Welcome to this week’s Torah / Bible study section.   “Yahweh spoke to Moses after the death [acharei mot] of the two sons of Aaron who died when they approached YHWH”  (Leviticus 16:1). 

“Acharei Mot” begins with God's instructions for Aharon (Aaron), the Cohen HaGadol  (The High Priest), regarding entering the innermost chamber of the Sanctuary, the Holy of Holies, with the ketoret  (incense offering) and the preparations for the crucial once-a-year sacrifice on Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement).  It seems that YHWH is trying to prevent any more “accidental deaths” due to well-meaning Israelites coming too close to the holiness of God as Aaron’s two sons.  During this time, the Holy of Holies was placed behind a thick, heavy curtain or veil in front of the atonement cover on the Ark.  There YHWH appeared in a cloud:    “YHWH said to Moses: ‘Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die.’”  (Leviticus 16:2). 

Not just anyone could enter this most innermost sanctuary, but only the High Priest (Cohen HaGadol) and even then only one day out of the entire year on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur).   This week’s study emphasizes that it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.  “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul” (Leviticus 17:11).

The first section of the Torah portion (Acharei Mot) describes the Yom Kippur offering of two goats:  one for the offering and the other as the scapegoat (called the Azazel [עֲזָאזֵל] in Hebrew).   “But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the LORD to be used for making atonement by sending it into the wilderness as a scapegoat.”  (Leviticus 16:10).  Lots would be cast over two goat, one of which would be offered to God as a sin offering.  The High Priest would lay his hands upon the other goat, symbolically laying all the sins of Israel upon the Azazel.  The goat would then be banished into the wilderness, carrying away the sins of Israel along with it (Lev 16:21-22). 

The scapegoat's carrying away of sin is a beautiful picture of what is described in Isaiah 53: “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”  (Isaiah 53:6).  Just as this scapegoat took the sins of the Jewish People and carried them away into the wilderness, so did Yahshua carry away our sins.  When Yochanan the Immerser (John the Baptist) saw Yahshua coming to the Jordan River, he said, “Hinei seh ha’Elohim, hanoseh chatat ha’olam (Here is the Lamb of God who carries away the sins of the world”  (John 1:29).  Once we begin to see these Scriptures in their Hebraic context, not only do they make more sense but they also bring a richness to our faith that we cannot have without this understanding of its Jewish roots.  The Hebrew term l'azazel in this Parasha means either for absolute removal or to Azazel (a name).  Azazel has been translated scapegoat in the King James Bible, but the Septuagint translates it the sent away or the sent away one.  Later rabbis believed l'azazel referred to azaz (rugged) and el (strong), interpreting it to be the rugged cliff from which the goat was thrown.

For most of us, even religious Jews, this idea of blood atonement for sin seems foreign and archaic.  Moreover, in this day of “do what you think is right”, even the basic concept of sin seems antiquated.  Still, Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) is a reminder that the problem of sin is just as real today as it was in the time of Moses.  According to Jewish tradition, Yom Kippur is the day God pronounces judgment, administering either forgiveness of sins (or the rewards for good deeds (mitzvot) or the punishments for sin unrepented and unforgiven.  Not according to tradition; but the bible, the day is one of God’s annual holy days on which either sins were forgiven or remained.  The pattern, principle or precedent has not changed even today. 

This holiest day of the year, which is observed on the biblical tenth day of the seventh month (Lev 23:27 i.e. in the fall / autumn), reminds us that we are in desperate need of redemption through the blood of atonement.  No matter how hard we try to be "good enough," many always fall short of God's standards of perfection.  Hence His son pays the balance of the price our commandment keeping did not attain.  Exo 20:6  And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.  

We can be so thankful that Yahshua the Messiah took upon Himself all the sin and corruption of the world.  Whether the source of sin is called Azazel or Satan, Yahshua bore that curse for us so that we can come to God’s holy throne clothed in righteousness. 

“The Messiah redeemed us from the curse pronounced in the Torah by becoming cursed in our place; for the Tanakh says, ‘Everyone who hangs from a stake comes under a curse.’” (Galatians 3:13). 

The Scapegoat for Sin and God’s Sign of Acceptance.

God told Moses that on Yom Kippur, Aaron should cast lots for two goats.  One would be offered as the sacrifice and the other, the azazel (scapegoat), would be sent alive into the wilderness.

“Aaron shall bring the goat whose lot falls to the Lord and sacrifice it for a sin offering.  But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the Lord to be used for making atonement by sending it into the wilderness as a scapegoat [azazel]” (Leviticus 16:8–10). 

Azazel is a rare Hebrew noun meaning dismissal or complete removal.  To symbolize the entire removal of the sin and guilt of Israel, the High Priest is to lay both his hands on the head of the live goat and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel.  All their transgressions are laid upon the azazel, which is then sent away into the wilderness.  The people also had to do their part in the forgiveness instructions.  It was not all the work of the High Priest and God!  "The goat shall bear all their iniquities to a land which is cut off.”  (Leviticus 16:22). 

Lev 16:29  And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you: Lev 16:30  For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD. Lev 16:31  It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever.  (Here we see not only the weekly seventh day is a Sabbath). 

True or tradition, Rabbinic tradition states that the Cohen (Jewish priest) would tie a scarlet cloth to the horn of the goat.  When the sacrifice was fully accepted by God, the scarlet cloth became white. This symbolized God’s gracious promise in Isaiah 1:18: “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow.”   Tradition adds that this miraculous sign from God did not occur from about AD 30 to AD 70, at which time the destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans stopped all sacrifices.  God showed His acceptance of the azazel in the past, so why did He stop for these 40 years?  Near AD 30, Yahshua made atonement for sin once and for all as the Azazel.  Yahshua became the Scapegoat for us, taking on Himself all of our sins and removing from us all the punishment that we deserve. 

“By God’s grace, without earning it, all are granted the status of being considered righteous before Him, through the act redeeming us from our enslavement to sin that was accomplished by the Messiah Yahshua.  God presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement [Kaparah] through faith in His blood” (Romans 3:23–24).  The same way the people had to have faith (believe) their sins were forgiven by the previous azazel’s sacrifice.  In other words, whatever the method prescribed by God, if He says that is what it takes, believe and have faith it is done.  The sacrifice may change from animal to son of God (better sacrifice Heb 9:23); but the day and system has not! 

The Removal of Sin.  

“In this way he [Aaron] will make atonement for the Most Holy Place because of the uncleanness and rebellion of the Israelites, whatever their sins have been”  (Leviticus 16:16).  While ordinary sacrifices were limited to atonement for involuntary or unintentional sins, the special Yom Kippur sacrifice of a goat also atoned for wilful sin.  The prophet Isaiah foreshadowed a day when Yahshua would become the sacrifice that would remove all sin.  In the Messianic prophecy of Isaiah 53, he wrote, “And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all … For He shall bear their iniquities” (Isaiah 53:6, 11). 

In Hebrew, the use of the word iniquities in these verses means crooked and signifies a wilful departure from the law (Torah, instructions, commandments) of God.  This prophetic portion of Scripture is not recognised as speaking of Yahshua by the Orthodox Jews.  Thankfully not so for the Messianic ones as were the apostles.  The entire chapter, in fact, is not found in the yearly selection of Sabbath Haftarah (prophetic) readings of Orthodox Jews.  Why?  It is likely because it is impossible to miss that this Messianic prophecy describes the atonement that Yahshua made for His followers and keepers of His father’s TORAH through the sacrifice of His own life.  Those who do read it see the connection to Yahshua. 

Jewish anti-missionaries, however, downplay this important Messianic prophecy by claiming that these verses speak of Israel (not Yahshua the Messiah) as a suffering scapegoat for the nations.  Of course, in a limited sense this is true.  The nation and the people of Israel have suffered greatly.  As a result of some of them rejecting of the Messiah, salvation has come to the Gentiles; however, God has not forgotten them.  He has only temporarily afflicted Israel: 

“For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. … And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:  The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins”  (Romans 11:25–27). 

Numerous rabbinic commentators acknowledge that Isaiah 52:13–53:12 does refer to the Messiah and not to the nation of Israel.  I will only give one example here.  “He, Messiah, shall intercede for man’s sins, and the rebellious, for his sake, shall be forgiven.”  (Jerusalem Targum on Isaiah 53:12). 

Through faith in Yahshua, our sins are transferred to the Messiah, who became our Scapegoat (Azazel).  Only His death fulfills Isaiah 53, which describes God’s Suffering Servant, who like a lamb was led to the slaughter to bear our iniquities.  Because He was sinless, Yahshua came into the heavenly Holy of Holies in the capacity of the High Priest (Cohen HaGadol), not with the blood of bulls or goats, but with His own blood for our redemption.  “He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.”  (Hebrews 9:12). 

The blood of bulls and goats could never fully remove sin, only cover it for a time.  Only Yahshua the Messiah, as the pure spotless lamb and the scapegoat, could pay the price for our rebellion and uncleanness.  He did so willingly, giving His life as the Korban (sacrifice) for our sins. 

Yeshua Fulfilled Yom Kippur. 

“This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: Atonement is to be made once a year for all the sins of the Israelites.”  (Leviticus 16:34).  God instituted Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) as a lasting ordinance to be observed throughout all generations.  Since the destruction of the Temple, however, the required Yom Kippur offering can no longer be presented to YHWH.  Although most Jewish followers of Yahshua understand that the Temple will be rebuilt and the offerings reinstituted before Yahshua’s return, they understand that Yahshua is our final korban (offering) for our kapparah (atonement).   In response to the current situation in which the offerings cannot be made at the Temple, the rabbis have said that the offerings now have three substitutes: prayer (tefillah), repentance (teshuva) and charity (tzedakah).  Heb_13:15  By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

The Holiness of God, the Messiah and Commandments.

All of the commandments of Torah, in some aspect or another, reveal the holiness of Messiah.  The commandment  “You shall be holy, for I YHWH your God am holy” (Leviticus 19:2) has no upper limit, but the holiness of the Messiah exceeds that of any person. The holiness of the Messiah exceeds even that of Moses.  He directly shares in the holiness of God.  This explains why the New Testament refers to the Messiah as “the Holy One of God.” The disciples applied that title to Yahshua.   Even the demons recognized Him as the Holy One of God.

In regard to His concealed, divine person, Yahshua is called the Holy One of God because His holiness originates with God.  He is holy by virtue of His divine nature as the eternal Word of God.  In regard to His physical person, the holiness of Yahshua results from His conception and birth.  No other man has been born of a virgin. In regard to His spiritual power, His holiness flows from the anointing of the Holy Spirit that rests upon Him without measure.  In regard to His ethical conduct, the Master derived His holiness from His imitation of the Father and obedience to the commandments.  Inasmuch as the commandments are the definitions of holiness, Messiah is likewise defined by the commandments because He kept them. Therefore, He is uniquely able to fulfil the commandment  “You shall be holy, for I YHWH your God am holy” (Leviticus 19:2). 

The commandments of God define holy conduct.  All of the commandments of Torah, in some aspect or another, reveal Messiah.  They each reveal some essential element of His person or character.  The commandments are the will and wisdom of God.  Yahshua says, “Not My will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42), and He says, “I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me” (John 8:28).  Again, “I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love” (John 15:10). These passages emphasize a direct relationship between the commandments and the person of Messiah, because the commandments are a direct revelation from God. They reveal godliness, as Yahshua said, “He who has seen me, has seen the Father” (John 14:9). 

The Master compared himself to a son apprenticed by his father: “The Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner” (John 5:19).  A son who learns by apprenticeship acquires the skills of the trade by watching his father’s work and carefully imitating it. He learns the tricks of his father’s craftsmanship and is one day able to do the same work that he has learned from his father.  Likewise, Yahshua learned His trade from observation of the Father.  In that way, He attained holiness from imitation of the Father, as it is written, “You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy”.  His Father kept the seventh day Sabbath in Gen 2:3  And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. As did Yahshua Luk_4:16  And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. We are also called to follow the son as he followed His father. 

Spotting Holiness.

Contained within this Parasha are warnings against the consumption of blood and unlawful sexual relations such as incest, homosexuality, bestiality, and sexual intercourse with a woman during her monthly menstrual cycle.  All of these sexual deviations and perversions are detestable to the Lord and cause the Land to become defiled.  In fact, this Torah portions explains that these sins were among the reasons why God “vomited” the people out of the Land. 

“Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you became defiled…  And if you defile the land, it will vomit you out as it vomited out the nations that were before you.”  (Leviticus 18:24, 28). 

We understand from this that God required morality or holiness from the Canaanites, as well as the Hebrews.  He requires the same for all nations today and those who do not meet His standard will one day be destroyed.  Until then they have to learn from Israel to whom He gave his laws to be a light to the other nations, gentiles.  

The word kedoshim comes from the root k-d-sh (קדש), which means holy, set apart, or sanctified.  We are not left to our own imagination about what holiness looks or acts like.  God connects it to specific attitudes and actionsas described in His command,ents.  When a religious person conducts themselves no differently than the common, ordinary people around them, they make God look common and ordinary too.  What does a holy person look like?. Leviticus chapters 19 and 20 contains the Bible's description of what holiness looks like.  One verse being Although there are many commandments in the Torah that are for our good and designed to protect holiness, the central law they all boil down to is the following command written in this week's Parasha: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  (Leviticus 19:18).

Chapter 19 begins with the words, "Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, 'You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy'" (Leviticus 19:2).  One of the laws of holiness states, "You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another" (Leviticus 19:11). 

Have you ever been ripped off by a religious person? It's not surprising when we are cheated by people of the world; but it is disconcerting when a professing Christian or an observant Jew deceives or financially abuses us. We expect more from the religious person than a secular person.  We assume that a religious person will conduct  their affairs in concert with God’s moral values. That makes the religious person different from the secular person. That is what being holy is all about. 

The Torah says that when a religious person conducts themselves without integrity, they profane the name of God. The word profane is the opposite of the word holy. Holy means "set apart." Profane means "common and ordinary."  When a religious person conducts himself no differently than the common, ordinary people around him, he makes God look common and ordinary too. He damages God's reputation. An unbeliever who steals, deceives, lies, perjures and swindles is unremarkable, but when a believer acts that way, he disgraces the faith and gives opportunity for unbelievers to say, "You see? He is just like us. I knew there was no substance to his God or his religion."

The sages understood the commandment, "You shall not oppress your neighbour, nor rob him" (Leviticus 19:13) to be a prohibition against dishonest business transactions.   As disciples of Yahshua obedient to God's Torah, we need to strive for scrupulous honesty, especially in matters of business.  

Also stipulated in God’s instructions is holiness is specific i.e. “Lev 19:6  It shall be eaten the same day ye offer it, and on the morrow: and if ought remain until the third day, it shall be burnt in the fire. Lev 19:7  And if it be eaten at all on the third day, it is abominable; it shall not be accepted. Lev 19:8  Therefore every one that eateth it shall bear his iniquity, because he hath profaned the hallowed thing of the LORD: and that soul shall be cut off from among his people”.   Departing from the specific instructions by time, adding to or taking away makes our actions unholy. 

PLANTING FOR SUCCESS

The Torah gives specific commandments for farmers practicing agriculture in the of Israel. God tells them not to harvest the grain from the corners of their fields.  He tells the harvesters not to go over the crop a second time to capture produce they might have missed on the first pass. He tells husbandmen not to gather the fruit that falls from their vineyards and orchards on its own accord.   Instead, they are to leave all of the secondary produce for the poor, the needy and the stranger to collect. 

The businessman who conducts his operation in keeping with these biblical principles is not concerned only about his own personal success; he is concerned about the success of others as well.

It's not easy to leave the corner of a field unharvested, especially when you might be having trouble making ends meet yourself. How did the farmer find the resolve to follow this instruction? He had only to remember that the land did not really belong to him. He was only a sharecropper, so to speak, working the soil on God's land.

These laws provide the background for the story of Ruth, the great-grandmother of King David. Ruth was a destitute widow, living alone with her widowed mother-in-law, Naomi. When the wheat was ready for harvest around Bethlehem, Ruth went out with other poor women of the community to glean in the fields. She followed after the harvesters, picking up dropped sheaves and gathering the remnants that had been left behind. Gleaning is still permitted by law in modern Israel. Poor people are helped by it because they are permitted to pick as much fruit off the trees or from the ground as is needed to eat when they walk through a field or an orchard.  These laws have application outside of agriculture. We all have fields that we work in. The idea is to leave a generous margin for the needs of others. 

Some scriptures to Note in this week’s study. 

For those of you who do not like a lot of bible reading studies, I suggest you listen to the bible read to you.  There are numerous phone apps or internet links that read the bible.  Listen to Leviticus chapters 16 to 18 and then compare to Hebrews chapters 8 to 10. The law being mentioned in Heb_10:1 (For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect) IS NOT THE WHOLE LAW as given via Moses; but the specific one of Lev 16. Note the context of sacrifices, blood, atoning for sins, sanctuary etc. The other laws i.e. of murder, adultery or stealing did not have such things. Nor were the Sabbath holy days to do with sin atoning. Also not all sacrifices were for sin, see Leviticus chapters 1 – 3, then 4.

Lev 16:2  And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat. Lev 16:3  Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering. Lev 16:6  And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house. Lev 16:12  And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail:

Lev 16:14  And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times. Lev 16:15  Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat: Lev 16:22  And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness. Lev 16:29  And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you: Lev 16:30  For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD. Lev 16:31  It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever. Lev 16:34  And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the LORD commanded Moses. 

Heb 6:19  Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;  Exo 26:33  And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy. 

Lev 17:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Lev 17:5  To the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices, which they offer in the open field, even that they may bring them unto the LORD, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest, and offer them for peace offerings unto the LORD. … Lev 17:7  And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have gone a whoring. This shall be a statute for ever unto them throughout their generations.

Lev 17:8  And thou shalt say unto them, Whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers which sojourn among you, that offereth a burnt offering or sacrifice, Lev 17:9  And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer it unto the LORD; even that man shall be cut off from among his people.

Lev 17:10  And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people. Lev 17:11  For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

Lev 17:12  Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood. Lev 17:13  And whatsoever man there be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, which hunteth and catcheth any beast or fowl that may be eaten; he shall even pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust. 

Lev 18:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,  Lev 18:2  Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, I am the LORD your God.  Lev 18:3  After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances.

Lev 18:4  Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the LORD your God.  Lev 18:5  Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD. 

Verses 6-18 deal with nakedness of next of kin.  Same as Gen 9:22 showing God’s laws existed before re-given through Moses. 

Lev 18:22  Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

Lev 18:26  Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you: Lev 18:27  (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;) Lev 18:28  That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you. Lev 18:29  For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people. Lev 18:30  Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the LORD your God.

Lev 19:15  Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour. 

Lev 19:18  Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD. 

Lev 19:26  Ye shall not ... observe times (i.e. horoscopes). Lev 19:28  Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD (i.e. tattoos).   Lev 19:31  Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God. See also 20:27.

Lev 19:34  But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. Lev 19:37  Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: I am the LORD. 

Lev 20:13  If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. 

 1 Corinthians 6:9–20.

1Co 6:9  Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

1Co 6:10  Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

(Commandment breakers.  Paul was not going to list the whole of the TORAH only give brief examples.  See also 1Tim 1:7-10 Unrighteous are those who transgress the law and are not forgiven.  Confession is a perquisite of forgiveness, Luk13:3  I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish .) 

1Co 6:11  And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Yahshua, and by the Spirit of our God.

1Co 6:19  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 1Co 6:20  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Shalom.