In the light of the unique relationship that the
Israelites had with Him, God prescribed for them a standard that they were
expected to maintain. There were many things that others could do but not for
them. So, here in Leviticus 18 God detailed for them areas He
expected them to observe. There are basically four broad categories stipulated
in this chapter. Verses 1-5 warned them against adopting the custom of the
pagan nations. Verses 6-20 forbade them from engaging in an incestuous and
illicit sexual relationship. Verses 21-23 warned them against engaging in the
sexual deviation which was common among the Canaanites. Verses 24-30 admonished
them to keep the rules or else they would face the penalty of His
rejection.
Since a deviant sexual relationship could be a
major cause for family break-ups, we see here God expects His people to observe
marital integrity. Sexual intimacy must always be practiced within the confine
of a marriage. The reason is obvious. Because the sexual union is an area that
would often trip a man resulting in indiscretion. It’s an area that would bring
disharmony in marriage. God dealt quite a fair bit with an incestuous
relationship. He forbade the sexual relationship between close relatives. In
verse 18 we surmise that He was discouraging polygamous relationships. And in
verse 20, we can say that God was warning against adultery. In verses 21-23,
God strongly warned against profaning His name by practicing child sacrifice.
The other areas repulsive to God were also specified, homosexual acts (verse
21) and sexual unions with animals (verse 23).
Lessons to take away:
(1) Sexual purity is one aspect of morality that
believers who desire to be godly must observe. This is so because we serve a
holy God who wants us to live a life with the right honor and proper desires.
(2) Being human, sexual appetite is often the cause of one’s downfall. It
would do us well to connect with God and allow the cultivation of the fruit of
self-control. (3) For us Christians, we must not adopt what the society
accepts as the norm when those practices are in contradiction with the Word of
God. (4) Be aware of the principle of sowing
and reaping. The Bible is clear what a man sows, he shall reap. If we sow wild
oats, we will reap a whirlwind. It pays to be careful about how to live rightly
for the honor of God.
No comments:
Post a Comment