Leviticus 20:4-5 4 'If the people of the land, however, should ever disregard that man when he gives any of his offspring to Molech, so as not to put him to death, 5 then I Myself will set My face against that man and against his family, and I will cut off from among their people both him and all those who play the harlot after him, by playing the harlot after Molech.
Leviticus 20:4-5
4 וְאִם הַעְלֵם יַעְלִימוּ עַם הָאָרֶץ אֶת־עֵינֵיהֶם מִן־הָאִישׁ הַהוּא בְּתִתּוֹ מִזַּרְעוֹ לַמֹּלֶךְ לְבִלְתִּי הָמִית אֹתוֹ
5 וְשַׂמְתִּי אֲנִי אֶת־פָּנַי בָּאִישׁ הַהוּא וּבְמִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ וְהִכְרַתִּי אֹתוֹ וְאֵת כָּל־הַזֹּנִים אַחֲרָיו לִזְנוֹת אַחֲרֵי הַמֹּלֶךְ מִקֶּרֶב עַמָּם
4 וְאִם הַעְלֵם יַעְלִימוּ עַם הָאָרֶץ אֶת־עֵינֵיהֶם מִן־הָאִישׁ הַהוּא בְּתִתּוֹ מִזַּרְעוֹ לַמֹּלֶךְ לְבִלְתִּי הָמִית אֹתוֹ
5 וְשַׂמְתִּי אֲנִי אֶת־פָּנַי בָּאִישׁ הַהוּא וּבְמִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ וְהִכְרַתִּי אֹתוֹ וְאֵת כָּל־הַזֹּנִים אַחֲרָיו לִזְנוֹת אַחֲרֵי הַמֹּלֶךְ מִקֶּרֶב עַמָּם
In the Mosaic, Old Testament Law, God said that if His covenant people, Israel, should ever disregard a man when he gives any of his offspring to Molech — the Phoenecian & Canaanite god — so as to not put him to death, then God Himself will set his face against that man & his family and cut him off from the covenant people.
From these verses we can see a number of helpful thoughts to bear in mind:
1. If any of God's people don't confront false worshippers, God is not pleased with them.
Quite simple but yet God knew that the easiest thing to do is to not confront someone. Who wants to do that. Even if someone who is among the covenant people of God (they look good, they're in the right environment, they're doing the right motions) but yet they are worshipping Molech, that person must be confronted because of his false worship. If someone does not do this, then that is sin.
2. In the Mosaic Law, God said that those who worshipped idols (= Molech in this context) must be put to death.
Idolatry isn't that big of a deal, you say? God clearly reveals that the one who worships idols and even gives up his children to idols must be put to death. That's what God says. This is serious. This is why the NT says that "idolaters will not enter the kingdom of heaven" (1 Cor 6.9). Oh beware of this subtle yet supremely serious sin.
3. The idolater, if he has not been confronted by his own people regarding his sin, will then face the terrifying wrath of God.
This is the loving part of confrontation. There is a deep-settled, genuinely-loving care here that each man of God must have for other believers. There must be such a deep and caring love that the sin must be confronted. If sin is ever overlooked, allowed, shoved aside, or ignored, no matter what a person says, he doesn't love. Because, genuine love "rebukes" when he sees another in sin (Luke 17:3; Gal 6:1-2). If this rebuking does not happen between brothers, then it will happen when God sets his face against that man (וְשַׂמְתִּי אֲנִי אֶת־פָּנַי בָּאִישׁ הַהוּא) and his family by cutting them off from the covenant people.
What a great reminder to (1) not fall into the error of idolatry, (2) love others so much that we are willing to lovingly, humbly, and caringly confront them with their idolatry and call them to repent.
Remember:
1 John 5:21 21 Little children, guard yourselves from idols.
And also bear in mind:
James 5:19-20 My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
