05/06/2026
READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN 2026
DAY # 156
5 June 2026 , Ivan Krishna
Reading For Today:
LEVITICUS 18
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THE BIBLE TEXT (NLT) -
LEVITICUS 18
1 Then the LORD said to Moses,
2 "Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. I am the LORD your God.
3 So do not act like the people in Egypt, where you used to live, or like the people of Canaan, where I am taking you. You must not imitate their way of life.
4 You must obey all my regulations and be careful to obey my decrees, for I am the LORD your God.
5 If you obey my decrees and my regulations, you will find life through them. I am the LORD.
6 "You must never have s*xual relations with a close relative, for I am the LORD.
7 "Do not violate your father by having s*xual relations with your mother. She is your mother; you must not have s*xual relations with her.
8 "Do not have s*xual relations with any of your father's wives, for this would violate your father.
9 "Do not have s*xual relations with your sister or half sister, whether she is your father's daughter or your mother's daughter, whether she was born into your household or someone else's.
10 "Do not have s*xual relations with your granddaughter, whether she is your son's daughter or your daughter's daughter, for this would violate yourself.
11 "Do not have s*xual relations with your stepsister, the daughter of any of your father's wives, for she is your sister.
12 "Do not have s*xual relations with your father's sister, for she is your father's close relative.
13 "Do not have s*xual relations with your mother's sister, for she is your mother's close relative.
14 "Do not violate your uncle, your father's brother, by having s*xual relations with his wife, for she is your aunt.
15 "Do not have s*xual relations with your daughter-in-law; she is your son's wife, so you must not have s*xual relations with her.
16 "Do not have s*xual relations with your brother's wife, for this would violate your brother.
17 "Do not have s*xual relations with both a woman and her daughter. And do not take her granddaughter, whether her son's daughter or her daughter's daughter, and have s*xual relations with her. They are close relatives, and this would be a wicked act.
18 "While your wife is living, do not marry her sister and have s*xual relations with her, for they would be rivals.
19 "Do not have s*xual relations with a woman during her period of menstrual impurity.
20 "Do not defile yourself by having s*xual in*******se with your neighbor's wife.
21 "Do not permit any of your children to be offered as a sacrifice to Molech, for you must not bring shame on the name of your God. I am the LORD.
22 "Do not practice homos*xuality, having s*x with another man as with a woman. It is a detestable sin.
23 "A man must not defile himself by having s*x with an animal. And a woman must not offer herself to a male animal to have in*******se with it. This is a perverse act.
24 "Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, for the people I am driving out before you have defiled themselves in all these ways.
25 Because the entire land has become defiled, I am punishing the people who live there. I will cause the land to vomit them out.
26 You must obey all my decrees and regulations. You must not commit any of these detestable sins. This applies both to native-born Israelites and to the foreigners living among you.
27 "All these detestable activities are practiced by the people of the land where I am taking you, and this is how the land has become defiled.
28 So do not defile the land and give it a reason to vomit you out, as it will vomit out the people who live there now.
29 Whoever commits any of these detestable sins will be cut off from the community of Israel.
30 So obey my instructions, and do not defile yourselves by committing any of these detestable practices that were committed by the people who lived in the land before you. I am the LORD your God.”
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COMMENTARY ON LEVITICUS 18
HOLINESS IN A SEXUALISED WORLD
For Christians living in this world, it is like trying to swim upstream in a seriously flooded river.
The current is strong, relentless, and absolutely determined to carry you wherever it wants. That is what it feels like for Christians living in today's sin-soaked world.
Modern culture constantly tells us that s*xual freedom is the path to real happiness. We are told that desire determines identity, feelings determine morality, and personal choice determines truth.
In other words, many people believe that if you feel something strongly, it must be right. If you want something, you should have it. If it makes you happy, nobody should question it. The message is simple:
FOLLOW YOUR HEART AND BE TRUE TO YOURSELF.
We see this thinking everywhere.
S*x outside of marriage is called normal.
Living together before marriage is encouraged.
Po*******hy is treated as harmless entertainment.
Adultery is often excused.
Many people now believe that gender and s*xual identity are matters of personal choice.
What God calls sin is often presented as something to celebrate.
But God's Word tells a very different story.
The Bible teaches that our desires are not always trustworthy because sin affects every part of us (Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:10-18).
Our feelings are real, but they do not determine what is right and wrong. God's word does.
Right and wrong are not decided by public opinion, social media, celebrities, politicians, or popular culture.
They are determined by the holy character of God (Leviticus 18:1-5; Psalm 119:160).
Think of it this way. A compass that is broken will point in the wrong direction. In the same way, our hearts can lead us astray. That is why the Bible does not tell us to follow our hearts. It tells us to follow the Lord (Proverbs 3:5-6).
A train runs best when it stays on the tracks.
A fish thrives in water.
A bird is free when it flies in the sky.
In the same way, people flourish when they live according to God's design.
Many people think freedom means doing whatever you want. The Bible teaches that TRUE FREEDOM is being able to do what is right and pleasing to God (John 8:31-36).
Sin promises freedom, but it brings slavery. It offers pleasure for a moment but often leaves behind guilt, broken relationships, and deep regret (Proverbs 14:12; Galatians 6:7-8).
This is amazingly in our society that what was once hidden and taboo is now often celebrated.
What was once called shameful is now praised.
What God calls sin is increasingly called good.
But society does not have the power to rewrite God's standards. Calling darkness light does not change the darkness. Calling bitter water sweet does not change its taste. Calling sin virtue does not change God's verdict (Isaiah 5:20).
The real question is not, "What do I want?" or "What do others think?" The real question is, "What has God said?"
The wise person builds his life on God's Word, even when it goes against the culture around him (Matthew 7:24-27).
God's commands are not meant to rob us of joy. They are given by a loving Creator who knows what is best for His creatures.
The path of obedience may be narrow, but it is the road that leads to life, true blessing, and real happiness in Christ (Psalm 1:1-3; John 10:10).
Let me repeat this- what was once only whispered because of its heinousness is now celebrated in society. And this is pride month!!!
What was once considered shameful is often praised. What God calls sin, society increasingly calls virtue.
Yet this is not a new problem.
Leviticus 18 was written over 3,000 years ago to a people leaving Egypt and preparing to enter Canaan.
Egypt and Canaan were both s*xually corrupt societies. Their religions, customs, and lifestyles were soaked in immorality. S*xual sin was not merely tolerated; it was often part of their worship and celebrated. Nothing's new.
Israel stood between two corrupt cultures. Behind them was Egypt. Ahead of them was Canaan. God was calling them to be different from both.
The same is true for Christians today.
We are strangers and pilgrims in a fallen world (1 Peter 2:11). We are called to shine like lights in darkness (Philippians 2:15). We are not called to blend in like chameleons but to stand out like a lighthouse during a storm.
The central message of Leviticus 18 is simple:
God's people must reflect God's holiness in their s*xual lives.
This chapter reminds us that s*xuality is not dirty, shameful, or unimportant. It is God's gift.
It is like fire in a fireplace, it provides warmth, blessing, and joy when kept within God's boundaries. But when it escapes those boundaries, it becomes destructive, consuming, and devastating.
Throughout this chapter one truth keeps appearing:
The Creator has the right to define how His creation functions.
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DO NOT COPY THE WORLD (18:1-5)
The chapter opens with God reminding Israel who He is:
"I am the LORD your God."
This declaration appears repeatedly throughout Leviticus.
The Hebrew name YHWH (Yahweh) refers to God's covenant name, the eternal, self-existent God who keeps His promises (Exodus 3:14-15).
The command is clear:
"You shall not do what is done in the land of Egypt where you lived, nor are you to do what is done in the land of Canaan where I am bringing you" (v. 3).
The words "I am the LORD" and similar phrases appear about 50 times in Leviticus.
This is God's repeated reminder throughout the book. Every law, sacrifice, warning, and promise is built on who God is. He does not simply tell His people what to do. He reminds them again and again that He is their God and they belong to Him.
The message is simple:
~ Be holy because I am holy.
~Obey Me because I am Yahweh your God.
~Trust Me because I rescued and redeemed you.
~Live as My people because you belong to Me.
Leviticus is not mainly a book of rules. It is a book about a holy God teaching His redeemed people how to live in a close relationship with Him.
These repeated words, "I am Yahweh your God," are the heartbeat of the entire book. They remind God's people that every part of life should be lived under His loving authority and for His glory.
Notice God's concern.
Israel was not to look backward to Egypt.
Israel was not to look forward to Canaan.
Israel was to look upward to God.
What did this mean?
God's standards are not determined by culture.
They never have been.
Truth does not change when society changes.
God's moral law is rooted in His character (Malachi 3:6; James 1:17).
Cultures rise and fall.
Empires come and go.
Public opinion shifts like sand dunes in the wind.
God's truth stands firm forever (Psalm 119:89; Isaiah 40:8).
Verse 5 says:
"So you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, by which a man may live if he does them."
This does not teach salvation by works.
The New Testament makes it clear that sinners are justified by faith alone (Romans 3:28; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8-9).
Rather, obedience was the path of covenant blessing and flourishing. God's commands were given for Israel's good (Deuteronomy 10:12-13).
Like a car's handbook or manual, God's commands explain how life works best.
OUR SAVIOUR IS OUR ROLE MODEL
The Lord Jesus perfectly obeyed the Father's law (John 8:29; Hebrews 4:15).
Where Adam failed, Christ succeeded (Romans 5:18-19).
Where Israel stumbled, Christ obeyed perfectly.
His righteousness is credited, or logizomai ("counted," "credited," "put to one's account"), to all who trust Him (Romans 4:3-8).
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GOD PROTECTS THE FAMILY (18:6-18)
The largest section of the chapter deals with in**st and forbidden s*xual relationships.
Repeatedly God says:
NASB says,
"None of you shall approach any blood relative to uncover nakedness" (v. 6).
The phrase "uncover nakedness" became a respectful Hebrew expression for s*xual relations.
God then lists relationships that were forbidden:
Mother (v. 7)
Stepmother (v. 8)
Sister or half-sister (v. 9)
Granddaughter (v. 10)
Aunt (vv. 12-14)
Daughter-in-law (v. 15)
Sister-in-law (v. 16)
Various other close relatives (vv. 17-18)
To modern readers, this list may seem repetitive.
Yet God was protecting the family, the foundation stone of society.
Friends, some thoughts to this confused world
~ the family was God's idea long before governments, schools, or nations existed (Genesis 2:24).
~ Marriage was established in Eden before sin entered the world.
~The family is the first human institution created by God.
~When family boundaries collapse, society soon follows.
History repeatedly proves this principle.
~Civilisations often begin to crumble morally before they collapse politically.
~God's commands were not arbitrary restrictions.
They were protective fences.
A fence along a cliff edge does not restrict freedom. It protects life.
Likewise, God's boundaries protect people from harm, confusion, exploitation, and brokenness.
The repeated phrase "it is lewdness" (NASB) reflects the Hebrew word zimmah, referring to wicked schemes, outrageous immorality, disgraceful conduct, or shameful behaviour.
God is not embarrassed to call sin what it is.
BUT our Lord Jesus Christ came to restore what sin destroys.
Sin fractures families.
Christ reconciles families.
Sin creates shame.
Christ removes shame (Romans 8:1).
Sin corrupts relationships.
Christ creates a new family made up of redeemed people from every nation (Mark 3:33-35; Ephesians 2:19).
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SEXUAL PURITY MATTERS TO GOD (18:19-23)
The chapter now moves beyond family relationships to other forms of s*xual sin.
Adultery (v. 20)
Marriage is a covenant, not merely a contract.
Adultery attacks trust, faithfulness, loyalty, and commitment.
Throughout the Bible, marriage reflects God's covenant relationship with His people (Isaiah 54:5; Ephesians 5:31-32).
Every act of adultery distorts that picture.
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Child Sacrifice (v. 21)
Israel was forbidden from sacrificing children to Molech.
This pagan practice involved offering children in worship to a false god.
The command reminds us that fanatical worship divorced from God's truth quickly becomes cruel and destructive.
False religion eventually devalues human life because it rejects the God in whose image people are made (Genesis 1:26-27).
When societies abandon God, people eventually become objects to be used rather than image-bearers to be valued.
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Homos*xual Practice (v. 22)
This is a hot potato in today's world. But why?
The text states plainly:
"You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination."
The Hebrew word to'ebah means something detestable, abhorrent, repulsive, or offensive to God's holy character.
This is not an isolated command.
The same view appears throughout the Bible
(Genesis 19:1-13; Romans 1:24-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; 1 Timothy 1:9-10).
What's the message here?
The issue is not whether temptations exist.
The issue is whether desires should govern behaviour.
The Bible consistently teaches that God's design for s*xual intimacy is one man and one woman united in marriage (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6).
The Bible speaks truthfully and compassionately at the same time.
All people are made in God's image.
All people are sinners.
All people need grace.
And all people are invited to repentance and faith in Christ.
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Be******ty (v. 23)
God also prohibits s*xual relations with animals.
This practice was associated with pagan religions and represented a complete rejection of God's created order.
Each prohibition in this chapter protects the distinction and boundaries God established in creation.
God created order.
Sin produces disorder.
God creates harmony.
Sin creates confusion.
God creates beauty.
Sin creates distortion.
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SIN POLLUTES INDIVIDUALS AND NATIONS (18:24-30)
The final section explains why these commands matter.
God tells Israel that the Canaanites practised these sins.
As a result:
"The land has become defiled" (v. 25).
This language is striking.
Sin affects more than individuals.
Sin affects communities, cultures, and nations.
The Bible teaches that moral evil has social consequences.
When societies celebrate sin rather than restrain it, decay spreads like rust eating through metal or termites destroying a wooden house from within (Proverbs 14:34).
God says the land would "vomit out" its inhabitants.
This graphic and clear picture communicate divine judgment.
Just as a healthy body rejects poison, God's moral universe ultimately rejects persistent rebellion.
The Canaanites were not judged because they belonged to a different ethnic group.
They were judged because of persistent, unrepentant wickedness (Genesis 15:16).
God's judgment is always moral, never arbitrary.
This passage also demonstrates God's patience.
For centuries He tolerated Canaanite wickedness before judgment finally came.
The same God who judges is also "compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness" (Exodus 34:6).
These verses remind us that sin brings judgment.
Yet they also point us toward the Gospel.
At the Cross, the Lord Jesus absorbed the judgment that His people deserved
(Isaiah 53:5-6; Galatians 3:13; 1 Peter 2:24).
The wrath that should have fallen on sinners fell upon the Substitute.
The punishment we deserved was borne by Christ.
The Judge became the Saviour.
The Holy One provided the sacrifice.
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WHAT DO WE LEARN IN LEVITICUS 18
1. God's Holiness Defines Morality
Right and wrong are determined by God's character, not human opinion (Leviticus 19:2; 1 Peter 1:15-16).
2. Creation Provides the Pattern
God's design in Genesis remains the foundation for marriage, s*xuality, and family life (Genesis 1:27; 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6).
3. Sin Distorts God's Good Gifts
S*xuality is good because God created it. Sin twists and corrupts what God made beautiful (James 1:14-15).
4. Holiness Requires Separation
Believers are called to live differently from the surrounding culture (Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18).
5. Judgment Follows Persistent Rebellion
God is patient, but His patience should never be mistaken for approval (Romans 2:4-6; 2 Peter 3:9-10).
6. Christ Restores What Sin Destroys
Jesus forgives sinners, transforms hearts, and restores broken lives (1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Titus 3:3-7).
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LESSONS FOR US TODAY
1. We must let Scripture shape our beliefs rather than culture.
The question is not, "What does society approve?" The question is, "What has God said?" (Isaiah 66:2).
2. We must guard our hearts carefully.
S*xual sin rarely begins in actions. It usually begins in thoughts, desires, fantasies, and compromises (Matthew 5:27-28).
3. We must value God's design for marriage.
Marriage is not a human invention. It is a divine gift and covenant (Genesis 2:24; Ephesians 5:31-32).
4. We must speak truth with compassion.
Biblical convictions should never produce arrogance, pride, or cruelty. We are sinners saved by grace (Ephesians 4:15).
5. We must remember that forgiveness is available.
Some of the Corinthian believers had lived in serious s*xual sin before conversion, yet Paul says, "such were some of you" (1 Corinthians 6:11).
No sin is beyond Christ's power to forgive.
6. We must pursue holiness actively.
We are called not merely to avoid sin but to pursue purity, righteousness, and godliness (1 Thessalonians 4:3-8).
7. We must remember that our bodies belong to God.
Believers have been bought with a price and should glorify God in body and spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
8. We must live as people of a different kingdom.
Like Israel surrounded by Egypt and Canaan, we live surrounded by competing worldviews. Our calling is not to blend in but to faithfully represent our King (Philippians 2:15-16).
Leviticus 18 is not merely a list of rules about s*xuality. It is a call to reflect God's holiness in one of the most powerful areas of human life.
In a world gone insane that often worships desire, celebrates self-expression, and rejects God's boundaries, this chapter reminds us that true freedom is found not in throwing away God's design but in embracing it.
The God who created s*xuality knows how it works best. His commands are not chains that enslave us but guardrails that protect us.
And when we fail, stumble, or fall, the Gospel points us to the One who forgives the guilty, cleanses the unclean, and transforms sinners into saints through His grace.
(Psalm 51:1-12; John 8:1-11; 2 Corinthians 5:17).
Can you say amen to this chapter in defiance to a world gone insane?
Have a blessed day today
