June 11, 2018: Day 58 – Leviticus 18

This is the chapter of the abominations, specifically the sexual abominations.  Much of it is hard to stomach.  I find it interesting that so much of what we define in our culture as love today is much more…, well,… undefined.  Let me tell you a story.  A friend of mine was in his office when an older man and a much younger woman walked in and asked if he would marry them.  They asked in a way which implied something was wrong and something should prevent them from being married.  He was about 50 and she was in her early 30s.  

They spoke for a while and he said they would need to go through premarital counseling.  Had they been married before?  Yes, but both have been since divorced and so now are single.  My friend said he didn’t see a problem in them getting married and he would be willing to do the ceremony if after the premarital counseling things worked out the way they should.  As they were standing up to leave the man said, there is one more thing you should know.  She is my daughter.

Culture would tell us that these prohibitions in chapter 18 are old fashioned and we really just need to follow our heart.  Love can’t be wrong.  If we love someone then that has to be okay.  I’m not sure that is entirely accurate.  I think we do need to have guidelines and I’m still very comfortable with the guidelines that Scripture gives us, at least where we consistently see those guidelines.  Now, we have just read some chapters that are draconian, but this one makes sense in a lot of ways.  It gives you a set a rules which protects at least the vast majority of family members from abuse from those who might have the power to do what they might want to do because of their position over the family.