◄ Leviticus 20:24 ►
But I have told you that you will inherit their land, since 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 peoples.
Study Bible
But I have told you that you will inherit their land
This phrase reflects God's promise to the Israelites regarding the land of Canaan. The concept of inheritance is significant in biblical terms, often symbolizing God's covenantal faithfulness. The promise of land was first given to Abraham in Genesis 12:7, reaffirmed to Isaac and Jacob, and now reiterated to the Israelites. This inheritance is not merely a physical possession but a fulfillment of God's promise to establish His people in a place where they can serve Him.

since I will give it to you as an inheritance
The notion of God giving the land as an inheritance underscores His sovereignty and grace. The Israelites did not earn this land through their own efforts; it was a divine gift. This reflects the broader biblical theme of grace, where God provides for His people out of His love and faithfulness. The inheritance also points to a future spiritual inheritance for believers, as seen in the New Testament (Ephesians 1:11).

a land flowing with milk and honey
This phrase describes the fertility and abundance of Canaan. "Milk and honey" symbolize prosperity and divine blessing. Archaeological evidence supports the richness of the land during that period, with ample resources for agriculture and livestock. This description also serves as a metaphor for the spiritual abundance found in a relationship with God, foreshadowing the ultimate fulfillment in the Kingdom of God.

I am the LORD your God
This declaration emphasizes God's authority and covenant relationship with Israel. The use of "LORD" (Yahweh) is significant, as it is God's personal name revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14. It signifies His eternal, self-existent nature and His role as the covenant-keeping God. This phrase is a reminder of the exclusive worship and obedience due to Him alone.

who has set you apart from the peoples
God's setting apart of Israel highlights their unique role as His chosen people. This separation is both physical and spiritual, calling them to live according to His laws and reflect His holiness. The concept of being set apart is echoed in the New Testament, where believers are called to be holy and distinct from the world (1 Peter 2:9). This separation is not for privilege alone but for the purpose of being a light to the nations, pointing others to God.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Israelites
The chosen people of God, whom He is addressing in this passage, promising them the land of Canaan.

2. The Land of Canaan
Described as "a land flowing with milk and honey," symbolizing abundance and God's provision.

3. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant-keeping God who has set the Israelites apart for His purposes.

4. The Peoples (Nations)
The surrounding nations from whom the Israelites are to be distinct and separate.

5. The Inheritance
The promised land that God is giving to the Israelites as a possession.
Teaching Points
God's Faithfulness
God is faithful to His promises. Just as He promised the land to the Israelites, He fulfills His promises to us today.

Being Set Apart
As believers, we are called to live distinct lives, set apart from the world, reflecting God's holiness.

Inheritance in Christ
Our ultimate inheritance is not earthly but spiritual, found in Christ and the eternal life He offers.

Trust in God's Provision
Just as the land was described as abundant, we can trust in God's provision for our needs.

Obedience and Consecration
The call to be set apart requires obedience and a commitment to live according to God's standards.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the promise of a "land flowing with milk and honey" reflect God's character and His intentions for His people?

2. In what ways are Christians today called to be set apart from the world, and how can we practically live this out?

3. How does the concept of inheritance in Leviticus 20:24 relate to our spiritual inheritance in Christ?

4. What are some modern-day challenges that might prevent us from fully trusting in God's provision, and how can we overcome them?

5. How can the faithfulness of God in fulfilling His promises to the Israelites encourage us in our personal walk with Him today?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Exodus 3:8
This verse also describes the land of Canaan as "flowing with milk and honey," emphasizing God's promise to deliver the Israelites from Egypt to this abundant land.

Deuteronomy 7:6
Highlights the concept of being set apart as a holy people to the LORD, reinforcing the idea of separation from other nations.

1 Peter 2:9
In the New Testament, believers are described as a chosen people, a royal priesthood, echoing the theme of being set apart for God's purposes.

Joshua 1:6
God commands Joshua to be strong and courageous as he leads the Israelites to inherit the land, fulfilling the promise made in Leviticus 20:24.

Hebrews 11:8-10
Abraham's faith in God's promise of a land for his descendants connects to the fulfillment of that promise in Leviticus.
Sermons
Three Aspects of Human LifeW. Clarkson Leviticus 20:24
Punishments Assigned to Presumptuous SinsR.A. Redford Leviticus 20:1-27
Sin unto DeathJ.A. Macdonald Leviticus 20:1-27
LapidationM. M. Kalisch, Ph. D.Leviticus 20:2-27
Penal SanctionsS. H. Kellogg, D. D.Leviticus 20:2-27
People
Molech, Moses
Places
Teman
Topics
Apart, Floweth, Flowing, Ground, Hence, Heritage, Honey, Inherit, Inheritance, Milk, Myself, Nations, Peoples, Possess, Possession, Separate, Separated
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Leviticus 20:24

     4209   land, spiritual aspects
     4404   food
     4480   milk
     5477   property, land
     5704   inheritance, material

Leviticus 20:22-24

     4208   land, divine responsibility

Leviticus 20:22-26

     7340   clean and unclean

Leviticus 20:23-24

     5354   invasions

Leviticus 20:23-26

     8269   holiness, separation from worldly

Library
Tenth Day. Holiness and Separation.
I am the Lord your God, which have separated you from other people. And ye shall be holy unto me, for I the Lord am holy, and have separated you from other people that ye should be Mine.'--Lev. xx. 24, 26. 'Until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the Lord, he shall be holy.... All the days of his separation he is holy unto the Lord.'--Num. vi. 5, 8. 'Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered without the …
Andrew Murray—Holy in Christ

Seventh Day. Holiness and Obedience.
Ye have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: ye shall be unto me an holy nation.'--Ex. xix. 4-6. Israel has reached Horeb. The law is to be given and the covenant made. Here are God's first words to the people; He speaks of redemption and its blessing, fellowship with Himself: 'Ye have seen how I brought …
Andrew Murray—Holy in Christ

Annunciation to Joseph of the Birth of Jesus.
(at Nazareth, b.c. 5.) ^A Matt. I. 18-25. ^a 18 Now the birth [The birth of Jesus is to handled with reverential awe. We are not to probe into its mysteries with presumptuous curiosity. The birth of common persons is mysterious enough (Eccl. ix. 5; Ps. cxxxix. 13-16), and we do not well, therefore, if we seek to be wise above what is written as to the birth of the Son of God] of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When his mother Mary had been betrothed [The Jews were usually betrothed ten or twelve months …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Self-Denial.
"If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."--Matt. xvi. 24. Good works are not the saint's sanctification, any more than drops of water are the fountain; but they spring as crystal drops from the fountain of sanctification. They are good, not when the saint intends them to be good, but when they conform to the divine law and proceed from a true faith. Yet the intention is of great importance; the Church has always taught that a work could not be called …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

Epistle Lxiv. To Augustine, Bishop of the Angli .
To Augustine, Bishop of the Angli [174] . Here begins the epistle of the blessed Gregory pope of the city of Rome, in exposition of various matters, which he sent into transmarine Saxony to Augustine, whom he had himself sent in his own stead to preach. Preface.--Through my most beloved son Laurentius, the presbyter, and Peter the monk, I received thy Fraternity's letter, in which thou hast been at pains to question me on many points. But, inasmuch as my aforesaid sons found me afflicted with the …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

Eleventh Day. The Holy one of Israel.
I am the Lord that brought you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God; ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy. I the Lord which make you holy, am holy.'--Lev. xi. 45, xxi. 8. 'I am the Lord Thy God, the Holy One of Israel, Thy Saviour. Thus saith the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.'--Isa. xliii. 3, 14, 15. In the book of Exodus we found God making provision for the Holiness of His people. In the holy …
Andrew Murray—Holy in Christ

Jesus Fails to Attend the Third Passover.
Scribes Reproach Him for Disregarding Tradition. (Galilee, Probably Capernaum, Spring a.d. 29.) ^A Matt. XV. 1-20; ^B Mark VII. 1-23; ^D John VII. 1. ^d 1 And after these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Judæa, because the Jews sought to kill him. [John told us in his last chapter that the passover was near at hand. He here makes a general statement which shows that Jesus did not attend this passover. The reason for his absence is given at John v. 18.] ^a 1 Then there …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Holiness of God
The next attribute is God's holiness. Exod 15:51. Glorious in holiness.' Holiness is the most sparkling jewel of his crown; it is the name by which God is known. Psa 111:1. Holy and reverend is his name.' He is the holy One.' Job 6:60. Seraphims cry, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory.' Isa 6:6. His power makes him mighty, his holiness makes him glorious. God's holiness consists in his perfect love of righteousness, and abhorrence of evil. Of purer eyes than …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

The Call of Matthew - the Saviour's Welcome to Sinners - Rabbinic Theology as Regards the Doctrine of Forgiveness in Contrast to the Gospel of Christ
In two things chiefly does the fundamental difference appear between Christianity and all other religious systems, notably Rabbinism. And in these two things, therefore, lies the main characteristic of Christ's work; or, taking a wider view, the fundamental idea of all religions. Subjectively, they concern sin and the sinner; or, to put it objectively, the forgiveness of sin and the welcome to the sinner. But Rabbinism, and every other system down to modern humanitarianism - if it rises so high in …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Leviticus
The emphasis which modern criticism has very properly laid on the prophetic books and the prophetic element generally in the Old Testament, has had the effect of somewhat diverting popular attention from the priestly contributions to the literature and religion of Israel. From this neglect Leviticus has suffered most. Yet for many reasons it is worthy of close attention; it is the deliberate expression of the priestly mind of Israel at its best, and it thus forms a welcome foil to the unattractive …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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