LEVITICUS. Windows into the Heart of God

Transcription

1 LEVITICUS Windows into the Heart of God

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4 LEVITICUS Windows into the Heart of God

5 Leviticus 18: Summary The righteous must be vigilant in maintaining their allegiance to the LORD God because the wickedness of this world provides an overwhelmingly powerful threat. Allen Ross

6 The Manifold Grace of God God s high standards for sexual purity are a protection for individuals, families, and cultures. Protection

7 God is not a puritanical killjoy, out to prevent his people from enjoying themselves, but rather the reverse. As the one who created humans to be sexual beings, he knows the power of the sexual drive and its ability to bring happiness or to breed misery. Derek Tidball

8 He wants to save his people from experiencing distress and to establish those foundations upon which healthy families can be built and from which healthy communities can spring. Derek Tidball

9 The Manifold Grace of God God s high standards for sexual purity are surrounded by a theology of grace and healing. The Rahab/Ruth Factor

10 The Manifold Grace of God Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. Go, look over the land, he said, especially Jericho. So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there. Joshua 2:1

11 The Manifold Grace of God No Ammonite or Moabite or any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD, not even in the tenth generation. Deuteronomy 23:3

12 The Manifold Grace of God Now Elimelek, Naomi s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. Ruth 1:2-4

13 The Manifold Grace of God This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David. Matthew 1:1-6

14 The Manifold Grace of God This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David. Matthew 1:1-6

15 The Manifold Grace of God God s high standards for sexual purity are surrounded by a theology of grace and healing. The Rahab/Ruth Factor

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17 I am the LORD The terseness of the phrase disguises the rich association of ideas that it evoked in ancient Israel. Gordon Wenham

18 God s Perfect Design Then God said, Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground. So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:26-27 (NIV)

19 God s Perfect Design That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. Genesis 2:24-25 (NIV)

20 A Distinct Calling The vocation of God s people, now as then, is fulfilled not simply by avoiding actions that are wrong, but by living wholesome lives that are full of goodness. Derek Tidball

21 Marriage Marriage as a social institution is regarded throughout Scripture as the cornerstone of all other structures, and hence its purity and integrity must be protected at all times. The basic means of attaining this objective in the regulations is to forbid sexual relationships between close relatives. R.K. Harrison

22 Application: Marriage Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. Hebrews 13:4

23 Sexual Purity: Leviticus 18 The basic principles underlying the rules in vv are therefore clear: a man may not marry any woman who is a close blood relation, or any woman who has become a close relative through previous marriage to one of the man's close blood relations. Gordon Wenham

24 uncover the nakedness (ג ל ות ע רו ה) The literal translation uncover nakedness is retained by the NASB and ESV. The NIV clarifies this as sexual intercourse. The phrase carries the idea of vulnerability of the one uncovered and aggression of the one uncovering. There is a clear allusion to Noah s curse of Canaan in Genesis 9 (Hamites = Egyptians and Canaanites).

25 In the unfallen world, nakedness was a symbol of integrity and sinlessness (Gen. 2:25), but in the fallen world it became a sign of exploitation, captivity, abuse, and shame (Gen. 3:7, 11). In the Canaanite world, however, a whole fertility cult grew up around it, along with sacred prostitutes both male and female and bestilaity. Allen Ross

26 A Distinct Calling The call to be loyal (18:2, 4) The call to be different (18:3) The call to life (18:5) Derek Tidball

27 Testimony God s people demonstrate distinctive sexual behavior. Leviticus 18:1-5

28 Authority Sexual purity is a matter of submission. Leviticus 18:1-2

29 Sexual Purity and Authority Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, I am the LORD your God. Leviticus 18:1-2 (NASB)

30 Separation Sexual purity is countercultural. Leviticus 18:3

31 Sexual Purity and Separation You shall not do what is done in the land of Egypt where you lived, nor are you to do what is done in the land of Canaan where I am bringing you; you shall not walk in their statutes. Leviticus 18:3 (NASB)

32 Obedience Sexual purity is a matter of obedience. Leviticus 18:4-5

33 Sexual Purity and Obedience You are to perform My judgments and keep My statutes, to live in accord with them; I am the LORD your God. So you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, by which a man may live if he does them; I am the LORD. Leviticus 18:4-5 (NASB)

34 He will live by them It is clear that in this and similar passages more than mere existence is being promised. What is envisaged is a happy life in which a man enjoys God's bounty of health, children, friends, and prosperity. Keeping the law is the path to divine blessing, to a happy and fulfilled life in the present. Gordon Wenham

35 Design God s people do not violate the created order. Leviticus 18:6-23

36 Sexual Purity and Relatives Sexual purity is not a family matter. Leviticus 18:6-18

37 Sexual Purity and Relatives None of you shall approach any blood relative of his to uncover nakedness; I am the LORD. Leviticus 18:6 (NASB)

38 Sexual Purity: Leviticus 18 No sexual relations with a close relative (18:6) Mother Sister Granddaughter Step-mother Aunt (father or mother s side) Half sister stepsister stepdaughter stepgranddaughter Aunt by marriage (your uncle s wife) Sister-in-law Daughter-in-law

39 Sexual Purity and Relatives You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, that is, the nakedness of your mother. She is your mother; you are not to uncover her nakedness. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father s wife; it is your father s nakedness. The nakedness of your sister, either your father s daughter or your mother s daughter, whether born at home or born outside, their nakedness you shall not uncover. The nakedness of your son s daughter or your daughter s daughter, their nakedness you shall not uncover; for their nakedness is yours. Leviticus 18:7-18 (NASB)

40 Sexual Purity and Relatives The nakedness of your father s wife s daughter, born to your father, she is your sister, you shall not uncover her nakedness. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father s sister; she is your father s blood relative. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother s sister, for she is your mother s blood relative. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father s brother; you shall not approach his wife, she is your aunt. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law; she is your son s wife, you shall not uncover her nakedness. Leviticus 18:7-18 (NASB)

41 Sexual Purity and Relatives You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother s wife; it is your brother s nakedness. You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and of her daughter, nor shall you take her son s daughter or her daughter s daughter, to uncover her nakedness; they are blood relatives. It is lewdness. You shall not marry a woman in addition to her sister as a rival while she is alive, to uncover her nakedness. Leviticus 18:7-18 (NASB)

42 The Purpose of Sexual Prohibitions In essence, the purpose of this list is to protect the defenseless single woman from the male members of the resident males of her clan, especially the clan head, the paterfamilias. Rabbi Jacob Milgrom

43 Sexual Purity and Idolatry Sexual purity is distinct from the cultural idolatry of sex. Leviticus 18:19-23

44 Sexual Purity and Idolatry Also you shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness during her menstrual impurity. Leviticus 18:19 (NASB)

45 Sexual Purity and Idolatry You shall not have intercourse with your neighbor s wife, to be defiled with her. Leviticus 18:20 (NASB)

46 Sexual Purity and Idolatry You shall not give any of your children as an offering to Molech, so that you do not profane the name of your God; I am the LORD. Leviticus 18:21 (NET)

47 Sexual Purity and Idolatry You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination. Leviticus 18:22 (NASB)

48 Abomination, Loathsome ( ת וע ב ה) This refers to repugnant practices of foreigners, which offend someone s moral or cultural order. The activity is offensive from the point of view of the person who is evaluating. In this context the LORD is the one evaluating homosexuality as repulsive and completely out of harmony with nature.

49 Sexual Purity and Idolatry Also you shall not have intercourse with any animal to be defiled with it, nor shall any woman stand before an animal to mate with it; it is a perversion. Leviticus 18:23 (NASB)

50 Perversion ( ת ב ל) The verbal form of this word literally means to mix or confuse. In this sense it is a confusion of the natural order of things. This is a violation of God s design.

51 We can conclude that holiness is exemplified by completeness. Holiness requires that individuals shall conform to the class to which they belong. And holiness requires that different classes of things not be confused. Dame Mary Douglas

52 Sexual Purity and Scripture Sexual purity is clear in Scripture. Adultery Child Sacrifice Homosexuality Bestiality

53 Judgment Sexual impurity brings God s judgment. Leviticus 18:24-30

54 Sexual Purity and Pagans God severely judged the nations for their immorality. Leviticus 18:24-25, 27-28

55 Sexual Purity and Pagans Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you became defiled. Even the land was defiled; so I punished it for its sin, and the land vomited out its inhabitants. Leviticus 18:24-25 (NIV)

56 Sexual Purity and Believers But you must keep my decrees and my laws. The native-born and the foreigners residing among you must not do any of these detestable things, for all these things were done by the people who lived in the land before you, and the land became defiled. And if you defile the land, it will vomit you out as it vomited out the nations that were before you. Leviticus 18:26-30 (NIV)

57 Sexual Purity and Believers Everyone who does any of these detestable things such persons must be cut off from their people. Keep my requirements and do not follow any of the detestable customs that were practiced before you came and do not defile yourselves with them. I am the LORD your God. Leviticus 18:26-30 (NIV)

58 Leviticus: Windows into the Heart of God Complete sexual purity is central to the identity of God s people, and the health of individuals, families, and communities.

59 Leviticus 18: Application It is amazing to see how modern trends, even in the supposedly Christian world, seem bent on embracing practices that are not too unlike these ancient abominations. Allen Ross

60 Leviticus 18: Application For most Christians it is self-evident that the moral rules enunciated in this chapter still apply today. The New Testament writers assume that the laws on incest (1 Cor. 5:1-13), adultery (Rom. 13:9), idolatry (1 Cor. 10:7, Rev. 2:14), and homosexuality (Rom. 1:27; 1 Cor. 6:9) still bind the Christian conscience. Gordon Wenham

61 The absence of strong families in contemporary society is causing untold personal misery, impairing our children emotionally and costing our society countless millions in the provision of legal, social, psychological and medical support for those who have been damaged by people who have chosen to go their own way rather than God s. Nothing would serve our world better than a return to this ancient wisdom revealed from on high to Moses in the wilderness. Derek Tidball

62 LEVITICUS Windows into the Heart of God