God's holiness is not about him being far off and distant. God's holiness is what impels him to draw near – and to create a way for us to draw near to him.
Holiness requires separation from evil because we are separated to and for God! He made us for himself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in him.
We've been learning to make distinctions: between the holy and the common – and within the common, between the clean and the unclean – and within the unclean, there is also depravity and abomination.
Things that are moving in the direction of the unclean – and worse – are moving toward death. Things that clean – and moving towards the holy – are moving toward life!
Chapter 20 is closely related to the previous chapters. It sets forth some of the penalties for certain sins in chapters 18-19, and it concludes the section on the holiness of Israel from 17-20. The following chapters will turn to the holiness of the priests.
Israel needs to understand that their continued inheritance depends upon the maintenance of holiness. Life in the promised land is contingent upon being holy even as God is holy.
And the apostle Peter tells us that this is the same command that comes to us as Christians: As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." (1 Peter 1:14-16)
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