(3) The Jewish religious leaders felt smugly self-righteous because they did not practice this form of sin, but they were guilty of other, more subtle, sins, which were more socially acceptable. We must start by praying for them, seeking what God will do. Just what is it that distinguishes a mans relationship with his wife from other relationships? Leviticus 18 and 20 emphasize the defiling nature of adultery, and warn that the practice of such sins will defile the land and will result in expulsion from the land, just as the Canaanites were expelled (cf. "You shall have no other gods before me. This was now accomplished. The Book of Exodus (Exodus 2:5) does not give a name to Pharaoh's daughter, or to her father; she is referred to in Hebrew as simply the Bat-Paroh (Hebrew: ), a Hebrew phrase that literally translates to "daughter of Pharaoh."The Book of Jubilees (Jubilees 47:5) and Josephus both name her as Thermouthis (Greek: ), also transliterated as Tharmuth and . 5:28-32). in 1971. Our approach to this study will be to consider the progressively revealed truths of God about sex and marriage, beginning in the Old Testament, and then going to the New Testament. For why should you, my son, be exhilarated with an adulteress, And embrace the bosom of a foreigner? The covenant which God made with Israel on Mt. To play out her role as Gods priestly nation, Israel had to be separate, sanctified, different from the surrounding nations. (2) Sexual impurity defiles both the persons involved and the land. If someone were to say there was a mass exodus across state lines, it is safe to assume that many people crossed the state lines. 18:24-30). Then David said to Uriah, Go down to your house, and wash your feet. And Uriah went out of the kings house, and a present from the king was sent out after him. This sexual union consummates and symbolizes the union of marriage. There is a saying that success is when preparation meets opportunity. Fornication is a term used in the Bible for any sexual misconduct or impure sexual activity that occurs outside of the bounds of a marriage covenant. New Century Version Chapter Parallel 13:4). From the standpoint of our sin against God, attitudinal sins and action sins are both rebellion against God. For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body (1 Cor. For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification (1 Thess. 6-8). Then the LORD GOD said, It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him. And out of the ground the LORD GOD formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. Bob is a pastor/teacher and elder at Community Bible Chapel in Richardson, Texas, and has contributed many of his Bible study series for use by the Foundation. Will God forgive me for losing hope and the will to live? To understand Johns response, you have to understand John. As a matter of fact, my differences with John over the proper use of a wood chisel have a great deal to do with the commandment, You shall not commit adultery. The principle underlying this commandment is that of the sanctity of marriage. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? In both the New and Old Testaments we are urged to let the pleasure and enjoyment of sex within marriage serve as a godly defense against sexual immorality:44. So, the Egyptians devised a plan to set taskmasters over the Israelites and enslave them. They were oppressive to the Israelites and made them create bricks. 7:3-5). Her restoration is described as a marriage between God and His bride. When I had fed them to the full, They committed adultery And trooped to the harlots house. Joseph ended up in Egypt away from his family and did not understand until decades later when his brothers came to Egypt why all these events occurred (Genesis 50:20). Great were the consequences. At times we are tempted to think that what God has called clean is really unclean (as was the case with Peter; cf. 5:1-14). Throughout the Bible, God sets certain things apart; He restricts their use; He sanctifies them. This union is set apart, it is to be distinct from the previous relationship of parent and child. So, too, the pleasures of sexual sin are prominently proclaimed, but the price for immorality is exceedingly high (cf. It means a lot of people quit and left. Exodus is not used casually. And the man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him. The Egyptians worshipped gods created by their ancestors, but the Israelites kept their faith. From the standpoint of the harm done to men, action sins are more serious. Our Lord says that this union of husband and wife must not be severed (Matt. The sexually immoral, such as the woman caught in the act of adultery, honestly acknowledged their sin, but the scribes and Pharisees were hypocritical, refusing to acknowledge their own self-righteousness. Some have attempted to show that the sin committed in the Garden of Eden was a sexual sin. And all the congregation blessed the LORD God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the LORD, and the king. Smith lives and resides in Memphis, Tennessee. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water. 4:1-5). Genesis 31:38-40 This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten, Philippians 4:11,12 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content, Exodus 4:20-25 And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand, Exodus 18:2-6 Then Jethro, Moses' father in law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her back, . He instructed his people to cast every male child born into the river (Exodus 1:22). Sanctification is then stressed, so that Israel must not practice the immorality of the Canaanites before them, lest they too be thrust from the land (vss. I understand that possessing ones vessel in sanctification and honor (1 Thes. For they will turn your sons away from following Me to serve other gods; then the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you and He will quickly destroy you. 20 And David said to all the congregation, Now bless the LORD your God. Since marriage matters to God, it should matter to believers too. When some have read Deuteronomy 7:2-5, they conclude that God is opposed to intermarriage among the races. Furthermore, He may even appear to be lenient on those guilty of immorality. Flee immorality. Sanctification is therefore one of the great, governing and guiding principles of the Word of God. The marriage union which God established, God also sanctified. Exodus 22:16-17 "If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed and lies with her, he shall give the bride price for her and make her his wife. It chronicles the story of their deliverance from four hundred years of bondage and how God sent Moses as an instrument of deliverance. So Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan displeased his father Isaac;read more.and Esau went to Ishmael, and married, besides the wives that he had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abrahams son, the sister of Nebaioth. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. I honestly believe that. We must even distinguish between what is personally permissible and what is personally beneficial (1 Cor. Most Americans seem to think that human sexuality is to be used in the same way I use my Stanley chiselthe more uses to which it can be put, the better. The reason seems to be solely because God has sanctified the marriage and the sexual sin has profaned it. In fact, it wasnt bad, in and of itself. He joined the first man and the first woman together in marriage. There are many Christians in Ukraine. Those distinctions are spelled out in the Law, one of which is that of the maintenance of sexual and marital sanctity. Finally, we shall attempt to distill the biblical teaching into a few guiding and governing principles. Every daughter who comes into possession of an inheritance of any tribe of the sons of Israel shall be wife to one of the family of the tribe of her father, so that the sons of Israel each may possess the inheritance of his fathers. God not only created man and woman, He also created the institution of marriage. I will also put an end to all her gaiety, Her feasts, her new moons, her Sabbaths, And all her festal assemblies. Some people did not enter the promised land that God had promised to give them because of their disobedience. We know, of course, that the Lord Jesus was not born of the union of Mary and Joseph, but by a supernatural conception brought about by the Holy Spirit. Her duty of marriage.--Rather, her right of cohabitation. And the man said. The nation Israel is kept apart from other nations by her time in Egypt, and in the plagues, the Israelites are distinguished from the Egyptians. This union is violated and defiled by adultery. What does Exodus mean today? God has here joined a man and a woman so that they have become a unity. One of these particulars is that of marriage. If He spoke it, He will make it good (Numbers 23:19). Consider, for a moment, how that forbidden fruit (whatever it might have been) is similar to the forbidden fruit of illicit sex. There is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. If you look at Exodus 1:5, you will see that seventy souls had come out of Jacob and arrived in Egypt with Joseph. In order to do this, Christians must be holy, sanctified, just as God is holy (1 Peter 1:14-16). And, of course, the ultimate example of fear and perfect love working together is Jesus Christ. 5:15-20). 25, 27, 28), thus resulting in expulsion from the land. Exodus 21:10 (MSG) If he marries another woman, she retains all her full rights to meals, clothing, and marital relations. All rights reserved. Sexual sin has very serious theological implications. For whoever does any of these abominations, those persons who do so shall be cut off from among their people. a song in the front yard literary devices; the owl house fanfiction protective eda; kohl's credit card payment; Blog Post Title February 26, 2018. (1) The principle of sanctification. Moses knew he had a big job because Israel was no longer just one family. Who knows better how to hurt his mate than the one who has the most intimate knowledge of her? The assumption here is that the divorce is obtained in order to marry another, or that it will ultimately result in marriage to another. 5:18). and I will make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live. 10-21). Jesus did not have nearly as much to say about adultery and sexual immorality as did the apostles. Ex). I do, however, believe that the first sin is similar to that of adultery, and thus very instructive. Let the husband fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband. Our culture does not value sex, it thinks of it as very common, so common that virtual strangers will share lifes most intimate treasure. Dr. Smith has freelanced for the Tri-State Defendernewspaper and Contempora magazine. Furthermore, you shall not intermarry with them; you shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor shall you take their daughters for your sons. Leviticus 18Israel is to distinguish herself from practices of Egypt and Canaan by maintaining sexual purity (vss. 42 One may wonder why only the husband is to leave his father and mother, and not the wife. I also believe that humans will not stop the plan of God. v. 24). Sexual sins and their penalties are spelled out in detail (vss. 20:14; Deut. God increased the midwives and gave them houses (Exodus 1:16-21). In both cases, the forbidden fruit is available. When the first sin was committed by partaking of the forbidden fruit God pronounced punishments which were appropriate to each party involved, as well as the consequences for all mankind. Sinai was a further means of sanctifying His people, to be a priestly nation: You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I bore you on eagles wings, and brought you to Myself. (NIV) Exodus 22:16-17, which seems to be a restating of the same law, sheds some light on this passage: If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed and lies with her, he shall give the bride-price for her and make her his wife. 34:7). We sanctify sex because we value it highly, as a good gift from the hand of a gracious God. Lots of exceptions to the rule. 29:20. Second, in order to avoid the evils of sex, we need to minimize our exposure to those things which only stimulate lustful thoughts and sexual temptations. The answer to the question is in Exodus 22:17 - the woman does NOT have to marry a . So Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan displeased his father Isaac; and Esau went to Ishmael, and married, besides the wives that he had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abrahams son, the sister of Nebaioth. 13:4) implies that not every sexual practice of the pagan world is permissible or beneficial for the Christian. Israels sexual conduct set them apart from the Egyptians and the Canaanites. Nevertheless, the rest of the Pentateuch (the Pentateuch is the five books of the Old Testament, written by Moses) provides us with a great deal of detail concerning sexual sins, and the various forms of punishment required by each. Community answers are sorted based on votes. Fellowship. However, the plan of the Lord prevails. If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money equal to the bride price for virgins." . Published by at February 16, 2022. She is the author of the self-published novel GLORYTHE HAIR. Therefore, if a man cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. This incident reveals several important truths: (1) Joseph knew he could not lie with this woman because she was the wife of another man. God did send Moses and protected him from all of the death decrees that the Pharoah had implemented to keep them down (Exodus 3-10). The consequences of guilt or innocence are spelled out (vss. It chronicles the story of their deliverance from four hundred years of bondage and how God sent Moses as an instrument of deliverance. If He said it, He will do it. It can dull the mind, like wine, making one insensitive to reality (Hos. When we consider what does Exodus mean? we reach the books core theme. Uncovering the nakedness of a relative is prohibited (vss. 5:7-9). If these Jewish leaders condemned sins which were overtly wrong actions, Jesus chose to focus on those hidden sins which were attitudes. (3) While David enjoyed sexual intimacy with Bathsheba, even though forbidden, Uriah refused such pleasure, even when legitimate and encouraged by the king. Spiritual adultery has also become rampant, and is condemned. It is about friendship first and foremost. The word Exodus came from the Latin exodos and was adopted as the books title when the Bible was translated into Latin. For a Christian to engage in sexual intercourse with a harlot puts two unions in conflict: his union with Christ and his union with a harlot. In the midst of that conversation I said to John, John you would not have been very happy with me. Away from his family, perhaps never again to return to his own people, how easy it would have been for him to succumb to the advances of his masters wife: And it came about after these events that his masters wife looked with desire at Joseph, and she said, Lie with me. But he refused and said to his masters wife, Behold, with me around, my master does not concern himself with anything in the house, and he has put all that he owns in my charge. God was faithful to his promise that Abrahams descendants would number the stars in the sky (Genesis 26:4). Thus you are to keep My charge, that you do not practice any of the abominable customs which have been practiced before you, so as not to defile yourselves with them; I am the LORD your GOD (Lev. Our sanctification cannot be expressed or realized apart from a radical change in our sexual conductthat is, a radical change in the way we conduct ourselves sexually, as contrasted with our former conduct and that of the pagan world around us. They were well-fed lusty horses, Each one neighing after his neighbors wife. He feared that Israel would unite with Egypts enemies (Exodus 1:9). At His second coming He will bring judgment to the wicked. 4:3-8). Exodus 21:11 If, however, he does not provide her with these three things, she is free to . Here we come to one of the very crucial implications of the sanctity of sex. Shaun ( Freddie Highmore) and Lea ( Paige Spara) started out as neighbors. He does not necessarily teach that attitudinal sins are as bad as action sins. Exodus 32:27. Sanctification was, for example, the first great test which man failed in the Garden of Eden. Should your springs be dispersed abroad, Streams of water in the streets? The book of Exodus not only tells some of the Bibles most famous events, but the word means something that sums up the books entire message. 3, 24-30). This is already the size of many metropolitan cities and doesnt count the mens female relatives or the men under 20 years. He had to mature in Egypt away from his family. The Israelites performed the same physical act of worship (obeisance) towards Yahveh and King David, as it is written, 1 Chr. Woe to you, O Jerusalem! After Joseph died, the children of Israel were numerous, a great nation. You must understand how Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers (Genesis 37). (1) Jesus had come to bear the penalty for sinners, and thus He did not come to condemn anyone, but to offer salvation to all (cf. When Moses was born (Exodus 2), he escaped this fate and became an instrument God used to deliver the children of Israel. 22-27). Pharaoh also instructed the midwives to kill the male children during birth but spare the female children (Exodus 1:15-16). As we established, Exodus means to leave or depart. I would suggest that the four things which set a marriage apart from other relationships are the very four things which distinguish a Christians relationship with his Lord and with His body, the church. If one were so serious as to be willing to pluck out an eye or cut off a hand then that persons attitude is what it should be with regard to adultery.