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Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 20:1-5

Human sacrifices. cf. Genesis 22:1-19 ; Micah 6:7 . In this chapter we come to a catalogue of capital crimes. Upon the whole list of cases we need not dwell; but the first has some interest as raising the question of "human sacrifices." How early the terrible practice of offering "the fruit of the body" in atonement for" the sin of the soul" arose, we can scarcely say. It has been supposed to be as early, at all events, as the time of Abraham. Some entertain the notion that the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 20:1-5

Sin at its worst. There is, perhaps, no development of sin which is more shocking to the renewed mind of man, and more offensive to the pine and gracious heart of God, than that which is here condemned. The verses intimate— I. THAT SIN SOMETIMES LEADS TO A SHOCKING DISTORTION OF THE HUMAN JUDGMENT . How, we naturally ask, could men ever come to believe in the desirableness of such inhuman rites as those here prohibited? That any Divine Being could possibly be... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 20:1-21

The difference between the religious and the secular law is more marked in modern nations than in the Hebrew commonwealth; the primary object of the first being to forbid and prevent sin; of the second, to protect life and property. The distinction is shown by the separation of the eighteenth and the twentieth chapters; but as in the Mosaic legislation both the law which denounces sin and the law which pronounces penalties for crime proceeded from God, it was not necessary that the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 20:1-27

The first of these penalties, burning with fire, does not mean that those on whom it was inflicted were burnt alive, but that their dead bodies were burnt after they had been stoned to death, as in the case of Achan ( Joshua 7:25 ). It is the punishment for taking a mother and daughter together into the same harem ( Leviticus 18:14 ). Stoning with stones is appointed for crimes which are at once offenses against religion and morals, viz. giving of his seed to Molech ( Leviticus... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 20:1-27

Sin unto death. The offenses described in this chapter were mentioned before. Such is our obtuseness that we need "line upon line." Adorable is that goodness of God which takes such pains with us. We have here— I. PRESUMPTUOUS SINS AND THEIR PENALTY . 1 . Parents giving their seed to Moloch. 2 . Persons having dealings with necromancy. 3 . Children who curse their parents. 4 . Excesses in uncleanness. II. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF WITNESSES . ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 20:1-27

Punishments assigned to presumptuous sins. I. THE LAW OF SOCIETY RESTS ON THE HIGHER LAW OF GOD . All legislation should be thus divinely sanctioned. The Bible is not a statute-book for nations, but a book of principles—to give light to the mind and heart of man as man. We must not enforce human law on Divine grounds, but we can use Divine revelation to ascertain the most satisfactory laws. II. PUNISHMENTS vary from age to age and country to country, but the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 20:2-3

The close connection between giving of his seed unto Molech and defiling my sanctuary , and profaning my holy name , is explained and illustrated by Ezekiel in the judgment on Aholah and Aholibah. "They have caused their sons, whom they bare unto me, to pass for them through the fire, to devour them. Moreover this they have done unto me: they have defiled my sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned my sabbaths. For when they had slain their children to their idols, then they came the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 20:4-5

There is to be no connivance with Molech-worship. The penalty is death, and is to be carried out by the proper tribunals, whose business it was to see that the stoning took place. So in Deuteronomy the duty of killing those who entice to idolatry is laid down. "Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shall thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him: but thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 20:6

God will also himself cut off from among his people any that, not content with lawful and godly knowledge, turn after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 20:6

Credulity and faith. This, also, is an injunction which Moses had given before, and which he was instructed to repeat (see Le Leviticus 19:31 ). Our thought may be directed to— I. THE PREVALENCE OF IMPOSTURE . There has never been a time nor a land without its "familiar spirits," its "wizards," or impostors of some kind and name. Men have claimed the power of gaining extraordinary access to the spiritual world, or superhuman knowledge of the future, and they have imposed on... read more

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