20131115 Friday, November 15 2013
Leviticus 24: Who Was Stoned?

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

The LORD (Who was and is Jesus Christ; see Genesis 1: In The Beginning Was The Word and The Kingdom Of The LORD God) completed the establishment of His Tabernacle (see Exodus 26: The First Christian Tabernacle and Christ's Mercy Seat), the Priesthood (see Leviticus 9: The Beginning Of The Levite Ministry) and its entirely-Christian prophetic purpose (see Leviticus 8: The Prophecy Of The Blood Upon The Anointed One and Leviticus 23: The True Christian Holy Days) as the basis of His Kingdom - then and in the future.

The ceremonial prophetic observances were about revering the LORD, His Name and what He declared to be right or wrong. Along with the blood sacrifices were bread offerings. Even the bread that was used was a direct portrayal of the Messiah's offer of life (see Bread of the Presence and The Bread Of His Flesh).

"24:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 24:2 Command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamps to burn continually. 24:3 Without the vail of the testimony, in the tabernacle of the congregation, shall Aaron order it from the evening unto the morning before the LORD continually: it shall be a statute for ever in your generations. 24:4 He shall order the lamps upon the pure candlestick before the LORD continually.

24:5 And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof: two tenth deals shall be in one cake. 24:6 And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure table before the LORD. 24:7 And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each row, that it may be on the bread for a memorial, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD. 24:8 Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant. 24:9 And it shall be Aaron's and his sons'; and they shall eat it in the holy place: for it is most holy unto him of the offerings of the LORD made by fire by a perpetual statute." (Leviticus 24:1-9 KJV)

Blaspheming of the LORD is to reject His offer of life (see Blaspheming The Name Of God). The execution of offenders was merely, and in itself, a portrayal of the eternal death that is coming to those who refuse the Way to Life - by obeying the LORD's Commands (see also Who Can Be Saved?). The LORD did not sentence such people to "life" in prison because "life in prison" is actually a prophetic portrayal of what awaits Satan and the other fallen angels who have eternal life in them. The command "he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death" also refers to those who commit spiritual murder of themselves by refusing to obey the LORD.

"24:10 And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel: and this son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp; 24:11 And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name of the LORD, and cursed. And they brought him unto Moses: (and his mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan:) 24:12 And they put him in ward, that the mind of the LORD might be shewed them.

24:13 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 24:14 Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him. 24:15 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin. 24:16 And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the LORD, shall be put to death.

24:17 And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death. 24:18 And he that killeth a beast shall make it good; beast for beast. 24:19 And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him; 24:20 Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again. 24:21 And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it: and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death. 24:22 Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I am the LORD your God.

24:23 And Moses spake to the children of Israel, that they should bring forth him that had cursed out of the camp, and stone him with stones.

And the children of Israel did as the LORD commanded Moses." (Leviticus 24:10-23 KJV)

Fact Finder: How did stoning carry into the New Testament era? Did the spiritually-blinded Pharisees and Sadduccees ever attempt to stone the Messiah - even though He had given the stoning law to Israel?
See Stoning; see also Why Did The Sadducees Fear The Messiah?