Tokens of Distinction

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God’s people are to stand out from the nations.

Leviticus 19.19
“You shall keep my statutes. You shall not let your cattle breed with a different kind. You shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed, nor shall you wear a garment of cloth made of two kinds of material.”

Deuteronomy 22.9-11
“You shall not sow your vineyard with two kinds of seed, lest the whole yield be forfeited, the crop that you have sown and the yield of the vineyard. You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together. You shall not wear cloth of wool and linen mixed together.”

From time to time God gave Israel “everyday tokens” to remind them of His calling, their place among the nations, and the Law which He had given to make them holy, give them life, and lead them into glory and greatness.

There are, of course, practical reasons for the instructions given in these two statutes. Interbreeding of cattle leads to sterility (think: mules). Sowing fields with two different kinds of seeds complicates care and harvesting. Clothes made of different garments may wear out unevenly. And so forth.

But the primary reason for these instructions seems to be to reinforce the idea of Israel’s separateness from the world around them. By keeping these items distinct and separate, the people of Israel would have practical, everyday reminders of how they must regard themselves, and of the Law which could enable them to fulfill this calling. Thus even such everyday reminders would aid them in taking the Law of God to heart.

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In the Gates is a devotional series on the Law of God by Rev. T.M. Moore, editor of the Worldview Church. He serves as dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He is the author or editor of twenty books, and has contributed chapters to four others. His essays, reviews, articles, papers, and poetry have appeared in dozens of national and international journals, and on a wide range of websites. His most recent books are The Ailbe Psalter and The Ground for Christian Ethics(Waxed Tablet).

Scripture quotations in this article are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (c) copyright 2001, 2007 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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