We Still Sacrifice to Molech

This morning we continue our study in God's law in the book of Leviticus chapter 20. Leviticus chapter 20 and as we once again recognize our need for God's assistance. Let us ask him to gather together with us by his spirit this day.

Indeed our gracious Heavenly Father. We thank you once again for this opportunity and. And as we open your word as we look into your law, we would ask that by your spirit you would gather together with us.

Lord we need your spirit to give us not only understanding of your word, but application in our day. We live in a very dark dark day. And so Lord we need the light of your word more than ever before. May our hearts be filled with faith.

May our minds be flooded with the light of your spirit. And Lord we would ask that you would indeed meet with us at this time To make us better servants of yours. We pray in Christ's name. Amen. Those of you who were here the last time we engaged in the subject of the study of God's law the Holiness code which will take us beyond just the limits of the book of Leviticus.

We'll be taking us into Deuteronomy fairly quickly. We'll have to testify that I did not leave the The text. I did not decide to jump out of the study and go somewhere else for this morning's Text you may be asking why would why would you even start with that statement?

Well, I would assume that there probably have been over the past couple of weeks Many ministers of the gospel who have gone looking for a text Upon which to speak so as to be able to address certain developments and happenings in our culture and I can understand to a certain extent how that happens.

I understand the motivations for that. But the reality is that We finished up Leviticus 19 and it just so happens that Leviticus 20 is the next text. And well, you can sort of guess as we read the first few verses why it is a Seemingly somewhat providential that we would be at this particular text to what do I refer?

Well, let's look at the first few verses of Leviticus chapter 20. Then Yahweh spoke to Moses saying you shall also say to the sons of Israel Any man from the sons of Israel or from the aliens? Sojourning in Israel who gives any of his offspring to Moloch?

Shall surely be put to death. The people the land shall stone him with stones. I Will also set my face against that man will cut him off from among his people because he has given some of his offspring to Moloch so as to defile my sanctuary and to profane my holy name.

If the people of the land however should ever Disregard that man when he gives any of his offspring to Moloch so as not to put him to death. 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 by playing the harlot after Moloch 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 will cut him off from among his people.

You shall consecrate yourselves therefore and be holy for I am Yahweh your God. You shall keep my statutes and practice them. I am Yahweh who sanctifies you. You see now why I Mentioned at the beginning that this is simply the next text that we need to look at as we are working through the Holiness code and looking at the issue of God's law and being Prepared as the people of God to give an answer as to why we believe that the moral Revelation that God has given is A revelation that was not simply given to Stone Age people and has been passed by by our great progressive society.

We recognize that when we read the New Testament scriptures. We see for example in 1st Corinthians chapter 5 that the Apostle Paul Assumes that will be understood by the Corinthians. That the law against incest incest and incestuous relationships.

Even though that was found way back in Leviticus chapter 18 Was still something that had abiding validity and that they should be mourning because there were those amongst them who had disregarded that law.

Which becomes very relevant then in 1st Corinthians chapter 6 in the vice list that Paul lists there in his Description of those who engage in homosexuality. This background goes against What is normative amongst many evangelicals in our land today who have simply taken some very Surface level statements.

We are no longer under law, but under grace and Assume that that means that we don't really have to worry about even separating the pages. That so often you get a new Bible. You know you have to have that joyous experience first.

Hopefully you you you you break the binding in properly first. And if you're gonna buy one of those expensive Bibles you you break the binding in first, but then there's that wonderful, I think great experience of Separating all the pages now if you don't get Bibles with with gold on the on the edges.

Then you don't really have to worry about that, but I personally enjoy that process. It's a wonderful process. It sort of makes it mine when I get done that last page is separated. Well, it seems that in many churches and in amongst many evangelicals today Pretty much most the Pentateuch the pages could still be stuck together and no one would ever notice.

It's almost a theological statement more than anything else and so for many. The idea of looking at these texts and hearing what these texts have to say just doesn't really cross the mind. It's not a functional part of the worldview, and I think that that Greatly diminishes our capacity for being able to give a a full balanced answer to the people around us as to why we believe what we believe and why we believe that certain issues facing our society today actually are gospel issues that they address the gospel of Jesus Christ itself directly and.

So we come to Leviticus chapter 20 and we encounter Something we already saw in Leviticus chapter 18 it is something that we have seen we will see in Deuteronomy as well but there is this great concern on The part of God in giving the law to his people to warn the people against what seems to be one of the greatest Sins in God's sight and that is the offering of.

The.

Seed any of his offspring to Mulloch. Now a couple things before we start looking directly at the text We need to note some of the things in background here. That's always very important. You don't want to just you know one of the One of the concerns I have for all of us is that There is such great evil in our land today that it's it's easy for us to Run to certain texts and try to pull things out and we have to be very very careful we have to be very very consistent in our handling of the Word of God and We all know that as we look at texts one of the things we do here is we want to make sure that we know What the background is we know what the context is?

So that we don't engage in that kind of abuse of the scriptural text itself you will note that there is a difference and a tremendous parallel between Leviticus 18 and Leviticus 20 many of the exact same sins and evils are Discussed in both and and the the liberal Commentator will simply say well This is further evidence of the the lack of skill of the redaction process that put together all these Competing traditions and oral fragments and so on and so forth.

But the reality is we already saw that in Leviticus 18 Before you had that that list of sexual sins before and after We had that very important Section of Scripture that says this is why the land is vomiting out.

Spewing out.

The inhabitants because they have engaged in these things and so that was a discussion of of general moral principles That were the basis upon which The land itself was ridding itself of its evil inhabitants.

That's not what you have in chapter 20 of Leviticus. Instead Yahweh spoke to Moses saying you shall also say to the sons of Israel any man from the sons of Israel or from the aliens sojourning in Israel who and then we start having the discussion of the sins that come from there.

So now we have direct laws being given to the nation of Israel as It is in the land in regards to how it is to deal with these kinds of sins and so you have attachments of specific civil penalties to these Sins, you didn't have that you had a description of these these sins as as to a VA as abomination As things that are dishonoring in God's sight, etc, etc.

You had that Leviticus 18, but you did not have the civil code the civil penalties That were to be practiced by those that God were calling was calling by his own name. Those who are in covenant relationship with God whose name was upon them and that's gonna be very important I think to remain balanced here is to recognize that notice at the end of verse 3 when it talks about This is specifically in regards to offering to Moloch The stoning of the individual but then notice at the end of verse 3 Because he has given some of his offspring to Moloch so as to defile my sanctuary and profane my holy name now.

We're gonna talk a little bit more about that in a few minutes but notice that these penalties and this section of the giving of the law is very theological and it has to do with a people who are entering into God's sanctuary and Are bearing his holy name?

So to enter into the place of worship and To bear the name of Yahweh upon themselves to be God's holy People they have entered into a very specific covenant with God. They are God's representatives and Therefore to engage in this kind of activity is to defile his sanctuary someone who would enter into that holy place.

Who is so? Disrespectful and rebellious against God's Off-stated law in regards to offerings to Moloch. This is a defilement of His sanctuary that the same term that's used to defile in the sanctuary when bringing foreign gods in well if in your heart You are willing to engage in this kind of behavior then just you entering into that sanctuary is defiling that sanctuary and Profaning and we know what profaning means to take something which is holy and to treat it as if it is common and So you're profaning his holy name because you're making Yahweh.

Just one name amongst many names of gods. Any kind of idolatry does this but this does it in as we will see in an extreme sense? There's something about this Giving of offspring to Moloch that that does this but just in in in a general Notification here as we work through Leviticus 20 Recognize that here we are given these penalties that were Specifically for the people of Israel in the land.

This is how they were to deal with these sins now. When we think about the history that the Old Testament gives to us We don't see These penalties being carried off very often we don't see it very often and Let me just mention that in looking especially at the penalty in verse 2 The people of the land shall stone him with stones now I am NOT suggesting that you go online this afternoon and find yourself a video but in my study of Islam As it exists today, I have seen stonings and I would not suggest it to you it is To call it troubling is obviously to engage in modern speak where we are tremendously Concerned about.

Well, let's just say it seems that in the current Young generation a line that I was taught as a child has been completely forgotten. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me that last part has been abolished.

I think it may be there may even be a federal court that is specifically abolished it. I'm not sure but it seems to be that case that that today. We just don't want to offend anyone. We words just have yet.

You just have to be very careful what you say.

And.

The reality is that when you look at What happens? in the stoning of an individual it is. It is extremely difficult to watch. Especially as it's done in Islamic cultures because you you actually bury the person up to their hips and so they have no place to go.

And.

It is it's a gruesome thing to watch. It was no less gruesome in the land of Israel. Stephen's death recorded for us in the book of Acts. We'll get to it in just a matter of weeks. A gruesome death and I note the specific statement the people of the land Shall stone him with stones.

It strikes me that the reason that we do not see.

More.

Bringing to bear of the punishments Prescribed by God's law by the people of God when they were in the land when they were specifically Claiming to be in covenant relationship with God was because. The reality of the fact was they themselves knew their own sins when you have the people of the land.

Being brought together to actually bring about the punishment. Think about what that says to the people who do these things now. We live in a day where again online you can see Isis and other Islamic groups Seeking to teach their young people to execute the coffer.

Only a few matter of weeks ago There was what do they call them one of the young whelps or pups of the of the caliphate a video appeared of a young boy eight nine years of age being taught to.

Behead a man and.

We recoil at something like this we recoil at the at the youth the age of this young person. But when you really think down to what's going on here What is tremendously evil about this is the evil of the men who are?

Pretending to be God's ministers in this situation. We know that these are people who are enjoying their murderous spree these are people who are engaging in rape and Pillaging and theft. These are not holy warriors.

And When we see The ultimate penalties being prescribed for certain sins in these texts we must recognize that the world looks at that and they immediately see the hypocrisy of sinful men. Engaging in that activity, and that's why we must see and we must hear and we must recognize Verses seven and eight and the centrality they play in the holiness of God's law.

You shall consecrate yourselves Therefore and be holy for I am Yahweh your God you shall keep my statutes and practice them. I am Yahweh who sanctifies you. When Israel was in a situation where there was no sanctification.

Going on where there was no true dedication to Yahweh where there was no Consecration where there was primarily just surface level formality. We can understand why? Those individuals would not want to engage in the application of the penalties of God's law because they would know Their own hypocrisy in so doing and it'd be very easy therefore for them to find reasons to overlook and to not engage in the punishment which as you see is a part of this very text because God knows God knows that placing this responsibility in the hands of men who are themselves sinners is going to result in.

Laxity in a.

Non-application. So you see in verse four if the people of land however should ever Disregard that man when he gives any of his offspring to Moloch, so it's known to the people. But they disregard it.

They refuse to act upon it. God says Recognize something. I may give my authority to the judges I may give my authority to those that are supposed to be my holy people to bring about the punishment of my law.

But even if they disregard that law I Will set my face against that man and against his family. He will not get away with this. He may think he's getting away with it because the people turn a blind eye.

But I want you to hear this sin is so heinous this sin is so perverse That I will set my face against that man and his family. And I will cut them off from among their people both him and all those who play the harlot after him.

In other words God takes this very seriously very seriously indeed now.

Who is?

Moloch well, I've mentioned to you many times that Hebrew is one of these Semitic languages like Arabic. Hebrew being much older than Arabic and Semitic languages are based upon what are called triliteral roots.

Vast majority of words in Semitic languages are based upon three-letter roots doesn't mean that all words only have three letters obviously the vast majority of more than three letters because if it's a verb you can put a prefix on it and the suffix will tell you all sorts of things as to Objects and and so on so forth.

That's one of the great joys of learning a Semitic language or Semitic languages is the various Prefixes and suffixes and all the things that go along with it. That's what gives most seminary students gray hair before 30 especially trying to learn a Hebrew with babies at home.

That was my experience. I I I hit Hebrew right as my daughter was born basically Josh didn't cause a church problem because I was still doing Greek then but I had started that long before he came along so I was pretty good there, but summer and Summer in Hebrew will always be forever linked in my mind and the haze of seminary days shall we say and so When you see the word moloch You see that the three letters would be M L and then C H or K depending on how you how you transliterate things and If you know any Hebrew as a couple of you do you know that that's it.

Malik is a term for King. It's just just a term for King but in the Hebrew old testament it has been pointed that is the vowel points have been put in to be moloch and We know of course that the vowel pointings were put in long after the days of Jesus.

They came about eight nine hundred years after the time of Christ and so they are in essence a commentary and We need to be careful that we recognize that that's a commentary that came after the days of Jesus so it's not an inspired commentary, but it does tell us that the understanding of the Masoretic Jews at that point in time was that this was to be understood as moloch and The theory is and it's sort of hard to go back to eight nine hundred years after Jesus and interview the Masoretic Themselves, but the theory is that what they've done is they've taken the letters for King and Have put in the vowels for shame the word for shame the understanding that most scholarship has arrived at is that this was a specific God of the Amorites.

Now there's some dispute about this. There's always some dispute about anything. That's as Old as this goes back to. I mean There's dispute about things that happened last year. So let alone dispute about things that happened 3 ,400 years ago or something like that, but.

But in general the general understanding is that this was a specific Amorite God who was the object of worship through the giving of offspring. Now, there's there's some argument as to. Well, did it always imply?

Child sacrifice in the sense of the actual death of the child or Could there have been instances where there were there was dedication of the child? To a temple cult as something about passing through the fire, which could be child sacrifice by burning or it could be a.

Ritual.

That involved fire maybe of some pain to the infant, but not death of the infant. Again, there's argumentation about some of these things. But there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of argumentation that in its at least in its extreme forms that involved the giving of offspring and the death of those offspring.

And some Ancient sources which don't go all the way back to this time period but time period thereafter refer to the use of drums and chants to drown out The horrific sound of the infants who are dying and agonizing death.

It's a horrible thing now. We understand remember think back it's been quite some time now, but again, it's just the the nature of things we talked about the Gods of the Amorites and the Canaanites and so on and so forth and and the idea was that these gods had a limited purview of authority and power and.

What you would do is the idea evidently would that be through the giving of Offspring you would actually receive power to conceive even more offspring. Both for your your herds and your flocks which might give you more in the way of money as well as just simply having more offspring because even to modern days Infant mortality rates have always been very very high.

Modern times we have made tremendous advances there's no question about that, but even in the days of Luther for example a woman would have to have as many as 10 live births to get even one child through to maturity.

So I mean it was it was a very very common thing for parents to experience the loss of a child and.

So.

It's one thing to experience that through the natural processes of this world. It is something completely different to bring that about voluntarily to bring that about as a part of.

Perverted.

Religious worship and so we have these warnings about Moloch and there obviously had to have been some kind of Attraction. Some kind of danger that the people of God dwelling in the land would be attracted to this kind of worship because it's so.

Grossly unnatural. It is so grossly unnatural.

You look at at the woman Holding her newborn child and no matter how painful The birth has been The desire of that woman is to hold that child upon her breast to hold that life and every mother in this room remembers those moments as one of the most special moments in their lives.

And Every father in this room who has had the opportunity of being there remembers when that child was brought and was allowed to be held and and Just the the beauty of that moment.

So how any.

Mother any.

Father.

Could take that offspring and Take it to some priest knowing that that child was going to be.

Murdered.

It is so grossly unnatural.

What could possibly? Possibly. Cause someone to do that it is hard for us to even imagine it. It might even be such that we might look at this that this could never happen and Yet not only did it happen.

But the attraction was this constant promise of benefit of.

Of.

Greed of Power to overcome the elements. Men felt so helpless in the face of the fates in the face of the the blind powers that they could not understand whether it be blight upon the land or drought or Flood or fire or whatever else it might be.

There was such a helplessness that there was a there was a zeal on the part of the priests of Mulloch to promise great benefit. How else could any man convince his wife To give up that child. To give up that child, but notice what it says in verse.

2.

It doesn't matter whether it's a son of Israel or an alien sojourning in Israel. Any who gives any of his offspring to Mulloch shall surely be put to death. The people of the land shall stone him with stones now.

Obviously we have to take. Well, we should take the law as a whole and that means that there would be an examination. There would be an investigation. It would be a thorough investigation. There would be need to be more than one witness of these events.

It wasn't just on the mouth of one witness that something like this could take place. But with the establishment of this action. With the establishment of this action the ultimate penalty of death no repentant.

No offering.

A person who could be seen to be this hardened in Their rebellion against God and in the necessary Corollary to this and that is such a person Could not possibly be trusting Yahweh that Yahweh is in control of all things that Yahweh will care for him that Yahweh will Fulfill his promises.

No, this is this is a person who is truly an idolater at heart. That person is to be cut off from his people to be put to death and He put the death in a specific way that demonstrates and that communicates to the gathered people.

This sin is serious in the sight of God. Do not do this. The people of the land shall stone him with stones. I Offspring to Moloch so as to defile my sanctuary and profane my holy name there is in This kind of purposeful, I mean this is not a sin That you commit by just simply a Brief stumbling.

Oh, I can't believe I did that it is this takes this is this is to use our term premeditate. This takes thought this takes planning this is not something that you just stumble and fall because it's one of those old weaknesses of yours and Something comes out of your mouth that should never come out of your mouth or whatever else it might be.

That's not what's going on here. This is premeditated evil. This is rebellion against God and the result is That it defiles the sanctuary of God and profanes his holy name. When I when I first read that I really had to give some Serious thought how how can that be?

But then when you think about What Israel is being called to be? When you think about the nature of the Covenant and bearing the name of.

Yahweh.

It makes me think about the baptismal formula. We are baptized into the name singular of the Father Son and Holy Spirit. We are so in the West Individualized that we don't think much About the names that we bear.

I mean you know as parents you find out you're expecting and you know, there's that.

Enjoyable normally enjoyable.

You know discussion back and forth about names and you know, what are we gonna? What what do you like and all that kind of stuff and and it's very enjoyable. But that's not how people did that for a long period of time.

Names were to represent something they were to speak something to at least the wished-for character and there was a much stronger sense of Bearing a name especially a family name. Today that's almost gone in our society.

There's almost no idea of Your ancestors or the honor that comes to your name or something like that. We've lost that and I think there is something to be mourned in the loss of that. But certainly when you had a situation where you take on the name of God in a covenant relationship as the people of God.

Then when you engage in can you imagine let's put this way. Can you imagine? What the priest of Mulloch is thinking. When you bring your infant knowing That you attend the sacrifices at the sanctuary of Yahweh.

What do you think that the priest of Mulloch is thinking when you do that. What kind of a statement are you making about your God? What kind of a statement you're making about the promises of your God the power of your God the? sacrifices in the sanctuary.

What do you you are profaning his name? You're making him just like Mulloch. You're covering your bases.

Yeah, I'll uh.

I'll off the sacrifices Yahweh too, but it doesn't doesn't hurt to cover all your bases. You know I Really need a. I need a good crop next year. I.

Really really do.

Because he has given some of his offspring to Mulloch so as to defile my sanctuary to perform my holy name. I Will also set my face against that man. Don't think idolater That it's just the people of Israel throwing those stones.

You will still yet have to deal with me. For I will set my face you you think that that last blow from that last big rock. Which renders you unconscious is it no? Now you get to deal with me. This is to communicate with clarity and with force the seriousness of this sin.

But even if the people of the land Should ever disregard that man when he gives any of his offspring to Mulloch so as not to put him to death.

God knows.

There aren't gonna be many stonings in Israel. I I know there can you know once that once a people Get so far from God. You could have lots of stonings. Just simply as means of political advancement getting rid of your enemies.

There there are people who love death. I mean, that's what Mulloch worship is all about. But to actually claim to be following God's law. Those who are not consecrated to him those are not dedicated to him those who are pretty much just nominal in their dedication to Yahweh.

Now.

They're probably not gonna be doing that. Then I myself will set my face against that man. I myself it's emphasized. This is personal on God's part. I myself will set my face against that man and not only against that man.

But against his family. This is there's there's federal representation here. Remember Aiken.

Jericho.

What happened to his family. They all suffered with him. There's representation here federal headship, but of course. How could you exactly take one of your offspring and offer it to Mulloch without your family being involved in the first place.

I Mean your your wife prize gonna meant notice the missing child and it would be her duty if she found out what had happened. To go to the authorities. I will cut off from among their people both him and all those who play the harlot after him by playing the harlot after Mulloch.

See playing the harlot. Unfaithfulness. Bearing the name it's like a man. It's got the wedding ring. Hides it when he goes certain places. Unfaithfulness. Harlotry. Have the name of Yahweh, but hide it all those who play the harlot after him.

I will set my face against them. I will cut them off. Even in the days of laxity. Anyone who would read this text would recognize God takes this very seriously. I may think I'm getting away with it. God says I will not get away with it now.

Everyone in this room unless you tuned out about 35 minutes ago or more. Cannot help but being thinking about what's been going on in our own land. And I even in a few public statements have made the what seems to me perfectly appropriate and obvious connection.

We still have Mulloch worship. We still have Mulloch worship. There are still people who are willing to trade their offspring for economic advantage. For personal advantage. For personal freedom and autonomy.

And we have the high priests of Mulloch. And it seems the high priests of Mulloch are untouchable when you live in a culture of death.

They're celebrated loved.

Supported protected. We all have seen. Or most of us have seen the videos as they have come out the hard-heartedness.

Of.

Individuals who Had to be taught To do the things they do.

No.

Normal human being.

Could look at the things they look at and do the things they do.

Without being.

Desensitized over time. They had to be taught a worldview that rendered us as mere biological products of the process of evolution. Now the irony is. Every single one of them has sufficient biological and scientific training that upon even a smallest amount of reflection would recognize the amazing complexity of the development of life within the womb.

Every one of them has had enough training to understand that that development of the embryo and the. The amazing things that we still do not understand this day. How the various kinds of tissues begin to form.

They know all of these things and yet.

When.

You utterly destroy.

The worldview.

That gives meaning to human life that sees us as the creatures of God when you Embrace a worldview where we are but accidents of chance Animals like any other and then over time Desensitized and desensitized.

We can understand how that technician can stand there in that one video. Heart lungs pituitary. Oh another boy. Oh.

Another boy. The priests of Mulloch.

Were dehumanized not that they were excused by that But that it's constant exposure to sin Rebellion and death and degradation degrades and Unless there is Repair through the grace of God and exposure to the truth of God.

Well, we can understand why the pottery the images that we have dug up of those cultures represent to us such horrific degradation. But you don't have to have hideous idols.

To have the high priests of Mulloch they have offices.

Not far from here. They have offices not far from where we are this day and God has always set his face against anyone anyone. Who would degrade his creatures his creations those that bear the very image of God?

What was so horrendous about the offering of offspring to Mulloch as it is a fundamental rejection of the idea that God is the creator and Sustainer and that life is a gift from his hand. It is a fundamental replacement of God with ourselves.

It is an embracing of the culture of death a rejection of the culture of life. And as God set his face against even those who got away with it in ancient Israel He sets his face against those who think they're getting away with it even today, and do you think that there is Anything in this text that would say.