How does Leviticus 18:28 relate to the concept of divine retribution? Immediate Literary Context Leviticus 18 enumerates forbidden sexual practices. Verses 24–30 function as a closing exhortation: the abominations of the Canaanites defiled both people and land; Israel must not replicate them. The imagery of the land “vomiting” reflects covenantal language in which land, people, and God are inseparably linked (cf. Leviticus 20:22; Numbers 35:33–34). Divine Retribution Defined Biblically, divine retribution is God’s holy response to sustained, unrepentant sin, expressed in temporal judgment and/or eternal wrath (Genesis 6; Romans 2:5–8). In the Mosaic covenant, retribution is primarily corporate and terrestrial—blessings for obedience, curses for disobedience (Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28). Theological Foundation: Holiness And The Land 1. Yahweh’s Holiness—Israel’s God is “holy” (Leviticus 19:2); He cannot dwell with impurity (Habakkuk 1:13). 2. Covenant Geography—The land is God’s gift and domain (Leviticus 25:23). Defilement is simultaneously cultic (polluting sanctuary) and ecological (polluting soil). 3. Moral Ecology—The metaphor “vomit” presents the land as a moral agent that reacts to sin (cf. Isaiah 24:5–6). Divine retribution operates through covenantal cause-and-effect built into creation itself. Retributive Patterns In Scripture • Flood (Genesis 6–8): Earth “corrupted,” waters purge. • Sodom (Genesis 19): Outcry leads to fiery overthrow. • Canaanites (Leviticus 18:25): Land expels inhabitants. • Northern Israel (2 Kings 17): Exile to Assyria. • Judah (2 Chronicles 36:20–21): Seventy-year desolation “to enjoy its Sabbaths.” Each episode mirrors Leviticus 18: persistence in sin → land or nation cleansed → remnant/grace provision. Cross-Textual Linkage With Leviticus 26 And Deuteronomy 28 Lev 18:28 foreshadows the later “Blessings and Curses” sections in which agricultural failure, disease, invasion, and exile are specified instruments of retribution. Verbal parallels (“vomit,” “spue,” “spew out”) tie the passages together, underscoring covenant unity. Historical And Archaeological Corroboration • Ugaritic tablets (14th cent. BC) depict Canaanite fertility cults (ritual sex, infant sacrifice), matching Leviticus’ prohibitions. • Lachish Letters (6th cent. BC) and Babylonian Chronicles document Babylon’s siege and Judah’s exile—fulfillment of covenant curses. • The 1960s Tel Arad ostraca show Yahwistic worship in Judah but also syncretism, illustrating the drift that triggered retribution. These extra-biblical finds verify the cultural milieu and the historical outworking of divine warnings. Intertestamental And Rabbinic Witness Second Temple writings (e.g., Sirach 16:17-18) reiterate that land responds to sin. The Mishnah (Avot 5:9) lists calamities Israel suffered “for transgressions,” echoing Levitical logic. New Testament Development 1. Romans 1:24-32—Paul cites sexual impurity to show God “gave them up,” paralleling Leviticus 18: pollution leads to judgment. 2. 1 Corinthians 10:1-11—Israel’s punishments are “examples” to the church. 3. Hebrews 2:2-3—“Every transgression received a just retribution; how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” Retribution remains, but Christ absorbs it for believers (Galatians 3:13). Christological Fulfillment At the cross divine retribution and mercy converge. The land quakes (Matthew 27:51), symbolizing covenant reaction to sin now laid upon Christ (Isaiah 53:6). The resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) confirms the debt paid, satisfying justice while offering grace. Pastoral And Ethical Implications • Holiness: Sexual ethics are non-negotiable markers of covenant fidelity (1 Thessalonians 4:3-8). • Stewardship: Environmental care mirrors the land’s moral connection (Romans 8:19-22). • Gospel Urgency: Divine retribution is real; escape is only through repentance and faith in the risen Christ (Acts 17:30-31). Eschatological Dimension Lev 18:28 anticipates final judgment when earth and heavens are purged (2 Peter 3:7, 10-13). The New Jerusalem embodies land forever free from defilement (Revelation 21:27). Related Topical Cross References Lev 20:22-24; Numbers 35:33-34; Deuteronomy 29:23-28; Psalm 106:38-40; Proverbs 14:34; Jeremiah 3:1-3; Ezekiel 36:17-19; Hosea 4:1-3. Summary Leviticus 18:28 embeds divine retribution in the covenant relationship between God, people, and land. Defilement triggers displacement; holiness secures blessing. The principle threads through all of Scripture, culminating in Christ’s atoning work and the ultimate restoration of creation. |
    |