February 26- For THAT, You Must Die...

February 26, 2011

Scripture Readings:
Leviticus 19:1-20:21; Mark 8:11-38;
Psalm 42:1-11; Proverbs 10:17

Capital punishment would be more effective as a preventive measure 
if it were administered before the crime. 
 ~Woody Allen

Leviticus 19:1-20:21

For years debate has raged on about the morality of the death penalty.  Proponents see the death penalty as a deterrent to crime and a means of justice for the victim.  Opponents feel that the death penalty ignores the sanctity of all human life.  The opponents think that there is no justification for taking a human life.  Today we see that Holy God instituted capital punishment in Israel to emphasize the importance of obeying the Law. Obedience to God's laws reflects God's Holiness to the surrounding pagan nations and sets the Israelites apart from the Canaanites, who occupied the Promised Land that Israel was to occupy.

As the One who sets the standards for holy behavior, it does not get any clearer than God's statement in Leviticus 19:2, "You must be holy because I, the Lord your God am holy."

Moses reiterates and expounds upon the Ten Commandments.  This includes behaviors that fall under the categories of the commandments.  I won't repeat the list, but it has a wonderful provision for helping the poor by only harvesting the fields and vineyards once.  This would leave 10 to 20 percent of the crop for poor people to come and glean for themselves.  Notice that this discourages greedy capitalism and godless socialism.  With dignity and hard work, the poor could thank God for their provision. The wealthy could also thank God for the abundance that provided not only for themselves, but for others also. 

Honoring one's parents, treating one's neighbor with respect, avoiding slander, gossip and lying, avoiding idolatry through mediums and psychics, not doing superstitious hair cutting or tattooing, and not prostituting one's children are put forth as mandatory.  Dealing honestly in one's business ventures and treating foreigners as one's neighbors is also required.  God is establishing the ground rules for the Israelites to be a different kind of people than the Canaanites.

In chapter 20, God brings the hammer down on behaviors that require death.  Chapter 19 gives us a break down of the laws. Chapter 20 gives us the penalty for breaking that Law.  Here are broken laws that receive capital punishment:

• Anyone who does a child sacrifice and offers their child to the pagan god Molech. (idolatry)
• Anyone who consults a medium or a psychic. Lev. 20:27 (This is idolatry)
• Anyone who curses their mother or their father.
• Anyone who commits adultery, which includes sex with certain family members, sex outside of marriage, homosexuality, and bestiality.
• Murder (this is established in other passages)

The sacrificing of a child to Molech was part of the culture that the Israelites would find once they got to the land of Canaan.  The idol for this god was a sitting metal statue that would be heated to incinerate whatever was put into it.  The idol had outstretched arms and a hole beneath the arms where the lap would be. People would throw their babies as an offering into Molech's lap.  This practice was abhorrent to God. 

Although the death penalty for these sins may seeming like a harsh punishment, sin and death are inseparable companions. God is attempting to protect Israel from eternal death.  He is also establishing the Israelites as a people set apart for a purpose. Jesus came to fulfill these Laws and free us from the penalty of death that breaking God's holy laws mandates. Jesus says in Matthew 5:17, "Don't misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writing of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose." (NLT)

Jesus took the death penalty for us. We each break God's laws in some way, but Jesus lived the law perfectly and was therefore our perfect, innocent sacrifice for sin. We are no longer under the stipulations of the Old Testament laws, which were fulfilled by Christ. As Christians, we are now obliged to follow the law of Christ which Christ stated in Matthew 7:12, "Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets." (NLT) Christ's law is a law that brings freedom, rather than oppression and death. Through the power of God's Holy Spirit inside you, you can begin to practice this golden rule.

Is your life an example of being set apart for a purpose?  Are you following the ungodly practices of the culture around you?  How do you rely on the Holy Spirit to help you live a godly life?

Mark 8:11-38

Jesus seems exasperated today.  The Pharisees keep requesting a miraculous sign.  Jesus won't give it to them because he knows they don't have true faith in him. The disciples are lacking faith and don't seem to understand the source of Jesus' power.  They are seeing, but not understanding yet.  Jesus asks them, "Who do you say I am?"  Peter gives his confession that Jesus is the Messiah.  Jesus tells them not to tell anyone yet.  As we've discussed, Jesus does not want the people to try to make him a military leader/king and prevent his death on the cross. 

He begins to explain to the disciples that God's plan is for him to suffer, be rejected by the Jews and religious leaders, die, and rise again.  Peter scolds Jesus and says that he shouldn't say such things.  Jesus says, "Get thee behind me, Satan."  Why does Jesus say this to Peter?  Because Peter is thinking like the rest of the Jews who only want a military savior to free them from their bondage to the Romans.  Jesus intends to usher in freedom from their bondage to sin.  Peter's words represent a satanic mindset that would try to prevent Jesus' suffering, death, and resurrection.  The Serpent from the Garden of Eden does not want his head crushed by the Redeemer Child born from the seed of Eve (Genesis 3:15).

Jesus is alone in understanding God's plan at this point in the story.  I can see why he did a lot of sighing today.

Does your brand of faith make Jesus sigh?

Psalm 42:1-11

Here is a psalm you can pray when you need a long drink of water on a hot day.  I believe Jesus was personally familiar with this psalm.  It was surely his heart at times.

Proverbs 10:17

Are you able to accept correction?  It is a pathway to life.  You have to swallow your pride to do this.  Peter had to do it in today's reading.  The ancient Israelites had to in the book of Leviticus.  You and I need to do it each day.

What did you notice?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton