What laws were given to Israel in exact response to pagan practices?

Answer

In Leviticus 18, the Lord contrasts the laws He gives to the Israelites with those of the nations surrounding them. Examining some of the specifics of these laws provides valuable insights for both biblical comprehension and present-day relevance.

Leviticus 18:24 states, “’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.” What did “any of these ways” refer to? Chapter 18 focuses on immoral sexual behaviors, such as incest, bestiality, same-sex activity, and adultery. Along with forbidding sexual immorality, Leviticus 18 condemns the abhorrent practice of sacrificing children to Molech (verse 21).

After listing these commandments, the Lord declares that it was these sins that polluted the land of Canaan: “This is how the nations . . . became defiled. Even the land was defiled; so I punished it for its sin, and the land vomited out its inhabitants” (Leviticus 18:24-25).

In the final verses of this chapter, the Lord denounces the sexual sins and child sacrifice as “detestable things” (or “abominations” in some translations) three times. Once again, Leviticus 18 underscores the importance of living differently from the neighboring nations, particularly Egypt and Canaan. In contrast, the Israelites were instructed to live as “clean” before Him.

Moreover, the “abominable” deeds listed in Leviticus 18 were the grounds for God displacing the Canaanites from the land. This group of people had defied God and His ways, leading to the Israelites inheriting their land instead.

What lessons can be drawn from these verses in a modern context? Firstly, many of the sinful behaviors of a godless society revolve around sexual immorality and the mistreatment of women and children. Secondly, God’s people are unequivocally directed to lead lives distinct from the prevailing culture.The objective is not to “fit in” but to “stand out” as individuals who abide by a moral standard provided by God.

Immediately after Leviticus 18, there is a passage that highlights God’s holiness and the directive to love your neighbor as yourself «And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, », (Leviticus 19:1,18) «Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD. », (Leviticus 19:1,18). The aim of these directives is not only to state what God is against but also to underscore His identity, His magnificence, and the affirmative attitude His people should have toward Him and others.