[From your quote] "...Although God commanded the death penalty in Israel, the command to enforce the moral law in this way was given to the government – not to private citizens (Rom. 13)."

Our government should enforce God's law.

"...We do not live in a theocracy today..."

It's coming.

See:

The Millennium by J. Vernon McGee

"...[T]herefore our government is not bound to this specific penalty."

Special Pleading. Our government should reflect God's values.

"Further, while it is the case that God allowed the death penalty for homosexuality, this was often not the practice of Israel..."

Middle Ground. Israel was known for her disobedience.

"...[E]ven by godly kings who were commended for their actions (1 Kgs. 15:11-12; 22:46; 2 Kgs. 23:7)."

Denying the antecedent. No one in scripture was praised for disregarding God's law.

"1 Ki 5:11–15 Asa did 4 good things: 1) he removed the “sacred” prostitutes (v. 12); 2) he rid the land of all the idols made by his predecessors (v. 12); 3) he removed the corrupt queen mother and burned the idol she had made; and 4) he placed “holy things,” items that he and his father had dedicated to the Lord, back in the temple (v. 15). Though he never engaged in idolatry, Asa’s failure was his toleration of “the high places” (v. 14)." MacArthur, J., Jr. (Ed.). (1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed., p. 500). Nashville, TN: Word Pub.

"We should note, though, that simply because the specific penalty may no longer be in force, this does not mean that the ethical concerns expressed in the Old Testament are not relevant."

Your author is willing to profane God's name.

"And will you profane Me among My people... killing people who should not die, and keeping people alive who should not live...?" Ezek. 13:19

1 Ki 22:34-50 "The Events of Jehosphaphat's Reign (22:41–50): Judah’s fourth ruler, Jehoshaphat, is ultimately declared good, despite his mixed record, including allowing pagan shrines to remain, making peace with Israel, removing all the shrine prositutes, and building a fleet of trading ships that are wrecked before they ever set sail." Willmington, H. L. (1999). The Outline Bible (1 Ki 22:34–50). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

"People like you and Lighthouse, with your hardcore stance on penalizing sexual sins, make it difficult for reasonable Christians like me to convince people to return to laws that condemned immoral sexual acts..."

We don't decide proper punishment for criminals. God does.

[Why Christians Submit to the Government by John MacArthur] "Paul says government is by divine decree...government is by divine decree. Go back to verse 1, “There is no authority except from God, there is no authority except from God.” And those which exist, those authorities, plural, wherever they are and whatever they are established by God. Civil authority, governmental authority comes directly from God. There are two other institutions that God has placed into society for the well-being of society, one is marriage and the other is the church. God ordained societal units, societal elements that are for the well-being of man...the government, the church and marriage.

A healthy marriage stems evil, a healthy church stems evil, a healthy government does the very same thing. There is no authority except from God. No civil government exists apart from God having instituted it. Psalm 62:11 says, “Power belongs to God and the power to establish governments belongs to God.” Acts 17 tells us that the nations’ times are determined by God. He determines the beginning and the ending of nations...

...The Bible doesn’t uphold divine right monarchy such as ruled in Europe for centuries. Nor does the Bible uphold democracy. You can’t find a democratic social civil structure in the Bible. You will not find a republic in the Bible, nor will you find authorization from God for any kind of monarchy.

How ever rulers come to power, whether by dynastic descent inherited, aristocratic family connection, whether it’s by plutocratic material resources, or whether it’s by military might, or whether it’s by democratic election, there is no governing power outside the purpose of God. No authority except from God. He has given authority to the authorities that exist...

... But in the beginning, God ordained government to protect and preserve man for the protection of life and property, for the repression of evil and crime, and for the rewarding of virtue and good. That’s the God-ordained designed. The powers that be are ordained of God. They are not ordained by opinions of the governed, the will of the majority, or the will of one man. They’re ordained by God...

...Government has the power to punish, it is given by God. You can go through the Old Testament, through the book of Exodus, through the book of Deuteronomy, through the book of Numbers, see all of this. The Law called eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, lex talionus, equal punishment for the crime.

Punishment had some purposes. Number one, it declared what was right. In other words, it had a justice factor. Two, punishment was to be swift and immediate because it would act as a deterrent. Three, punishment was to hold a threat that restrained evil. Four, punishment was seen as a means of rehabilitation. And five, punishment by the government was to prevent private vengeance.

By the way, there were no prisons in Old Testament Judaism. And even in the New Testament, the Jews operated no prisons..." Full text: Why Christians Submit to the Government by John MacArthur Ro 13:2-5

"I ran across this (rather long) article entitled:

Islamic laws and it's punishment for homosexuality. While the article does talk much about Islam and it's penalty for sexual sinners, please pay close attention to this part:
"The question is: should this harsh punishment be applied to today’s world? Does it have universal application?"

We look to the bible not the Koran (Jas 1:26).

"...According to the book of Daniel, demons are imbedded in governments. Demons are imbedded in governments. Yet this principle still stands. Government in any form is appointed by God.

So here then is reason number one, for submission to the government. It is for the time and the place and the purpose of God what He has ordained. If you were an Israelite living in Egypt and you had suffered like a slave under Pharaoh, you might wonder if God had forgotten you and somehow Pharaoh had slipped into power outside of God’s purpose. But that would not be consistent with Exodus. “For this reason I have allowed you to remain in Egypt under this series of plagues and under this mistreatment, to show you My power and in order to proclaim My name through all the earth.” God has His purposes, even in the most wicked forms of government.

You can’t second guess that. I’ll give you a practical illustration. It seems as though the administration of the United States government is having a very difficult time making a statement about what is going on in Egypt. They’re afraid to say anything. They’re afraid to say anything negative Mubarak because they’ve been giving him billions of dollars and because he is an ally in the Middle East for the United States and we need such an ally. They’re afraid to say anything against the people who are riding in the streets because they’re afraid of the populace’ repercussions and they know that there have been abuses at the hands of this dictator.

What should they say? It ought to come out immediately and it ought to come out crystal-clear...this is criminal behavior...regardless of what that government is, any government is far better than murder in the streets, any government is far better than an anarchy. If biblical thinking was in the mind of the leaders of this nation, they would rise up and say, “This is criminal behavior. This is punishable behavior.” They have no right to take to the streets and commit crimes no matter what their civil, political, social goals are. And the government has every right to repress them with force to the degree that they shut down the rebellion. That’s a practical illustration of the principle, isn’t it? But nobody is asking me...or God.

First of all, government is by divine decree. That’s why we submit to it. Secondly, resistance to government is rebellion against God. Resistance to government is rebellion against God. Verse 2, “Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God, the diatage, the institution, the establishment of God...what has been laid down by God. Whoever resists the government is rebelling against God.

Robert Haldane, a wonderful commentator, writing back in 1839 said, “The people of God then should consider resistance to the government under which they live as a very awful crime, even as resistance to God Himself.”

You say, “Well I don’t like what’s going on in our country.”

Guess what...neither does God and He will determine the form of government that suits His purposes for a country that has turned its back on Him (MacArthur)."
 

"How Jesus fulfills the law...Jesus came to fulfill the law or Torah, not to destroy or abolish it (Matthew 5:17). He fulfills it in at least three ways, but the one we look at here takes away the law’s severe punishments..."

False. Jesus did not come to take away the law (Mt 5:17). You are being lied to (Heb 13:9).

"...This benefits all of society, especially today."

Men profane God's name disregard his word and his law.

"And will you profane Me among My people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, killing people who should not die, and keeping people alive who should not live, by your lying to My people who listen to lies?” The New King James Version. (1982). (Eze 13:19). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

"...Government serves to restrain evil. Verse 3, following his argument, “Rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior but for evil.” This connects closely with the last verse, obviously, “Rulers are not a cause of terror,” phobos from which we get phobia. They’re not to terrify us. They don’t cause terror for good behavior, but for evil. Government serves to restrain evil. And government is not a cause for those who behave well to fear, but only to the evil.

Rulers...key word there...archontes, we have nothing to fear from our rulers if we keep the law.

You say, “Well, is the law that universal that everybody knows what is good and what is evil?” Yes. Yes, but not everybody believes the Bible, not everybody has the Bible? Yes, but according to Romans 2:14 and 15, “They have the law of God written...where?...in their hearts and a conscience that either accuses or excuses them.” It is human to have a basic sense of morality...it is human. And it shows up in the universal laws all across the planet (MacArthur)."

"Jesus fulfills the law by taking on himself the penalty for our sins."

Jesus fulfilled the law by living a perfect life that neither you nor I could. He offers his righteousness for us (Isa 61:10). Mohammad is in hell.

"...[W]hat makes the power to restrain evil work is swift punishment ...swift punishment.

The Old Testament tells us how that punishment is to come. According to Deuteronomy 19, a section from verse 13 to 20, it is to be without pity...it is to be without pity. According to Deuteronomy 13 verses 6 to 11, it is to be without partiality. And according to Deuteronomy 25 verse 2, it is to be immediate...without pity, without partiality, and without waiting. That kind of punishment will deter crime. That kind of punishment will put fear in the hearts of evil doers, not the kind of punishment that comes three years later, four years later, ten years later, fifteen years later, or never. But if you obey the law, you have nothing to fear (MacArthur)."

"The Torah is filled with specific punishments for specific sins, but his death on the cross satisfies and propitiates divine wrath that is directed at our sins..."

Men can be forgiven for their sins and live with Jesus forever. They begin by living for him now. It starts with repentance--a U-turn (Ps 51).

"The government’s role is to restrain evil. That’s its primary role. That’s the biblically-given, mandated role of government, to restrain evil (MacArthur)."

"... Muhammad’s belief is completely misguided. Christ’s death is God’s gift to us."

We walk with him (Ps 119:97).

"The people who are leading our government are not the enemy, they are the mission field. What would you do with that mission field? The last thing you want to do is to turn them against you. In fact, this will shake you up, the people in authority are identified in verse 4 as a minister of God. A minister of God? That’s exactly right because they function within a divine institution...government. They may not know God but they function in a delegated way for God to provide a common grace of well-being and civil tranquility.

I’ll tell you one thing. That shows you how far the Muslim world is from God. They have an agenda, and that is to terrorize the entire world, to disrupt and destroy. We know where that comes from, that’s Satan’s agenda (MacArthur)."

"We are saved and on our way to heaven, not based on our own works, but on Christ’s good work on the cross. Therefore, those who trust in Christ do not have to pay the penalty for their sins."

We obey him (Jas 2:8).

If you sin, expect punishment. You should fear God's ministers if you do evil.

"We submit to the government because God is the source of government. To rebel is to resist God. To resist God is to bring judgment. And government serves to restrain evil and it serves to promote good.

Two more. Number six, rulers are empowered by God to inflict severe punishment. Rulers are empowered by God to inflict severe punishment. If you do what is evil, back to verse 4, be afraid, for it...meaning government, the authority, the rulers, the institution of government... “It does not bear the sword for nothing, for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.”

Listen, civil government is not just a pageant. It’s not just a symbol. It’s not just a verbal threat. Government has the power to take life. It must have that power. It must have the ultimate restraining power and Genesis 9 says “That whoever sheds man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed.” Capital punishment, Genesis 9, for murder. Jesus said in Matthew 26:52, “If you live by the sword, you will die by the sword.” And thus did he affirm capital punishment. And Paul affirmed it in Acts 25:11 when he talked about committing things worthy of death. Paul affirms what Jesus said, Jesus affirms the revelation of God way back in Genesis.

This institution of government, this ruler, this one who wields the authority of the government is the minister of God and he is avenging by bringing wrath on the one who practices evil. Capital punishment is the will of God and the executioner is the servant of God (MacArthur)."

"It is therefore certain that homosexuals should not be put to death for their sins..."

The death penalty shall not be remitted (Num. 35:31).

"The entire sweep of the New Testament says that all sexual sins begin in the heart and can only be healed in the heart, by transforming it..."

Only Jesus can clean up a dirty soul (Jas 1:21). The law is a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith (Ga 3:24).

"This is why Jesus and the inspired New Testament authors write often about the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit..."

The law is for the lawless (1 Ti 1:9).

" I was driving in a neighborhood today with Patricia, we went to visit a lady who is dying, after church this morning. And we couldn’t find the house. And there was a policeman sitting there in his car on this little side street. We drove past him, turned around, drove past him again. We actually turned around and drove past him and I saw him...was I terrified? No. I would have been happy to talk to him and shake his hand and thank him for what he does. I’ve nothing to fear.

You know, you can live joyfully that way, can’t you? That’s part of the peace that comes to an obedient believer (MacArthur)." Full text:  Why Christians Submit to the Government

"Why were the men that legislated 2,000 years of Judeo-Christian doctrine wrong and I am right?"

Bandwagon.

They were right. "Atonement".

We are free--to obey.

"The confusion (Ro 6:15a): “Since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does this mean we can go on sinning?”
The correction (Ro 6:15b–18): “Of course not! Don’t you realize that whatever you choose to obey becomes your master? You can choose sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God and receive his approval.”" Willmington, H. L. (1999). The Outline Bible (Ro 6:13–18). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid [Rom. 6:15].

"Let me give my translation of this verse, which may be helpful: What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under law, but under grace? (Should we commit an act of sin? For you are no more under law, but under grace.) Away with the thought (perish the thought). The form of the question is put differently here than it was back in verse 1. Paul has demonstrated in the past fourteen verses that God’s method of sanctification is on the same basis as justification; it is by faith, faith that God can do it. You and I cannot do it. When we learn that we cannot live the Christian life, we have learned a great lesson. Then we are prepared to let Him live it through us.

Paul’s question here is whether there should be an assist given to grace to accomplish its high and holy end. In other words, the natural man thinks there ought to be some laws, rules, or regulations given. In the course of the church’s history we have had all kinds of groups that have come up with rules for living the Christian life. There were the Puritans, a wonderful group of folk, and we owe a great deal to them, but they had a strict observance of the Sabbath day (they called Sunday the Sabbath, which, of course, it is not). A strict observance of Sunday was an obsession with them. We have a carry-over of that today. There are a great number of groups who put down certain rules for a believer. Some of our fundamental people have made, not ten commandments, but about twenty new commandments. If the believer does certain things and refrains from doing certain other things, he is living the Christian life. This is the reason, friend, that I oppose the idea that you can become a wonderful Christian by taking some of these short courses being offered today. That’s not the way you are to do it. We have a girl in our office who took a course, and, oh, she was enthusiastic. But you ought to see her today. She is really in a depression. Why? Because she tried to do it by rules and did not let Christ do it.

The Christian life is not following certain rules; you can follow rules and regulations and still not be living the Christian life. Somebody asks, “Then what is the Christian life?” The Christian life is to be obedient unto Christ. It means communication with Christ. My friend, do you love Him? That’s the important thing. He says, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15, italics mine). Identification with Christ is positional sanctification, as we have seen. That is basic. But obedience to Christ is the experience of sanctification, and that is practical sanctification. It is just as simple as that, my friend. It is not how you walk, but where you walk—are you walking in the light, walking in fellowship with Christ? Sin will break the fellowship, of course, and then we are to confess our sin. The Lord Jesus said to Peter yonder in the Upper Room, “If I wash you not, you have no part with me” (see John 13:8). We don’t have fellowship with Him unless we confess our sins to Him as we go along. Our part is confession; His part is cleansing (see 1 John 1:9). The important thing for you and me is to have fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ and to obey Him. Then we will be living the Christian life.

Vincent once said to Godet, “There is a subtle poison which insinuates itself into the heart even of the best Christian; it is the temptation to say: Let us sin, not that grace may abound, but because it abounds.” You see, there are many Christians today who say, “I am saved, and I can do as I please.” My friend, if you have been saved by grace, you cannot do as you please, as we shall see in the eighth chapter of Romans.

In his letter to the Galatian believers, Paul makes it clear that there are three ways in which you can live: (1) You can live by law; (2) you can live! by license; (3) you can live by liberty. To live by law, everyone puts down some principle. I read of a movie star who said that his whole life was given to sex—that’s his law; he lives by that. Regardless of who you are, if you are living by law, you are living by the old nature. Then, the other extreme which Paul is guarding against here, is license. If you are a child of God, you can’t do as you please; you have to do as Christ pleases. You must be obedient to the Lord Jesus Christ, present yourself to Him. This is practical, a great deal more practical than you may realize." McGee, J. V. (1997). Thru the Bible commentary (electronic ed., Vol. 4, pp. 685–686). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

"I like John Macarthur, in fact I've used his video "When God abandons a nation" in my WHMBR! thread. That being said, it appears that he agrees with you on paper that the penalty for homosexuality should be death, but in real life, he's shown grace to them and allowed them to "atone" for their sins."

Is he a legislator?

"Nobody is asking me...or God." ~ John MacArthur

"Keep in mind that we're not discussing whether or not homosexuality is a sin, we're talking about the punishment phase."

Death Penalty: Shall not be remitted, Num. 35:31. In the Mosaic law the death penalty was inflicted for murder, Gen. 9:5, 6; Num. 35:16–21, 30–33; Deut. 17:6; adultery, Lev. 20:10; Deut. 22:24; incest, Lev. 20:11, 12, 14; bestiality, Ex. 22:19; Lev. 20:15, 16; sodomy, Lev. 18:22; 20:13; incontinence, Deut. 22:21–24; rape of a betrothed virgin, Deut. 22:25; perjury, Zech. 5:4; kidnapping, Ex. 21:16; Deut. 24:7; upon a priest’s daughter, who committed fornication, Lev. 21:9; for witchcraft, Ex. 22:18; offering human sacrifice, Lev. 20:2–5; for striking or cursing father or mother, Ex. 21:15, 17; Lev. 20:9; disobedience to parents, Deut. 21:18–21; theft, Zech. 5:3, 4; blasphemy, Lev. 24:11–14, 16, 23; for Sabbath desecration, Ex. 35:2; Num. 15:32–36; for prophesying falsely, or propagating false doctrines, Deut. 13:1–10; sacrificing to false gods, Ex. 22:20; refusing to abide by the decision of court, Deut. 17:12; for treason, 1 Kin. 2:25; Esth. 2:23; sedition, Acts 5:36, 37.

Modes of Execution of Death Penalty: Burning, Gen. 38:24; Lev. 20:14; 21:9; Jer. 29:22; Ezek. 23:25; Dan. 3:19–23; stoning, Lev. 20:2, 27; 24:14; Num. 14:10; 15:33–36; Deut. 13:10; 17:5; 22:21, 24; Josh. 7:25; 1 Kin. 21:10; Ezek. 16:40; hanging, Gen. 40:22; Deut. 21:22, 23; Josh. 8:29; beheading, Matt. 14:10; Mark 6:16, 27, 28; crucifixion, Matt. 27:35, 38; Mark 15:24, 27; Luke 23:33; the sword, Ex. 32:27, 28; 1 Kin. 2:25, 34, 46; Acts 12:2. Executed by the witnesses, Deut. 13:9; 17:7; Acts 7:58; by the congregation, Num. 15:35, 36; Deut. 13:9. Not inflicted on testimony of less than two witnesses, Num. 35:30; Deut. 17:6; 19:15.

Minor Offenses: Punishable by scourging, Lev. 19:20; Deut. 22:18; 25:2, 3; Prov. 17:10; 19:29; 20:30; Matt. 27:26; Mark 15:15; Luke 23:16; John 19:1; Acts 22:24, 29; imprisonment, Gen. 39:20; 40; see PRISON. Confinement within limits, 1 Kin. 2:26, 36–38." Swanson, J., & Nave, O. (1994). New Nave’s Topical Bible. Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems.

Delaying punishment is not helpful to people (Psa. 50:21; Psa. 55:19; Prov. 1:24–31; Eccl. 8:11–13; Hab. 1:2–4).

Proper punishment secures obedience (Gen. 2:17; Ex. 20:3–5; Lev. 26:14–39; Deut. 13:10, 11; Deut. 21:21 Deut. 17:13; 19:20. Prov. 19:25; Prov. 21:11; Prov. 26:3).

"The homosexual lifestyle was kept under tight controls with just laws prohibiting it."

With what? A slap on the limp hand?

"When we decriminalized the behavior, they went wild."

We see now that man cannot rule and reign.

"If you want to abide by the punishments that God handed down to the Israelites, I've highlighted a couple of areas where I hope you're consistent.

Punishments for Sin

20 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Say to the Israelites: ‘Any Israelite or any foreigner residing in Israel who sacrifices any of his children to Molek is to be put to death. The members of the community are to stone him. 3 I myself will set my face against him and will cut him off from his people; for by sacrificing his children to Molek, he has defiled my sanctuary and profaned my holy name. 4 If the members of the community close their eyes when that man sacrifices one of his children to Molek and if they fail to put him to death, 5 I myself will set my face against him and his family and will cut them off from their people together with all who follow him in prostituting themselves to Molek.

6 “‘I will set my face against anyone who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute themselves by following them, and I will cut them off from their people.
7 “‘Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the Lord your God. 8 Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the Lord, who makes you holy.

9 “‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death. Because they have cursed their father or mother, their blood will be on their own head.

Should we hang, burn, stone or decapitate the child...?

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jso ... 03929.html

10 “‘If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress are to be put to death.
11 “‘If a man has sexual relations with his father’s wife, he has dishonored his father. Both the man and the woman are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.
12 “‘If a man has sexual relations with his daughter-in-law, both of them are to be put to death. What they have done is a perversion; their blood will be on their own heads.

13 “‘If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.

14 “‘If a man marries both a woman and her mother, it is wicked. Both he and they must be burned in the fire, so that no wickedness will be among you.
15 “‘If a man has sexual relations with an animal, he is to be put to death, and you must kill the animal.

16 “‘If a woman approaches an animal to have sexual relations with it, kill both the woman and the animal. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.

17 “‘If a man marries his sister, the daughter of either his father or his mother, and they have sexual relations, it is a disgrace. They are to be publicly removed from their people. He has dishonored his sister and will be held responsible.

18 “‘If a man has sexual relations with a woman during her monthly period, he has exposed the source of her flow, and she has also uncovered it. Both of them are to be cut off from their people.

The marriage bed is undefiled in the Christian religion. What should happen to the husband and wife that go against this Jewish law...? Excommunicated from their church? Thrown out of their community?

19 “‘Do not have sexual relations with the sister of either your mother or your father, for that would dishonor a close relative; both of you would be held responsible.

20 “‘If a man has sexual relations with his aunt, he has dishonored his uncle. They will be held responsible; they will die childless.
21 “‘If a man marries his brother’s wife, it is an act of impurity; he has dishonored his brother. They will be childless.
22 “‘Keep all my decrees and laws and follow them, so that the land where I am bringing you to live may not vomit you out. 23 You must not live according to the customs of the nations I am going to drive out before you. Because they did all these things, I abhorred them. 24 But I said to you, “You will possess their land; I will give it to you as an inheritance, a land flowing with milk and honey.” I am the Lord your God, who has set you apart from the nations.
25 “‘You must therefore make a distinction between clean and unclean animals and between unclean and clean birds. Do not defile yourselves by any animal or bird or anything that moves along the ground—those that I have set apart as unclean for you. 26 You are to be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own.

27 “‘A man or woman who is a medium or spiritist among you must be put to death. You are to stone them; their blood will be on their own heads.’”

Governments are to impose God's laws. When they depart from his plan for government, it leads to misery (Jn 10:10).

From the examples you gave me, you can see the seriousness of idolatry, disobedience to parents, false teaching, etc.

See:

What is the difference between the ceremonial law, the moral law, and the judicial law in the Old Testament? Is it only the ceremonial law that ca...

Verses 10–21

"Sins against the seventh commandment are here ordered to be severely punished. These are sins which, of all others, fools are most apt to make a mock at; but God would teach those the heinousness of the guilt by the extremity of the punishment that would not otherwise be taught it.

I. Lying with another man’s wife was made a capital crime. The adulterer and the adulteress that had joined in the sin must fall alike under the sentence: they shall both be put to death, v. 10. Long before this, even in Job’s time, this was reputed a heinous crime and an iniquity to be punished by the judges, Job 31:11. It is a presumptuous contempt of an ordinance of God, and a violation of his covenant, Prov. 2:17. It is an irreparable wrong to the injured husband, and debauches the mind and conscience of both the offenders as much as any thing. It is a sin which headstrong and unbridled lusts hurry men violently to, and therefore it needs such a powerful restraint as this. It is a sin which defiles a land and brings down God’s judgments upon it, which disquiets families, and tends to the ruin of all virtue and religion, and therefore is fit to be animadverted upon by the conservators of the public peace: but see Jn. 8:3–11.

II. Incestuous connections, whether by marriage or not. 1. Some of them were to be punished with death, as a man’s lying with his father’s wife, v. 11. Reuben would have been put to death for his crime (Gen. 35:22) if this law had been then made. It was the sin of the incestuous Corinthian, for which he was to be delivered unto Satan, 1 Co. 5:1, 5. A man’s debauching his daughter-in-law, or his mother-in-law, or his sister, was likewise to be punished with death, v. 12, 14, 17. 2. Others of them God would punish with the curse of barrenness, as a man’s defiling his aunt, or his brother’s wife (v. 19–21): They shall die childless. Those that keep not within the divine rules of marriage forfeit the blessings of marriage: They shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase, Hos. 4:10. Nay it is said, They shall bear their iniquity, that is, though they be not immediately cut off by the hand either of God or man for this sin, yet the guilt of it shall lie upon them, to be reckoned for another day, and not be purged with sacrifice or offering.

III. The unnatural lusts of sodomy and bestiality (sins not to be mentioned without horror) were to be punished with death, as they are at this day by our law, v. 13, 15, 16. Even the beast that was thus abused was to be killed with the sinner, who was thereby openly put to the greater shame: and the villany was thus represented as in the highest degree execrable and abominable, all occasions of the remembrance or mention of it being to be taken away. Even the unseasonable use of the marriage, if presumptuous, and in contempt of the law, would expose the offenders to the just judgment of God: they shall be cut off, v. 18. For this is the will of God, that every man should possess his vessel (and the wife is called the weaker vessel) in sanctification and honour, as becomes saints.


Verses 22–27

The last verse is a particular law, which comes in after the general conclusion, as if omitted in its proper place: it is for the putting of those to death that dealt with familiar spirits, v. 27. It would be an affront to God and to his lively oracles, a scandal to the country, and a temptation to ignorant bad people, to consult them, if such were known and suffered to live among them. Those that are in league with the devil have in effect made a covenant with death and an agreement with hell, and so shall their doom be.

The rest of these verses repeat and inculcate what had been said before; for to that unthinking forgetful people it was requisite that there should be line upon line, and that general rules, with their reasons, should be frequently insisted on, for the enforcement of particular laws, and making them more effectual. Three things we are here reminded of:-

I. Their dignity. 1. They had the Lord for their God, v. 24. They were his, his care, his choice, his treasure, his jewels, his kingdom of priests (v. 26): That you should be mine. Happy the people, and truly great, that are in such a case. 2. Their God was a holy God (v. 26), infinitely advanced above all others. His holiness is his glory, and it was their honour to be related to him, while their neighbours were the infamous worshippers of impure and filthy spirits. 3. The great God had separated them from other people (v. 24), and again, v. 26. Other nations were the common; they were the enclosure, beautified and enriched with peculiar privileges, and designed for peculiar honours; let them therefore value themselves accordingly, preserve their honour, and not lay it in the dust, by walking in the way of the heathen.

II. Their duty; this is inferred from their dignity. God had done more for them than for others, and therefore expected more from them than from others. And what is it that the Lord their God requires, in consideration of the great things done and designed? 1. You shall keep all my statutes (v. 22); and there was all the reason in the world that they should, for the statutes were their honour, and obedience to them would be their lasting comfort. 2. You shall not walk in the manners of nations, v. 23. Being separated from them, they must not associate with them, nor learn their ways. The manners of the nations were bad enough in them, but would be much worse in God’s people. 3. You shall put a difference between clean and unclean, v. 25. This is holiness, to discern between things that differ, not to live at large, as if we might say and do any thing, but to speak and act with caution. 4. You shall not make your souls abominable, v. 25. Our constant care must be to preserve the honour, by preserving the purity, of our own souls, and never to do any thing to make them abominable to God and to our own consciences.

III. Their danger. 1. They were going into an infected place (v. 24): You shall inherit their land, a land flowing with milk and honey, which they would have the comfort of if they kept their integrity; but, withal, it was a land full of idols, idolatries, and superstitious usages, which they would be apt to fall in love with, having brought from Egypt with them a strange disposition to take that infection. 2. If they took the infection, it would be of pernicious consequence to them. The Canaanites were to be expelled for these very sins: They committed all these things, therefore I abhorred them, v. 23. See what an evil thing sin is; it provokes God to abhor his own creatures, whereas otherwise he delights in the work of his hands. And, if the Israelites trod in the steps of their impiety, they must expect that the land would spew them out (v. 22), as he had told them before, ch.18:28. If God spared not the natural branches, but broke them off, neither would he spare those who were grafted in, if they degenerated. Thus the rejection of the Jews stands for a warning to all Christian churches to take heed lest the kingdom of God be taken from them. Those that sin like others must expect to smart like them; and their profession of relation to God will be no security to them." Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume (Le 20:10–27). Peabody: Hendrickson.