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Leviticus 18-20
Soul, Spiritual,
and Sexual Holiness
Psalm 18:28-50 Shielded and Saved
28.“For you will light my lamp, Yahweh. My God will light up my darkness.29.For by you, I advance through a troop. By my God, I leap over a wall.30.As for God, his way is perfect. The word of Yahweh is tried. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.31.For who is God, except Yahweh? Who is a rock, besides our God,32.the God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect?33.He makes my feet like deer’s feet, and sets me on my high places.34.He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms bend a bow of bronze.35.You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your right hand sustains me. Your gentleness/willingness to help (NET) has made me great.36.You have enlarged my steps under me, my feet have not slipped.46.Yahweh lives; and blessed be my rock. Exalted be the God of my salvation,47.even the God who executes vengeance for me, and subdues peoples under me.48.He rescues me from my enemies. Yes, you lift me up above those who rise up against me. You deliver me from the violent man.49.Therefore I will give thanks to you, Yahweh, among the nations, and will sing praises to your name.50.He gives great deliverance to his king, and shows hesed/loyal covenantal love to his anointed, to David and to his seed, forevermore.Observation
18:28-50.David depends upon God who not only provided defensive protection, but teaches and empowers David to triumph over his enemies. David knows God as the rock, but also the recompenser who executes vengeance in treading down his enemies. I edited out all the verses about beating up his enemies, because most of us don't need that kind of encouragement. David praises God for His salvation/deliverance, recognizing that is a function of His hesed as promised in the Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 7) to not just him, but his descendants as well.
Application
We should trust God for both His defensive and offensive help, and praise Him for loyally executing justice for us.
Prayer
Thanks God, that I can trust You to protect me, and teach me what You want me to do, so that Your name might be exalted in my life. Amen.
Proverbs 5:18-20 Antidote to Adultery
18.Let your spring be blessed. Rejoice in the wife of your youth.19.A loving doe and a graceful deer—let her breasts satisfy you at all times. Be captivated/intoxicated always with her love.20.For why should you, my son, be captivated with an adulteress? Why embrace the bosom of another?Observation
5:18-20.One of the four sins frequently listed in the prophets, to which God attributes judgment and captivity, is adultery (unrighteousness, injustice, and idolatry/pagan worship are the others). The family unit was the building block of religious, economic, and political society. Adultery and immorality undermine the marriage relationship and family. Children who have only one parent are less wealthy, less healthy, and less wise, than their two parent counterparts. They are also a very high risk for criminal activity. The solution is to have a family and marriage as God intended, and it doesn't happen by accident. The underlying motivation is fearing and pleasing God (5:21) knowing He sees and judges all actions. The environment of the relationship needs to be such that each person's needs are mutually met, and delights mutually indulged, resulting in joy. Obviously marriage is not just for procreation. “Rejoice” in 5:18 is a command, which requires heart-mind-soul-strength obedience. The object of and companion in rejoicing is one's wife (not someone else's). The doe and deer imagery is that of sensual fertility in the Song of Solomon. “Satisfy” in 5:19 a Piel Imperfect (intentional and ongoing) verb meaning to “be drunk/saturated”. To be “ravished-captivated-intoxicated” describes the ongoing (Qal Imperfect) effect of the wife's love upon her husband. Such a relationship would render a man impervious to another woman's charms, but will only happen if he charms his wife. If tempted to stray (on a bad day) the author reminds the reader that God's watching and remembering all we do. See Marriage Resources on Truthbase.net for help in cultivating such a relationship. Like all things that are worthy, it's work, but worth it.
1 Corinthians 7:2 Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. 3 Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
Application
We will reap what we sow. If we want a bed of strawberries, we can't plant radishes, and allow thistles and thorns to grow.
Prayer
Lord, thanks that You are sufficient for all my needs; may I draw upon Your grace to live as You intended, and reap the blessings of obedience. Amen.
Leviticus 18-20 Soul, Spiritual, and Sexual Holiness
These three chapters detail the daily holiness we need to receive the blessings God has planned for His people.
Leviticus 18 From Ritual to Sexual Purity
1.Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,2.Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, I am Yahweh your God.3.After the doings of the land of Egypt, in which you lived, you shall not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, where I bring you, you shall not do; neither shall you walk in their statutes.4.My ordinances shall you do, and my statutes shall you keep, to walk therein: I am Yahweh your God.5.You shall therefore keep my statutes, and my ordinances; which if a man obeys, he shall live by them (NIV): I am Yahweh.6.None of you shall approach to any who are close relatives to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am Yahweh.20.You shall not lie carnally with your neighbor`s wife, to defile yourself with her.21.You shall not give any of your seed to make them pass through [Observations
18:5.Obedience results in life in the Promised Land. Disobedience, in expulsion, and being cut off from blessings.
18:6.
God is concerned about our sexuality and prohibits all manner of incest, and a few other things. An essential part of spirituality is not having our life governed by our natural passions, instincts, or desires, but sublimating them for a higher objective, living within holy/separate boundaries in obedience to God.
18:21.
Molech was a Canaanite fertility deity. See under Digging Deeper.
18:22.
This is a pretty clear prohibition against homosexuality. It is not about sex with male temple prostitutes, for that would not impregnate a pagan and pollute the name of Yahweh. See Digging Deeper.
18:25-30.
As God promised Abe in Gen 15, He is punishing the inhabitants of the Promised Land for their iniquity. If Israel engages in the same practices, the Just God will be forced to punish them as well.
18:26.
With apologies to my libertarian friends, God regulates the sexuality of all people in the land.
Application
Sexual purity or impurity starts in our soul (mind, will, emotions/values) before it manifests itself in our bodies.
1Thess 4:1 Finally then, brothers, we beg and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, that you abound more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God: your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality, 4 that each one of you know how to possess himself of his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who don't know God; 6 that no one should take advantage of and wrong a brother or sister in this matter; because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified. 7 For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification. 8 Therefore he who rejects this doesn't reject man, but God, who has also given his Holy Spirit to you.
Prayer
My Creator and Maker, You are infinitely wise and loving; You know what's best; thank You for creating me with desires and giving me grace to use or not use them as You desire. Amen.
Leviticus 19 Other-centered Holiness
1.Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,2.Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and tell them, You shall be holy; for I Yahweh your God am holy.3.You shall fear every man his mother, and his father; and you shall keep my Sabbaths: I am Yahweh your God.4.Don`t turn to idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am Yahweh your God.5.When you offer a sacrifice of peace-offerings to Yahweh, you shall offer it that you may be accepted...8.... and that soul shall be cut off from his people.9.When you reap the harvest of your land...10.leave the corners for the poor and for the sojourner: I am Yahweh your God.11.You shall not steal; neither shall you deal falsely, nor lie one to another.12.You shall not swear by my name falsely, and profane the name of your God: I am Yahweh.13.You shall not oppress your neighbor, nor rob him: the wages of a hired servant shall not remain with you all night until the morning.14.You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind; but you shall fear your God: I am Yahweh.15.You shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: you shall not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty; but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor.16.You shall not go up and down as a talebearer among your people: neither shall you stand against the blood of your neighbor: I am Yahweh.17.You shall not hate your brother in your heart: you shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him.18.You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people; but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am Yahweh.19.You shall keep my statutes.23.When you shall come into the land, and shall have planted all manner of trees for food, then you shall count the fruit of it as their uncircumcision: three years shall they be as uncircumcised to you; it shall not be eaten.24.But in the fourth year all the fruit of it shall be holy, for giving praise to Yahweh.25.In the fifth year shall you eat of the fruit of it, that it may yield to you the increase of it: I am Yahweh your God.26.You shall not eat anything with the blood: neither shall you use enchantments, nor practice sorcery/soothsaying.31.Don`t turn to those who have familiar spirits/mediums, nor to the wizards; don`t seek them out, to be defiled by them: I am Yahweh your God.37.You shall observe all my statutes, and all my ordinances, and do them: I am Yahweh.Observations
19:5.Even offering a sacrifice to God must be done as He specified or it would not be accepted and you would be cut off from blessing. If that bothers you, remember that He is God and you're not. If that thought bothers you, you haven't quite grasped the whole Creator-creature thing. Satan didn't either.
19:9.
God is concerned about both the greed, and the poor of His people. By leaving some of the harvest in the field one guarded against greed and gave the poor (and sojourners) an opportunity to work to gather it for themselves.
19:16-18.
Loving your neighbor as yourself sums up the law according to Jesus and Paul, for it does the neighbor no harm (cx. 19:16 talebearer). Note that rebuking your neighbor is tied into loving him/her.
19:23-25.
Is one of the Israel specific in practice, but in principle God owns it all and we show that by giving Him the first-fruits, trusting Him to give us what we need. A little self-control and delayed gratification would enable greater blessings.
19:26-31.
Enchantments, sorcery, saying “sooth” and consulting the dead spirits or wizards (knowers of esoteric knowledge) cause defilement. All are demonically energized attempts to predict and control our reality apart from God's revelation. Don't go there; it's dark, because it's away from the Light.
Application
What would happen if you treated others the way you would want them to treat you?
Prayer
All Sufficient Meeter of All My Needs, thank You that all my needs can be met in my relationship with You, so I'm free to love rather than use others (to meet my needs). Amen.
Leviticus 20 Walk This Way or Get Whooped
1.Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,2.Moreover, you shall tell the children of Israel, Whoever he be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn in Israel, who gives of his seed to Molech; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones.3.I also will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because he has given of his seed to Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name.4.If the people at the land do at all hide their eyes from that man, when he gives of his seed to Molech, and don`t put him to death;5.then I will set my face against that man, and against his family, and will cut him off, and all who play the prostitute after him, to play the prostitute with Molech, from among their people.6.The soul that turns to those who have familiar spirits, and to the wizards, to play the prostitute 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 you holy; for I am Yahweh your God. 8.You shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am Yahweh who sanctifies you.9.For everyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death: he has cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be on him.10.The man who commits adultery...13.If a man lie with mankind, as with womankind, both of them have committed abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be on them.23.You shall not walk in the customs of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they did all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.24.But I have said to you, You shall inherit their land, and I will give it to you to possess it, a land flowing with milk and honey: I am Yahweh your God, who has separated you from the peoples.25.You shall therefore make a distinction between the clean animal and the unclean, and between the unclean fowl and the clean: and you shall not make your souls abominable by animal, or by bird, or by anything with which the ground teems, which I have separated from you as unclean.26.You shall be holy to me: for I, Yahweh, am holy, and have set you apart from the peoples, that you should be mine.27.A man also or a woman that has a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones; their blood shall be on them.Observations
20:1-5.The people had the responsibility to not turn a blind eye to defiling practices, because defilement affected the entire community. Either they did what was right or they would suffer the same fate of the wrong-doer. Stoning was communal justice. See Digging Deeper for more on Molech.
20:6-7.
Failure to look to God for guidance by seeking mediums and wizards (see last chapter) resulted in God declaring Himself to be your enemy. Not good. Holiness on the other hand is good, because it keeps one from being cut off or disqualified from God's blessings.
20:10-27.
Bans on adultery and homosexuality, and the Dark Arts are repeated as are the commands to be holy so you don't share the destiny of the defiled (v23).
Application
Do you use the Scriptures to guide your walk on this planet, or do you just follow the crowd or your desires?
Prayer
Holy God, guide me in the paths that lead to godliness, so that I may be holy as You are Holy. Amen.
Digging Deeper
Deeper Understanding Through Bible Study
(or being a mole about Molech)
I'm including this blurb to give those of you who want a more accurate understanding of the Scriptures a little insight into how to attain that. In most, if not all, cases where the translators had a difficulty interpreting a verse, it doesn't really matter. You would not follow God any differently.
Lev 18:21 Molech was a Canaanite fertility deity. In other passages and archeological evidence, children were sacrificed to him by fire. However, most translations of Lev 18:21 indicating sacrificing children by fire are incorrect. The original text is inspired; translations are not.
First, the passage is clearly in the context of sex (most of the chapter, and the verses above and below). So why the reference to Molech? It seems out of place. Inquiring minds want to know.
Second, we notice that “fire” is not in the original text. Where did that come from? Cross-references. The translators added “fire” to the text to try to reflect their understanding of Molech from other references. Interpreting Scripture with Scripture can lead to error, if you don't first understand the Scriptures in their original context. Only then you can compare your understanding of one verse with other verses. Otherwise you're building a theology on the basis of hundreds of half understood verses, or half-truths. Shaky ground to stand upon.
Third, some versions translate “children” as “seed”. A few clicks on Strong's number in a free software program like the OnlineBible.org, or theWord, or Biblos.com, will tell you that this word is indeed “seed” and only twice translated “child” in the KJV. Hmmm.
Fourth, I wonder if there is a Hebrew word for child or children. Typing “child*” into the search bar of the above mentioned programs (or using a concordance if you're old school) reveals that there is indeed a common Hebrew word, used thousands of times, to refer to children. The word in 18:21 means literally seed, as in that which causes life to start and grow. It's not about children, but about sperm, which in the right or wrong context do yield children.
Fifth, at this point I usually pull up an interlinear in Biblos.com or the OnlineBible (OLB) to see what's going on under the hood. Clicking on the Strong's numbers to bring up the lexical definitions, and seeing which fit the context will yield an insightful interpretation.
The first verb is to not “give, deliver, devote, consecrate, or dedicate” one's seed.
The next verb is to “pass or cross over” but in the Hiphil (a click in the OLB will tell you that this gives a “causative” meaning to “pass or cross over”) means to “cause to pass over, dedicate or devote.” (In the Piel intensive intentional form, it means to impregnate.)
The last verb “profane” is to “defile, pollute, or desecrate,” but it is in the Piel, where it expresses intentional action, yielding the meaning of “violating a covenant or honor.”
Six, using the interlinear text and the context appropriate definition yields:“You shall not give/devote your seed to cause it to pass over to Molech, and thus not violate/pollute the name/honor of God; I am Yahweh.”
You can get a similar but fuzzier view going to BibleGateway.com or anywhere else you can find Young's Literal Translation (YLT) 21`And of thy seed thou dost/shall not give to pass over to the Molech; nor dost thou pollute the name of thy God; I [am] Jehovah.
So how would an Israelite cause their seed to cross over to Molech, and thus violate the covenant and pollute the honor of God? By participating in the orgiastic worship of Molech, the fertility god, impregnating either a temple prostitute, or a pagan worshiper, and thus (in the wrong context) causing the seed of Abraham to become a follower of another god. Now you see why this prohibition is included in a section on sexual purity.
If you actually read this far, you have too much time on your hands, or you have the mental equipment to engage in real Bible Study. See “How to Study the Bible Like Sherlock Holmes”, and love God with all your mind.
God in a nutshell: God is holy (but then by now you totally know that), and requires holiness in His people in order to bless them (some are a little slow about this). He not only requires individual holiness but corporate as well, and charges us with the responsibility of keeping the community sanctified.
Us in a nutshell: By default we get defiled, and then forfeit being blessed (sometimes our lives). We have the responsibility to be holy, governing our desires from the inside (soul=mind, will, emotions/values) out (body). We also need to keep spiritually pure, seeking only the True God in the ways He has revealed.