Leviticus 19, Laws of Holiness (2) (18: Sexual Sin)

Lev. 18 contains prohibitions concerning sex.  It is easily verifiable that every nation that rejects God turns to sex, no matter how advanced they may have been or how loudly they proclaimed the rights of women or judged the abuse of women.

There are three sections to the chapter:

·       18: 1-5: The overall principle is laid out in these verses.  These laws distinguish Israel from Egypt (the past) and Canaan (the future).

o   You may recognize v5 from the NT.  Paul quoted this (Rom. 10:5; Gal. 3:12).  But, interestingly, so did Ezekiel (Ezek. 20:11,13,21).  I say “interestingly,” because you may wonder why Paul picked up on this line hidden away in the midst of Leviticus.  It is likely that the Spirit prompted Paul, a student of the entire OT, by what Ezekiel said.  The idea that salvation through the law required sinless perfection was in the OT, not just an “invention” of Paul as some have charged.

·       18:6-23: These verses give details, including prohibitions against incest of all varieties (v6-18) and other sinful lusts (v19-23).  Note NT passages on sexual sin (e.g. 1 Thess. 4:5-7; Eph. 4:17-19; 1 Cor. 6).  You will see the difference between the OT and NT, where the NT is less detailed, dealing with more underlying principles. 

o   In v21 some have described this form of idolatry like this: the idol (Molech) was heated red-hot, then children placed in his arms to burn (2 Ki. 17:31; Jer. 7:31).  Why would people do such a thing?  Remember that “religion” was formed in Gen. 4.  Both true and idolatrous religion goes back to that time.  If God was calling for the sacrifice of an animal without blemish as they awaited the “Seed of the woman” who would be the ultimate and true sacrifice, it makes sense that idolators would stoop to sacrificing children (and virgins and the king’s son or other hopefully satisfactory objects) so as to make atonement and curry the favor of “god.”

·       18:24-30: Here the general principle is again summarized.  These verses (18:3,25,27) tell us something about God’s treatment of nations other than Israel.  God has given every nation a place where they can live and be encouraged to seek Him (Acts 14:14-18; 17:26-28).  The sins of those nations can rise to a level where they pollute the land and God is moved to judge them (Gen. 15:16).  We in the United States, who lead the world in economic and cultural ways, need to understand this.  In Leviticus 20, a chapter about sexual perversion, we see that God holds all nations to this standard, not just Israel (20:22-23).  This is why most of the OT prophetic books (Isaiah to Malachi) contain judgments on various nations as well as on Judah and Israel.