by Ptr. Art Calaguas
Shalom.
The expected retaliation from Iran, Hezbollah and other Iranian proxies is still being awaited even as the US and other allies create a protective, defensive umbrella over Israel. The US, UK, France, Germany and Italy issued a Joint Statement on the Middle East last August 12 reiterating their full support towards conflict de-escalation; a call for a hostage release deal in Gaza; and resolute support for the defense of Israel with a call for Iran and its proxies to stand down from attacking Israel (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/08/12/joint-statement-from-the-united-states-united-kingdom-france-germany-and-italy-on-the-middle-east/).
Negotiations for a ceasefire deal were recently conducted in Doha, Qatar even with the Hamas physically absent from the meeting. All eagerly await the fruits of those intense negotiations. Some 115 hostages (alive and dead) are still held somewhere in Gaza where they have been in captivity for over 10 months since the Hamas attack on Israel last October 7, 2023.
Let us continue to pray for the release of all the remaining hostages and for a just end to the wars against the Jewish nation. Let us continue to stand with Israel and pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6-9).
While Leviticus 19 showed the holiness of the LORD and its implications to the people of Israel when they come to possess their inheritance, the next chapter goes back to earlier admonitions against certain practices that negate the holiness imperative and brings punishment. Specifically, Leviticus 20 deals with punishments for the abomination of child sacrifice and also punishments for sexual immorality. These detestable acts were identified earlier in chapter 18.
Leviticus 20:1-5 speaks about this and verse 2 calls the people “of the [promised] land” to stone (to death) those who sacrifice their children to the god, Molech as the requisite punishment. No mention of possible forgiveness is cited in the text. This is further strengthened with the warning in Leviticus 20:4 that if the people “of the [promised] land” see and do not do anything to the one who committed the abominable act, or approve of it, then these people (and the clan) will be “cut off” (meaning punishment by death, in most cases) together with the offending individual. The act of child sacrifice was an unforgiveable act and those who do not do anything about it or approve of it are to be treated as guilty and deserving of death. The LORD warns that the punishment must come, either from the people or from God himself.
Leviticus 20:6-9 speaks about mediums and necromancers and warning the people not to desire their services as this is part of idolatry and spiritual adultery (serving other gods), and also cursing parents (which is disobedience to the commandment of honoring one’s parents). The LORD reminds the Israelites that they have been sanctified, set apart, chosen to be the LORD’s people and as such must not do these things.
The practice of sexual adultery, other abominable acts and its punishments is the subject of Leviticus 20: 10-21. The phrases “uncover nakedness” and “cut off” are once again encountered several times in different situations and instances. Bestiality is also included as a case that brings about the death punishment for both man and beast.
The theme of keeping the land from uncleanness and despicable acts is found again in Leviticus 20:22. The Hebrew verse of Leviticus 20:22 is given below (read right to left, top down) with the LORD admonishing the Israelites to be faithful lest the land vomit them out:
וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֤ם אֶת־כָּל־חֻקֹּתַי֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־מִשְׁפָּטַ֔י וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם וְלֹא־תָקִ֤יא אֶתְכֶם֙ הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֲנִ֜י מֵבִ֥יא אֶתְכֶ֛ם שָׁ֖מָּה לָשֶׁ֥בֶת בָּֽהּ׃
The English Standard Version (ESV) translation for this verse is given below:
22“You shall therefore keep all my statutes and all my rules and do them, that the land where I am bringing you to live may not vomit you out.
Clearly, the LORD warns the Israelites to be obedient and faithful to the covenants as this will enable them to keep the land, which the LORD is bringing them into, free from any polluting, detestable or abominable practices. As seen in the previous verses in chapter 18 and 19, being holy or set apart meant a deep, inseparable, even organic connection between the people and their land the LORD was giving them. When the people of God come into the land, they must not commit the acts deemed detestable to the LORD. If the Israelites commit abominable and detestable acts in the land, as the current Canaanite inhabitants have been doing, the land “will vomit out” the Israelites as well.
Verse 23 further stresses that the Israelites should not follow the customs of the nation(s) the LORD is driving out before them as these inhabitants defiled the land and so God detested them. The LORD then reiterates his promise to his people about the land in the following verse. The Hebrew verse of Leviticus 20:24 is given below (read right to left, top down) linking the land grant, its productivity and the people being set apart:
וָאֹמַ֣ר לָכֶ֗ם אַתֶּם֮ תִּֽירְשׁ֣וּ אֶת־אַדְמָתָם֒ וַאֲנִ֞י אֶתְּנֶ֤נָּה לָכֶם֙ לָרֶ֣שֶׁת אֹתָ֔הּ אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָ֑שׁ אֲנִי֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־הִבְדַּ֥לְתִּי אֶתְכֶ֖ם מִן־הָֽעַמִּֽים׃
The ESV Bible translation for this verse is given below:
24But I have said to you, ‘You shall inherit their land, and I will give it to you to possess, a land flowing with milk and honey.’ I am the LORD your God, who has separated you from the peoples.
The LORD is giving the land of Canaan to the Israelites as an inheritance to possess. The phrase “their land” uses the Hebrew word אֲדָמָה “adamah,” instead of אֶרֶץ “erets,” as in Genesis 12:3, 28:14-15, Exodus 20:12 and 34:26. The land is once again described as bountiful, “a land flowing with milk and honey.” The LORD self-identifies himself as their God and the one who “has separated” the Israelites and set them apart (“holy” and “sanctified”) from the other peoples. Verse 26 makes this separation even more impactful when the LORD says to the Israelites that they shall be holy, for the LORD is holy and has separated them from the peoples that they should be his own!
We will continue next time.
God bless us all.