Leviticus 18:1-30
You shall therefore keep my statutes and my rules; if a person does them, he shall live by them: I am the Lord. – Leviticus 18:5
I’ll be reading verses 1-9, 19-23, 30
Click to read
The underlying principle for the Holiness Code is that the Israelites were to follow neither the Egyptians nor the Canaanites, but God’s statutes and live by them (v.3-4). This theme is repeated in ch.18 seven times. Another phrase that’s repeated is “uncover nakedness.” This is a euphemism for sexual intercourse, and it almost always has connotations of perversion or dishonour. That’s the focus for us today—unlawful sexual relations.
God lists down quite extensively the law against sexual sins. They fall under a few themes:
1. Incest
2. Uncleanness
3. Adultery
4. Idolatry
5. Homosexual sex
6. Bestiality
Not only were these acts practiced among the pagan nations as a form of idol worship, but they also went against God’s intention for sexual union of one man and one woman within the marriage context.
Now, there are two interesting points. First, there are sins under the “incest” category that has occurred in the history of Israel’s forefathers. Adam and Eve’s children married each other, Abraham married his half-sister Sarah, Isaac married his cousin Rebekah, and Jacob took two sisters as his wives. So incest was not considered unlawful until God commanded against them in Leviticus 18. Second, polygamy, the practice of having more than one wife, was not mentioned. Even the great kings, David and Solomon, who had many wives and concubines, were used mightily by God. However, Jesus clarified the issue in Matt 19:8 that God’s intention for marriage was lifelong and monogamous.
Many modern day Christians today disregard this part of the Bible as irrelevant. They argue that God’s commands were contextual, only applying to that particular situation—Israel becoming a unique nation different from Egypt and Canaan. However, even Jesus Christ did not abolish the law (Matt 5:17-19). Rather, in living a perfect, sinless life, he fulfilled the moral laws, and in his sacrificial death, he fulfilled the ceremonial laws. But does that mean all these laws still are binding for us today?
Paul wrote very clearly that a believer in Christ is no longer under the law of Moses. “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes,” (Rom 10:4). Through faith, we’ve freely received the righteousness he put on us. But now, we are under the “law of Christ” (1 Cor 9:21). The law of Christ is everything he’s commanded us to do. He gave us the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. He also gave us the teachings of the Bible that include abstaining from what has been sacrificed to idols, from blood, from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality (Acts 15:29). These correspond quite closely to the laws in Leviticus 17-18.
As you can see, God’s requirements for his people haven’t really changed from the very beginning. What he wants for us has always been to live holy, set-apart lives, distinct from the world. In our current society where sex is a means of self-expression and self-gratification, we as holy people need to consider how can we deny ourselves and glorify God even in this area of our lives.
Reflection:
The world today celebrates the perversion of God’s laws regarding sex, parading nakedness as art and entertainment, treating sexual intimacy as a means of personal pleasure. Sometimes we may find ourselves so numb and desensitised toward these. What worldly lies about sex or sexuality have we allowed into our worldview? What is God’s challenge for us today in our pursuit of holiness?
Prayer:
Holy God, your laws and ways are perfect and good for me. Forgive me for the times I allowed the world’s ways to seep into my life and thinking. Grant me awareness so I won’t blindly accep
I’ll be reading verses 1-9, 19-23, 30
Click to read
The underlying principle for the Holiness Code is that the Israelites were to follow neither the Egyptians nor the Canaanites, but God’s statutes and live by them (v.3-4). This theme is repeated in ch.18 seven times. Another phrase that’s repeated is “uncover nakedness.” This is a euphemism for sexual intercourse, and it almost always has connotations of perversion or dishonour. That’s the focus for us today—unlawful sexual relations.
God lists down quite extensively the law against sexual sins. They fall under a few themes:
1. Incest
2. Uncleanness
3. Adultery
4. Idolatry
5. Homosexual sex
6. Bestiality
Not only were these acts practiced among the pagan nations as a form of idol worship, but they also went against God’s intention for sexual union of one man and one woman within the marriage context.
Now, there are two interesting points. First, there are sins under the “incest” category that has occurred in the history of Israel’s forefathers. Adam and Eve’s children married each other, Abraham married his half-sister Sarah, Isaac married his cousin Rebekah, and Jacob took two sisters as his wives. So incest was not considered unlawful until God commanded against them in Leviticus 18. Second, polygamy, the practice of having more than one wife, was not mentioned. Even the great kings, David and Solomon, who had many wives and concubines, were used mightily by God. However, Jesus clarified the issue in Matt 19:8 that God’s intention for marriage was lifelong and monogamous.
Many modern day Christians today disregard this part of the Bible as irrelevant. They argue that God’s commands were contextual, only applying to that particular situation—Israel becoming a unique nation different from Egypt and Canaan. However, even Jesus Christ did not abolish the law (Matt 5:17-19). Rather, in living a perfect, sinless life, he fulfilled the moral laws, and in his sacrificial death, he fulfilled the ceremonial laws. But does that mean all these laws still are binding for us today?
Paul wrote very clearly that a believer in Christ is no longer under the law of Moses. “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes,” (Rom 10:4). Through faith, we’ve freely received the righteousness he put on us. But now, we are under the “law of Christ” (1 Cor 9:21). The law of Christ is everything he’s commanded us to do. He gave us the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. He also gave us the teachings of the Bible that include abstaining from what has been sacrificed to idols, from blood, from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality (Acts 15:29). These correspond quite closely to the laws in Leviticus 17-18.
As you can see, God’s requirements for his people haven’t really changed from the very beginning. What he wants for us has always been to live holy, set-apart lives, distinct from the world. In our current society where sex is a means of self-expression and self-gratification, we as holy people need to consider how can we deny ourselves and glorify God even in this area of our lives.
Reflection:
The world today celebrates the perversion of God’s laws regarding sex, parading nakedness as art and entertainment, treating sexual intimacy as a means of personal pleasure. Sometimes we may find ourselves so numb and desensitised toward these. What worldly lies about sex or sexuality have we allowed into our worldview? What is God’s challenge for us today in our pursuit of holiness?
Prayer:
Holy God, your laws and ways are perfect and good for me. Forgive me for the times I allowed the world’s ways to seep into my life and thinking. Grant me awareness so I won’t blindly accep