Introduction
The Bible explicitly talks about God’s perspective on sex and the human beings. Among other areas that the word of God dwelt much on the subject, especially in the Old Testament, was the book of Leviticus. In various chapters, God taught clearly on the holy practices of sexual encounters and illustrated various ways by which people sin against Him through sex. One of the portions of scriptures that touch deeply on the issue is the twentieth chapter of the book of Leviticus. In this case, the scriptures portray God speaking to the Israelites through Moses and proclaiming a death sentence to such people who could go against His teachings. However, the severity of the judgment pronounced against engaging in sexual activities with close relatives illustrates that such a sin was worse than the rest of the sexual offense as shown in the discussion below.
Leviticus 20
It is worth appreciating that the texts in reference in the discussion are part of God’s commandments to the Israelites as given to Moses. Therefore, God is depicted as the Supreme Being in the context, and His decision is final. As part of many other scriptures spoken to Moses, the texts on sexual relations with relatives communicated the position of God among the chosen people. In fact, about six verses in the chapter talk about sex among people who are related by blood (Lev 20: 1-27). First, the eleventh verse notes that the Lord abhorred sex between a man and his mother. Consequently, God commanded to Mosses to teach that if such occurred among the Israelites, then the man and the mother had to be killed. Secondly, the Creator spoke against the perversion of a man engaging in sexual activity with his daughter-in-law. Similarly, the judgment of God against relative sex was death, and the people were to kill both the father and the daughter. Thirdly, verse fourteen indicated that the Lord prohibited a man from marrying a woman and her mother. Accordingly, the scripture said that the man and the women had to be killed by burning, to eradicate the wicked among the people of God. On the other hand, God hated a man who married or had a sexual affair with his sister and pronounced that the two had to be expelled from the society. However, the scripture noted that the man was responsible for the sin. In addition, the twentieth verse shows that the Creator hates sexual relations between a man and his aunt. However, for the offense, God pronounced the judgment and indicated that the two would be responsible and hence would die childless. A similar punishment was spoken against such a man who married his brother’s wife (Lev 20: 21). Accordingly, in the twenty-first verses, God interpreted the act as an impurity and that the man dishonored his brother in the decision.
Gender Roles
Therefore, the message from the various scriptures, as read from the book of Leviticus, indicates that God had stipulated various roles depending on the gender of the person. In this case, the male took the responsibility of leadership in all situations, and God would pronounce judgment in reference to the man. The normal way of life among the Israelites was that the men led in decision-making. Therefore, any offense that related to sexual purity would be interpreted from the role that men played in approaching the women. One could easily interpret the scripture to imply that women were not actively engaged in making the decision on sexual matters. Under those premises, the men were supposed to engage women in sexual matters, and at no point did the society expect a woman to approach men on the subject. Nevertheless, God illustrated that the sexual sin could affect the entire society, hence the commandment that the community could kill the perpetrators through burning or by stoning. Therefore, the power to restore sanity was bestowed to the people who could decide what was offensive, according to the commandments of God as passed on by Moses (Lev 20: 1-27). In all the scriptures quoted, the people could only act as God had instructed, and thus, the decision to kill was only dependent on God’s word.
Judgment
The position of the text to have the perpetrators killed or cursed was justified by sins committed. God classified the offenses as pervasion, wickedness, impurity, disgrace, or dishonor, and spelled out judgment against them. For example, the sexual encounter between a man and his mother was considered a dishonor to the father, hence they pronounced death on the two. The concern in the scripture was that without such guidelines, the Israelites could engage in such sexual activities as God considered sinful. Therefore, the scripture endorsed corrective measures to instill discipline in the people (Lev 20: 1-27). Again, when the people observed the laws, the Creator could always prosper them. Consequently, one could presume that the purpose of God to give the laws to the Israelites was to show his love for them. The justification of the assumption could be that if the Father did not love them, then He could only strike them when they sinned. Secondly, God was aware that all men walked on the nature of sin after the fall of Adam, therefore, had to be led by the law. On the other hand, by the law conferring the responsibility of punishing the perpetrators to the people, God was teaching the people that His dwelling was among them, therefore, when one sinned, and then all people could become unclean.
Flow and Plot
The scriptures highlighted are taken from a prose of God’s law, as written by Moses in Leviticus chapter twenty. Although the chapter dwelt more on the sexual sin regarding close relations, the text also highlights other practices that God considered sinful. For instance, the chapter notes that the Lord hated the sexual engagement between a man and a man and between human beings and animals. Therefore, the narration in the chapter incorporates a wide range of sexual issues that God wanted the Israelites to be cautious (Lev 20: 1-27). It is worth appreciating that in all the offenses in the narration, the Creator pronounced judgment and gave the community the responsibility of executing the judgment. Therefore, one can easily interpret that the whole chapter was meant to communicate God’s mind on the issue of purity and sexuality. However, besides, pronouncing God’s punishment for sin, the chapter was to teach the people how to live righteously. Therefore, the chapter is tactically written, has a good flow of ideas, compelling issues, and clearly communicates the judgment of God to the people who would not hearken to God’s teachings.
Conclusion
The twentieth chapter talks on the profanity of engaging in sexual activity with the people and the animals as well as sex between close relatives. In fact, God pronounced judgment against all people who would be on the offensive against the instructions given. In essence, the particular verses analyzed focuses on the perceptions of God concerning the people who engaged in sexual affairs with family members. However, in spite of the harsh punishment that God instructed the Israelites to impose on the sin, the entire chapter was meant to teach the people to observe holiness.
Works cited
“Bible Gateway Passage: Leviticus 20 – New International Version.” Bible Gateway. N.p., 2016. Web. 12 Sept. 2016.
Holy Bible: The New King James Version, Containing the Old and New Testaments. Nashville: T. Nelson, 1982.
Leviticus 20. Holy Bible: NIV, New International Version. N.p.: n.p., 1982.
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