Leviticus 24
BBCLeviticus 24:1
IX. CEREMONIAL AND MORAL LEGISLATION (Chap. 24)In chapter 23 the yearly feasts were dealt with. Now the daily and weekly ministries before the Lord are taken up. 24:1-9 Pure oil of pressed olives was to be burned in the gold lampstand before the LORD continually. The twelve cakes were to be set in two rows or piles on the table of showbread, and replaced each Sabbath. The frankincense mentioned in verse 7 belonged to the LORD. It was offered to Jehovah when the old bread was removed and given to the priests for food. 24:10-23 Then there is the abrupt account of a son of an Israelite woman, whose father was an Egyptian, who was stoned to death for cursing God (vv. 10-16, 23). The incident shows that the law was the same for anyone who lived in the camp of Israel, whether he was a fullblooded Jew or not (v. 22). It shows that blasphemy, like murder, was punishable by death (vv. 14, 16, 17, 23). (Verse 16 was probably the law against blasphemy, which the Jews referred to when they said, “We have a law, and according to our law He [the Lord Jesus] ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God” [Joh_19:7].) It shows that compensation could be made for some other crimes (vv. 18, 21). Finally the incident shows that: . . . retribution was a basic principle of law; wrongs had to be righted. Softness brought the law into disrepute. The law of retaliation is scoffed at today in the Western world, but thoughtful people will not dismiss it. (a) In ancient society, punishment was often out of all proportion with the wrong done. Retaliatory punishment was thus a great step toward true justice. (b) Furthermore, rehabilitative punishmentthe alternative most frequently suggestedsuffers from subjectivism. Who is to decide when a man is rehabilitated, ready to rejoin society? The terms may be lenient today, but what of tomorrow? True justice is an eye (and not more) for an eye (Daily Notes of the Scripture Union). In verses 1-9 we see a picture of Israel as God intended. In verses 10-16 the cursing man pictures Israel as it actually became, blaspheming the Name and cursing (“His blood be on us, and on our children”).