Bible Study - Holy - Living in Holiness - Leviticus 18 and 20 - April 21, 2013

Bible Study – Holy – Living in Holiness – April 21, 2013

This is lesson three in our series of study entitled, “Holy God, Holy People.”

Our scripture is Leviticus 18:1-5, 20-26; 20:6-8.

The laws and instructions in Leviticus can be divided into two groups, casuistic laws and apodictic laws.

Casuistic laws are laws when violated have instructions on what to do to redeem yourself, such as “If you do this --, then this is what you do --.” If you touch a dead person, this is what you are to do.

Apodictic laws or commands can be positive or negative such as “You shall do so-and-so” or “You shall not do so-and-so.” The Ten Commandments are apodictic laws.

Many of the verses in Chapters 18 and 20 are apodictic laws. They are for GOD’S chosen to follow in order to maintain the moral purity and right relationship that GOD desires. Sin is a barrier between GOD and HIS chosen. JESUS removed the sin barrier by HIS shed blood, which removed the need to make a blood sacrifice for our sin. But sin must be confessed before GOD to maintain the right relationship with HIM. Depending upon what we have done, we must take the necessary action as prompted by the Holy Spirit and GOD’S Word.

Let’s read Leviticus 18:1-5:

Prohibited Pagan Practices

1 •Yahweh spoke to Moses: 2 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: I am Yahweh your God. 3 Do not follow the practices of the land of Egypt, where you used to live, or follow the practices of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. You must not follow their customs. 4 You are to practice My ordinances and you are to keep My statutes by following them; I am Yahweh your God. 5 Keep My statutes and ordinances; a person will live if he does them. I am Yahweh.

GOD spoke to Moses and told him to speak. This was like GOD telling Moses, “Now pay close attention to what I am going to speak to you because I want you to speak to MY children/Israelites an extremely important message.” GOD wanted the Israelites to know that “I AM the LORD your GOD.” GOD had chosen them to be HIS people. HE wanted them to know that HE was the ONE Who saw their plight in Egypt and delivered them. HE also knew that they had been exposed to and possibly participated in or were intrigued by some of the pagan worship practices of the Egyptians. HE, in essence, was saying this is a new day because now you know that I AM GOD and I AM Holy. Therefore, you are not to do the things you did in Egypt. The Egyptians were worshipping dumb gods made of wood or stone but you are worshipping the true living GOD Who rules both earth and the heavens.

When Christians are delivered from the bondage of sin and their old life, GOD makes it clear, that they are to leave their old lifestyle behind. They are to obediently follow HIM and trust HIM for all things.

GOD told them that HE had delivered them for a higher calling. Remember our first lesson in this series, GOD’S desire was for them to be priests and a Holy nation representing HIM to other nations that did not know HIM. HE had prepared them to enter into the Promised Land, their ultimate destination. Arriving in the Promised Land is not without responsibility and accountability.

GOD knew that in the Promised Land there were those who may entice them to do things contrary to HIS desire for them. HE told them not adopt any of their ways or practices. HE reminded them that were a Holy people set aside to represent HIM. They were not to walk in the ordinances of the people in the Promised Land.

We like to think when in Rome do as the Romans do. GOD says, NO!!!

GOD was saying, “Here is what I want you to do. You shall keep MY ordinances and walk in them because I want you to keep in mind that I have chosen you. I AM the LORD, your GOD.” GOD made it clear as to what they were to do when they got to the Promised Land.  In essence, “Don’t forget who you are and Who you represent.” The same is true for Christians today.   

We fight hard to achieve and obtain, which is good, but often we forget that it is GOD Who gave us the success. HE placed us in the right place at the right time to obediently serve HIM. But has our success compromised our witness and lifestyle? If that has happened to you, just keep in mind that when we confess our wrong doings, GOD forgives and restores. So stop wallowing in self-pity, repent and obediently serve HIM. As long as there is life in your body, GOD has a plan for you.

GOD told them to keep HIS statutes and judgments/ordinances with a promise. If a man keeps these, he shall truly live because he will be empowered by them: “I AM the LORD.” When a person is in the center of GOD’S will, that is as good as it gets. Power comes by living according to GOD’S statutes and ordinances because you are not compromised. HIS Word has power and living according to HIS Word results in abundant living. Notice HE used the word “if a man does or lives accordingly.” GOD always gives humans a choice. HE tells us what to do but it is up to us to respond. As the old saying goes, “You can lead a horse to water but you cannot make him drink.” Are you willing to drink from the fountain of living water?

I am convinced that someone reading this lesson is wrestling with a decision. I urge you to place your hand into GOD’S hand and ask HIM to forgive you and to make out of you what HE desires you to be. Now, thank HIM for forgiving you, saving you and using you to obediently serve HIM.

Look at what JESUS said in John 10:10:

10 A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.  

Let’s read Leviticus 18:20-26:

20 You are not to have sexual intercourse with your neighbor’s wife, defiling yourself with her. 21 “You are not to make any of your children pass through the fire to •Molech. Do not profane the name of your God; I am Yahweh. 22 You are not to sleep with a man as with a woman; it is detestable. 23 You are not to have sexual intercourse with any animal, defiling yourself with it; a woman is not to present herself to an animal to mate with it; it is a perversion. 24 “Do not defile yourselves by any of these practices, for the nations I am driving out before you have defiled themselves by all these things. 25 The land has become defiled, so I am punishing it for its sin, and the land will vomit out its inhabitants. 26 But you are to keep My statutes and ordinances. You must not commit any of these detestable things—not the native or the foreigner who lives among you.

In the scripture between verses 6-19 GOD covered all sorts of sexual perversions. These were practices of those who had inhabited the Promised Land and GOD made it clear that they were NOT to be enticed to practice any of them. The Promised Land was a land flowing with all the good things but they were not to be fooled into thinking that the prosperity of those being vomited out did not come from HIM. HE had allowed their prosperity to prepare them to have an abundant, thriving place to live. HE was driving out the current inhabitants to make room for them. Keep in mind there were about 2 million Israelites who were moving into that area.

GOD clearly states in verse 20 that HE detests adultery and adultery is a sin. Sin is sin. There are not big sins or little sins. Bearing false witness is sin, such as gossip. There are sins that impact others in a variety of ways.

That is what intrigued me with our last lesson. GOD opened up areas where we, as Christian’s, fool ourselves into thinking we are being so pious. The question we need to ask ourselves is, “What is in our hearts?” We need to be honest with where we are as obedient servants of GOD through CHRIST. CHRIST equips us to be honest before GOD. GOD’S desire is for HIS children to worship HIM in Spirit and truth. Just be honest before GOD because we all are sinners saved by the blood of CHRIST Who gave HIS life for all who will place their faith in HIM and by the grace of GOD.

Molech (MOH lek) was an Ammonite deity, to whom children were possibly sacrificed by being thrown into fire. The reference to fire is absent from the Hebrew text. Some Bible scholars think this referred to parents giving up their children to become temple prostitutes. Either way you look at it, it is detestable and GOD hates it and made it clear that the Israelites were NOT to even think of considering such abominations.

Our next subject is front and center in our world today, homosexuality. A man is not to have sex with another man or an animal. This applies to women as well. A woman is not to have sex with an animal. GOD finds these actions detestable. Take note that GOD said, “Do not defile yourselves by any of these practices, for the nations I am driving out before you have defiled themselves by all these things. Verse 25, “The land has become defiled, so I am punishing it for its sin, and the land will vomit out its inhabitants.”  

GOD is in-charge. We have the freedom to choose perversions but just bear in mind with freedom, comes responsibility and accountability. GOD has the final say and is the judge. When we are being vomited out of our land it is too late. Notice those being vomited out were leaving a land of prosperity. America wake-up!!! GOD considers these things detestable. Keep in mind that GOD loves the sinner but hates the sin.

Keep in mind that this is GOD speaking to Moses in order for him to tell the Israelites. Those obedient to GOD cannot ignore the things that GOD finds detestable, even as Christians. Sin blocks our relationship with CHRIST and GOD but as true Christians we never lose our salvation or the fact that we are GOD’S children. But we can lose rewards that can only come through obedient service as led by the Holy Spirit. Sin blocks that path. Our lifestyle can rob us of our eternal rewards but not our salvation, if we have been truly saved.

Just keep this in mind; Satan will make sure that the things that appeal to the flesh will be over the top in order to enslave you. When they do, they will control you to the point of destruction and rob you of having the right relationship with GOD.

Let’s read Leviticus 20:6-8:

Molech Worship and Spiritism

1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 2 “Say to the Israelites: Any Israelite or foreigner living in Israel who gives any of his children to •Molech must be put to death; the people of the country are to stone him. 3 I will turn against that man and cut him off from his people, because he gave his •offspring to Molech, defiling My sanctuary and profaning My holy name. 4 But if the people of the country look the other way when that man gives any of his children to Molech, and do not put him to death, 5 then I will turn against that man and his family, and cut off from their people both him and all who follow him in prostituting themselves with Molech. 6 “Whoever turns to mediums (familiar spirits) or spiritists and prostitutes himself with them, I will turn against that person and cut him off from his people. 7 Consecrate yourselves and be holy, for I am •Yahweh your God. 8 Keep My statutes and do them; I am Yahweh who sets you apart.

GOD begins here as HE did in our previous section. HE told Moses to pay special attention to what HE was going to tell him in order for him to accurately pass it along to the Israelites. Any Israelite or foreigner (non-Jew) who gives any of their children to Molech must be put to death by stoning. The land belonged to the Israelites. It was their country and they were not to allow a fellow Jew or a non-Jew to do something that GOD detested in it. They were accountable to GOD. This reveals how serious GOD is about HIS people doing something HE detests.

Notice in verse 4 that GOD also holds fellow citizens accountable for the things GOD calls detestable. Christians, does that get your attention? Christians are accountable to GOD for the things GOD detests in the land where they live and they remain silent or take no action.

GOD detests anything dealing with the occult, even for so-called for fun. Mediums contact the dead or familiar spirits. My only information on this subject goes back probably about 30 plus years ago. I read a book written be a minister whose family had been caught up in spiritualism. His dad contacted mediums in an effort to contact a loved one who had died. I think it was a son. He wrote a book telling of their experience and his salvation experience. He went with his grandmother to a séance where they could ask questions regarding the Bible. After leaving the meeting, he bought a Bible and after several attempts to read it, he came across 1 John 4:1-3, 4:

1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spiritsa 1Th 5:21 to determine if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
2 This is how you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ hasb Or confesses Jesus to be the Christ come in the fleshc Jn 1:14; Php 2:7; 3:3 is from God.d 1Co 12:3
3 But every spirit who does not confess Jesuse Other mss read confess that Jesus has come in the flesh is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist;f 1Jn 2:18,22; 2Jn 7 you have heard that he is coming, and he is already in the world now.

I included verse 4 so Christians who read this know the protection they have by having CHRIST in them. As a Christian, you can claim this verse and quote it if you encounter the occult world.
4 You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the One (JESUS) who is in youg Rm 8:31; Col 1:27; 1Jn 3:20 is greater than the one (Satan) who is in the world.h     Jn 12:31

He tested the spirits according to 1 John 4:1-3 and he learned that they were of Satan. As a result, he became a Christian and later was called to be a pastor, I think in the Presbyterian Church. It was interesting that he said that 85% of the mediums were phonies but there were about 15% who contacted ----- not the dead person but the dead person’s familiar spirit. He said that at birth, Satan assigns a familiar spirit to every person to shadow him/her during his/her life upon earth. Yes, they know many details that only another person may know, that is why many believe they are in contact with that person. When you contact the dead you are not contacting that deceased person. You are contacting the person’s familiar spirit. I loaned my copy of this book to someone many years ago and it did not find its way back to me. The book is out of print, so if anyone reading this happens to know the name of the book or where I can get a copy, I would appreciate it. My e-mail is tshaw37@aol.com.

GOD detests anything to do with the occult but many Christians must read their horoscopes, visit a fortune teller, and have their lucky whatever with them or any number of things related to the spirit world. GOD detests it, so stay away from it. GOD is sufficient for all things. Learn to trust HIM.

GOD’S desire is for HIS children to focus upon HIM and be Holy. HE tells us to set ourselves apart or sanctify ourselves. Sanctification is setting aside for special use. GOD gives Christians the right to choose to be set aside. HE calls but we decide and choose. As Christians, HE has already set us aside or called us all to be sanctified. HE has set us apart to obediently serve HIM and only HIM. HE is a jealous GOD and does not share with any deviation. GOD calls all HIS children to be sanctified but HIS children have the freedom to choose.

Have you made that choice? If not, now is the time to make it. Do not delay. Blessings!!!