February 19 – Leviticus 19-21

Today’s reading comes from Leviticus 19-21. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word.

Spiritual Prostitution … are you guilty of it? In the New Living Translation of the Bible the translators decided to translate Leviticus 19:5 as … “I myself will turn against them and their families and will cut them off from the community. This will happen to all who commit spiritual prostitution by worshiping Molech.” The New International Version simply says … “prostituting themselves to Molek.” (The various translators have decided to translate the English spelling nof Molech/Molek two different ways. We will use the NLT spelling today) I love ~ love the use of the word choice, hate what it is referencing ~ the way the NLT translates this idea. It paints such a drastic picture of what we do when we give our devotion to anyone or anything other than God.

The sin of worshiping Molech was grotesque. Molech was one of the God’s of the Canaanite people. At various times worship to Molech would involve the sacrifice of babies … infants. If this is not a gruesome enough picture for you, they would be live infants placed in the arms of a statue that was blazing hot because of the raging fire beneath it. The babies would be cooked to death. Just imagine the wails that would come from these children. Just imagine the weeping and gnashing that came from the mothers watching as this horrific sacrifice is offered. This sacrifice often took place in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom that is part of the city of Jerusalem. It was also known as Gehenna. In Jesus day this valley was used as the waste dump of the city. When Jesus talks about what Hell will be like he is referencing this valley and the acts that took place here.

Back in Leviticus God is telling his people that if they worship Molech they are committing spiritual prostitution. I know in our age this is not something we are going to struggle with ... offering human sacrifices. But to his audience this would be an easy step to make … remember they have just come from a land full of pagan worship, they even built as the slave of Egypt their pagan symbols of worship. God considered this step spiritual prostitution.

But he did not stop there. Throughout chapter nineteen he continues to talk about spiritual prostitution. He calls giving our devotion to anything other than Him spiritual prostitution. Have you committed spiritual prostitution? Have you devoted yourself to anything other than God yourself? Examine your life and see if you are seeking spiritual monogamy with God, not selling yourself to the lust of the flesh.

At West Side we are beginning a new prayer partner campaign. We are asking people to join with us in praying daily for West Side. If you would like to join us please click here and subscribe to receive daily emails containing a short prayer request for West Side. We appreciate your partnership.