To Kill A Mockingbird Essays: The Central Theme Of Holiness

Holiness is the central theme of Leviticus that is developed throughout the book. Holiness means to be separate from sin, follow the Lord’s purpose in his direction and become a reflection of his glory. The central theme of Leviticus covers the idea of “be holy, for I am holy” (11:44-45; 19:2; 20:7, 26 NRSV). Especially in the last section of the book, the term “holy” and its derivatives occurs eighty-five times in the last eleven chapters. We can see how desperate God’s intention is to call for his people to live a holy life and the importance for him to have his people display a holy character in the same way that he does. By providing the Israelites with regulations, it shows how the Israelites are to be the Lord’s chosen people, the holy people, and are to worship God in the holy way that God …show more content…
In Leviticus, God’s desire for his people to have spiritual holiness is shown through the practices of physical sacrifices and actions. In the beginning of the book, in chapters 1-7, God demands perfect animals for offerings, animals without defects (Lev 3;7:11-34 NRSV). God also requires priests to be without deformity and details the strict regulations they need to follow, and the story of the death of Nadab and Abihu is used as an example of ungodliness (Lev 10:2 NRSV) and how they died before the Lord. In chapters 11-15, the distinction between clean and unclean determines the standard of holiness. Through the daily activities and cultural symbols described, the Israelites are reminded of how God’s holiness affects their lives. For example, a man’s bodily discharge (15:1 -18 NRSV) and specific activities during a woman’s monthly period (15:19-33 NRSV) are both seen as unclean and signs of the unholy in God’s eyes. Furthermore, the unclean acts may symbolize human spiritual defects and a broken relationship