Leviticus 20 is a chapter that continues various rules/laws of purity in ancient Israel. It is part of a Block of Scripture doing so, from chapter 17 all the way through to chapter 22.
But the “key verse” in chapter 20 is this: “Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spue you not out.” Verse 22
It sounds here like sin not only degrades its participants, the sinners themselves … but also defiles the land! The city or county or nation! In that day the village or the tribe or (again) the nation. God talking: “That the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spue you not out.” Where “spue out” means “to vomit.”
Wow!
The chapter begins with a rather long Paragraph regarding the major sin of the former inhabitants of Canaan. But please read it anyway …
“Again, thou shalt say to the children of Israel, Whosoever he be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that giveth any of his seed unto Molech; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones. 3 And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name. 4 And if the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from the man, when he giveth of his seed unto Molech, and kill him not: 5 Then I will set my face against that man, and against his family, and will cut him off, and all that go a whoring after him, to commit whoredom with Molech, from among their people. 6 And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people. 7 Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.” Leviticus 22:1-7, with the verse numbers left intact.
Molech being a false god to whom the Canaanites offered their children (frankly, burning them aliveon an altar) in order to appease this filthy monster, this so-called called deity.
Look at the detail of this warning, this prohibition! If a Jew himself sacrifices a child to this “Molech” thing … he is to be put to death!
And even if a Jew knows that his neighbor is doing such … cruel child sacrifice and defiled worship … and does not “report” (presumably to the elders or to the priests) that lewdness, that apostasy … he too is under the Wrath of God! God will “kill” him! “Then I will set my face against that man, and against his family, and will cut him off.” God Almighty in such a case, Word for Word!
Wow!
And the stern Paragraph ends with a summary Statement … “Be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.” Verse 7, idol worship apparently being the very opposite of true holiness unto the Lord God.
Then too, later in the chapter we read: “A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them.” Verse 27, chapter’s end.
So … God not only condemns the participant in idol worship, or the person who fails to report idol worship … but also sentences the “wizard” or “medium” to death!
God hates idolatry!
God hates communion with the prince of darkness and his allies!
(Note that this chapter both begins and ends with a discussion of the sin of “idolatry,” sandwiching all its other contents within that overarching thought, theme!)
Yes … the Nation of Israel (back to the Lesson’s title) was to be radically DIFFERENT from her predecessors, the earlier inhabitants of the land now called “Holy!” The Land “promised” to Abraham centuries ago!
“God and geography,” what a thought!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
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