Leviticus 17-18

The first part of chapter 17 is focused on the proper place of worship. The people were to only offer sacrifices at the tabernacle. It appears the people were allowed to sacrifice their animal in the field, but they were always to bring it to tabernacle in order to offer it to God. This was intended to serve as a safeguard against worshipping other gods, as the reference to their "prostitution" with "goat-demons" in verse 7 indicates. Again, we see that God's purpose was for them to be set-apart for Him, not chasing after all the other gods that were worshiped by the people around them.

Under the New Covenant, we are no longer bound worship in a certain place or at a certain time, but the principle of worshipping God alone remains. Most of us won't be tripped up by making sacrifices to goat demons, but what about the other things that clamor for control of our hearts?

The instructions the last part of chapter 17 provide insight into why animal sacrifice was such an important part of how the people were to worship God. Blood, which represented the life of an animal, was offered to God to make atonement for the people's sins. As such, the blood was holy, or set apart for God in order to purify the people. The author of Hebrews states it this way, "Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins." But, he goes on to explain that while blood was used in this way to purify "the copies of the heavenly things", it was only a picture of that which provides real and lasting cleansing from sin, the blood of Jesus. (Heb 9:22-28).

Chapter 18 provides instructions for sexual purity, focusing on inappropriate sexual relationships between near relatives. It's clear from the text that the pagan nations around God's people practiced such things, and this was part of the reason that God was driving them out of the land. Note especially the graphic terms God uses in verses 24-29 of this chapter. Because of the pagan's gross immorality, the land was going to "vomit" them out. Likewise, the same would happen to the Israelites if they also succumbed to these sins. In fact, later they did, and God held true to his promise and removed them from the land.

The principle that emerges from this passage is clear: God's people must be holy in their sexual relationships. If they are not, there will be consequences. We live in a time and place that is enamored with and even celebrates immorality. In Christ, all of our sin has been dealt with, but instead of using this as license to indulge whatever sexual desires we have, this reality should motivate us to live a life of uncompromising sexual purity.

You can read Leviticus 17-18 here.