Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

A Daily Devotional by Kenton Cheek

18 February 2024

Reading From Leviticus 16-18

“The Lord said to Moses, ‘Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘I am the Lord your God. You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices. You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the Lord your God. Keep my decrees and laws, for the person who obeys them will live by them. I am the Lord.

Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you became defiled. Even the land was defiled; so I punished it for its sin, and the land vomited out its inhabitants. But you must keep my decrees and my laws. The native-born and the foreigners residing among you must not do any of these detestable things, for all these things were done by the people who lived in the land before you, and the land became defiled. And if you defile the land, it will vomit you out as it vomited out the nations that were before you.

Everyone who does any of these detestable things—such persons must be cut off from their people. Keep my requirements and do not follow any of the detestable customs that were practiced before you came and do not defile yourselves with them. I am the Lord your God.”

–Leviticus 18:1-5, 24-30

     The cultural and religious practices of people in the lands Yahweh delivered His people from, guided them through and settled them in created horrific living conditions.  The worship of God would be a light shining in a very dark place.  The fertility cults of Canaan were atrocious.  The faith of the Israelites had originated in the context desert nomad lifestyle of Abraham and been developed on their wilderness journey from Egypt to Canaan.  These desert travelers were shepherds and when they reached the Promised Land it was filled with lush farms tended by people who worshipped Baal, Asherah and Molek.  I’m sure that the Israelites wondered if Yahweh, the God of their wilderness travels, would continue to provide for them in this strange, green, new land or if they would have to worship both Yahweh and their gods to be successful.

     In order to bring fertility, a man representing Baal would have ritual, public sex with a woman representing Asherah.  This was religious prostitution part of the cultural fabric of Canaan.  In times of crisis, they would sacrifice their firstborn babies to Molek, an idol represented by a metal statue with a bull’s head, a man’s body seated on a throne with hands cupped in front of itself.  The statue of Molek would be super-heated by a fire underneath and the worshippers would place their babies on the red hot hands to be scalded and killed.  These were just a few of the detestable practices that Yahweh wanted abolished and for His people to keep themselves from. 

     Their way of life was so saturated with evil that it even defiled the lands that these atrocities were committed on.  I can identify with this.  I have visited places where the peace of God just fills the physical space, but I’ve also been to places where despicable acts were done and the location has a spiritual heaviness to it.  God wants such a better life for His children than what is offered by this fallen, broken world.  The way to this abundant, eternal life is through faith and trust in Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life.  Satan and his demons seek to steal, kill and destroy.  Jesus wants to redeem, heal, strengthen and fill us with hope.  Quite the opposite of the ancient demonic false gods of Egypt and Canaan.

“God, thank You for the light of Your truth, the warmth of Your love and the hope that You bring to Your eternal family.  I pray that more and more people will come to know You and experience this life-giving relationship.  Help Your children live holy lives even in the midst of the wickedness of our present reality.”

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

–Romans 15:13