Daily Scripture Reading Leviticus 20:1-21
Samuel had been a Christian for many years. He read the Bible faithfully and believed wholeheartedly that it is the Word of God. He was involved in a prison ministry and got to know a convicted murderer named Roman. Roman had been sentenced to death. After many delays and hearings, the state finally scheduled Roman’s execution date.
Samuel was conflicted. On the one hand, he knew murder is a serious offense against people and against God. He was aware that there are many instances in the Bible where God demanded people be put to death. On the other hand, the New Testament teaches grace and mercy.
Many Christians today are conflicted about capital punishment. They have trouble believing a good God would want us to put anyone to death. However, Yahweh frequently prescribed the death penalty. If He was not hesitant to demand it, perhaps we should be less hesitant to use it.
After Noah and his family came off the ark, Yahweh told them, “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed” (see Genesis 9:6). This was a clear call to use the death penalty against murderers. Yahweh repeated this requirement in the Mosaic Law and listed many other sins for which the punishment was death. As we read this passage, notice how many times the punishment was death.
Lev. 20:1 ¶ Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
Lev. 20:2 “You shall also say to the sons of Israel: ¶ ‘Any man from the sons of Israel or from the sojourners sojourning in Israel who gives any of his seed to Molech shall surely be put to death; the people of the land shall stone him with stones.
Notice the name “Molech”. 1 Kings 11:7 identifies Molech as an idol of the sons of Ammon. The Ten Commandments and other passages clearly prohibited idolatry, which this verse does as well. This verse is also explicit that the punishment for giving children to Molech was death. The method of execution was stoning.
Lev. 20:3 I will also set My face against that man and will cut him off from among his people because he has given some of those who are his seed to Molech, so as to defile My sanctuary and to profane My holy name.
Death was called for because giving seed to Molech defiled Yahweh’s sanctuary and profaned His name.
Lev. 20:4 If the people of the land, however, should ever turn a blind eye to that man when he gives any of those who are his seed to Molech, so as not to put him to death,
Lev. 20:5 then I Myself will set My face against that man and against his family, and I will cut off from among their people both him and all those who play the harlot after him, in playing the harlot after Molech.
Look at the word “harlot”. Idolatry was akin to harlotry.
Lev. 20:6 ¶ ‘As for the person who turns to mediums and to spiritists, to play the harlot after them, I will also set My face against that person and will cut him off from among his people.
Look again the use of the word “harlot”. Essentially, occultism is a form of idolatry.
Lev. 20:7 Therefore, you shall set yourselves apart as holy and be holy, for I am Yahweh your God.
Lev. 20:8 And you shall keep My statutes and do them; I am Yahweh who makes you holy.
Lev. 20:9 ¶ ‘If there is anyone who curses his father or his mother, he shall surely be put to death; he has cursed his father or his mother. His bloodguiltiness is upon him.
Cursing father or mother was more than simply using bad language when talking to them. A curse was a formal method of demanding that something bad happen to someone. The punishment for cursing parents was death.
Lev. 20:10 ¶ ‘If there is a man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, one who commits adultery with his friend’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
The Mosaic Law demanded that adulterers be put to death. Contrast that with the amount of adultery that takes place in our world today. Modern society barely even recognizes adultery as a problem.
The following verses demand death in the case of incest. While modern society doesn’t use capital punishment in the case of incest, at least for the most part modern society is opposed to incest.
Lev. 20:11 If there is a man who lies with his father’s wife, he has uncovered his father’s nakedness; both of them shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them.
Lev. 20:12 If there is a man who lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall surely be put to death; they have committed perversion. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them.
Lev. 20:13 If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them.
Take note of the word “abomination”. That is Yahweh’s attitude toward homosexuality.
Lev. 20:14 If there is a man who marries a woman and her mother, it is lewdness; both he and they shall be burned with fire so that there will be no lewdness in your midst.
In this case the method of execution was burning. Not only was the death penalty required, the Mosaic Law also prescribed painful methods of execution.
Don’t miss the phrase “so that there will be no lewdness in your midst”. The reason for using the death penalty was to remove lewdness and make sure the lewdness was not tolerated. Tolerating lewdness can lead to more lewdness.
Lev. 20:15 If there is a man who lies with an animal, he shall surely be put to death; you shall also kill the animal.
Lev. 20:16 If there is a woman who approaches any animal to mate with it, you shall kill the woman and the animal; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them.
Lev. 20:17 ¶ ‘If there is a man who takes his sister, his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter, so that he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace; and they shall be cut off in the sight of the sons of their people. He has uncovered his sister’s nakedness; he bears his guilt.
Lev. 20:18 If there is a man who lies with a menstruous woman and uncovers her nakedness, he has laid bare her flow, and she has uncovered the flow of her blood; thus both of them shall be cut off from among their people.
Lev. 20:19 You shall also not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister or of your father’s sister, for such a one has made naked his blood relative; they will bear their guilt.
Lev. 20:20 If there is a man who lies with his aunt, he has uncovered his uncle’s nakedness; they will bear their sin. They will die childless.
Lev. 20:21 If there is a man who takes his brother’s wife, it is an impure act; he has uncovered his brother’s nakedness. They will be childless.
Many Christians today are conflicted about capital punishment. They have trouble believing a good God would want us to put anyone to death. However, Yahweh frequently prescribed the death penalty.
After Noah and his family came off the ark, Yahweh told them, “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed” (see Genesis 9:6). This command has never been rescinded, so it is still in force today.
The Mosaic Law listed multiple offenses for which the punishment was death. However, Christians are not bound by the Mosaic Law, so we should not turn to the Mosaic Law to demand or justify capital punishment.
A very pertinent verse about the death penalty in the church age is found in Romans 13. That chapter tells believers to submit to the government authorities. Then it says the following about the government: “for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword in vain, for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil” (Romans 13:4).
This verse tells us government is a servant of God. The phrase “bear the sword” is a reference to force and putting people to death. Part of the purpose of government is to eliminate people who practice evil.
After the flood, Yahweh stated that murderers should be put to death. He never rescinded that command. Paul taught that part of the purpose of government is to use the sword to bring wrath on evildoers. Murderers are evildoers. This is a strong argument that government should give the death penalty to murderers.
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”