Why have a whole chapter on sexual ‘shall not’s’? This is because they are associated with other spiritual heart issues. Take a look.
Leviticus 18: Unlawful Sexual Relations
1 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
2 "Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, I am the LORD your God.
3 You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived, and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you. You shall not walk in their statutes.
4 You shall follow my rules and keep my statutes and walk in them. I am the LORD your God.
5 You shall therefore keep my statutes and my rules; if a person does them, he shall live by them: I am the LORD.
6 "None of you shall approach any one of his close relatives to uncover nakedness. I am the LORD.
7 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, which is the nakedness of your mother; she is your mother, you shall not uncover her nakedness.
8 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's wife; it is your father's nakedness.
9 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your sister, your father's daughter or your mother's daughter, whether brought up in the family or in another home.
10 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your son's daughter or of your daughter's daughter, for their nakedness is your own nakedness.
11 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's wife's daughter, brought up in your father's family, since she is your sister.
12 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's sister; she is your father's relative.
13 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother's sister, for she is your mother's relative.
14 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's brother, that is, you shall not approach his wife; she is your aunt.
15 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law; she is your son's wife, you shall not uncover her nakedness.
16 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother's wife; it is your brother's nakedness.
17 You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and of her daughter, and you shall not take her son's daughter or her daughter's daughter to uncover her nakedness; they are relatives; it is depravity.
18 And you shall not take a woman as a rival wife to her sister, uncovering her nakedness while her sister is still alive.
19 "You shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness while she is in her menstrual uncleanness.
20 And you shall not lie sexually with your neighbour's wife and so make yourself unclean with her.
21 You shall not give any of your children to offer them to Molech, and so profane the name of your God: I am the LORD.
22 You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.
23 And you shall not lie with any animal and so make yourself unclean with it, neither shall any woman give herself to an animal to lie with it: it is perversion.
24 "Do not make yourselves unclean by any of these things, for by all these the nations I am driving out before you have become unclean,
25 and the land became unclean, so that I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out its inhabitants.
26 But you shall keep my statutes and my rules and do none of these abominations, either the native or the stranger who sojourns among you
27 (for the people of the land, who were before you, did all of these abominations, so that the land became unclean),
28 lest the land vomit you out when you make it unclean, as it vomited out the nation that was before you.
29 For everyone who does any of these abominations, the persons who do them shall be cut off from among their people.
30 So keep my charge never to practice any of these abominable customs that were practiced before you, and never to make yourselves unclean by them: I am the LORD your God."
Leviticus 19: The LORD Is Holy
1 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
2 "Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.
3 Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and you shall keep my Sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.
4 Do not turn to idols or make for yourselves any gods of cast metal: I am the LORD your God.
5 "When you offer a sacrifice of peace offerings to the LORD, you shall offer it so that you may be accepted.
6 It shall be eaten the same day you offer it or on the day after, and anything left over until the third day shall be burned up with fire.
7 If it is eaten at all on the third day, it is tainted; it will not be accepted,
8 and everyone who eats it shall bear his iniquity, because he has profaned what is holy to the LORD, and that person shall be cut off from his people.
Love Your Neighbour as Yourself
9 "When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest.
10 And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the LORD your God.
11 "You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; you shall not lie to one another.
12 You shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the LORD.
13 "You shall not oppress your neighbour or 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 or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God: I am the LORD.
15 "You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbour.
16 You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand up against the life of your neighbour: I am the LORD.
17 "You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbour, lest you incur sin because of him.
18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbour as yourself: I am the LORD.
You Shall Keep My Statutes
19 "You shall keep my statutes. You shall not let your cattle breed with a different kind. You shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed, nor shall you wear a garment of cloth made of two kinds of material.
20 "If a man lies sexually with a woman who is a slave, assigned to another man and not yet ransomed or given her freedom, a distinction shall be made. They shall not be put to death, because she was not free;
21 but he shall bring his compensation to the LORD, to the entrance of the tent of meeting, a ram for a guilt offering.
22 And the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt offering before the LORD for his sin that he has committed, and he shall be forgiven for the sin that he has committed.
23 "When you come into the land and plant any kind of tree for food, then you shall regard its fruit as forbidden. Three years it shall be forbidden to you; it must not be eaten.
24 And in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, an offering of praise to the LORD.
25 But in the fifth year you may eat of its fruit, to increase its yield for you: I am the LORD your God.
26 "You shall not eat any flesh with the blood in it. You shall not interpret omens or tell fortunes.
27 You shall not round off the hair on your temples or mar the edges of your beard.
28 You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the LORD.
29 "Do not profane your daughter by making her a prostitute, lest the land fall into prostitution and the land become full of depravity.
30 You shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.
31 "Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the LORD your God.
32 "You shall stand up before the grey head and honour the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the LORD.
33 "When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong.
34 You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.
35 "You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measures of length or weight or quantity.
36 You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin: I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.
37 And you shall observe all my statutes and all my rules, and do them: I am the LORD."
Things to think about…
1. Uncovering nakedness is clearly the theme of Leviticus 18 – mentioned many times. But what is it? It is inappropriate nakedness via unsanctified relationships that is the issue. The problem is not being naked, but spiritual rebellion through relationships that are not sanctified by the Lord. The opening verse speaks of the fact that these practises were done in Egypt, vs 3 and were also being done in Canaan where they will inhabit, vs 24. These relationships represent the world. We are called to honour our God through right relationships. Loving, healthy marriages should be encouraged within the church and our community.
2. Healthy families build healthy communities. Israel was to promote sanctified sexual relations throughout the generations. Judgment was about to come to the land of Canaan because they had marred themselves with sexual relations with family members, animals and homosexuality, Lev 18:24-30. Unfortunately, the judgement that came upon Canaan is something we have sanctioned by law in Australia in 2017 with same sex marriages. This of course moves the moral pendulum away from the blessing of God’s Spirit. As such moral decay continues within our country. The church with God’s Holy Spirit is to be the restraining influence against such decline. It’s a tragedy when the world directs the church’s agenda.
3. Lev 19:1-18 summarises the OT law and message of the Prophets. Love God, love others and love yourself. The message of this chapter is of course echoed by Jesus in Mt 22:34-40. How we treat one another is directly linked with how we honour God. As the Apostle John said ‘He who says he loves God cannot hate his brother’ 1Jn 4:20. What does true love look like – especially within the church? A focus on the ministry of Jesus to others provides the answer.
4. If a man lies sexually with a slave they shall not die, why? Because she was not free, Lev 19:20. What does this mean? She was not under the law of God – but if she was – she and the man were to be put to death. Why? Paul summarises it best in 1Cor 5:9-13. We cannot expect the world to live by God’s laws. We are to show them God’s laws by what we say and what we do. How shameful it is when the church embraces the world. Unfortunately as Christians we all pay all pay price for this shameful behaviour. Our witness in the world dies in that day.
5. The law says “You shall not… tattoo yourself” Lev 19:28. Many both in and out of the church have tattoos. The law also says in this passage that we shouldn’t sow a field with two different crops or wear clothes made with two different fibres, and that we don’t interbreed cattle, Lev 19:19. I am sure we are guilty of all these things – check the tag on the back of your shirt/top. Some parts of the law allow us freedom through grace as listed out in Christ in the NT and others clearly not – especially those laws surrounding sexual conduct, which are upheld in the NT. But you can enjoy your mixed beef, bacon, beard styling and mixed fabrics! These laws were physical laws to mark an outward distinction between Israel and the surrounding nations. The law of Christ now holds that distinction for the Christian and the world.
6. God is holy. The land of Canaan wasn’t, but the Israelites were to make it so. The practises listed in Lev 19:25-37 were part of Canaan (and Egypt). The elderly were to be honoured, Lev 19:32. Pray for the land of Israel today, especially with respect to vss 33,34. May they love those who live among them while also being wise in dealing with the political and cultural challenges. This can only be fully achieved if Israel sees their true Messiah – Yeshua, Jesus Christ.
Vision statement for CBC
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Life groups on this week. Ric Beson has started the Life Groups at church 6:30pm and will be looking at the life of Christ in the church.
Pastor Jay has started the young adult’s life group after Sunday mornings message. It will be a Christian topics and apologetics class.
Prayer Points
1. Pray for Tad. He is due for prostate treatment within the next few days.
2. Pray for of Kids@Church, Life groups and church community days.
3. The conflicts in Israel and Ukraine. Praise for the peace of Jesus to reign.
4. Mathys has a prayer time at church on Monday afternoons. He would be happy for you to join him and to send prayer requests.
5. That we be bold in our witnessing for Christ. Pray for a heart to see those around you to be saved. Pray for the blessing over the new pastoral care and hosting program.
6. Growth, conversions, joy in the Word and Spirit to remain and increase.
Praise Points
1. Wonderful start to the Life groups at church this week – good discussion around the meaning and role of the church.
2. Good discussion on Baptism at Young Adults Life group on Sunday.
3. Praise God for the church leaders. May the Lord bless as they make their plans, that He guides our steps.
4. Start of Kids@Church and Life groups this week.
5. Joy, peace and grace we see at CBC. Thankyou Lord
Announcements
1. Groups start back on Wednesday night at Church – 6:30pm. New Christians and Young Adults – Sunday after church.
2. Combined Baptist Church service at Beacon Baptist 5pm 11th Feb.
3. Members meeting after the service – 25th Feb 2024.
4. Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
5. Tune in again this week on our YouTube page. Subscribe to the CBC channel Chuwar Baptist YouTube channel.
Catechism questions for January...
Q. 16. Who were our first parents? A. Adam and Eve.
