How should Leviticus 20:27 influence our understanding of holiness and obedience? Setting the Verse in Context Leviticus 20 is a chapter where the LORD delineates sins that profane the covenant community and prescribes penalties that uphold His holiness. Verse 27 reads: “A man or a woman who is a medium or spiritist must surely be put to death. They are to be stoned; their blood shall be upon them.” The verse forms the capstone of a section dealing with practices that open Israel to demonic influence and idolatry, standing in direct contrast to the LORD’s call: “You are to be holy to Me, for I, the LORD, am holy” (Leviticus 20:26). Key Observations from Leviticus 20:27 • The prohibition covers both genders, underscoring universal accountability. • “Must surely be put to death” conveys absolute, non-negotiable judgment. • Stoning places responsibility on the covenant community to remove impurity. • “Their blood shall be upon them” affirms personal culpability; the punishment is just. What This Reveals about God’s Holiness • Holiness is separation from every form of occult or counterfeit spirituality (Leviticus 19:31; Deuteronomy 18:9-14). • God’s presence among His people demands an environment free from demonic contamination (Joshua 7:13). • The severe penalty highlights that dabbling in forbidden spiritual realms is treason against the LORD, not a harmless curiosity (1 Samuel 28:6-19). Implications for Our Obedience Today • While civil penalties under the Mosaic covenant no longer govern the church, the moral principle endures: believers must decisively reject occult practices—horoscopes, tarot, séances, witchcraft, “harmless” games that invoke spirits (Acts 19:18-20). • Obedience includes guarding entertainment choices, rejecting media that glamorizes sorcery, and removing objects tied to occult symbolism (Deuteronomy 7:25-26). • Holiness involves exclusive loyalty to the Holy Spirit, refusing any competing spiritual influence (1 Corinthians 10:20-22). Practical Steps to Walk in Holiness • Examine the home, phone, and streaming subscriptions; discard anything that promotes spiritism. • Replace occult curiosity with disciplined Scripture intake and worship. • Cultivate fellowship that encourages transparency and accountability (Hebrews 10:24-25). • When past involvement exists, confess and renounce it in Jesus’ name (1 John 1:9), trusting His cleansing power. Encouragement from the New Testament • Jesus decisively triumphed over every demonic power (Colossians 2:15). • The works of the flesh include “sorcery,” and those who practice such things “will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21). • The redeemed city is free from “the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all who love and practice falsehood” (Revelation 22:15). • Walking in obedience brings the assurance of God dwelling among His people: “For we are the temple of the living God” (2 Corinthians 6:16). Leviticus 20:27 therefore calls believers to a wholehearted pursuit of holiness—a life of uncompromising obedience that refuses any alliance with the occult and treasures the purity of fellowship with the LORD. |
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