February 25
Lev 16:29-18:30 | PS 41:1-13 | Prov 10:15-18 | Mark 7:24-8:10
Why would an individual who has risen to positions like CEO of a company, member of Congress, etc. give or accept bribes, or manipulate those they deem beneath them? It is because they unknowingly serve the idol of power and money. Why do people continue to go into debt in order to send their children to colleges which do everything possible to destroy their minds as they indoctrinate them to views completely different than their own, placing bumper stickers on their car, wearing caps of their kid's colleges, etc.? Because they serve the idol of worldly success. When we read of various idols in the Old Testament: such as goat idols, or ones with specific names, such as Baal, Molech, Asherah, etc. we must understand that these idols represented various attributes or goals, such as power, money, and sex. So, before we wave our dismissive hands at these practices which seem irrelevant and backwards, we better all realize that our idols are as real as theirs were, they just are called other things now and seem more appropriate. Our idols can be bad things such as gambling, various addictions, an unquenchable thirst for power or money, but they can also be good things such as children, grandchildren, careers, education, fitness, our health, etc. Whatever you have placed ahead of God as your object of focus and worship is your idol.
We read of proper sacrifice to the Lord, as opposed to the worship of pagan gods in Leviticus 17:7, "The people must no longer be unfaithful to the Lord by offering sacrifices to the goat idols. This is a permanent law for them, to be observed from generation to generation." The people were being called to holiness or being told to separate themselves from the surrounding peoples who practiced idolatry as we read in 18:3, "So do not act like the people in Egypt, where you used to live, or like the people of Canaan, where I am taking you. You must not imitate their way of life." It is obvious from all the warnings about various sexual practices in Leviticus 18, that the peoples of that day struggled in the area of sexuality and idolized it. Is it any different today? We read in 18:21, "Do not permit any of your children to be offered as a sacrifice to Molech, for you must not bring shame on the name of your God. I am the Lord." This god was associated with sexuality, and sacrifice was often done to enhance fertility and financial prosperity. Though it seems archaic, do we really think that the modern practice of abortion is any different? It is often a result of some form of sexual aberration (which is any form of sexuality other than between man and woman in marriage), and it is often done to eliminate the "problem" so as not to interfere with the ability of the mother to be educated, climb the corporate ladder, maintain that relationship, etc.
As we go through the various moral laws through the book of Leviticus, we should make the effort not to discount them as something that is now irrelevant. Some may not hold any pull on you, but we are all sinners, this we know (1 John 1:8-10, Romans 3:10-12). Some, with an understanding of the slight differences between the practices then and the practices now will hit a little closer to home. God wanted His people, the Israelites to separate themselves and follow Him, He desires the same for us today. May we look at these laws soberly and when it illuminates areas in our lives that must change, may we repent and turn these areas over to the Lord who is more than able to walk us through.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: