What is the meaning of Leviticus 20:5? then I will set My face against that man “Then I will set My face against that man” (Leviticus 20:5) pictures God turning toward the sinner in deliberate, personal judgment. • Setting His face signals determined opposition, not passive displeasure (Leviticus 17:10; Jeremiah 21:10; Psalm 34:16). • It reminds us that sin is ultimately before God’s face; no hiding behind ritual or culture can shield the heart (Hebrews 4:13). • Grace is real, but it is never permission to trifle with idolatry (Romans 2:4-5). and his family God adds “and his family,” showing that leadership in sin infects the household. • The second commandment already warns that idolatry visits consequences “to the third and fourth generation” (Exodus 20:5; Deuteronomy 5:9). • Examples such as Achan (Joshua 7:24-25) and Korah’s clan (Numbers 16:32-33) illustrate how family members suffer under a head’s rebellion. • Yet Ezekiel 18:20 balances the picture: each person is accountable, and repentance breaks the chain (2 Chronicles 7:14). and cut off from among their people “To cut off” speaks of removal from covenant life. • It can mean capital punishment (Exodus 31:14) or exile and loss of inheritance (Genesis 17:14; Leviticus 18:29). • Being severed from the community also foreshadows eternal separation for the unrepentant (Matthew 25:41). • Israel’s holiness depended on dealing decisively with open idolatry so the whole camp would not be defiled (Deuteronomy 13:5, 11). both him and all who follow him Judgment extends to any who side with evil. • Sin gathers followers; therefore warning is public and sweeping (Proverbs 13:20; 1 Corinthians 15:33). • Leadership carries influence; God holds both instigators and willing accomplices responsible (Romans 1:32). • The principle safeguards the purity of worship by discouraging clique-like rebellion (Numbers 25:4-5). in prostituting themselves with Molech “Molech” worship involved burning children (Leviticus 18:21; 2 Kings 23:10). God calls this idolatry “prostitution” because it betrays the exclusive covenant bond, exchanging the living God for dead idols (Jeremiah 32:35; Hosea 4:12-13). • The term evokes marital unfaithfulness, underscoring the intimacy God desires with His people (James 4:4). • It also highlights the grotesque tradeoff: sacrificing life itself for supposed favor from a false god (Deuteronomy 12:31). • Modern parallels arise wherever anything—even good things—demands ultimate allegiance over the Lord (Colossians 3:5). summary Leviticus 20:5 reveals God’s righteous resolve against idolatry: He personally opposes the offender, addresses the ripple effects on family, removes the contaminant from His people, and includes every willing participant in the verdict. Idolatry with Molech—or any rival—amounts to spiritual prostitution, a betrayal met with decisive justice. The verse therefore calls us to wholehearted loyalty, reminding us that the Holy One who sees all will not share His glory with another, yet graciously keeps His covenant with all who cling to Him alone. |
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