Leviticus etc...

[laureenoluv8]

Alright, this I don't understand.

Many places in the Bible (especially Leviticus), the Lord tends to say "If you do this, then you shall surely be put to death"

Now I am a Christian....but I have been having some problems with the Bible, so let me just say how I feel about all of that.

Most of God's laws are good and they actually apply to today's world (example: no adultery). But some of the laws were just plain stupid. I don't know why I feel that way, but it's just like God says you'll be put to death if you say His name in vain, or if you curse your mother or father, or if a man lies with a man, etc. Those are all very bad things to do but I don't understand why you'd have to be killed for doing it.

Here's one verse that I didn't like:
Leviticus 20:16 (NKJ) says :
"If a woman approaches any animal and mates with it, you shall kill the woman and the animal. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood is upon them." So God is saying that if someone is committing bestiality, it's okay to go up and kill the person and the animal.

In my opinion, the death penalty is cruel. I understand that those people were doing very wicked things, but I don't see why the penalty is most of the time "death."

And plus, slaves. God said you were allowed to have slaves under certain circumstances. I guess I don't know my God enough because none of His laws back then make much sense to me. You had to eat food cooked a certain way, you had to do offerings in an exact certain way....I don't know I just don't get it.

Help

 

[wayseer]

Alright, this I don't understand.

Neither do many others. Thank you for your honesty.

Many places in the Bible (especially Leviticus), the Lord tends to say "If you do this, then you shall surely be put to death"

Now I am a Christian....but I have been having some problems with the Bible, so let me just say how I feel about all of that.

Most of God's laws are good and they actually apply to today's world (example: no adultery). But some of the laws were just plain stupid. I don't know why I feel that way, but it's just like God says you'll be put to death if you say His name in vain, or if you curse your mother or father, or if a man lies with a man, etc. Those are all very bad things to do but I don't understand why you'd have to be killed for doing it.

What you are doing is imposing your 21st century sense of ethics and morality onto social institutions dating back some 2500 years - give or take a bit. We, living in the West have to make a giant leap backwards in attempt to understand what was going on in those days.

Those days were pretty bloody and brutal. Life was a desperate struggle just to remain alive. No police force, no justice system, and the only way to protect your patch was to wipe out the neighbours before they wiped out you and yours.

Then along came the beginnings of some legal sanctions which we know as 'the Law'. The fact that retribution would be limited to an 'eye for eye' was one giant leap forward for humanity.

There was also another aspect you should be aware of - namely, the idea of more than one witness. Again, a rather bold step for the day and one which stopped acts of independent revenge.

For the Hebrews, the idea of God was expressed as an act of exclusion and separation - this the foods and cleanliness laws - they were designed to maintain social distance between themselves and their neighbours.

But what you need is to read the history of ancient Israel. Such will give you a better understanding of much of the OT.

 

[OldLangSyne]

Read Romans 7:1-6, especially verse 6, and your questions will be answered.

"Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.
So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.
Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter."

My friend, even the good laws are not necessarily still valid. The basis for of Christianity is that by Christ dying all those laws in Leviticus were made obsolete.

 

[razeontherock]

Lauree, what you need to ask yourself is, "what is death?"

"And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Gen 2:16-17

Adam lived for hundreds of years after 'eating of that tree.' Does this mean that satan was telling the truth? Of course not!

"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; [And] having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath [days]: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body [is] of Christ. Colossians 2:13-17

So we see we are spared the physical aspects of the law that were 'against us,' including the death penalty; yet we still have all the Blessings in our Covenant with G-d!
Next time you hear someone testify simply to 'His Mercy and Grace,' let it help this sink in that much more.

"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And [having] an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 19:22

 

[razeontherock]

2x post, server issues

 

[Elder 111]

Alright, this I don't understand.

Many places in the Bible (especially Leviticus), the Lord tends to say "If you do this, then you shall surely be put to death"

There is much that I can say but I will start with reminding you that the wages of sin is death. Knowing this there should be no problem with death being the result of all sinful acts.
Would you sin in the immediate presents of God? Adam hid when God came. Isaiah Felt like he would die when he came into the present of God, the Isarelte ask that God not speak to them for His presents was too terrible. Moses had to vail his face after being with God. I refer to these things to remind you that we can not even stand in God' present and live.
Look at the picture carefully in Leviticus. God is present always in the cloud by day and fire by night. He provide mana every day and water when needed. God is literally present and you willfully sin. As God what will you do? What can He do?
In such circumsrances that is complete defiance total disregard. God who is life is rejected, what then have you chosen but death?
Deut: 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, [that] I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

 

[Elder 111]

Alright, this I don't understand.

Many places in the Bible (especially Leviticus), the Lord tends to say "If you do this, then you shall surely be put to death

Now I am a Christian....but I have been having some problems with the Bible, so let me just say how I feel about all of that.

Most of God's laws are good and they actually apply to today's world (example: no adultery). But some of the laws were just plain stupid. I don't know why I feel that way, but it's just like God says you'll be put to death if you say His name in vain, or if you curse your mother or father, or if a man lies with a man, etc. Those are all very bad things to do but I don't understand why you'd have to be killed for doing it.

Now I ask you to think on this. The creature calls the creator stupid. How can that be? are you greater than God? Do not fit God into you finite mind. How can infinite be comprehended by finite? We can not fully comprehend all around us how can we then seekl to define what God should do or be?
What is the wages of sin? what then should be the punishment to those who sin? God was present and persons openly defied Him, what should be they punishment? Are we better off today for not implimenting the death penalty? do you not think that what God did was best under the circumstances? Can a holy God allow such to continue while He stood in the mist of it by the cloud and fire? While He came down and HIS presence stood over the scantuary, allow person around to committ what ever evil come to mine? What God could he be to allow it to go on without punishment?
What would make you more angry or give you a need to deal with a situation? One that is done behing your back or done openly to your face?
We need to understand what God would have us to know of His holy character instead of evaluating Him by our fallen nature.

 

[razeontherock]

This is true but Elder is speaking to those under law. As is the OP. We have a better Covenant now, that grants us direct access to His presence!

 

[Elder 111]

Alright, this I don't understand.



Here's one verse that I didn't like:
Leviticus 20:16 (NKJ) says :
"If a woman approaches any animal and mates with it, you shall kill the woman and the animal. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood is upon them." So God is saying that if someone is committing bestiality, it's okay to go up and kill the person and the animal.

In my opinion, the death penalty is cruel. I understand that those people were doing very wicked things, but I don't see why the penalty is most of the time "death."

Death is not the problem but sin is/ No sin no death. These persons would violating God's law and God said from the begining that death would be the result. God did not create us to die. We were never to die, but we diobeyed and cotinue to do so. We literally chose death. Eze 33:11 Say unto them, [As] I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

 

[Elder 111]

God is All, and God is Pure, we are specks in His sight and the loss of a speck doesn't amount to much to anybody !

You started right but to say or imply that God care about us small humans is far from being correct. I will go no further than to say that Jesus died for us. That is a lot of caring.

 

[Elder 111]

Your point is well taken however in Eternity are you ( assuming you get to Heaven ) going to be moping around forever in regards to those who didn't make it ? I don't think so, God is just and those who banish themselves from His Presence will be all so deserving !

Yes, and we will not even cry for them.