Leviticus 24:10-16 - Now
an Israelite woman's son, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among
the people of Israel. And the Israelite woman's son and a man of Israel
fought in the camp, 11 and the Israelite woman's son blasphemed the Name, and cursed. Then they brought him to Moses. His mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan. 12 And they put him in custody, till the will of the Lord should be clear to them.
13 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 14 “Bring out of the camp the one who cursed, and let all who heard him lay their hands on his head, and let all the congregation stone him. 15 And speak to the people of Israel, saying, Whoever curses his God shall bear his sin. 16 Whoever blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall stone him. The sojourner as well as the native, when he blasphemes the Name, shall be put to death.
This story was found in my daily, year-long journey through my ESV Study Bible. To the post-modern mind, this sounds unfathomable. Stoned to death for using God's name in a profane manner? What kind of God is this?
Well, I suppose at first the natural mind might never comprehend. Please understand, when I say this, that I am not suggesting that we stone people for blaspheming God.
I think the first thing that we must attempt, with all our might, and with prolonged meditation, is to put ourselves back in Moses time, when this was written. Remarkably, holy God was physically dwelling with his people, the Israelites. They were in the presence of complete, and perfect holiness. They were in the presence of He who made them. They witnessed unspeakable displays of God's reality.
Make no mistake about it, God made himself known to his people. Furthermore, we should not allow ourselves to contemplate God here, as many would dream of him today. God made himself known, and there was likely, at certain times, soiled linens. Certainly these displays of God created fear. Yet, at the same time, this all-powerful God, displayed his love through constant provision for them as they traveled through the wilderness.
We must also remember that this story comes to us under the provisions of the Old Covenant. God is building his long case, for us to completely understand, that we need a Savior.
Under all these circumstances, image the unmitigated gall it must take to even consider such an utterance. When you have physically seen God's presence, such a pronouncement would certainly be a willful act of apostasy, deserving of death. Remember this is holy God, not the namby-pamby God that the post-modern world would dream up.
So, what are we to learn from this? Well, certainly thankfulness that we are not stoned for such offense. With great shame, I must profess that there have been numerous times, in my life, where I have committed such an offense.
But I come away with two thoughts:
- this passage is a morsel, of all that is contained in the Bible, to help me understand who my Father King is. He is holy, and will not be in the presence of unholiness. His name is holy, and He will not allow it to be blasphemed.
- this passage helps me to be thankful. Thankful, because I deserve to be stoned. I have taken the precious name of holy God in vain. I have allowed myself to be careless, as were Aaron's sons, yet, I was not nuked from heaven above. My offense was placed on my Elder Brother, who died in my stead, and when God sees me, he sees me cloaked in the righteousness of Christ.
All nonsense to the natural mind, but complete wonder to His own.
Do you get it? Do you see it?
