LEVITICUS 43
We will begin this lesson in Leviticus 18:1 "And the LORD spake
unto Moses, saying," Leviticus 18:2 "Speak unto the children of
Israel, and say unto them, I am the LORD your God."
We find in the first 2 verses here that God is saying to the
people, Remember I am your God. You must do the ordinances that I have
set down. I am the only God for you. This message was not given
through Aaron, but through Moses. This in itself showed the importance
of none of this being lost in too many mouths.
Leviticus 18:3 "After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye
dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan,
whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their
ordinances."
We have discussed over and over in these lessons, how important
it is for God's people to be a separated people. Egypt was a type of
the world. In Egypt, and in Canaan, they worshipped false gods. We may
be in the world, but we must not be of the world, if we are to be
called God's people. These ordinances that God is giving His people
here in Leviticus, are enough to live peaceable lives pleasing to God.
They will not need the laws of these heathens that are based on
worldliness. We are warned over and over not to be fellowshipping with
those of the world. II Corinthians 6:14 "Be ye not unequally yoked
together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with
unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?"
Leviticus 18:4 "Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine
ordinances, to walk therein: I [am] the LORD your God."
God states, again, why they should follow Him. He is their only
God. Notice the "walk therein". We Christians, too, must walk in our
salvation after we receive it. The last few lessons we have been
studying, have shown us the ordinances pertaining to the ceremonial
laws. In this lesson we will get into the moral laws of God.
Leviticus 18:5 "Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my
judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I [am] the LORD."
God has given these laws to man to help him lead a pleasing life
before God. If a man keep these laws, he will be able to live in peace
with his neighbors. These laws are sufficient in themselves, there is
no need for other laws to govern God's people. This is mentioned in
the New Testament, as well. Romans 10:5 "For Moses describeth the
righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those
things shall live by them." We have discussed the word righteousness
before. It means, in right standing with God. For these Israelites,
here, the only way to be in right standing with God, is to keep the
law. The way a Christian becomes in right standing with God, is to
receive the righteousness of Jesus Christ. He {Jesus} took our sin on
His body, and clothed us in His righteousness.
We will now begin the study of the moral law of God. Leviticus
18:6 "None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him,
to uncover [their] nakedness: I [am] the LORD."
In verse 6, God is telling His people not to have sexual
relations with anyone who is closely related to them. In the next few
verses we will find out who the near kinsman are. God makes it very
clear that this is not an ordinance of Moses here, this is God's law.
Incest {sexual relations within a family} is devastating our society.
God makes it very clear in this chapter of Leviticus that it is
unacceptable in His sight. We read that 25% of all the children in our
society have been sexually abused by members of their own family. This
is an abomination, not only to God, but to moral man, as well.
Leviticus 18:7 "The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of
thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she [is] thy mother; thou shalt
not uncover her nakedness."
This is directly forbidding sexual relation by parents and
children. This also includes homosexual and lesbian acts. There is an
instance of this very thing in Genesis. Lot's daughters got him drunk
and slept with their father. The ancestors from these sexual acts
produced very worldly people. This happened before the giving of the
law. It would be impossible to break God's law, before He had given
the law. It did not, however, keep the results of such a union from
bringing less than godly people. You may read this terrible story in
chapter 19 of Genesis. The Ammonites and the Moabites were the results
of this evil union of father with daughters. The restriction in verse
7 above is that you must not have sexual relations with your father or
mother, period.
Leviticus 18:8 The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not
uncover: it [is] thy father's nakedness.
This verse above extends this ordinance to the stepmother, as
well. Even though the stepmother is not blood relation to the son or
daughter, there should not be sexual relations with her, because she
belongs to your father. She is your mother by your father marrying
her.
Leviticus 18:9 "The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy
father, or daughter of thy mother, [whether she be] born at home, or
born abroad, [even] their nakedness thou shalt not uncover."
This ordinance is not just for your blood relation full sister or
brother, but for your half brother and sister, as well. In the case of
Abraham and Sarah, the law had not been given, so they were not
breaking God's law. Abraham and Sarah were half brother and sister.
Leviticus 18:10 "The nakedness of thy son's daughter, or of thy
daughter's daughter, [even] their nakedness thou shalt not uncover:
for theirs [is] thine own nakedness."
This now extends to the granddaughter. There shall be no sexual
relations between grandparents and grandchildren.
Leviticus 18:11 "The nakedness of thy father's wife's daughter,
begotten of thy father, she [is] thy sister, thou shalt not uncover
her nakedness."
This, also, is speaking of a half sister or brother. There shall
be no sexual relationship between half or whole brothers and sisters.
Leviticus 18:12 "Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy
father's sister: she [is] thy father's near kinswoman." Leviticus
18:13 "Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister:
for she [is] thy mother's near kinswoman."
Both of the above Scriptures forbid sexual relations with an
aunt, whether an aunt on the mother's side or the father's side.
Leviticus 18:14 "Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy
father's brother, thou shalt not approach to his wife: she [is] thine
aunt."
The above Scripture forbids a person from having sexual relations
with an uncle, or with his wife. The wife would be an aunt by
marriage.
Leviticus 18:15 "Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy
daughter in law: she [is] thy son's wife; thou shalt not uncover her
nakedness."
This would be forbidden, not from the problem of her being a near
kinswoman, but in respect for your son. She belongs to your son. She
did not marry you, she married your son. They two became one flesh.
Leviticus 18:16 "Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy
brother's wife: it [is] thy brother's nakedness."
It was forbidden to have sexual relations with your brother's
wife while the brother was living. If the brother died and there were
no children, you were to marry the brothers wife and raise a child in
the dead brother's name. Deuteronomy 25:5 "If brethren dwell
together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead
shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall
go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of
an husband's brother unto her." Deuteronomy 25:6 "And it shall be,
[that] the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of
his brother [which is] dead, that his name be not put out of Israel."
Leviticus 18:17 "Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of a woman
and her daughter, neither shalt thou take her son's daughter, or her
daughter's daughter, to uncover her nakedness; [for] they [are] her
near kinswomen: it [is] wickedness."
It is forbidden to have sexual relations with any woman and her
daughter, or her granddaughter. When you enter into sexual relations
with a woman, you she becomes part of your flesh. You 2 become one
flesh. Her children and grandchildren become your children and
grandchildren by marriage.
Leviticus 18:18 "Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister, to
vex [her], to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her life
[time]."
This forbids a man to marry two sisters at once. When your wife
is dead, then you are permitted to marry her sister. I believe {in
her life time} shows that it is permissible to marry her sister after
she is dead.
In all of the moral prohibitions of marrying or having sexual
relations with near kinsmen, it is not only to please God, but to keep
down insanity in families. In many cases when even first cousins
marry, there is a high percentage of insanity in their children.
Questions 43
1. Who did God tell Moses to tell the Israelites He was?
2. Why did God not give this message through Aaron?
3. God forbid the Israelites not to do after what 2 countries
doings?
4. What is Egypt a type of?
5. What did Egypt and Canaan have in common?
6. We may be __ the world, but we must not be __ the world, if we are
to be God's people.
7. The laws of these heathens were based on what?
8. What does 2 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 14 tell us?
9. What lesson can we Christians take from the statement {walk
therein}?
10. What kind of law does this lesson describe?
11. Why has God given these laws to man?
12. Old testament righteousness is by the ___.
13. Where does the Christian's righteousness come from?
14. Jesus took our ___ upon His body. We were clothed with His
_______.
15. Who are they forbidden to have sexual relations with?
16. What is the meaning of incest?
17. What % of children are sexually abused by members of their family
in America today?
18. What does chapter 18 verse 7 of Leviticus forbid?
19. What man in Genesis had sexual relations with his daughters?
20. What 2 evil peoples came of those unions?
21. What is meant by father's wife in verse 8?
22. In verse 9, who is the prohibition for?
23. Why were Abraham and Sarah not guilty of breaking God's law?
24. Name several of other near kinsman that it is forbidden to have
sexual relations with.
25. When was it forbidden to have sexual relations with your brother's
wife?
26. When the brother died without children, what was his brother to
do?
27. When is it permissible to marry your wife's sister?
28. What advantage other than pleasing God, is there in not marrying
near kinsman?
Home