• Not to commit Adultery (Ex. 20:11)
To take a wife by kiddushin, the sacrament of marriage (Deut. 24:1)
• To be ravished with the love of thy spouse always (Prv. 5:18-19)
• To praise and honor the woman who fears G_D (Prv. 31:10-31)
• To divorce by a formal written document only in cases of adultery (Deut. 24:1)
• That there shall be no harlot; that is, that there shall be no intercourse with a woman, without previous marriage with a deed of marriage and formal declaration of marriage (Deut. 23:18)
• Not to have intercourse with another man's wife (Lev. 18:20)
• That the woman suspected of adultery shall be dealt with as prescribed in the Torah (Num. 5:30)
• That one who defames his wife's honor, by falsely accusing her of un-chastity before marriage, must live with her all his lifetime (Deut. 22:19)
• That a man may not divorce his wife concerning whom he has published an evil report about her un-chastity before marriage (Deut. 22:19)
• That one who divorced his wife shall not remarry her, if after the divorce she had been married to another man (Deut. 24:4)
Commentary:
Let us begin by acknowledging that the Biblical justice for adultery is “death” … thus the serious nature of this offense as seen by G_D!
Having already established through the commandments G_D’s love and desire for the family, for the union of a man and woman, can we not state that adultery essentially is akin to murdering the family?
But perhaps we need a little introspection and recognize that in Hebraic terms the ultimate marriage is between G_D and his people Israel through the eternal covenant. As such each and every union between a man and a woman is a picture of Israel betrothed to G_D … the King! Perhaps we can gain a better understanding throughout Scriptures why G_D refers to Israel's alliances with other nations as adulterous fornication?
As we look at Mashiach Yeshua and his bride do we fail to see the very same construct? Do we fail to see that each man and woman is a picture of this husband to bride relationship?
We most assuredly must understand that G_D, from the beginning, has sanctified in no uncertain terms the bonding of man and woman. Most assuredly these bonds as well are designed to be unbreakable, pliable, malleable and permanent. These bonds serve as the foundation for the family and essentially represent the orderly and proper use of the gift of procreation to propagate life. When these gifts are misused for pure physical pleasures alone … for lust with another then not only is the family and partner defiled but so too is G_D’s greatest gift to us. Adultery takes and utilizes that which was set aside as sacred and renders it to pure profanity for the purposes of sexual gratification.
Let us also not lose sight that the commandments extend far beyond the simple aspect of extramarital fornication. What we see is the mandate for spouses to truly love and cleave to each other. We see a mandate to honor and revere each other. We see a mandate to long for one another! Surely we peer deeper into the heart of G_D through these commandments? Can we see a picture of just how much he cherishes us and how his own desire is to be cherished by us … and G_D wants us to cherish him by choice … as he does us!
And still further yet in traditional Hebraic thought we must understand the concept of the wedding contract! In Messianic Hebraic terms we must not lose sight that our personal relationship with the Groom Mashiach Yeshua is predicated upon us upholding the marriage contract … which is the Torah!
It is the Torah which serves as the proof of our virginity … our submission to Torah is the submission of the bride to the groom … and the Torah itself is the contract that lays out how each of the betrothed will behave.
Unfortunately even within the purportedly hallowed halls of our congregations the issues of divorce and adultery remain prevalent. From a societal perspective the issue of adultery has become a non-issue. The idea of marriage and a monogamous relationship is consistently under siege by those who desire unrestrained sexual promiscuity! And yet again we see what is evil is called good and what is good is called evil!
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• Not to indulge in familiarities with relatives, such as kissing, embracing, etc., which may lead to incest (Lev. 18:6)
• Not to commit incest with one's father (Lev. 18:7)
• Not to commit incest with one's mother (Lev. 18:7)
• Not to commit incest with one's daughter - this is not explicitly in the Torah but is inferred from other explicit commands that would include it
• Not to commit incest with one's son - this is not explicitly in the Torah but is inferred from other explicit commands that would include it
• Not to commit incest with one's sister (Lev. 18:9)
• Not to commit incest with one's grand-daughter (Lev. 18:10)
• Not to commit incest with one's grand-son - this is not explicitly in the Torah but is inferred from other explicit commands that would include it
• Not to commit incest with one's maternal aunt (Lev. 18:13)
• Not to commit incest with one's paternal aunt (Lev. 18:12)
• Not to commit sodomy with one's paternal uncle (Lev. 18:14)
• Not to commit incest with one's paternal half-sister (Lev. 18:11)
Commentary:
Let us all simply hope that these commandments need little explanation. Ultimately we should realize that once the time came for G_D to provide the details of Torah to Israel there was no need for any blood related marriage and sex.
Yet again we need to focus upon the sanctity of the family unit. These prohibitions reflect the mandate to refrain from sexual conduct wherein there is no hope for the life that G_D desires for his children. Additionally we must recognize the prohibitions from a stewardship perspective as well. The prohibitions reflect G_D’s desire and mandate for proper family oversight! As such we see that it is unnatural for a father to desire his daughter or other permutations thereof.
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• Not to commit incest with one's step-mother (Lev. 18:8)
• Not to commit incest with one's step-daughter (Lev. 18:17)
• Not to commit incest with one's daughter in law (Lev. 18:15)
• Not to commit incest with one's sister in law (Lev. 18:16)
• Not to commit incest with one's sister in law (Lev. 18:18)
• Not to commit incest with one's father's sister in law (Lev. 18:14)
• Not to commit incest with the daughter of one's step-son (Lev. 18:17)
• Not to commit incest with the daughter of one's step- daughter (Lev. 18:17)
Commentary:
As was the case with the previous commands dealing with blood relative incest, we see similar prohibitions herein respective to incest with non-blood relatives … with in-laws.
What we learn by way of these commandments is how important the marriage and family construct really is in the eyes of G_D! What we learn is that there is virtually no difference between a blood-line family and the in-law based family. In G_D’s eyes a family is a family!
Although we need not dwell in much detail upon the literal prohibitions it is important to note that there are some large implications for us revealed within these commandments. What we should assuredly see is a picture of the grafting into the family unit those people from diverse families and in pure Messianic terms the grafting into the family of Israel those who are Gentiles by ethnic heritage.
We once again see the picture of one family (people) and the same set of commandments applying in the same manner. Just as these commandments pertain to blood relatives we see the same prohibitions pertain equally to non-blood relatives. What we see is yet again a picture of the Jew first and then equally to the Gentile. Though the in-laws may not be seen by us humans to be equal within the family construct it is apparent that G_D has a much broader perspective.
We see the mandate for cross family relations to be undertaken with the same stewardship, respect and honor … be an individual a blood relative or a relative via grafting in!
Ultimately then we are given a mandate not to treat anyone … be they a believer or not with any disdain or lack of respect by way of sexual relations. It is clear by the commandments that it all counts.
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• Not to lust (Prv. 19:22)
• Not to have intercourse with a woman, in her menstrual period (Lev. 18:19)
• Not to commit sodomy with a male (Lev. 18:22)
• A woman is not to lie with another woman - this is not explicitly in the Torah but is inferred from other explicit commands that would include it)
• Not to have intercourse with a beast (Lev. 18:23)
• That a woman shall not have intercourse with a beast (Lev. 18:23)
• That a man shall not wear women's clothing (Deut. 22:5)
• That a woman should not wear men's clothing (Deut. 22:5)
• Do not prostitute the daughters of Israel and have the land become full of lewdness (Lev. 19:29)
• Do not lie with a prostitute or lewd woman (Prv. 5:311)
• No to masturbate - this is not explicitly in the Torah but is inferred from other explicit commands that would include it … specifically those commands dealing with defilement by seed
Commentary:
For the average believer there should be no real surprises found within these commandments respective to sexual misconduct and lewdness. What these commandments confirm is G_D’s intolerance regarding what used to be considered by our society deviant sexual behavior … such as homosexuality, transvestual/bisexuality, pornography, lusts, prostitution, masturbation and so forth.
Somehow in our Hellenistic/Democratic thirst for personal liberty we have broken down the traditional legal and social intolerance for many of these behaviors. We sadly suffer through philosophical and scientific discourses that promote the idea that these deviant behaviors are natural and must be tolerated and then finally championed as being normal! Often behavior in the animal kingdom is cited as evidence that we should be behaving in similar fashion … these arguments of course being predicated upon the acceptance of the false religious movement that is evolution. Ladies and Gentlemen … we really do have big problems!
We sadly suffer through times wherein we are told that a union between same sex partners is no longer considered deviant … but actually represents a legitimate marriage! We suffer through the sheer shame of having openly homosexual individuals serve as ordained ministers within various religious communities. We suffer through the shame and scandals associated with the litany of child sex abuse cases even within the purported body of Mashiach itself. And what is the response? Life simply goes on … G_D will surely understand and forgive? REALLY?
Where are the leaders? Where are the people within the congregations? Is the only response heard the sound of silence?
Do we think for one moment that Yeshua approves of this behavior? If he does then he certainly is not the exact image and likeness of the INVISIBLE G_D MOST HIGH. Sexual misconduct always has been and will remain to be an issue of lust and personal physical gratification … end of debate! Oh we do indeed delude ourselves … on this point there can be no debate!
What we have is a society operating under the premise that there is virtually no sin that can be called out … there will be no accountability. Even more so however is that not only must these behaviors be tolerated … they must be viewed as normal so as not to offend the actual guilty parties! Surely … this author does not want to be present when these arguments are presented to our LORD … it is not going to be a pretty sight!
Ultimately our congregations and society allow such a state of affairs not because of political correctness but because we suffer from an unwillingness to obey … nowhere is this disobedience more prevalent than in the area of sexual misconduct.
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Marriage
Incest - Blood Relative
Incest - Marriage Relative
Sexual Perversion
Commentary:
It is sad when we consider that our great Hellenistic society is really no better than Sodom or Gomorrah when it comes to our collective sexual appetites. Not only is Marriage under duress but we must admit that common decency and minimal self-control seems to elude our society.
The radio, television, internet and movies do absolutely nothing but promote the general moral decay and decline of what had to be considered a fairly prudish and conservative Western culture in the not too distant past. So what has happened?
Do the vast majority of sexually deviant purported people of faith really believe that they are going to be punished for their lack of faith and disobedience … or could it be that somehow they are under the impression that their continued deviance and disobedience will simply be overlooked because grace has been dispensed to them?
Quite a quandary is it not when we really stew on the problem? Do the people actually believe that because the behaviors are politically tolerated … that the same behaviors are then deemed acceptable or inconsequential to G_D? Or … could there be merit in an argument that Mashiach has done away with the righteousness of G_D’s own word? Or … is it plain and simple that people are severely deluded into believing the lie that continual and rebellious sin will not be dealt with by G_D?
There is something at play here that baffles the mind. The Bible … if nothing else, provides even to a casual observer the knowledge that G_D does not approve of sexual infidelity and misconduct. If there is one sin beyond idolatry that is most often dealt with by G_D in the Bible it is the sin of sexual misconduct! And we know this issue is so near to G_D’s own heart because of how he views Israel … how he views his children … how he views the family … how he views creation and the importance of not misusing our own creative instruments!
Oh yes … G_D most assuredly desires and demands our self -control. Is G_D than a prude? … By no means whatsoever … G_D has provided for us the ability to experience the joy of physical ecstasy but he wants us to abide within the framework which he has provided. That framework is the same from the beginning … one man and one woman … joined to the end and jointly working towards his will in establishing his Kingdom … generation to generation through the bonds of family and community while exercising personal obedience in conformance to his sacred commandments.
In any democracy (pure Hellenism) it simply must be accepted that ultimately the establishment of acceptable sexual behaviors is a function of current and popular demands by the populace. Essentially the behaviors at best are relative and lacking any absolute moral wisdom. In Hellenistic cultures then the mandate to tolerate what was once deviant behavior continues to spiral out of control and sadly there is no systematic way of reversing this trend because people simply want to continue in sin and do not want to be rebuked for that sin!
In our Hellenistic societies the people have the ability by popular vote to maintain control over such issues if they desired to exercise their choice and will. It would seem that in the end the people simply do not want to install, through the electoral process, those leaders willing to take on the challenge. It would seem that the people, despite pockets of concern and critique are actually content with the current state of moral decay in this author's opinion!
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