Containing
1) Family Law
(Behind Closed Doors, Lev. 18.)
2) Teaching
Daughters to Blaspheme (Titus 2:3)
3) War Against
the Family (The Strengthened State, Lev. 18)
The following is a short study from Leviticus 18:1-19, giving some general laws dealing with practical family matters. Though the world says that what goes on in private is no one's business except the "consenting adults," these laws show us that God is concerned about every detail of life. This section shows that His authority reaches into the most private and secret areas of life—He sees everything, and rewards, either good or bad, accordingly. (We urge the reader to look up the passages.)
God now prepares His people to be a peculiar treasure unto their God by separating them from the overwhelming pagan society which will surround them on every side:
5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. (Exo. 19. 1 Peter 1:15, 16, 2:9.)
[Lev. 18] In this chapter the Israelites are directed in general not to imitate the customs and practices of the Egyptians and Canaanites, but to keep the ordinances, statutes, and judgments of the Lord, Le 18:1-5; and they are instructed particularly to avoid incestuous marriages, Le 18:6-18; carnal copulation with a menstruous woman, Le 18:19; adultery, Le 18:20; letting any of their seed pass through the fire to Molech, Le 18:21; sodomy, Le 18:22; and bestiality, Le 18:23; and they are deterred from these things by observing to them the pollution and destruction which they brought on the inhabitants of Canaan, and would bring the same on them should they commit them, Le 18:24-30. (Gill)
The Lord here prepares His people for the entrance into the
land of Canaan where the listed sins were very prevalent. He tells
His people what He expects of them BEFORE they must confront
the wickedness.
Vv. 1-5. These first five verses introduce the Lord, and
tell by what authority He speaks.
1) I am the Lord your God...
He sets before them His authority, and His constraining love. He knows our frame, and He sees that man resents interference with his liberty in the things of daily life and private actions, more than in anything else; therefore, to silence objection, and to draw the will, He adduces the argument of His sovereignty and love. (Bonar.)
Christians have been made partakers of the divine nature,
having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust,
2 Pe 1:4. The root of sin is basically when they knew God,
they glorified him not as God, Rom 1:21. Throughout Scripture,
God makes sure His people know Who He is, yet they fall into sin.
2) Land of Egypt... land of Canaan... The people were surrounded
by paganism. The wilderness was really the only place where paganism
did not prevail.
3) The purpose of the laws the Lord is about to give to His people:
V. 5, which if a man do he shall live in them;
live a long life in the land of Canaan, in great happiness and prosperity, see De 30:20 Isa 1:19; for as for eternal life, that was never intended to be had, nor was it possible it could be had and enjoyed by obedience to the law, which fallen man is unable to keep; but is what was graciously promised and provided the covenant of grace, before the world was, to come through Christ, as a free gift to all that believe in him, see Ga 3:11,12,21; though some Jewish writers interpret this of eternal life, as Jarchi, Aben Ezra, and Ben Gersom: (Gill.)
Moreover, though modern writers might attempt to identify this
statement with eternal life, e.g., Romans 10:5, the law
never promised eternal life, so such a thing must not be read
into it. (See Isa. 55:3.) Rather, the Lord is promising a long,
healthy life on this earth live by doing what the Lord commands.
(Pro. 14:27, 19:23. Notice Ps. 69:32, dependance upon the Lord
through faith and prayer leads to long life.)
Significantly, today's "Health" movement emphasizes
diet and "clean living," but it sees little or no need
for Biblical morality. The natural man sees no problem with an
immoral lifestyle, substituting health food and exercise for morality.
(See 1 Tim. 4:8.)
Medical answers for illness and longer life are being financed
and sought world-wide, e.g., AIDS. Answers may be found,
but Scripture clearly tells us that a long, healthy life is a
direct result of following God's moral and dietary laws.
Ephesians 6:2, 3, promises a shortened life span to those who
remain in sin. Clearly, Christ is the source of life, and those
who turn their backs on Him and His Word have turned from not
only spiritual life, but from physical life. (Jude 12, speaks
of those who promise long life, yet have only death to offer.
The offer of longer life through a healthier life style apart
from Godly morality is a cloud without water. Maybe people
are living longer through medical advances as Biblical Christianity
fades into the background, but notice the horrendous increase
in natural disasters. See vv. 25-30 below. See also Eph. 4:18,
1 Tim. 5:6, Rev. 3:1. Moreover, if the "Promise Keepers Revival"
were as Godly as its supporters claim, and the Gothardites as
numerous as claimed, why the increase in "natural disasters?")
4) God's law is perfect:
But if, as most think, we are to take, in this place the words "live in them" as meaning "eternal life to be got by them," the scope of the passage is, that so excellent are God's laws, and every special, minute detail of these laws, that if a man were to keep these always and perfectly, this keeping would be eternal life to him. And the quotations in Rom. x. 5, and Gal. iii. 12, would seem to determine this to be the true and only sense here. (Bonar.)
Thus God's law is so good and perfect that IF one could keep it perfectly, THEN he would have eternal life. Clearly, no man can keep it perfectly, though Christ did. The point is, however, that The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple, Psalms 19:7. Though the family laws of Leviticus 18 seem to the natural man restrictive to his activities, the laws presented are perfect. A person will "live" according to the extent they are followed. Live, however, must speak of physical life, e.g., Proverbs 3:1, 2.
Vv. 6ff., His authority established, the Lord proceeds to give
laws pertaining to morality, laws that will counter the lust of
the flesh, laws which if ignored will lead to deathdeath at the
hand of God, the hand of man, or at the hand of disease. The following
family laws show us that the Lord takes great care to protect
the family. We should mention that when civil government fails
to exercise the same care of the family as does the Lord, it self-destructs.
This is the first time laws against incest are given. Apparently
up to this point, marriage between close relatives, even brothers
and sisters, were permitted, e.g., Abram and Sarai. But
evidently first cousin marriages were permitted. Modern civil
law forbids marriage closer than second cousins.
The law of the Lord covers every area of life and thought, even
the most intimate and secret, so that even sex within marriage
is restricted:
Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. (Heb. 13:4.)
As with all other passages in Scripture, Hebrews 13:4 will not stand alone: Leviticus 18 lists several things that clearly defile the "marriage bed," bringing God's wrath against the "defilers." He demands purity in the family and in the marriage union.
Having, in former chapters, fenced His own tabernacle, He now fences the tabernacles of men. (Bonar.)
I am the Lord. Again, the Lord reminds them of His authority to tell them how to live even in their most private lives. Though the laws are addressed to Israel, they obviously apply to the whole of mankind. The Lord charged the Canaanites with the evils listed in this chapterimmorality of all kinds. Some of the evils are listed that resulted in the land spewing out the Canaanites, vv. 3, 24, 25.
V. 6, Geneva: "That is, to lie with her, though it be under title of marriage." Thus this passage primarily refers to marriage, not fornication. V. 6, introduces sins that are clearly immoral. The family laws of chapter 18 are still binding, simply amplifying the seventh commandment, protecting God's order in the family. The different channels in which lust might flow are pointed out, and then filled upchoked upby the Divine prohibition. (Bonar.)
God desires that inner family relationships be without impure, lustful motives. The earthly family relationship is to resemble the heavenly family relationship. Speaking to the Christian family at large through Paul, He said,
The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity. (1 Tim. 5:2.)
The law of Moses, Leviticus 18, requires pure affection among physical family members, free of lustful desires. The law of Christ, 1 Timothy 5:2, requires pure affection among the spiritual family members. In both cases, our love and care one for another must be holy and pure. (See 1 Tim. 4:12, Ph. 4:8, 1 Thes. 5:22, & 2 Tim. 2:22.)
The case of grandchildren, in ver. 10, 11, [17, 18, ed.] has an interesting feature in it. It might happen that after a father's death, the original family would be broken up. The widow married again, and her new family grew up in youth and beauty. These daughters are like strangers to the original family; still, a relationship has been formed, however slight it appear: these are to be reckoned sisters of the original family. Thus the Lord multiplied the links of connection, and kept connections unbroken. (Bonar.)
There was an exception, Deuteronomy 25:5-10: The brother was to marry his dead brother's wife and raise up seed to his brother. But the law's specific purpose was to preserve the family and inheritance unbroken until the Messiah should come.
There are several points in this chapter that the patriarchs
"violated," e.g., v. 18, Jacob took two sisters
as wives, Rachel and Leah. Thus the Lord TOLERATED
polygamy, but in the beginning, it was not soMatthew 19:18, because
of the hardness of your hearts...
Polygamy, though clearly a lessor state, was better than fornication
and/or adultery: The family with more than one wife still had
one head, the husband, who was to be under the One Head, Jehovah
God. The imperfect state of polygamy looked forward to the perfect
state of Christ and His Church:
As such, it [polygamy, ed] was permitted to remain in Israel, in order to keep them in expectation of a higher and better order of things, resembling far more nearly the order of unfallen Paradise, where there was union between one man and one womana shadow of Christ and His Church... The New Testament law of marriage is the revival of the original type of Christ and His Church. (Bonar.)
The entire Book of Hebrews tells us that Christ and His Church
are better than anything offered under the old covenant.([Keep
in mind, however, that the Commandments are the law of both the
Old and New Covenant.) We are thus confronted with a question:
If the Lord God were to "remarry" Old Testament Israel,
as some teach He will at a future date, would not He Himself destroy
the "better" picture presented by His New Testament
Church? Moreover, would He not violate His own law found in Deuteronomy
24:4, forbidding remarrying a former wife? (Remember, Christ is
the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, Isa 9:6.)
These laws dealing with the family repaired to some degree the
disunion of the Fall and the divisions of Babel. Christ, the Law
of God, reverses the effects of sin.
These laws were not ceremonial precepts, and, accordingly,
they are permanent in their obligations. They bind all nations,
even as does the seventh commandment. They are so truly moral
obligations, that in ver. 24, 25, the Canaanites are stamped with
infamy for not having recognised and observed them. It is plain,
therefore, that these laws were in force before the Mosaic
ritual existed; and if so, they have patriarchal authority:
Of course Cain and Abel were not under this law; they married their sisters. Abraham marrying his half-sister, Sarah, is an instance of the unsettled state of the law then... Temporary considerations were allowed by God to supersede these precepts on some occasions... (Bonar.)
God deals with and works with individuals. Every person is
different, and God deals with each differently, but He is the
One Who must make the exceptions, e.g., David, "Thou
shalt not die" he was told over his sordid affair.
There is no hint in the New Testament that these family laws have
been repealed; rather, Paul, expressing horror that a man would
marry his father's widowor step-motherunequivocally declares that
he recognised the precepts of Leviticus 18 in both moral
and divine authority.
Vv. 7, 8 & 1 Corinthians 5:1, Paul points out that Divine
law is written in the heart of all men, not so much as named
among them. No man has an excuse.
May we not here, from the fact that in this instance human law and feeling among the heathens coincided with the Divine, derive light as to the other commandments? If the law of God be thus recognised by the human conscience in cases such as these, is it not plain that the same conscience will yet testify to all other parts of this holy law in like manner? There is sufficient to prove that the law was once there, and sufficient also to prove that it was displaced. (Bonar.)
The Divine law, i.e., the Ten Commandments, was and is written in the being of all men by their Creator. (Rom. 1:28 ... to retain God in their knowledge:)
[O]r to own and acknowledge him as God, to worship and glorify him as such; but took every method to erase this knowledge out of their minds, and keep it from others... (John Gill.)
Wicked man must make a conscience effortworkto remove or repress the knowledge of God, for His Divine law is written in every person. When man makes that effort long enough, God gives them over to a reprobate mind:
[A] vain empty mind, worthless, good for nothing devoid of all true knowledge and judgment; incapable of approving what is truly good, or of disapproving that which is evil; a mind that has lost all conscience of things, and is disapproved of by God, and all good men: (ibid.)
V. 18 is easy to overlook, to vex her. Though polygamy
was permitted as an imperfect way of life, a man could not marry
a woman and her sister, e.g., Leah and Rachel.
The Lord gives a law to protect personal feelings of individuals.
V. 19 fits more with the previous passage than with the following,
for it assumes that the uncovering takes place within proper
marriage relationships; this law checks even lawful intercourse
between husband and wife.
Israel failed to abide by the law given in Leviticus 18, Ezekiel
22:10ff.
The Law of God is concerned with what goes on behind closed doors,
even the inner bedroom of the proper family. The Lord leaves no
area of life to man's imagination.
[As a father of two girls, 9 & 17, I had to rethink several things. I have placed some of the areas of thought in past mailings. This is another point that must be considered by Christians and fathers of young ladies. Of course, the following is presented for consideration assuming a consistent Christian home and with the understanding that all the Bible training in the world will do nothing but bring rebellion unless the young person is a new creation in Christ Jesus, "born again." Our older daughter found it very disheartening that all but three girls she knows her age have either rushed to marry or have started living with boys, and most were from a "Christian" school. Rebellion against the parents' authority that causes a young person to take up an immoral lifestyle, either in or out of his/her parents' house, is an obvious sign of desperately needed genuine conversion.]
Has the Christian community yielded to social pressure, and is it now is teaching its daughters to bring reproach upon the name of the God whereby we are called? Paul is cleartraining up a young lady to be self-sufficient and able to make it on her brings reproach upon God and His Word:
Titus 2:3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; 4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
Blasphemed to be evil spoken of, reviled, railed at. (Thayer.)
As found in:
And not [rather], (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just. (Romans 3:8.)
Let not then your good be evil spoken of: (Romans 14:16.)
Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, [and are] the offscouring of all things unto this day. (1 Corinthians 4:13.)
Comments:
That the word of God be not blasphemed. That the gospel may not be injuriously spoken of (See Barnes "Mt 9:3",) on account of the inconsistent lives of those who profess to be influenced by it. The idea is, that religion ought to produce the virtues here spoken of, and that when it does not, it will be reproached as being of no value. (Barnes.)
blasphemed" evil spoken of." That no reproach may be cast on the Gospel, through the inconsistencies of its professors (#Tit 2:8,10 Ro 2:24 1Ti 5:14 6:1). "Unless we are virtuous, blasphemy will come through us to the faith" [THEOPHYLACT]. (Jamieson, Fausset, Brown.)
That the word of God be not blasphemed: as for the discharge of their duty towards God, so for the credit and reputation of the gospel, that for their carriage contrary to the rules of nature and morality, as well as of religion, the gospel may not be evil spoken of, as if from that they had learned their ill and indecent behaviour.
We live in a society that has been very effectively "secularized:" the practical applications of God's Word have been almost totally removed and replaced by humanistic, man-centered thinking. The only hope for the future is to rethink every area of life in terms of the Word of God. This is particularly important when we consider that we must prepare a new generation of young people to face the difficult times ahead in what appears to be a developing pagan society. Are we going to raise a generation that trusteth in man or a generation that trusteth in the Lord? If Christians actually believe what they claim, they will act upon and according to the Word of God regardless of what surrounding society thinks, says &/or does.
5 ¶ Thus saith the LORD; Cursed [be] the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. 6 For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, [in] a salt land and not inhabited. 7 Blessed [is] the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. 8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and [that] spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. 9 The heart [is] deceitful above all [things], and desperately wicked: who can know it? 10 I the LORD search the heart, [I] try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, [and] according to the fruit of his doings. 11 [As] the partridge sitteth [on eggs], and hatcheth [them] not; [so] he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool. (Jer. 5:7-11.)
Every area of life and thought must be reconsidered, starting
with the families. Parents, fathers especially, must realign their
actions and attitudes toward their children with the Word of God
and train them accordingly. I suppose my heart is toward the daughters
in a family because we only have daughters.
Unknown to most parents and pastors, they are likely training
sincere, Godly Christian young ladies to bring reproach upon the
Word of God by urging them to depart from their fathers' homes
before marriage. When we train up girls to be self-sufficient,
we do it to our own destruction and to the destruction of society.
Certainly, it may seem right to the deceitful, desperately wicked
heart to urge and train girls to be self-sufficient, but the Word
of God searches and tries the reins of the heart. The Lord will
return upon all according to their doings. Thus when Christian
young people are trained contrary to the Word of God, we can fully
expect society in general to blaspheme God.
The training of young women to bring reproach upon the Lord and
to provide the enemy with the opportunity to blaspheme the Word
of God probably started in earnest with WW II: Men went to the
war and women went to the factories. One of our men said that
his grandfather told him that he, the grandfather, said at the
start of WW II when women went into the factory, "This is
the end of America." How right he was.
God created man. Then He created woman to be man's helpmeet. (1
Cor. 11, 1 Tim 2.) Therefore, the goal of both the church and
family must be training Christian young ladies to fit within God's
creative plan and purpose. Notice Paul's instructions to Titus
in Titus 2:3-5 (above).
The Books of Timothy and Titus are known as "Pastoral Epistles."
Thus they are instructions to pastors concerning training God's
people. Though speaking of young widows, Paul's instructions to
Timothy should be noted:
I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully. For some are already turned aside after Satan. (1 Tim 5:14, 15.)
Patric Fairbairn, writing in 1874, said concerning Titus 2:4, 5:
That they school the young women to be lovers of their husbands, lovers of their children; ver. 5, discreet chaste, workers at home, good, submitting themselves to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed ...The word, though originally signifying to make discreet or prudent, came often to be used in the more general sense of schooling, or admonishing, with a view to the possession of certain things; and the reason, probably, why the apostle here used it, instead of some word expressive simply of teaching or instructing, was, that on account of the youth of the parties in question, he contemplated the necessity of a kind of authoritative disciplinary treatment from the older to the younger Christian females... In the epithets themselves, which mark the different characteristics that were to be the objects of the schooling, there is no proper difficulty; they are all such as especially became young women who were disposed to bring their Christianity to bear on the regulation of their conduct in daily life, and through this reflect honour on their Saviour... [After describing the characteristics of vv. 4 & 5, he concludes] In a measure, however, this must be carried back over the whole description; for in any one respect a behaviour contrary to that recommended would more or less have the effect of bringing reproach on God's word. [Pastoral Epistles, by Patrick Fairbairn, originally published by T & T Clark, 1874. Reprint by Klock & Klock, 1980, pp 273, 274.]
Observesubmitting themselves to their own husbands, that
the word of God be not blasphemed. When a single young lady
enters into the work place, she must submit herself to the authority
other than her father's, and when a married woman enters the work
place, she must submit to authority other than her own husband's
. And thus she causes the Word of God to be blasphemed.
Moreover, those who "hire" her to be under their authority
are guilty of bringing reproach upon the Word of God.
If Paul meant what he told Timothy and Titus, and if we are not
allowed to do evil that good may come of it, (Romans 3:8) where
does this leave Christian ministries, churches and Christian Schools?
Do we really believe God's Word? Are we willing to live by His
law-word when the cost of such living is more than we planned,
and brings hardship?
Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. (Rom. 2:23, 24.)
Thus training of young Christian ladies in behaviour contrary
to that commanded by Paul brings reproach on God's Word. Paul's
instructions to Titus, contrary to most modern Christian opinions
and actions, were not voided by W W II. The training of Christian
young ladies for life must fit within the general guidelines given
by the Spirit. All of Proverbs 31 easily fits within those general
guidelines.
Primarily, young ladies are to be taught proper submission to
Godly authority, not how to be self-sufficient. Sadly, because
young men are not trained in the home to be Godly, responsible
men, women are being forced into self-sufficiency. Thus a young
lady's father desperately needs to closely examine her prospective
husband.
Therefore, training that does not fit within the Spirit's general
guidelines trains daughters to blaspheme the word of God. Paul
clearly tells Titus how young ladies are to be trained.
Our point is this: Godly Christian parents, even with the encouragement
of Godly pastors, are pressuring young ladies to leave home and
become self-sufficient, e.g., "It's time to go to
college and learn a `trade,' &c." Obviously, all young
ladies who go "on their own" from the pressure of their
parents will not go to the devil. But why tempt the Lord? Why
give an occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully?
(1 Tim. 5:14.) God, in His creation purpose, did not create Eve
to be self-sufficient and on her own. Has God's purpose changed
since Eve's creation?
There are several things that might cause daughters to feel pressured
to leave their father's house, e.g.:
First, not letting them grow up at home. As they get older,
parents may be inclined to continue treating them as 12 year olds
with the same restrictions and demands. As they get older, they
must have more freedom. Either they will have freedom under the
Godly authority of their parents, or they will find freedom on
their own. Of course, freedom cannot be license to sin. Single
young people, especially a young lady, must always have boundaries
in order to feel securethat is the way the Lord made us, e.g.,
this is the way, walk ye in it. Thus when she is urged
or even forced out on her own, she establishes her own boundaries,
and the word of God is blasphemed.
Second, she is told in words &/or attitudes that it
is time to move out. A girl is not a boy. A boy should be trained
to be on his own, responsible and self-sufficient under God, but
a girl is not so equipped by God. Thus when daughters are told,
"You are this age, it's time to move out," they are
being forced into something they are not equipped by God to handle.
Certainly, there are Godly single women who have remained so in
order to serve the Lord. But their service fits within the guidelines
established by the Spirit. We are here considering parents pressuring
and training their daughters to be self-sufficient and independent
of authority, viz., "on their own." As mentioned
above, our corrupt society in which men refuse to be men many
times forces young ladies into "self-sufficient" situations.
If they are forced into such situations, that is a different story,
but they should still be well-prepared to know what to expect,
to remain close to the Lord and to be responsive to proper authority.
Fathers (& mothers) may use many reasons to excuse molding
their daughters into women who can fit into the "working"
world, but they will be hard pressed to justify their actions
from the Word of God. Paul did not say that the Spirit's command
in Titus 2 is only in effect until the twentieth century.
Recently, the media proclaimed the glories of 500 women going on the Aircraft Carrier Eisenhower where 6,000 men are stationed (pregnancy, said the ship's captain, is no more of a problem than a broken leg. Abortion?). Women are reaching unequaled levels of "equality" with men. Though Bible believing Christians and pastors may be loudly proclaiming the shame of women taking on obviously unBiblical, antiChristian roles in society, the "Women's Lib" movement appears to be gaining great strength. But the problem starts in the "Christian" homesthey have trained and are training their own Christian daughters to bring reproach upon the Word of God.
While on the subject of young ladies, let us consider a word concerning the apparel of a Christian woman. R.J. Rushdoony, in one of his lesson tapes on Deuteronomy, called attention to a statement made by Adam Clarke (1762-1832). Speaking concerning Deut 22:5, Clarke said:
[that which pertaineth unto a man] the instruments or arms of a man. As the word [Hebrew] geber is here used, which properly signifies a strong man or man of war, it is very probable that armour is here intended; especially as we know that in worship of Venus, to which that of Astarte or Ashtraouth among the Canaanites bore a striking resembalance, the women were accustomed to appear in armour before her. It certainly cannot mean a simple change in dress, whereby the men might pass for women, and vice versa. This would have been impossible in those countries where the dress of the sexes had but little to distinguish it, but where every man wore a long beard. It is, however, a very good general precept understood literally, and applies particularly to those countries where the dress alone distinguishes between the male and the female. The close-shaved gentleman may at any time appear like a woman in the female dress, and the woman appear as a man in the male's attire. Were this to be tolerated in society, it would produce the greatest confusion... [Clarke's Commentary in 6 volumes, Abingdon-Cokesbury Press, New York - Nashville. Vol I, pp 794, 795.1
Thas God speaks clearly against several things in Deut 22:5:
1) women in the military; 2) women in occupations that are generally
associated with men, and 3) women who are indistinguishable from
men in their dress. When dress is the primary distinction between
the sexes, then woman are forbidden to wear men's apparel.
Men and women wearing the same attire alter the order of nature,
and show their despite or scorn for God. Women wearing men's apparel
in society brings confusion to God's created order. (1 Cor. 14:33.)
Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. (Rom. 2:23, 24.)
Obviously, Romans 2 refers to circumcision, but the point is
this many who boast of their love for the Word of God are dishonoring
God by causing the name of God to be blasphemed in their families
and in their churches. Christians cannot condemn the unGodly for
blaspheming God when their own actions contrary to the Word of
God are what causes the word of God to be blasphemed by the unGodly.
We must rethink every area in terms of the Word of God, starting
in our own homes.
From 3/96
The Lord is strict in Leviticus 18 in protecting the family. The
first part of Leviticus 18 dealt with inner-family evils. Then
in vv. 20-32, He deals with evil from outside the family. Significantly,
there appears to be almost as many laws protecting the family
unit as there are protecting the relationship with the Lord. Moreover,
note there are no laws protecting the state. MY! HOW FAR WE HAVE
COME FROM GOD'S WORD.
It is easy, therefore, to see what is going on around us. As the family disintegrates, the state is strengthened. Hence, it is to the state's advantage to not only permit activities that weaken and destroy the family, e.g., drugs, pornography, abortion, but the state might even lead in destroying the family unit, e.g., antichrist (statists) education of all kinds, particularly in the government school systemsex education, drug education, "alternate life-style" or sodomite education, rebellion education (call this number if you feel your parents abuse you), death education (visit the funeral home and write your own obituaryand then we wonder why so many suicides among young people), teaching facts without Godwhich only makes man more effective in his rebellion against God, teaching the THEORY of evolution that man is simply an animal walking upright, &c. Other areas of state sponsored and financed efforts to destroy the family include: a welfare system that pays for children out of wedlock, a tax system that penalizes marriage, laws that support and encourage sodomy and murder/abortion and an endless list of other anti-family "laws" and activities not only condoned by, but sponsored by the state in its war against God. No doubt one of the most effective attacks against the family is the inheritance (death) taxes where the heirs must sell the inheritance to pay the taxes. Having lived in a farming community, I found that many times someone died and left the farm to the children, the children had to sell the land to pay the taxes.
Whether the destruction of the family is intentional or not by the perpetrators of the above activities, the enemy of all godliness knows what he is doing. (2 Cor. 10:4.) For he is neither asleep nor loafing on the job. He is alert to every opportunity to move against God wherever man ignores the Word of God. We will mention that he has the God-given authority to take over areas forsaken by Christians. (2 Tim. 2:26, &c.) In other words, he knows that the Kingdom of God on earth is built on strong family units, or the Lord God would not have made such a big issue of the family. He knows that the Lord emphasized, gave power to and strengthened the family, not the state. He knows that a strong, oppressive state depends on weak families. He knows the desires of carnal men (see Rom. 8:6, 7, the minding of the flesh, marg and 1 Cor. 3:1-3), and if he can make sin convenient and attractive, family members will follow after evil, undermining the family. He knows the Word of God, and that the result of families weakened by sin will be just as the Lord promised in 1 Samuel 8a strengthened, oppressive state, a "One World Government" if you please. Strong Christian family unitsas defined in places such as Leviticus 18, Ephesians 6 and Colossians 3are the major obstacles to rebuilding Babel. Thus the all out attack against Biblical family unit.
Have you noticed the consistent, open attack against godly family relations on prime-time TV "sitcoms?" The warfare against godly family units could not be more open. It is everywhere one turns. Sadly, Christians either do not know there is a war going on, or they ignore the fact there is a war. They live and act like Christianity is a shot of immunity against the vain words and philosophies of evil men. They seem to feelpresumethat as Christians they can willingly and knowingly expose themselves and their children to antichrist words and philosophies from various sources with God's protection.
Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. {disobedience: or, unbelief} Be not ye therefore partakers with them. (Eph. 5:6, 7.)
In Ephesians chapter 5, Paul not only gives laws to protect
the family, but he speaks against several more things that fit
into the context of the family: covetousness, foolish talking,
inconvenient jesting and general uncleanness.
In vv. 6, 7, he points out that the wrath of God cometh upon
the children of disobedience, and that Christians are not
to partake of the mentioned sins. The warning is that if Christians
fail to keep the laws protecting the inner man and the family
unit, God will move against them. 1 Samuel 8 tells us that the
primary way He moves against the sins of His people is by exalting
a strong, oppressive state.
Remember Balaam and Balak? Balak, King of Moab, saw that God's
people, having defeated the Amorites, were too strong for him,
so he hired Balaam to curse Israel, Numbers 22-24. Unable to curse
God's people to give Moab the upper hand on the battle field,
Balaam taught Balak how to weaken God's people from within, so
God's hand would be against His own people, Revelation 2:14. (See
also Num. 31:16, Mic. 6:5, 2 Pet. 2:15, Jude 11.) Balaam taught
Balak to weaken Israel's family unit by sending Moab's women among
them, Numbers 25. (V. 3, and the anger of the LORD was kindled
against Israel. One can only imagine how Moab's females looked
and acted in order to attract Israel's men to them. Notice that
the attractive females on the "sitcoms" are the ones
taking the lead in seducing the males. The "sitcoms"
make it appear that such seductions are simply a natural part
of life, as are sodomite "relationships.")
Thus Israel of old illustrates what Paul meant in Ephesians 5:6
& 7, when he said that the wrath of God cometh upon the
children of disobedience. The enemy knew then and he knows
now that if he can undermine the family unit, he has God's hand
against His own people.
My first wife, Carol (who passed away with cancer in 1999) and I attended a funeral of a beloved friend, a college instructor who introduced us several years ago. At the funeral, I overheard one pastor tell another about his goal to build a church, and his need to increase by 10 families a year. The two then discussed building churches. The phrase catching and retaining my attention was, "build a church." What, may we ask, has happened to building families and building up people in the Word of God and faith? Maybe it was just a phrase, or maybe the pastor really meant what he said, but we all know of churches that try to have something for the "family" every night of the week. They even borrow huge sums of money to build "family centers." What is wrong with making the home the "family center?" An excuse I have encountered is "Well, they will just stay home and watch TV, so we try to give them something godly to do here on the premises." Maybe if individuals and families were built up in the Word of God and the Christian faith, we would not have to worry about what they do at home. Has the "megachurch" become as much an enemy of the Godly family unit as are "sitcoms?"
"Building churches" means that the messages from the pulpit must consistently be motivational and/or evangelistic, viz., the pressure is always on to get the 10 new families, or the goalmortgage payment!!will not be met. Families are used, consequently, to build the church, rather than the church used to build families in the Christian faith. The pressure is on, so there is little or no time, motivation nor energy to systematically teach God's Word.
Balaam taught Balak to move against the Christian family, i.e.,
Israel, and then God Himself would move against His people.
This pastor personally knows of churches that appear to be well
instructed by Balak: The churches themselves move to destroy the
family by providing something every night for every member of
the family, encouraging each member to go his or her own way to
do his or her own thing. (Not long ago, 9/02, we attended a big
Baptist Church in Texas. As we walked into the auditorium for
the Sunday morning "worship" service, we saw a separate
building across the entrance drive that was the "teen center."
The music coming from that building was what one would expect
to hear on MTV, as they invited all the teens to join in the teen
center apart from their parents for the morning service. Christina
was about the only teen in the very large service. One can only
imagine what goes on through the week at the teen center.)
Numbers 25, however, did not leave God's people in the hands of
the enemy: The sin was dealt with by God's appointed judges exercising
righteous judgment according to the Word of the Lord, v. 5. Then
the chapter closes with the Lord's command to vex those
who worked to destroy the family. God's people were commanded
to be hostile toward the Midianites, and smite them. The
reason is given in v. 18, For they vex you with their wiles...
Thus God's people were told to war against those working to destroy
the family by teaching Israel to violate God's Word, and to commit
fornication.
Notice the next chapter, Numbers 26, opens with the people preparing
for war. The weakened family strengthened the enemy's hand, but
when the sin was dealt with, God's people were strengthened.
Though Paul did not tell God's people to smite the promoters
of the destruction of the family, he certainly did command they
treat them as enemies of them and their families. They must beware
and even avoid where possible those working and teaching against
the Christian family unit. (Col. 2:8, 1 Tim. 1:6, 6:20, 2 Tim.
2:16, Titus 1:10. 3:9, &c.)
Sad to say, however, the TV shows militating against the Christian
family unit are the top rated shows, and the churches attempting
to replace the family, urging the family to build around the church,
are the churches that are, as a rule, attracting the families.
Can we complain about the strengthened state that militates against
the family when we tolerate and support "Christian"
works that strengthen themselves by undermining the family?
The Lord Jehovah gave an abundance of laws pertaining to, protecting
and strengthening the family. One will not find one law where
the church or state is strengthen at the expense of the family.
Notice, furthermore, that midst the laws in Leviticus 18 protecting
the family is found v. 21:
And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD. {Molech: Gr. Moloch}
John Gill (1696-1771) makes this important point long before the modern state as we know it:
Ver. 21. And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, &c.] The name of an image or idol, according to Aben Ezra, who observes, that their wise men interpret it as a general name for everyone whom they made to reign over them; and it is right, he says, that it is the abomination of the children of Ammon, and so the same with Milcom, 1Ki 11:5; and with Baal, as appears from Jer 32:35; and they are both of much the same signification, the one signifies a king, the other a lord; and perhaps is the same with the Melicarthus of Sanchoniatho {y}, who is also Hercules; to whom Pliny says {z} that the Phoenicians offered human sacrifices every year: of Molech,...
because the word "fire" is not in the original text, some, as Aben Ezra observes, explain the phrase, "let to pass through", of their causing them to pass from the law of God to the religion of Molech, or of devoting them to his service and worship; but the word "fire" is rightly supplied, as it may be from #De 18:10; and the same writer says, the phrase to pass through is the same as to burn; but though this they sometimes did, even burn their infants, and sacrificed them to idols, 2Ch 28:3 Ps 106:37,38 Eze 16:20,21; yet this seems to be something short of that, and to be done in the manner, as Jarchi and other Jewish writers {a} relate; who say, the father delivered his son to the priests (of Molech) and they made two great fires, and caused the son to pass on foot between the two fires, which was a kind of a lustration, and so of a dedication of them to the idol; though it must be owned that both were done; yea, that both the phrases of passing through the fire, and of burning, are used promiscuously of the same, see 2Ki 16:3; compared with 2Ch 28:3 and also Eze 16:20,21; and they might be both done at different times, or the one previous and in order to the other; and perhaps they might cause the child so often and so long to pass through the fire, as that at last it was burnt and destroyed:
neither shall thou profane the name of thy God; who had given them children, and to whom they ought to have devoted them, and in whose service they should have trained them up to the honour of his name; but instead of that profaned it, by the above idolatrous and cruel usages:
I am the Lord; who would avenge such a profanation of his name.
[{y} Apud, Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 1. p. 38. {z} Nat. Hist. l. 36. c. 5. {a} Ben Melech in loc. Kimchii Sepher Shorash. rad. Klm.]
It is interesting that v. 21 is placed in the midst of the laws protecting the family.
Fire to Molech... Could mean a literal fire into which children were cast, seemingly the standard understanding of the passage. However, Molech, according to both Gill and the Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge, "signifies a king, or governor, or similar import with Baal, lord, or governor..." (Online Bible.)
V. 21 is placed in the midst of the laws concerning the family; therefore, the law in v. 21 further protects the family. It clearly protects the family's children by forbidding them from being turned over to the pagan gods, e.g., the state, education, mammon, religion, &c.
Vv. 24-28, iniquity done in secret cries out to God for public vengeance, for the land will "spew out" its inhabitantsWhat evil there is in lukewarmness in His sight may be inferred from the use of this expression in Rev. iii. 16the very expression applied to the most abominable state of society that could be imagined! O man, are you pleasing the world? Are you content with a hope? Are you going as near as possible to the world? Are you a decent, moral, nay, highly-respected professor, who avoids being over-zealous? Satisfied with being, as you think, saved, though still unholy? Are you trying to gain both worlds? Are you thinking to walk on to heaven in a way that is scoffing world will not discover? Then, tremble! He will as assuredly spue thee out of His mouth as if thou hadst all the lusts of lustful Canaan! (Bonar.)
Accordingly, the terrible natural disasters taking place at
the end of this present millennium are a result of the public
acceptance of the glorified attacks against God's order for the
family. They are the God-promised results of the lukewarm
Christianity and ungodly paganism that permeates our social order.
Those who listen to Rush Limbaugh know that he continually, and
rightly, "attacks" the lack of good morality in the
Clinton Administration. But he, like most other people, lays the
blame for America's moral ills at the "top," giving
the impression that if the lack of morality can be dealt with
at the "top," the "bottom" will fall into
line. However, that is not at all what the Word of God even implies.
Certainly, God requires all authority to live godly, but we see
from Leviticus 18:24-30, that the previous laws were given to
individuals, applying to EVERYONE who lived in the land, Israelite
and non-Israelite alikethere could be no exceptions. The individuals
were responsible to keep themselves pure. Notice, moreover, that
individual, private, personal sins have national repercussionsGod's
law controls what takes place in the bedroom. Prevalent private
sins among the people, Christians and non Christians, result in
national judgmentsthe land wars against its inhabitants. The Lord
promises to judge the private evils of individuals. He promises
to use the land to judge the evil. War against the family is war
against God. War against God is war against God's law. War against
God's law is war against God's creation, and God's creation will
win.
The sins the Lord spoke against in this section were, evidently,
common practice in both Egyptwhere they just came fromand in Canaanwhere
they were headed. So to prepare His people for what they were
about to face, the Lord gives what is found in Leviticus 18. He
warns His people to remain free from the sins of the surrounding
pagans, and He warns of the results if they do not heed the warning.
We should point out that only by the grace of God will one remain
free and above the mentioned sins.
Either we will have strong families according to Leviticus 18,
Ephesians 6 and Colossians 3, or we will have a strong state,
attempting to be not only father and mother to every person in
the world, but also the lord of the whole earth. Furthermore,
we will have a strong creation, warring against sinful man, e.g.,
several "100 year floods" within just a very short time.
All societychurch, state, work place, &c.must protect, support
and strengthen the family, or God Himself will move:
Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. {disobedience: or, unbelief} Be not ye therefore partakers with them. (Eph. 5:6, 7.)
No doubt the home school movement is a giant step in reclaiming
the family for godliness. We can be assured that as the family
is strengthened the state will be weakened, so it is only a matter
of time before the state must take action against the home school
threat against its unbridled strength. If subtle efforts, such
as vouchers, will not work, then the state will take stronger
steps to protect its strength.
However, our efforts, both as churches and individuals, are not
to be centered in undermining the strong state. Our efforts are
to build strong, godly families.
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