Leviticus and Deuteronomy laws on Marriage, Divorce, and Sexual Relations
One of God's greatest commandments, "You shall not commit adultery"
(Deuteronomy 5:18), brings to light the importance of faithfulness in
a marriage relationship. This idea of faithfulness is so critical that
the law called for stoning of individuals who broke this commandment.
While this consequence may seem harsh, we have to take into account
the conditions of the times this was written.
The nations Israel were up against essentially lived in lawless
societies. People cheated without consequence, men sold their
daughters into prostitution, and prostitution was worshipped.
Grandfathers slept with their granddaughters, sons slept with their
mothers, and men had sexual relations with several women of the same
family; both a woman and her daughter for instance. It was a free for
all. Mankind apart from God was wicked. Apart from God's law, everyone
decided for themselves what was right and wrong and the result was
chaos. This is why it was necessary for God to lay down His law and
the consequences for breaking it. If the consequences weren't life
threatening, the people wouldn't have followed it. God's law
threatened life to give life. God's law demanded commitment to one
husband or wife, prohibited prostitution and incest etc. so that we
could find peace and joy in holy relationships.
In the New Testament, we learn about God's mercy even when we fall
short of living holy relationships. In John 8:2-11, it says,
2 At dawn he [Jesus] appeared again in the temple courts, where
all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3
The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in
adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus,
"Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law
Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" 6 They
were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for
accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his
finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and
said to them, "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to
throw a stone at her." 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the
ground.
9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the
older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still
standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where
are they? Has no one condemned you?"
11 "No one, sir," she said.
"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and
leave your life of sin."
Through Jesus, we have learned that even though we deserve death
because of our sin, God doesn't want the threat of death to be the
motivation for our living holy lives. God wants His forgiveness to be
the motivation for our change. Let's all seek God's presence today and
experience His forgiveness. Let's allow His forgiveness to mold our
hearts, transform our minds, and conform our will to His.
Heavenly Father, we worship you and adore you. We thank you for your
grace that brings about change. We pray for your presence today Lord.
We pray that in your presence, we will feel your forgiveness. We pray
that your forgiveness will transform and conform our lives to you
Lord. Oh Lord, we pray that we will be men and women after your heart,
for we know that you are faithful. We pray that we can be as faithful
to you as you are to us. We pray that our spiritual commitment to you
will strengthen the commitment to our human relationships. We pray
that our human relationships will be of you and glorify you Lord, for
we know that we glorify you Lord by the way we love. We thank you for
teaching us how to love by loving us with no limits. We pray that we
can love like you Lord. We pray that we can give grace just as you
have given us grace. We thank you and praise you and love you Lord. We
pray all these things in your Son's holy precious name. We love you
Jesus. Amen.
God Bless,
Anthony
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