February 8 2026, Sunday School Lesson

Holy as I Am Holy

Lesson Text: Leviticus 19:1-4, 9-18

Related Scriptures: Matthew 6:14-7:1; James 2:1-13; 1 John 2:7-11; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1; Romans 13:8-10

TIME: 1446 B.C.

PLACE: Sinai wilderness

Golden Text – “Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be hold: for I the Lord your God am holy (Leviticus 19:2)

INTRODUCTION

Leviticus 19 begins with the familial words, “Be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy” (vs. 2). That means that God wants His people to be like Him. You might be wondering, How can I do that? Well, the rest of the chapter explains how to be holy.

Now, you might also be thinking. But Leviticus is from the Old Testament, so I don’t have to follow its rules anymore, right? It is true that as New Testament believers we are not bound by all the laws in Leviticus. That does not mean, however, that we cannot learn from this book today.

In the Old Testament, people followed the laws of Leviticus to demonstrate their desires to be holy as God is holy. The New Testament commands disciples of Jesus to be holy as God is holy as well (1 Peter 1:16). There is thus much in the Old Testament laws that can guide believers today.

LESSON OUTLINE

1. SHOW RESPECT OR HONOR – Lev. 19:1-4

2. CARE FOR THE POOR – Lev. 19:9-10

3. BE HONEST – Lev. 19:11-14

4. BE JUST – Lev. 19:15-16

5. LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR – Lev. 19:17-18

QUESTIONS

1. Why did the people of God follow the laws in the Old Testament?

2. How do the Ten Commandments relate to the other laws in the Old Testament?

3. Why did God instruct Moses to speak to the entire congregation of Israel?

4. How else is the word “fear” in Leviticus 19:3 used in the Bible?

5. Why was it forbidden to make an image of God?

6. What was the result of unholy living in the Old Testament?

7. What is the difference between stealing in verse 11 and robbing in verse 13?

8. Why is it important to act in kindness toward the disadvantaged?

9. In Leviticus 19:18, are God’s people commanded merely to act kindly toward their neighbor or to change their heart attitude toward their neighbor?

10. Why is it important for God’s people not to hate others?

ANSWERS

1. In the Old Testament, people followed the laws of Leviticus to demonstrate their desire to be holy as God is holy.

2. It is helpful to think of the Ten Commandments as universal decrees of God’s will while the remaining laws in the Old Testament apply those universal decrees to specific situations of ancient life.

3. God instructed Moses to share the laws outlined in Leviticus 19 with all Israel (vs. 2). God cared about every single person in the congregation, not just the leaders and priests.

4. The verb translated as ” fear” is the same Hebrew word used when people are commanded to fear the Lord in other parts of the Bible (1 Sam. 12:24; Ps. 34:10).

5. The Lord could not be represented by any man-made image because that image would inevitably distort His people’s view of Him.

6. Unholy living resulted in death, or worse, the loss of God’s presence-the very reality that made God’s people holy or separate from other nations.

7. Verse 13 concerns crimes witnessed by the victim defrauding and robbery are known crimes that likely refer to similar actions. The same Hebrew words that describe defrauding and robbery in Leviticus 19:13 are used in Leviticus 6:4 to describe keeping someone’s belongings for oneself. Thus, Leviticus 19:13 likely refers to oppression by unlawfully seizing or withholding another’s possessions. The stealing mentioned in verse 11 likely refers to taking something without the owners’ knowledge.

8. It is heinous thing to ridicule others – especially those with no recourse to correct the problem. That is why these prohibitions are followed by the command to fear the Lord. One should fear Him because He executes justice for the disadvantaged.

9. Verse 18 deals with both actions and attitudes. The Lord prohibited taking vengeance and bearing a grudge. These actions and emotions would likely be conducted toward the citizen whom the ancient Israelite was called not to hate in verse 17. After these statements, the golden rule commands God’s people to love their neighbor as themselves. When seen in conjunction with the attitudes and actions found in verse 17 and the first half of verse 18, the Lord is likely commanding not just kind actions but the change of one’s inner disposition toward others.

10. We should remember that throughout chapter 19 the Lord said that He is the avenger of secret actions and sins that the law could not prosecute. As a blind person cannot tell who put a stumbling block before him and a deaf person cannot tell who cursed him, so those who are the object of hatred in another’s heart are unaware of their perpetrators. But the Lord is aware of all actions and attitudes.