February 4, 2024
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Leviticus? Here’s today’s reading:
Leviticus 18 (NIV)
Unlawful Sexual Relations
1 The Lord said to Moses, 2“Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘I am the Lord your God. 3 You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices.……Continue Reading
Well this list of inappropriate sexual relations mostly seemed common sense at this point. I am sure practices in that time were different and God never leaves things to chance and He is clear and specific. The pratice of homosexuality is mentioned in this list of relations that seem so obviously deviant and yet our society has made it a separate issue and has ever so subtly brought it to a normal and natural choice but it is clear here how God feels about it.
Leviticus 18
I wonder if the land is going to spue soon.
”(for all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;) that the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you.“
Leviticus 18:27-28 KJV
Leviticus 14-18
Up until this point certain practices have been considered unclean in and of themselves. For this chapter specifically the language changes to despicable acts done by the surrounding nations that Israel was told not to replicate.
Laws of cleanliness that prevented people from entering the presence of God in the Tabernacle under certain conditions no longer apply to us since we are now living temples of the Holy Spirit. But this stuff isn’t just unclean it’s outright sinful.
However, when it comes to homosexuality, I think we need to remember that it is specifically the sexual acts in a homosexual context that are abominations, not the people themselves. We should be compassionate towards those who struggle with homosexuality and guide them to know the love of Christ first; and then trust in the Holy Spirit to sanctify them as we keep them accountable if they choose to follow Christ.
Thanks Kelly. Diddo.!!! Like to post on some highway billboards Leviticus 18/22
God calls all the sins mentioned in this chapter 18 as abominations and defilement. So much so that He destroyed the nations that were there before Israel. But now God is given Israel instruction on how to behave and what is right behavior before Him. God had already destroyed mankind because of their wickedness by the worldwide flood. Their wickedness also not only destroyed mankind { except Noah and his family} but all the living creatures that dwelled on the land. Of course many of the sea life were also affected. Yet mankind just doesn`t get it for even during the time of the judges mankind did whatever was right in their own eyes. Judges 21:25 { In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.} Israel still had the instructions that God gave through Moses. Even today in our present world look at the heart of mankind. All these evils are present today in the United States and the whole world. And we as people in the world think we are good. The scripture says just the opposite. It says in Jeremiah 17:9 { The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Also in Matthew 15: 18,19 { But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.} Only with the indwelling Holy Spirit in our lives can we change for He gives us a new heart. { spiritually speaking} Of course we still have that sinful nature which Paul spoke about in Romans 6 and so many other scriptures. I was reminded the other day of how sinful my heart and tongue are in this wretched body of mine and then failed to apologize to my dear wife { Melodye} God forgive me for this. I have since apologized to her. James 3:8 { But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.} As Pastor preached about today { Feb. 4} For me to live is Christ; to die is gain. Phil. 1:21 May my tongue also be crucified that I may give God praise and bless people. Peace be to all.
Considering how these standards have been broken throughout human history and how abhorrent and powerful sexual desire can be unchecked, how important for God to lay all these standards out specifically. And people break them to their own harm. How much God is trying to protect us from all the damage that comes from misusing the gift of sex. As the New Testament says when we sin sexually, we actually sin against ourselves. But not only is there physical, mental, emotional and spiritual damage to the individual who breaks these standards, but also to those who participate and those that suffer from the dysfunction that happens in those that engage. There is so much brokenness in our society because of not adhering to these standards. It really points to the wisdom and truth that God knows what He is doing by protecting us from ourselves.
Leviticus 18