Read Leviticus
20-21 & Matthew
28:1-20
To discover:
As you read consider how these penalties would have affected
Israel.
To ponder:
All sin is serious. Indeed, every sin deserves death (Rom
3v23). We should therefore understand long life as God mercifully delaying his
justice. It is in the light of this that we should consider the death
penalties. For certain sins, God required that the penalty of death be
dispensed prematurely. This was not only to punish the sin and so prevent God’s
anger breaking out against the people more broadly, but would also remove the
sinner and so prevent others being led astray.
The death penalty could be through
stoning by the community (20v2). This seems barbaric, but would ensure the
community take responsibility for what went on (20v4), and act as a powerful
deterrent. It might however be by “being burned in the fire” (20v14), perhaps
illustrating the burning anger of God at sin. Alternatively, death could come by
God’s direct action in order to “cut off” the individual from his people, as
with those who fail to dispense the death penalty in (20v5). Whether “cut off”
implies this is uncertain. It may mean exclusion from the covenant community.
The NT equivalent to the death penalty amongst the church was certainly
excommunication, applied by Paul for the very sin of Leviticus 20v11 (1 Cor
5v1-13).
Throughout
we see on one hand God’s opposition to sin: “I will set my face against the
person.” At another, we see the individual’s responsibility for what they have
done. We read “their blood will be on their own heads” in the case of the death
penalty, and “they will be held responsible” as a way of prescribing lesser
penalties, such as in 20v19-21. It reminds us we have no excuse for our sin,
and “it is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb
10v31).
The
penalties in chapter 20 are for the sins of chapter 18. Again, obedience is
urged so that the people are not “vomited” out of the land like the nations
before them, and because Israel
are “set apart.” In the light of this, adherence to the cleanliness laws are
also affirmed as a distinctive to Israel,
reflecting the utter perfection and order of Israel’s
God.
In serving
this holy God, priests are required to be particularly pure. They are only
allowed to touch the dead bodies of close relatives, have nothing to do with
the cultic practices of the nations (21v5), and must marry only virgins, unless
they marry a widow. Moreover, disabled priests are not allowed to officiate –
although God still ensures they are provided for by keeping their share of the
food. As for high priests; they are not allowed to touch any dead body at all, or
even mourn. And they are not permitted to marry widows.
As
previously seen, like approaching the sun, the closer one is permitted to God’s
holiness, the more protection they need. Unless sufficiently clean, whole and
perfect, they would “desecrate” God’s sanctuary (21v23). Thanks be to God that
we are made holy in Christ.
Praying it home:
Praise God that he will bring all things to judgement. Pray that
you would own a healthy fear of him, that keeps you close to Christ.
Thinking further:
Previously we noted that to some extent the death penalties
reflected Israel’s
unique situation. Sin needed to be contained so that the nation would remain
stable and God’s promise be fulfilled. Moreover, we have also seen that because
God was especially present within Israel,
sin also needed to be contained so that his holiness would not break out
against them, or he remove himself for their protection. For this reason too,
the death penalty may have been particularly necessary. It cannot therefore be
assumed the same penalties should be applied in different cultures. Having said
that, careful consideration needs to be given to the universal commandment with
respect to murder in Genesis 9v6.
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