A couple of weeks ago I came to one of those times in sermon prep where I was just staring at the Bible and wondering what I was going to do with the passage. Specifically it was in Leviticus 24. This chapter deals with the regulations for the lamp stand and the bread. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, we have a case of blasphemy. The offender is the son of an Egyptian man and an Israelite woman.
(Lev 24.10-11) Now an Israelite woman’s son, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the people of Israel. And the Israelite woman’s son and a man of Israel fought in the camp,11 and the Israelite woman’s son blasphemed the Name, and cursed.
The commentators debate about the specifics of the offense, but suffice it to say, this man spoke in an insulting, irreverent, and unholy manner concerning the Lord God of Israel. He was not impressed by him and felt no obligation to fear him. So like Goliath, he mocked him.
The penalty for this divine hate crime was quick and efficient community execution by way of stoning.
(Lev 24.15-16) 15 And speak to the people of Israel, saying, Whoever curses his God shall bear his sin. 16 Whoever blasphemes the name of the LORD shall surely be put to death.
The LORD has decreed that the penalty for blasphemy is death. And so it was.
How Does a Christian Preach this?
Now I am not a Jew. We are members of the New Covenant. We are not stoning blasphemers or Sabbath breakers today. So how do I make this passage burn on our laps like the hot Scriptural coal that it is? I don’t want to be reduced to a narrator who is just recounting historical facts. I am a preacher and the text needs to be preached! The people need to hear the Word of God heralded!
So I stared at the text and talked to the text until it talked back. And it did so thunderously. And quite frankly, it did so with conviction and power.
I am that Guy!
I was not born proclaiming that God is great, or that Christ is worthy. My cry was not Soli Deo Gloria but The Glory of ME alone! I filled my life with the tireless pursuit of obscuring, insulting, and belittling the God of glory. And just like this chap in Leviticus 24 I enjoyed mocking and tussling with believers. Like Goliath, I saw nothing in him that is worthy of worship or fear. I was this guy. I am the blasphemer!
The Irony of Christ’s Case
But there was one man who never blasphemed. All he did was honor, love, serve and obey God. His life was characterized by loving God’s glory (John 8.29) and submitting to his will (John 4.34, Matt. 26.39). Never for even one second did he fail to magnify the greatness of God.
But what happened to Jesus? Ironically, he was killed for blasphemy. That was the crime that they ultimately pinned on him (Mark 14.61-64).
It was Jesus himself who was blasphemed as he became the penalty for blasphemers (Luke 22.65). In being delivered up for sinners, to bear the penalty of self-promoting, God-denying, personal kingdom builders, he was cursed. In becoming the curse for humanity (Gal. 3.13) he was cursed by humanity.
Honestly, if I was to look for a peer in these two blasphemy cases I would be the guy catching the beating in Leviticus and the guy giving the beating in Luke 22. In other words, my dishonor for God would be demonstrated by dishonoring God and his Word through my open rebellion. But ultimately, my blasphemy would be in my devaluation and ultimately hatred of Jesus, the Word of God incarnate. To my shame, I would have gone hoarse yelling “Crucify Him!”
See we are doubly undone. On the one hand we need to be people who perfectly honor, love, and serve God with our minds, hearts and deeds. And further, since we have not done this, we need to have our debt paid. The death penalty for sin resounds from this passage!
(Lev 24.15-16) 15 And speak to the people of Israel, saying, Whoever curses his God shall bear his sin. 16 Whoever blasphemes the name of the LORD shall surely be put to death.
There was only one who never blasphemed God and perfectly honored him, his name is Jesus. And all others must turn to him for righteousness and forgiveness for our blasphemy.
The Preciousness of Jesus
So herein is Jesus found to be precious. He is precious to God (1 Pet. 2.4) and he is precious to those who believe (1 Pet. 2.6).
His perfect life of obedience to God was a fragrant aroma to God, pleasing to him. And his sacrificial death pays for my disobedience. His obedience is my basis for approval and standing. His death is my ransom, the payment for my sin (Rom. 6.23).
It is not enough to simply say that Jesus is glorious, you must see that he is glorious if you want to be transformed by it (2 Cor. 3.18). Because when a blasphemer like me sees that Christ is my life and righteousness and that he became that for me in spite of my sin, all I can do is marvel. Indeed I am that blasphemer, and Jesus is my Savior!
