Cutting and tattooing for the dead
May 6, 2022•138 words
Leviticus 19:28 states the law from God not to cut or tattoo one's self for the dead.
The immediate context of the verses preceding and following Leviticus 19:27-28 makes it clear that Moses was telling the people that God was calling them not to adhere to pagan practices as it speaks of divination, soothsaying, mediums and spiritists.
This passage is referring to an ancient pagan funeral ritual taught to humans by the Nephilim/Rephaim and "fallen angels", as all pagan rituals were.
The point of the ritual was to "cheat death of the spirit" as an "act of defiance" against God (https://classroom.synonym.com/the-pagan-ritual-of-cutting-or-tattooing-at-a-funeral-12087451.html)
This practice is said to have roots in the actions of Baal cutting himself.
1 Kings 18:25 also describes cutting one's self as a plea to the gods being a custom commonly practiced by the pagans.
https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/246-does-the-old-testament-condemn-tattoos