UNROLL
The tabernacle court at dusk seen across the camp of Israel: its pale linen wall and the dark tent inside it at the center, black goat-hair tents all around, a thin thread of smoke rising from the altar under a deep violet sky.

The Book of

Leviticus 20

The penalties are heavy because the calling is high: a holy God has set His people apart to be His own.

27 verses≈ 6 minBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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Where we are

  1. 1–7The offeringsHow sinners draw near
  2. 8–10The priestsOrdained, and a warning
  3. 11–15Clean and uncleanLife before a holy God
  4. 16The Day of AtonementSins carried away
  5. 17–27A holy peopleBe holy, for I am holyChapter 20

Punishments for Disobedience

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Tell 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 land are to stone him.

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The law

God sets His face

  1. Molech

    God Himself cuts him off

    And I will set My face against that man and cut him off from his people, because by giving his offspring to Molech, he has defiled My sanctuary and profaned My holy name.

  2. If the people look away

    And if the people of the land ever hide their eyes and fail to put to death the man who gives one of his children to Molech, then I will set My face against that man and his family and cut off from among their people both him and all who follow him in prostituting themselves with Molech.

  3. Occult

    Whoever turns to mediums

    Whoever turns to mediums or spiritists to prostitute himself with them, I will also set My face against that person and cut him off from his people.

Dawn over the quiet camp of Israel seen from a low ridge: the tabernacle court's white linen wall at the center catching the first light, a straight column of smoke rising from the altar, the rows of tents still in shadow.

Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, because I am the LORD your God. And you shall keep My statutes and practice them. I am the LORD who sanctifies you.

0:10

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to death. He has cursed his father or mother; his blood shall be upon him.

Reflect

Made holy

God says, “Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy,” and then, “I am the LORD who sanctifies you.” He does the deep work, and we walk in it. Where is He making you holy right now: a habit, a relationship, a hidden corner of your heart? Write down one step of obedience He is asking of you this week, and thank Him that He is the One who sanctifies.

Punishments for Sexual Immorality

The camp's gathering place at dusk: rough stone benches in a half-circle on swept ground before a large dark tent, a wooden staff leaning against one bench, no one there.

The law

Sins punished by death

  1. Adultery with a neighbor’s wife

    If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress must surely be put to death.

  2. A man and his father’s wife

    If a man lies with his father’s wife, he has uncovered his father’s nakedness. Both must surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.

  3. A man and his daughter-in-law

    If a man lies with his daughter-in-law, both must surely be put to death. They have acted perversely; their blood is upon them.

  4. A man with a man

    If a man lies with a man as with a woman, they have both committed an abomination. They must surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.

  5. A man, a woman and her mother

    If a man marries both a woman and her mother, it is depraved. Both he and they must be burned in the fire, so that there will be no depravity among you.

  6. A man with an animal

    If a man lies carnally with an animal, he must be put to death. And you are also to kill the animal.

  7. A woman with an animal

    If a woman approaches any animal to mate with it, you must kill both the woman and the animal. They must surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.

The round mouth of a rock-cut cistern in a hill-country courtyard at dawn, clear still water deep inside reflecting the pale sky, a clay water jar and a coiled rope on the rim, a young olive tree beside it.

The law

Cut off or childless

  1. Cut off

    A man and his sister

    If a man marries his sister, whether the daughter of his father or of his mother, and they have sexual relations, it is a disgrace. They must be cut off in the sight of their people. He has uncovered the nakedness of his sister; he shall bear his iniquity.

  2. During her flow

    If a man lies with a menstruating woman and has sexual relations with her, he has exposed the source of her flow, and she has uncovered the source of her blood. Both of them must be cut off from among their people.

  3. Bear iniquity

    An aunt by blood

    You must not have sexual relations with the sister of your mother or your father, for it is exposing one’s own kin; both shall bear their iniquity.

  4. Childless

    His uncle’s wife

    If a man lies with his uncle’s wife, he has uncovered the nakedness of his uncle. They will bear their sin; they shall die childless.

  5. His brother’s wife

    If a man marries his brother’s wife, it is an act of impurity. He has uncovered the nakedness of his brother; they shall be childless.

Pray

Washed and named

This chapter is hard to read, and it should be. God takes sin seriously, and so must we. But no one is beyond the reach of His mercy. Confess to Him plainly any sin that comes to mind. Then thank Him that in Jesus there is washing for every sinner who comes, and a new name: His own.

Distinguish between Clean and Unclean

You are therefore to keep all My statutes and ordinances, so that the land where I am bringing you to live will not vomit you out. You must not follow the statutes of the nations I am driving out before you. Because they did all these things, I abhorred them.

God

You are to be holy to Me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be My own.

Leviticus 20:26

A man or a woman who is a medium or spiritist must surely be put to death. They shall be stoned; their blood is upon them.’”

Set apart to be His

I, the LORD, amholythe reason for it all(20:26)I have set youapartfrom the peoples(20:24)Clean anduncleana daily sign of it(20:25)Washed andsanctifiedin Christ (1 Cor 6:11)A people forHis ownthe church too (1 Pet2:9)

Whiteboard

Every law in this chapter rests on who God is: “I, the LORD, am holy.” He had set Israel apart “from the peoples,” and the line between clean and unclean animals was a daily sign of it. In Christ the food laws have done their work, but the calling has not changed. All who trust Him are washed and sanctified in His name (1 Corinthians 6:11), a people for God’s own possession (1 Peter 2:9).

Question

Quick question

Near the end of the chapter, God gives the reason behind the food laws.

Why did God tell Israel to distinguish between clean and unclean animals?

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Leviticus 20

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A verse to carry with you

You are to be holy to Me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be My own.

Leviticus 20:26

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