LEVITICUS Windows into the Heart of God
Leviticus 20: Worship Leads to Lifestyle False religion leads to base living, but pure religion leads to holy living. Allen Ross
MOTIVATIONS FOR OBEDIENCE Relationship Retribution Reward Bruce Wilkinson
Divine Order in a Corrupt World The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. Romans 1:18-32
Divine Order in a Corrupt World Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. Romans 1:18-32
Divine Order in a Corrupt World Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. Romans 1:18-32
Divine Order in a Corrupt World Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Romans 13:1-7
Divine Order in a Corrupt World Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Romans 13:1-7
Witnesses One witness is not enough to convict anyone accused of any crime or offense they may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. Deuteronomy 19:15
Witnesses If a malicious witness takes the stand to accuse someone of a crime, the two people involved in the dispute must stand in the presence of the LORD before the priests and the judges who are in office at the time. The judges must make a thorough investigation, and if the witness proves to be a liar, giving false testimony against a fellow Israelite, then do to the false witness as that witness intended to do to the other party. Deuteronomy 19:16-19
Our Hope A Replaced Priesthood A Replaced Kingdom Divine Benevolent Dictator
Leviticus 18 and 20: Forms of the Law Leviticus 18 Apodictic Law Leviticus 20 Casuistic Law Imperative Consequences You shall not If you then
Leviticus 20 Capital Crimes (20:1-16) Immediate Death by Stoning (20:1-6) Exhortation to Live Holy (20:7-8) Death Penalty (20:9-16) Non-Capital Crimes (20:17-21) Banishment and Premature Death (20:17-19) Childlessness (20:20-21) Exhortation to Holiness (20:22-27)
Israel s Humane Law The most striking feature of the Old Testament law code is it s humanitarianism. Compared to other law codes in the ANE 1) people were more important than property, 2) substitutes could not be forced to bear punishment, and 3) reconciliation was the goal. Gordon Wenham
Belief God s people reject pagan beliefs and live holy lives. Leviticus 20:1-8
False Religion The LORD said to Moses, Say to the Israelites: Any Israelite or any foreigner residing in Israel who sacrifices any of his children to Molek is to be put to death. The members of the community are to stone him. I myself will set my face against him and will cut him off from his people; for by sacrificing his children to Molek, he has defiled my sanctuary and profaned my holy name. Leviticus 20:1-6
False Religion If the members of the community close their eyes when that man sacrifices one of his children to Molek and if they fail to put him to death, I myself will set my face against him and his family and will cut them off from their people together with all who follow him in prostituting themselves to Molek. Leviticus 20:1-6
Confrontation Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Galatians 6:1 My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins. James 5:19-20
Molech (מ ל ) The Canaanite god Molek or Molech is actually known by a different name in the Canaanite literature. There his name is connected to the name for king. The Hebrews combined the letters for his name with the letters for the word shame to come up with a disrespectful way to say Molech is not a king, he is a good of shameful activities.
Molek As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been. He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the LORD; he did not follow the LORD completely, as David his father had done. 1 Kings 11:4-6
False Religion I will set my face against anyone who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute themselves by following them, and I will cut them off from their people. Leviticus 20:1-6
Death Penalty: He will be cut off. Cut Off (כ רת) The exact meaning of this penalty clause is not certain. It could mean (1) that he will be executed, whether by God or by man, (2) that he will be excommunicated from sanctuary worship and/or community benefits, or (3) that his line will be terminated by God. (NET Bible)
Holy Lives Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the LORD your God. Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the LORD, who makes you holy. Leviticus 20:7-8
Holy Lives Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the LORD your God. Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the LORD, who makes you holy. Leviticus 20:7-8
Holy: God Is Unique and Set Apart Holy ( קד ו ש) The Hebrew idea of holiness is more about being set.(צ דק) apart and different than being righteous God is incomparable and like no other. God is set apart and unique. A place can be holy (set apart), as well as objects, times, and even people or a nation.
Behavior God s people reject pagan practices and live holy lives. Leviticus 20:9-21
Behavior Serious violations are punishable by death. Leviticus 20:9-16
Cursing Parents Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death. Because they have cursed their father or mother, their blood will be on their own head. Leviticus 20:9
קל ל Parents: Cursing It is the very antithesis of honoring. To honor in Hebrew literally means "to make heavy or glorious, whereas in Hebrew to curse literally means "to make light or despicable. Gordon Wenham
קל ל Parents: Cursing The prohibition at the very least refers to treating of parents as if they are of little importance, treating them lightly. But the word is used for the stronger action of cursing. This stronger meaning must apply here since the sin brought the death penalty. Allen Ross
Adultery If a man commits adultery with another man s wife with the wife of his neighbor both the adulterer and the adulteress are to be put to death. Leviticus 20:10
Incest If a man has sexual relations with his father s wife, he has dishonored his father. Both the man and the woman are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads. If a man has sexual relations with his daughter-in-law, both of them are to be put to death. What they have done is a perversion; their blood will be on their own heads. Leviticus 20:11-12
Homosexuality If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads. Leviticus 20:13
Multiple Sexual Partners If a man marries both a woman and her mother, it is wicked. Both he and they must be burned in the fire, so that no wickedness will be among you. Leviticus 20:14
Burned in the Fire This probably means that their bodies were burnt after they had been put to death rather than that they were executed by being burned alive. The case of Achan seems to confirm this (Joshua 7:1-16). Derek Tidball
Bestiality If a man has sexual relations with an animal, he is to be put to death, and you must kill the animal. If a woman approaches an animal to have sexual relations with it, kill both the woman and the animal. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads. Leviticus 20:15-16
Behavior Some violations are punishable by banishment so God can deal with them. Leviticus 20:17-19
Marriage to a Sister or Stepsister If a man marries his sister, the daughter of either his father or his mother, and they have sexual relations, it is a disgrace. They are to be publicly removed from their people. He has dishonored his sister and will be held responsible. Leviticus 20:17
Sexual Relations During Menses If a man has sexual relations with a woman during her monthly period, he has exposed the source of her flow, and she has also uncovered it. Both of them are to be cut off from their people. Leviticus 20:18
Sexual Relations with Relative Do not have sexual relations with the sister of either your mother or your father, for that would dishonor a close relative; both of you would be held responsible. Leviticus 20:19
Behavior Some violations are punishable by childlessness. Leviticus 20:20-21
ע רי רים Childlessness: In this chapter then, illegitimate marriage relationships might have produced children, but in Gods judgment they were not legitimate and would not benefit the family. In the ancient world this was a great calamity. Allen Ross
Sexual Relations with an Aunt If a man has sexual relations with his aunt, he has dishonored his uncle. They will be held responsible; they will die childless. Leviticus 20:20
Marriage to Sister-in-Law If a man marries his brother s wife, it is an act of impurity; he has dishonored his brother. They will be childless. Leviticus 20:21
God s Grace Scripture also teaches that God stands ready to forgive people and transform their lives. The gospel declares the Son of God came into the world to die for all the sins of the world, and those who truly repent will be forgiven. It is in this light that the church has the ministry of reconciliation with God. Allen Ross
Choices God s people must live holy lives and not be led astray. Leviticus 20:22-27
Live Holy Lives Keep all my decrees and laws and follow them, so that the land where I am bringing you to live may not vomit you out. You must not live according to the customs of the nations I am going to drive out before you. Because they did all these things, I abhorred them. But I said to you, You will possess their land; I will give it to you as an inheritance, a land flowing with milk and honey. I am the LORD your God, who has set you apart from the nations. Leviticus 20:22-26
Live Holy Lives You must therefore make a distinction between clean and unclean animals and between unclean and clean birds. Do not defile yourselves by any animal or bird or anything that moves along the ground those that I have set apart as unclean for you. You are to be holy to me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own. Leviticus 20:22-26
Do Not Be Led Astray A man or woman who is a medium or spiritist among you must be put to death. You are to stone them; their blood will be on their own heads. Leviticus 20:27
Leviticus 20: Worship Leads to Lifestyle So the argument of the whole chapter is Do not worship falsely, but obey the LORD; do not live like the pagans, but obey the Lord. A natural connection is implied between these parts. Those who might give way to false worship eventually lived on a lower moral level. Allen Ross
Leviticus 20: Principles God is important. Sin is serious Humans are responsible. Holiness is imperative. Derek Tidball
Leviticus: Windows into the Heart of God God s people must avoid the world s values, reject the world s behaviors, and live holy lives that honor the Lord.
LEVITICUS Windows into the Heart of God