus 19

Exodus 35–40 Table activity. What object did you find? What can it represent?

What object did you find?

What can this represent?

Ark of the covenant (Exodus 37:1–9; 40:20–21)

 (See Exodus 25:20–22; Guide to the Scriptures, “Ark of the Covenant”)

Altar of incense (Exodus 40:26–27; see also Exodus 30:1, 6–8)

 (See Revelation 8:3–4)

Candlestick or lampstand (Exodus 37:17–24)

 (See Matthew 5:14–16; John 8:12)

Altar of sacrifice (Exodus 38:1–7; see also Exodus 27:1; 29:10–14)

 (See Guide to the Scriptures, “Sacrifice”)

Laver (basin) of water (Exodus 30:17–21)

 (See 2 Chronicles 4:6; Isaiah 1:16; Jeremiah 33:8)

Holiness and the Plan of Happiness

Video: The Tabernacle:  https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2011-03-0045-the-tabernacle?lang=eng

More Holiness Give Me

The Lord asks me to make my offerings with a willing heart.
Exodus 35:4–35; 36:1–7

Is your own relationship with Jesus inconsistent? Are we much different that the Israelites who were wandering in the wilderness?

Exodus 35:4–35 and 36:1–7 Because of their willing hearts, the children of Israel contributed much to the building of the tabernacle. In return, they were blessed abundantly.
36:5 ¶ And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the Lord commanded to make.

What is my attitude when I am called upon to give service? Did I give my best and even more than what is required, or do I begrudge the time and the means asked of me?

Sacrifice

The children of Israel gave offerings for the tabernacle with “a willing heart” (Exodus 35:5).

Temple ordinances were given anciently.
Exodus 40:12–14

12 And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water.

13 And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him; that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.

14 And thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe them with coats:

These words are also spoken to us in the initiatory part of the endowment in our modern-day temples.

How do these ordinances testify of Jesus Christ?

  • Washing: 
    Psalm 51:2 2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
    Ezekiel 36:25–27 25 ¶ Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.

26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

  • Clothing in holy garments: 
    Isaiah 61:10 10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

Matthew 22:11–14 11 ¶ And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:

12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.

13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

Revelation 19:7–8 7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

  • Anointing: 
    Luke 4:18–19 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

Acts 10:38 38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

Because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, I can be forgiven.
Leviticus 1:1–9; 4; 16

We may not understand the law during Moses’s time, but “these rituals and laws were meant to teach principles that are familiar—repentance, holiness, and the Savior’s Atonement.”

Think about these questions as you read Leviticus 1:1–9; 4; 16:

  • What words or phrases do I find that remind me of Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice?
  • What do I learn from these sacrifices about the Savior’s sacrifice?
  • How am I like the people who made these sacrifices?

Sacrifice is still an important principle of the gospel. Am I sacrificing a broken heart and a contrite spirit?

3 Nephi 9:19–20 19 And ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away, for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings.

20 And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.

Doctrine and Covenants 64:34 34 Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind; and the willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days.

Moses 5:7 7 And then the angel spake, saying: This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and truth.

Thoughts to Keep in Mind: The Tabernacle and Sacrifice

Scripture Helps

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For Children:

God has given me gifts to help with His work.
Exodus 35:20–29; 36:1

Discuss with your children the Tabernacle, or Temple that was built to move with the children of Israel through the wilderness. What materials were needed to build the temple?

Exodus 35:20–29 What did the people contribute to building the temple? Isn’t it wonderful that they wanted to give so much? The Lord wants us to help build the kingdom too? What does he want us to do and to give? Are you willing to give your finest gifts and efforts to the Lord?

I can feel the Lord’s presence in holy places.
Exodus 40:17–34

This section lists were part of the Tabernacle. We can learn more about the Lord as we learn about what these things contribute to the understanding of His doctrine.

The ark of testimony reminds us of God’s commandments, and the altar reminds us of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for us.

What are some holy places that help you feel closer to Jesus Christ? (home, church, temple, mountains, and rivers)

Video: What is a Temple: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2013-02-1070-temples?lang=eng

Song: The Temple is a Holy Place: https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=gospel+library+%2b+song+%2b+Holy+Places&mid=836F3D4FCFD2994859A0836F3D4FCFD2994859A0&churl=https%3a%2f%2fwww.youtube.com%2fchannel%2fUC1Zx23oiUXk6-59YA1CV4UQ&FORM=VIRE

Because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, I can be forgiven.
Leviticus 1:1–4

This makes me so happy. I can feel the Lord’s grace and kindness, just for me. He cares about me personally. He made it possible for me to be clean and to have a soft and caring heart and to become new through Him. I love Him.

nos. 56, 57 Pictures of Jesus in Gethsemane.

Read together: Leviticus 1:1–4

3 Nephi 9:19–20 19 And ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away, for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings.

 

20 And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.

Broken Heart

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

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