Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Leviticus
Book: Leviticus
Chapter: 20
Overview:
Law against sacrificing children to
Moloch, Of children that
Curse their parents.
(1-9) Laws repeated,
Holiness enjoined.
(10-27)
1-9 Are we shocked at the unnatural cruelty of the ancient
idolaters in sacrificing their children? We may justly be
So.
But are there not very many parents, who,
By bad teaching and
wicked examples, and
By the mysteries of iniquity which they
show their children, devote them to the service of
Satan, and
forward their
Everlasting ruin, in a manner even more to be
lamented? What an account must such parents render to
God, and
what a meeting will they have with their children at the
Day of
Judgment!
On the other
Hand, let children remember that he who
cursed
Father or mother was surely
Put to
Death. This
Law Christ
confirmed. Laws which were made before are repeated, and
penalties annexed to them. If men will not avoid evil practices,
because the
Law has made these practices
Sin, and it is right
that we go
On that principle, surely they should avoid them when
the
Law has made them
Death, from a principle of
self-preservation. In the midst of these laws comes in a general
charge, Sanctify yourselves, and be ye holy. It is the
Lord that
sanctifies, and his work will be done, though it be difficult.
Yet his
Grace is
So far from doing away our endeavours, that it
strongly encourages them. Work out your
Salvation, for it is
God
that worketh in you.
10-27 These verses repeat what had been said before, but it was
needful there should be line upon line. What praises we owe to
God that he has taught the evil of
Sin, and the sure way of
deliverance from it! May we have
Grace to adorn the doctrine of
God our
Saviour in all things; may we have
No Fellowship with
unfruitful
Works of
Darkness, but reprove them.