Laws
That Make Me Blush
A Sermon By
Jim Hammond from Leviticus 18
The LAWS that make us blush were given because in
Canaan they no longer caused people to blush! People were doing these
things everywhere. People found these practices acceptable. We need to
revisit these because, unfortunately, as we move away from Judeo Christian
Values in our culture, these practices are becoming more acceptable.
I.
“Can”
[avoid, keep
away from, stay away from, stop, “knock it off”] All Canaanite
Conformity (1-5; 24-30)
Leviticus 18:1-5 The Lord
said to Moses,
2"Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'I am the Lord
your God. 3You
must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not
do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not
follow their practices.
4You
must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the Lord
your God. 5Keep
my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them. I am
the Lord.
[Before we actually look at the laws… let’s look
at how God feels about them.]
Leviticus 18:24-30 " 'Do not
defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations
that I am going to drive out before you became defiled.
25Even
the land was defiled; so I punished it for its sin, and the land vomited
out its inhabitants.
26But
you must keep my decrees and my laws. The native-born and the aliens
living among you must not do any of these detestable things,
27for
all these things were done by the people who lived in the land before you,
and the land became defiled.
28And if
you defile the land, it will vomit you out as it vomited out the nations
that were before you.
29"
'Everyone who does any of these detestable things--such persons must be
cut off from their people.
30Keep
my requirements and do not follow any of the detestable customs that were
practiced before you came and do not defile yourselves with them. I am the
Lord your God.' "
Let’s begin to read what is between these two
“book ends” that tell us which practices to avoid, and how God feels about
them.
These are the Laws that make us blush…
Leviticus 18:6-18 " 'No one is
to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the Lord.
7" 'Do
not dishonor your father by having sexual relations with your mother. She
is your mother; do not have relations with her.
8" 'Do
not have sexual relations with your father's wife; that would dishonor
your father. 9"
'Do not have sexual relations with your sister, either your father's
daughter or your mother's daughter, whether she was born in the same home
or elsewhere.
10" 'Do not have sexual relations with your son's daughter or your
daughter's daughter; that would dishonor you.
11" 'Do
not have sexual relations with the daughter of your father's wife, born to
your father; she is your sister.
12" 'Do
not have sexual relations with your father's sister; she is your father's
close relative.
13" 'Do not have sexual relations with your mother's sister,
because she is your mother's close relative.
14" 'Do
not dishonor your father's brother by approaching his wife to have sexual
relations; she is your aunt.
15" 'Do
not have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law. She is your son's
wife; do not have relations with her.
16" 'Do
not have sexual relations with your brother's wife; that would dishonor
your brother.
17" 'Do not have sexual relations with both a woman and her
daughter. Do not have sexual relations with either her son's daughter or
her daughter's daughter; they are her close relatives. That is wickedness.
18" 'Do
not take your wife's sister as a rival wife and have sexual relations with
her while your wife is living.
Here’s one way to summarize this so far…
When you are at a Family Reunion … DON’T!
A.
Don’t Look to Find a Mate at a Family Reunion (6-18)
B.
Other Canaanite Customs to Can
Leviticus 18:19-23 " 'Do not
approach a woman to have sexual relations during the uncleanness of her
monthly period.
20" 'Do not have sexual relations with your neighbor's wife and
defile yourself with her.
21" 'Do
not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not
profane the name of your God. I am the Lord.
22" 'Do
not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.
23" 'Do
not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it. A
woman must not present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with
it; that is a perversion.
1.
(20) Adultery
2.
(21) Child Sacrifices
3.
(22) Homosexuality
(see also Genesis 19;
Leviticus 20:13;
Judges 19:22ff.; Romans
1:26-27; 1 Corinthians
6:9-11)
4.
(23) Bestiality
VIEW FOCUS
ON THE FAMILY VIDEO ON HOMOSEXUALITY
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