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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Law after law after law, Leviticus 19.

Part of the 613 Commandments in the Old Testament Torah, according to the rabbis of old. Just here they are simply repeated!

For example, verse 3: “Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.” Where “fear” means “to revere.”

And verse 4: “Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the LORD your God.” The Decalogue (Ten Commandments) being asserted yet again!

Verse 11 continues the train of thought: “Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.”

Verse 12: “And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.”

Now to personal business dealings: “Thou shalt not defraud (cheat) thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.” Verse 13

This one is pertinent! Verse 16: “Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD.” Sounds a lot like the Book of Proverbs!

Jesus’ Eyes have read Leviticus 19, many times. He even quoted verse 18: “Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, BUT THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR AS THYSELF: I am the LORD. No room for revenge!

At least this Paragraph teaches “self-control” in eating: “And when ye shall come into the land, and shall have planted all manner of trees for food, then ye shall count the fruit thereof as uncircumcised: three years shall it be as uncircumcised unto you: it shall not be eaten of. But in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy to praise the LORD withal. And in the fifth year shall ye eat of the fruit thereof, that it may yield unto you the increase thereof: I am the LORD your God.” Verses 23-25, where fruit trees are also said to being forth far “better produce” after a few years have passed! (See footnote below concerning the trees, just an afterthought.)

Here go tattoos, clearly prohibited. “Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, NOR PRINT ANY MARKS UPON YOU: I am the LORD.” Verse 28 of our chapter.

Spiritism, demonism is “out” as well! “Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.” Verse 31

Respect the elderly. “Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head (gray hair), and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD.” Verse 32, perhaps implying a direct relationship between the way one respects his elders and the way one respects his God!

Even down to caring for the “foreigner” in your midst. “But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.” Verse 34, near chapter’s end. God never allowed Israel to abuse the poor.

Then, quickly back to business procedures, with honesty always the rule. “Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure. Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.” Verses 35 and 36, keep your scales right, a pound for a pound!

Wow!

Saved people (as in the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16) should live like saved people, holy lives (as in Leviticus 19)! It’s that simple!

And though not all, most of this legislation is repeated (in principle at least) in the New Testament! “But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

I am writing this postscript a day after this particular Lesson was composed. I just discovered one more thought about the trees mentioned above. DO NOT EAT OF THE FRUIT TREES FOR AT LEAST THE FIRST FOUR YEARS! That’s what God legislated! Could this have been a little “test” in reminiscence of the Garden of Eden, of the trees there? Genesis 2:17 … “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”

God treasures obedience (often) more than worship! “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice.” 1 Samuel 15:22

Wow!

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I have noticed something. From Leviticus 17 through Leviticus 22 we have a list (a detailed one) of certain “personal” prohibitions God wishes (commands) the Israelites to follow.

In other words, Leviticus 16 (the Day of Atonement) was for Israel as a nation, “publicly.”

And Leviticus 23 (the Calendar of Israel) is also very “public,” a list of the Holy Days God wants the entire Jewish population to observe!

In between … chapters 17-22 … focusing on “personal and private” goings on, a good number of “individual behaviors” are proscribed, forbidden.

Now there’s a spiritual principle behind this neat, Holy Spirit inspired arrangement. Chapter 16 … Israel and Salvation!

Chapters 17-22 … Israel and Sanctification!

Stated another way … once we are saved (a one time Event), we are to live (day after day after day) holy lives!

Wow!

Under this rubric, Leviticus chapter 19 weighs in as heavyweight Document. Living for God in multifaceted ways, pleasing Him overall! (Sort of like Paul’s “For me to live is Christ!” Philippians 1:21)

Tomorrow, the Lord willing, we shall notice some of the variegated Stipulations concerning what God calls “holy living!” Of a personal nature, mind you.

I am sort of excited at the prospect!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Come study with us again in the morning!

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God (in today’s Text, verses 6-30 of Leviticus 18) begins with a list of sexual prohibitions! Things not allowed! Oh, how He longs for a holy people, people like unto Himself!

Remember now … after the sad narrative of the Nadab and Abihu Debacle, we have 5 chapters in Leviticus concerning purity … leading up to the great Day of Atonement! And then immediately after that great Day, an even greater number of chapters concerning purity!

God is pure!

Yes … Leviticus 18:6-30 (a lot of Scripture) focuses on sexual purity in what way, you might be asking?

Read with me, its lead-in prohibitions. “None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD. 7 The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. 8 The nakedness of thy father’s wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father’s nakedness. 9 The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, whether she be born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.” Verses 6-9 only, where “uncovering someone’s nakedness” is the beautiful (and modest) King James Version’s way of saying “to have sex.” To “approach” a person that way, sensually. (I do not want to be too blunt. But I must be Biblically accurate at the same time.)

No sex with anyone near of kin! (Except one’s Wife or Husband of course, Marriage being God’s idea in the first place.)

Certainly this included one’s Parent!

Or one’s Sister or Brother!

Paul was appalled when he learned that a man in the Corinthian Church was living (sexually) with his Father’s Wife! Anathema! See 1 Corinthians 5:1-5. This could conceivably have been his Step-Mother, but was still blatant sin in God’s Eyes.

Verse 10 of Leviticus 18 adds Grandchildren to this list. Absolutely prohibited! (One fundamental Bible teacher remarks that this huge part of our chapter merely elaborates on the Seventh Commandment, “Thou shalt not commit adultery!” Exodus 20:14

And on the list grows … “Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s sister: she is thy father’s near kinswoman. 13 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother’s sister: for she is thy mother’s near kinswoman. 14 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s brother, thou shalt not approach to his wife: she is thine aunt. 15 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter in law: she is thy son’s wife; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.” Verses 12-15

Add your Neighbor’s Wife, too. (Verse 20)

And verse 22 … “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.” Homosexuality is prohibited, clearly commanded as an abstinence!

To be that intimate with any of these individuals is to live like the heathen! “Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you.” (Verse 24) And transgression here is inviting God’s further expulsion from the Land, the Holy Land! Yes, even the Israelites!

Read how very serious God is regarding these matters. “For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people. 30 Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the LORD your God.” Leviticus 18:29-30, the Chapter’s end.

“Cut off,” at least expelled from the encampment! Outside the ring of safety!

Wow!

And these rules, these principles, still apply today, folks. Nowhere in the New Testament are they repealed! Adultery and its ramifications are still taboo to the people of God.

In fact, Jesus actually intensified them! “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: but I say unto you, That whosoever LOOKETH on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” Matthew 5:27-28, right out of the “heart” of the great Sermon on the Mount!

Sound daunting?

Paul has the answer … “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies.” Ephesians 5:25-28

And … “To avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.” 1 Corinthians 7:2

And God’s Plan, God’s Will … is always best!

Amen!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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It’s like an Introductory Paragraph, God speaking to Israel just before He presents to them further laws regarding daily life. I’m particularly speaking of Leviticus 18:1-5.

“1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, I am the LORD your God. 3 After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances. 4 Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the LORD your God. 5 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.”

Yes, verse 1 proves God is the Author of “separation from sin,” that kind of lifestyle. However, I must add … “separation from sin” according to God’s Standards, not man’s. Some men wrongly ignore these prohibitions and instruction, others wrongly add to them!

Verse 2 proves that God is Qualified, Worthy to proffer such laws. (Paul summarized them well in 2 Corinthians 6:17 … “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing.”) God being in personal Relationship with Israel, their Creator and Liberator, Redeemer! (God being “Owner” of that little Nation, actually!)

Verse 3 negatively considers the godless cultures around Israel. (The “world” as being under control of the evil one, the devil. Paul again in 2 Corinthians 4:4 literally calls him/Satan “the god of this world.”) Do not be/act/live like THEM!

Verse 4 gives the glorious alternative, walking in God’s Ways! (Not in the ways of the Egyptians and Canaanites and Europeans and Americans!) This Verse highly exalts the Word of God, which always reveals the Ways of God!

Then Verse 5 promises a reward for so living, apart from the heathen around us. In accordance with God’s Ways! And that Reward is “life!” Read it again … “If a man do, he shall live!” This is not just normal nonchalant life, either. It is life abundant! It is life “on the highest plane!” It is life in Jesus! It is (in some ways) eternal life, too! (One of God’s Commands, the most Important, is to “be saved!” As in Acts 17:30, where God “now commandeth all men every where to repent.”)

Wow!

I thought it might be profitable, before plunging into more “clean living” Legislation, to see WHY God so demands this of His people. Some of the REASONS behind His Thinking.

Again, in sum … “Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:16, thus saith the Lord.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Did you notice that in our Text today “doing” leads to “walking?”

Committing an act once (that’s “doing”) easily (and most often) leads to “walking” in that way, habitually!

What a caution!

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