A dreadful list of crimes is in this chapter, from which we turn, ashamed to think that anyone could be guilty of such things. But God well knew what human hearts can hold, and so, to a people that wished to be known as His, He must tell of things He would not allow; of sins that would surely bring on punishment—sure, if not always swift.
“Again, thou shalt say to the children of Israel, Whosoever he be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel ... . he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones.”
This, from verse 2, was for those who took up with the idols of the heathen nations, and sacrificed their children to the god Molech, but all through these chapters, the rule was the same—the one who sins is to be punished. But it is not so much man’s, as it is God’s punishment that we have reason to fear. In this God has not changed.
The wages of sin is still death:
Dear young reader, you were born a sinner. You have added to the sinful nature which you received at your birth, many a sin against God. Yet, blessed be God,
“This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” Have you accepted Him?
Verses 22-26 are a summing up of God’s wishes for those who are His children. “All” His statutes, and “all” His judgments they were to “keep,” and to “do.” They were not to walk in the ways of those rebels against God who were about to come under His judgment.
Then a good land, a land of plenty, God’s land, to be the home of a people separated by Him from all around, was to be their home.
Although these verses were addressed to Israel, and spoke of the land of Canaan, we may surely take them to heart, and if we are really converted, we shall seek to please God in the same ways, looking on to a heavenly home, instead of an earthly one.