Chapter
9:
1
Timothy 1:8-10 (NKJV)
But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully, 9) knowing this: that
the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless
and insubordinate,
for
the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers
and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10)
for fornicators, for sodomites, for
kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine,
2
Timothy 3:1-5 (NASB)
But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
2) For men (And Women) will be lovers
of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant,
revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful,
unholy, 3) unloving, irreconcilable,
malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters
of good, 4) treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than
lovers of God, 5) holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its
power. Avoid such men (and
women) as these.
CHAPTER
9:
Famous couples of
Genesis
So
far in this study we have concentrated on a concept of living called The
Way. This of course refers
to God’s Way of life, the way
of life called Christianity, but this way has
always existed. Recent attempts at
trying to modernize this
way of life are just empty tombs, spiritually speaking.
Like it or not, the Bible has a lot to say about everything.
If we are the true disciples of Christ, the Bible is our reference
manual, not the empty babbling of psychologists or self-professed scholars.
They may, or may not, know anything about any given topic.
Most often they just think they do.
Regardless
of our own opinions, will we accept
correction when we actually see it in the scriptures?
When we see what we need to change, will we do it?
Or, will we opt to do nothing and display the hireling
spirit? God has many laws that
apply to dating and betrothal.
Young people, if you see that you are not in line with these laws, will
you change? In the last chapter,
this study examined “Three Wrong Paths”
that you can be deceived into following. Being
presumptuous is a major problem with young people.
How
well I know the problems concerning how being presumptuous
can cause one to make a wrong turn off the freeway of life.
Back when most of us were leaving the Worldwide Church of God because of
the rampant heresy and open apostasy. Back
when we watched many ministers take the Bribe,
as Mario Hernandez termed this process. We
all left and tried to align somewhere. We
understood the commission of the church, so we looked for an organization to
align with. We naturally looked to
a group of older leaders forming the Global Church of God in 1993. It was natural to think, that surely the entire truth of God
was safe with these men. What we
failed to understand was that most of these men had been totally removed from
administrative positions for years. Yes,
we heard the familiar chant that this was to broaden the base of leaders, that
these actions gave others the opportunity to serve.
Actually, what happened was most of these men would not practice the form
of government they demand of the laity today.
The implications of their removal from high leadership was deafening.
The real problem was we were just presumptuous.
So were the self-appointed leaders.
The fruits of being presumptuous are that a lot of us find ourselves aligned with a
self-appointed leadership that still has not been able, since 1993, to determine
how to word an official statement of
beliefs. In reality, what we
sought to do was determine where Jesus Christ MUST do his work. Instead
of following Christ, we were trying to lead.
This is a classic example of getting off track, of really being PRESUMPTUOUS. How
much easier it is for young people to get off track concerning dating
and betrothal.
With this background, let’s examine another very important modern
custom in most western marriage ceremonies.
Oh yes, there are many customs that have survived the centuries.
They represent some of those outworn
ideas and ancient thought forms.
Or do they?
Is it that Simple?
One
thing the recent war in Afghanistan has done is make the fashion industry in the
United States and Europe aware of alternative fashion trends.
The rage of the news media is women’s rights, and of course I would
agree they certainly should have more rights, especially in third world
countries. All major papers show
pictures of men wearing black turbans and black clothes, packing cable whips.
These elite troops disciplined wanton women who practice lawlessness
by raising their Burkahs so that they could see to cross the street during rush
hour in Moslem countries or get a breath of fresh air.
These presumptuous hussies simply had to be whipped into line or they would drag the
whole nation down into sin with the infidels.
Now
that the Taliban has been removed, the lid is off Burkahs and fortunes are being
made in the Burkah business. There
are full length Burkahs, a shortly or waste length Burkah, and all colors of
Burkahs. Yes, there are fall
colors, the works. There are
Burkahs showing up everywhere. My
personal favorite, is the blue shortly. But,
did you ever really study where the Burkah came from.
Oddly,
you would discover, that women covering their heads has been considered the norm
over most of the world’s history. Only
in the last 100 years, in the United States and Europe, have women been allowed
to really let their hair down in public, so to speak. In the Catholic Church the nuns still wear very elaborate
black and white clothes that closely resembled a Burkah. The only difference is that the nuns did not cover their
faces. This custom came from
somewhere.
Most
of us have seen women with fancy hats at funerals and weddings with a veil
hanging from the brim. Where did
this idea come from? And yes, most
brides in wedding ceremonies, at least brides during their first wedding, wear a
veil. Where did this custom come
from? Why the idea came from
antiquity, one of those ancient thought
forms and the idea is still hanging around yet today.
A short study in Genesis will picture Rebekah dismounting her camel and
pulling a veil over her face (her head was undoubtedly covered too) when she
first met Isaac. Now she got that
idea from somewhere and there is no record of Isaac or Abraham or Sarah ever
formally objecting to this custom. Even
the apostle Paul taught women to cover their heads during services.
Where did he get that misguided idea? Hard as
it is to swallow, the only logical explanation is that it comes from the Bible.
These ancient thought forms probably came from The Ancient of Days.
So,
the next time you see Moslem women sporting the latest in fancy Burkahs, do not
be too critical. Without a study of
the Bible, you might find that you are the one out of line. Despite the influence of Hollywood and French designers, God
just may not have changed his mind about fancy women’s clothing.
Do not be presumptuous. Fashion
design and many worldly ideas that we take for granted, just do not fit the
Bible example.
The
point is, that before you dismiss a strange idea outright, all young people need
to slow down and think. They need
to ask themselves, “Where are we going?”
When your parents tell you no, it might just mean no, and have definite
biblical justification. Another example to illustrate this principle concerns the
traditional Church of God teaching concerning Christmas.
A Church of God minister will quickly field Jeremiah 10:1-5 to justify
why it is wrong to keep Christmas customs of the world.
Jeremiah
10:1-5 (RSV)
Hear the word which the LORD speaks to you, O house of Israel.
2) Thus says the LORD: "Learn not the way
of the nations, nor be dismayed at the signs of the heavens because the nations
are dismayed at them, 3) for the customs
of the peoples are false. A
tree from the forest is cut down, and worked with an axe by the hands of a
craftsman. 4) Men deck it with
silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so that it cannot move.
5) Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot
speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Be not afraid of them, for
they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good."
It
would be a Blind
Soul Indeed, that could not discern that this scriptural description
could be describing Christmas Trees. These
scriptures are at least talking about adorning some kind of wooden idol.
As we continue this study, to find out just what God says about parental
authority, it is important that you do not close your mind to what God will
reveal. Don’t believe me, believe your Bible. There are just some things that, “Ought not be done in Spiritual
Israel.” A final point to
be made before continuing is that we will find that many pagan or heathen
nations actually knew quite a bit about God’s laws.
Most predominant will be examples like that of the Pharaoh of Egypt and
Abimelech. They actually knew it
was unlawful to take another man’s wife.
Further, they were aware in Abraham’s time of The Eternal and actually
had a profound respect for this deity.
There
are some laws that just make common sense, even to an unconverted person.
Only totally reprobate minds
will ignore God’s laws. When we
find an individual, male or female, who attempts to reason around the pure,
simple law of God with worldly arguments, we should realize we are dealing with
a reprobate mind, not just and
unconverted mind. How about it?
Is your mind a reprobate mind?
If you are in God’s Church, a baptized member, you should know better.
If not, you need to check your attitude before Passover.
Let’s open our Bibles and find out what really is the state of your
mind, or the state of the mind of the person you are dating.
We
have laid the foundation, now it is off to the races, so to speak. Let’s start examining biblical issues and examples.
To start, we go to the book of beginnings and start our study with the
very first couple.
Genesis
2:24-25 (NKJV)
Therefore a man shall leave his father and
mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
25) And they were both naked, the man and his wife and were not ashamed.
What
can we learn from these scriptures? Without
the entire Bible, all you could glean would be that a man, not a woman, is supposed to leave
his parents and be joined to a wife.
Any other ideas would be presumptuous. In Chapter 7 the argument was made in Examples 8, 9, & 10 that
actually both man and woman had to leave their
respective parents but this is not true according to Genesis 2:24.
We need to have, “The Rest of the Story.”
The Bible does teach that a young couple must leave
their parents, as in move out of their parents’ bedrooms, but that is all.
You certainly do not get that teaching from Genesis 2:24 by itself.
The Bible does not teach that leave,
means a complete break from parental influence.
In the Bible, there is a concept of a fool.
We will describe what is meant by a biblical
fool in later chapters.
Finally,
the only other things we can glean from the referenced scriptures, is that the
fashion design God chose for the Garden of Eden was nudity.
Wherever the concept of Burkahs and veils came from, we must look
elsewhere in the Bible to track this exciting design breakthrough in women’s
clothing. This fashion was not a
beginning concept. Last, I think it
is safe to presume that God gave Adam & Eve permission to be joined
together.
Other
chapters in the Book of Genesis show that the children of Adam and Eve’s had a
lasting influence upon society. Abel
and Seth, followed the pattern of obedience
taught by God and were rather drab personalities. But in Cain, we find a real pioneering spirit.
He spearheaded the development of a way,
a way of thinking which would be the first
step young women and young
men could later use to start their journey off the narrow path toward
salvation that God describes. Instead,
by using Cain’s manual, they could develop skills, which would help them pass
more advanced self-destruction classes at Lucifer’s Universal College of
Deceit. Without Cain heading the
development of these social skills, Esau would probably have needed to learn
them by experimentation. He would
not have been as efficient in teaching his offspring ideas, which doomed them to
total destruction.
Here
is without question, the most famous couple in the Bible.
Abraham was the father of the faithful.
All the promises were given to him for this faithfulness and the
way he trained his children. This
should be the model of the ideal couple, or at least as perfect as we can get in
human terms. In Genesis 20:12 we
find that Abraham married Sarah who appears to be a niece.
Her father Haran appears to be a half-brother to Abraham.
Oddly, we can glean no information here as to how they were betrothed
and married.
All
we can learn is that Abraham and Sarah did not leave their families
and go off by themselves. We find
them still tagging along with Abraham’s father and Lot as they move from Ur to
Haran. It appears the area they
moved to could have been named for Sarah’s father.
Anyway, Abraham still had not left his father. If we follow the logic of the young man claiming Genesis 2:24
sets the pattern, we would have to conclude that this most famous couple was
already doing things their own way.
A case could be made that they had adopted to follow The Way of Cain. Abraham
had not left his father and Sarah had left hers, which would make for violations
of the exact wording of Gen. 2:24. We
of course know from the rest of the Bible, that this kind of reasoning would be
absurd.
Although
we can learn a lot from the biblical account of Abraham and Sarah, for the
purposes of this study I will note one final lesson.
When they later moved to Egypt, Abraham twisted the truth.
He presented Sarah as his sister. Later
we will show how this incident fits in with the genetic peculiarities of various
tribes. Finally, we can learn that Sarah was a very attractive woman.
She was sixty-five years of age when the Pharoah decided to take for a
wife. If we judge by today’s
standards, most women at age sixty-five would not be competing in beauty
contests with young women.
Here
is the first model in the Bible of
how a wife was obtained and secured. The
example pertains to seeking a bride for Isaac, a type of Christ.
Surely, Abraham who talked face to face with God, who could bargain with
God over Sodom’s fate, would do it right.
Surely he would have been instructed in how to obtain a wife for his son.
Since he did do it right, let’s follow the story of the betrothal
of Isaac. Picking up the story in
Genesis, Chapter 24, we find Abraham when he was too old to make the trip,
sending a faithful servant back to Abraham’s kindred to take a wife for Isaac.
Undoubtedly, this was according to instructions The Eternal had given Abraham.
Obedience was a strong point
of Abraham and he would not have ignored instructions on this matter.
In
Genesis 24:5 we see this special servant worrying over what to do if the woman
would not come back with him. This
is a natural concern, it is just not every woman who will just pack her Burkahs
and backpack and jump on a camel behind a stranger to leave her father’s
house, to go tie the knot with someone she has never met.
Maybe the servant thought if problems came up he could just take Isaac
back and she would see how cute Isaac was and solve the problem.
But no, Abraham had other ideas, he stresses the point, that the servant
must bring the woman back to the Land of Canaan.
This does not sound like he is going to let his son leave,
now does it? Can it be that Abraham, the father of the faithful is
breaking laws which are embodied in Genesis 2:24?
When
the servant arrives, he locates Rebekah, with the help of God, and asks to be
lodged in her home, to which her family
agrees. Note the tremendous
attitude of Rebekah, no doing things her own way.
She is capable, but most of all highly respectful.
Naturally, Abraham was no dummy. He
knew how his kindred would bring their children up and teach them the principles
of successful living. Note, she had
not chosen any boyfriends at all, and yet we learn she was a beauty queen by
today’s standards. Not one person
was dating her.
Next,
the servant meets with Bethuel and Laban, Rebekah’s brother.
Starting in Genesis 24:33-49 he states his business and implores the
father to let him take Rebekah. The
parable of the thistle and cedar does not pertain here.
No holding the family at gunpoint or
arrogantly just loading Rebekah up despite her family’s
wishes and heading back to Canaan. By
the same token, Rebekah does not thumb her nose at her parents and family
and say, “At last, I have been waiting for this chance for years to get away
from you overbearing prudes. I can
choose whom I want and I am Canaan bound.”
Yes, there is proper procedure, at least if you want a blessing.
Genesis
24:39-41 (NKJV)
“’And I said to my master, "Perhaps the woman will not follow me.'
40) But he said to me, "The LORD, before whom I walk, will send His
angel with you and
prosper
your way; and you shall take a wife for my son from my
family and from my father's house.
41) You will be clear from this oath when you arrive among my
family; for if they will not give her
to you, then you will be released from my oath.'
We
learn something here. There has
been more information added. In
Gen. 24:5 we see that apparently the potential bride has the right to say no.
Next we learn that in another conversation the servant had with Abraham,
not recorded in scripture, he was apparently told the potential bride’s family
could say no. How about that?
Continuing
the story in Genesis 24: 50 we find that Bethuel evidently took counsel with
Laban and the rest of the family.
I would hope so, just sending your daughter down the camel trail with a
complete stranger is a mighty big step. Bethuel
might have remembered the servant but I doubt it.
Besides, these people were wealthy.
They were the upper class of people in their region.
Anyway, we find that Rebekah’s father agrees.
Now we know that there are three parties that can veto a betrothal
or bless (sanctify) it.
These three parties are the father of the bride, the bride’s family,
and of course the bride. This is the recorded scriptural example of a proper way to
become betrothed.
It is also the plain example of who has authority.
We have already seen that Abraham had the authority to seek a wife for
Isaac, and of course Isaac, a victim of blind
obedience, went along with the idea.
Continuing
in Genesis 24:53-58 we find the servant of Abraham giving lavish gifts to
Rebekah and her family. This is not a purchase price; this is simply portrayed as
gifts showing gratitude. This is an
important point because later we will see the inclusion of a price put on the
bride. In God’s word he even
establishes a price to redeem a bride, as we have already shown.
But, whatever the purchase price, there is no indication of its value
being anything more than gifts from the scriptural account in Genesis 24:53-58.
The family clings to Rebekah and the servant wishes to go, but her
family
knows they may never see her again. They
want to spend time with her. Eventually
they ask Rebekah herself (Gen. 24:58) if she is ready to go with the servant of
Abraham and she agrees to depart at this time.
Next
we see Rebekah’s family
blessing, sanctifying her betrothal. Note, she leaves with maids and servants.
This is not a pauper’s operation.
Notice the blessing they give her.
Genesis
24:60 (NKJV)
And they blessed Rebekah and said to her: “Our sister, may you become the
mother of thousands of ten thousands; and may your descendants possess the gates
of those who hate them.
Do
you think God does not hear when a family is really behind a marriage?
Do you think that family support is not essential? Note
well this blessing. Can
you see God? This is probably
the most important question you will ever ask.
Young people, Do You see God in your Marriage Plans?
If you do not see both families
in the plans, you do not see God.
Do
you see the Holy Spirit of God working with the minds of Rebekah’s family
to inspire them to utter this blessing? Most
Bibles reference this blessing to Gen. 17:16, Gen. 22:17, and Gen. 28:14.
Rebekah has been chosen to carry out the promises of God too Abraham.
Through her, the descendants of promise were to come.
This is kind of like Tamar and Ruth, and the recognition the scriptures
give to them as they continue the pure bloodline of David to the Messiah.
Can
you imagine what went through the minds of Isaac and Rebekah the first time they
met? Can you imagine what Isaac
thought when he first met Rebekah, when she pulled that veil across her face and
came to meet him? Note, that in
Genesis 24:60, he takes her to his mother’s tent. Of course, the official ceremony was not yet consummated.
Isaac really missed his mother and he definitely did
not leave
his father’s house. There is
nothing wrong with a young man really being attached to his mother as long as it
does not interfere with a marriage and the wife become a slave.
What
we have in this example is the perfect example of two families being joined by God through the marriage of two young
people. Everyone is in agreement,
no bullying others around and arrogantly doing your own thing.
There is not one hint that Isaac ever questioned his father’s judgment.
What this example shows is how two families had children that they were very close to.
Rebekah had to leave her father’s house to fulfill God’s purpose, but this is not a proof of the necessity to do so every
time, as later studies will show. Whatever
Genesis 2:24 shows, we do not find a word for word fulfillment in the example of
the betrothal and marriage of Isaac and Rebekah. What we find is an example of two families being blessed by the union of their
children, as well as the entire world. There
is not one hint that Isaac ever looked at another woman. Of course, he was practically perfect, he was a type of
Christ.
Jacob
Goes to Haran
We now come to the story of the next famous couple in the development of the nation of Israel. This is of course Jacob and Rachel. Things get exciting at this point. First, we should note that Jacob has to flee his twin brother. Yes, two manner of people are more often than not part of the same family (more on this later). Rachel, hears of Esau’s intentions to have revenge and kill his brother when his father dies. He just cannot wait till Isaac dies until he can claim all the property by killing the tricky Jacob. Yes, Jacob had not dealt with Esau as he should have. So Jacob is sent to Rachel’s brother Laban who is still in Haran. Note here, that information traveled along the caravan route more than we might at first imagine. Rachel knew where to send Jacob and that Laban was alive. She may even have went back to pay respects to her father when he died, we do not know, but we know from Genesis 27:43-44 that she did not completely loose track of her family. We constantly have to remember that only the important parts are included in the Genesis account, even if they at first seem a little bizarre. Genesis is written in economical form.
In Genesis 27:46 Rebekah approaches Isaac concerning the possibility of Jacob marrying daughters of the Canaanites like Esau did. Naturally, she knew the gospel. It had been preached to them by Abraham. Do you think that Isaac did not know the plan of God? He had to have set in on meetings with The Eternal and his father Abraham. The Eternal had appeared to Isaac just like his father. Further, Rachel knew how things were supposed to have been done. She knew the plan included a racial aspect, the descending from the pure, white bloodline of Shem. Both her and Isaac knew Esau was not doing things lawfully and was doing things in direct opposition to God’s wishes.
THIS IS PIVOTAL. Mark this section well. It is pivotal in understanding how a marriage is validated and sanctified in God’s eyes. If you miss this point, you will miss the point of this study. Note Genesis 27:46, the taking of Canaanite daughters for wives greatly disturbed Rachel. She knew that these young ladies were very attractive, but that was not the point. It was forbidden to intermarry with them because it was not The Eternal’s purpose to do so. She wanted to get Jacob away from the steady temptation these young ladies presented.
Next, Isaac does his duty as head of the family.
Isaac specifically tells, Jacob to leave the area and go take a wife from
the house of Bethuel, your mother’s father.
He is specifically commanded to take a wife from Rachel’s brother’s
house. See, they knew Laban had
daughters. They had to have
maintained contact somehow. Note
the blessing Isaac gave Jacob.
Genesis 28:3-4 And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people; 4) And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham.
Yes, Isaac was getting old but he had not forgotten that he had given the blessing of the birthright to Jacob. In Genesis 28:6 Jacob heads out on a quest to Laban’s house. Note here a peculiarity. It is really amazing the detail God includes in his word. All we have to do is study the scriptures enough to see all of the details that are added. We just have to be humble enough to have things revealed to us. Laban is constantly called Laban the Syrian from this point forward. Yet, we know Laban was racially a Shemite. He was pure in his lineage and his household was too. That is why Rachel sent her son back to him. I am an American but if I lived in Mexico I would be called a Mexican, yet I am not from Hispanic racial stock. This is a point most scholars miss. That is why they make the absurd statements and teaching concerning Jesus racial lineage having gentile blood in direct opposition to what Mr. Armstrong taught. They focus on Ruth as a Moabitess. Bizarre as it seems, they miss the fact that this refers to a Geographical Area, not racial lineage. I know this is a diversion but it is an excellent place to make the point. From the beginning, terms like Syrian do not denote racial bloodline in some cases, just geographical areas. Syria is a rather new name, geographically speaking.
Further, it is important to note that Esau sees that Isaac blessed Jacob and gave him specific orders to not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan. He sees that Jacob obeys and heads toward Haran. Esau finally gets the message (Genesis 28:6-8). He finally understands that Isaac has not and will not change his mind about whom should marry his sons. You see, Esau had a better idea; he had his own ideas about how to do things. He chose for himself whom to drag into the family and we have already seen how that affected his mother. What should start becoming apparent is that Isaac and Rachel have not blessed, that is sanctified, Esau’s marriage arrangement.
What does Esau do? Why he gets another swell idea. He runs over to Ishmael’s region and takes Mahalath as a wife. Surely he reasons, this woman will be accepted, Ishmael is Abraham’s son and this ought to be close enough. It is much too far to go to Haran, and I do not want to totally submit to my parents’ will. After all, I have the right to choose whom I marry. Surprise, it did not work that way. God did not sanctify this arrangement because, Isaac and Rachel did not sanctify it. Surely, you say, they did. He stayed around the area for another 20 years or more until Jacob returned. Surely, his stubborn, highly opinionated parents would finally sanctify his marriage and come to their senses and do it for family unity. Not so. This study will show that later and it will show how important it is to have that parental blessing. God does bind things in heaven that the head of his family government decides upon.
In closing this subhead, you should also notice
that there is a scriptural record of a most important point. First, Jacob is sent by himself, no older person or father
figure with him. But, in a sense
the Father is going to pick the bride and make arrangements.
He has given the son specific orders, so he is controlling things.
Isaac and Rachel are sending Jacob to her father’s house because they
know how the children will be raised. This
is so important. That is why The Eternal was constantly
emphasizing not to intermarry with the Canaanites.
Additionally, Isaac probably knew exactly how many daughters Laban had.
In contrast, note that Esau is doing things his own way. He will not accept parental input. If he did, he would head for Haran too.
Jacob At Haran
We now pick up the story with Jacob arriving at Haran (Genesis 29:4). What is the first thing Jacob does? He hits on Rachel. He grabs her and kisses her (Genesis 29:11). He was just so overwhelmed by her beauty he could not keep his hands off, although he had never seen her before (notice the apparent absence of a veil or Burkah). Talk about being presumptuous. Laban of course welcomes Jacob as one of this own. One month later, he wants to pay Jacob for his work, this is fair. Notice, no mention of taking a wife before this. Notice Genesis 29:16-17. Rachel is depicted as a stunning beauty, although Leah is described as very attractive too. What does Jacob do? He asks for Rachel as a wife, just what most young men would do. They always start with beauty queens it seems. Jacob actually does not love Rachel. He has not known her long enough. He is just operating on lust. Note Verse 19, Laban agrees that he should give her to a kinsman. His only stipulation is that Jacob remain with him.
People constantly belittle Laban for making Jacob serve for Rachel. But you have to remember he came wandering in off the desert with nothing but a staff and the clothes on his back. He did not come with any display of ability to support a wife at all. Laban of course, is very fond of his daughters and just will not let some young man drag them off and maybe get them killed or starve to death. He has put a lot of effort into these girls. If he turns one of them over the Jacob, he is going to make sure they are taken care of. In a month’s time he probably had picked Jacob”s mind enough to know about the danger Esau presented.
Picking up the story in Genesis 29:22, Jacob asks for his wife for his service. You can bet he knows the exact day. Laban throws a big party and then, note this well, in the evening takes a daughter to the bride-chamber; a special tent prepared for them. Jacob goes into the bridal-chamber and has the time of his life. Notice that he does not know the difference between Leah and Rachel. He must be pretty drunk, which is a definite possibility, or he has not actually been around the girls enough to tell the difference after dark. You see, love is not part of this operation right now, just lust.
The next morning he is told that the reason he got Leah was that it was the custom in this country to give the oldest first. Now this could have been true! Let’s give Laban a break here. Years earlier when Abraham’s servant bargained for Rebekah, every implication of scripture was that she was the only daughter, so she most certainly would have been the oldest. Laban is probably being deceitful here, but let’s give him a break because he is doing something so wrong, that he will create enough problems without lying about marriage customs.
What Laban is doing wrong, is giving two sisters in marriage to the same man.
This is strictly forbidden in the laws of God.
We see in Leviticus 18 a complete chapter devoted to talking about what
God considers sexual immorality. This
is so important to the health and unity
of families and nations. This
chapter details what you should not do, or participate in concerning close family
members. Often, ministers stop with
the beastiality and homosexual ordinances, but the most common things to affect
a family are in the early verses.
Let’s examine this PIVOTAL
CHAPTER. Here is a set of
ordinances especially designed to stop the fragmentation
of families and nations.
Leviticus 18:2-5 (NKJV) "Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: "I am the LORD your God. 3) According to the doings of the land of Egypt, where you dwelt, you shall not do; and according to the doings of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you, you shall not do; nor shall you walk in their ordinances. 4) You shall observe My judgments and keep My ordinances, to walk in them: I am the LORD your God. 5) You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the LORD.
Notice that the first thing The Eternal stresses is
the importance of following his statutes. He
ends the chapter continually stressing the importance of these statutes
concerning immorality. The habits
of the land of Canaan are totally
despicable and putrid to him.
In the Churches of God, we are supposed to know these statutes and be
schooled in how to teach them to our families.
But are we? Let’s now
examine the specific scripture which applies to Laban.
Leviticus 18:18 Nor shall you take a woman as a rival to her sister, to uncover her nakedness while the other is alive.
Notice that in all cases, the responsibility is placed upon the male leadership. Under the New Covenant, we know from Matthew, Chapter 5, that Christ magnified the law and the ladies are responsible for their actions too. But, in God’s family government the father is in charge, the patriarch is in charge to help keep total chaos down. He and his wife are supposed to uphold God’s statutes within their family. This is to prevent fragmentation in God’s Church.
Notice the word rival in the cited scripture. Yes, God looks upon a second wife as a rival to the Wife of Your Youth. He recognizes just what problems two wives and two sets of children can create. But, it is important to notice that there is an ideal situation and there are things that are permitted. A good study of this principle of rivals, besides Rachel and Leah, would be 1 Samuel 1:1-5, note the word rival in verse 6, 7-28 and 1 Samuel 2:1-22. This is another example of a famous couple in the Bible. Notably, an example with two wives, as rivals involved. Let’s close examining some final scriptures in Leviticus, Chapter 18.
Leviticus 18:24 (NKJV) "Do not defile yourselves with any of these things; for by all these the nations are defiled, which I am casting out before you. 25) For the land is defiled; therefore I visit the punishment of its iniquity upon it, and the land vomits out its inhabitants. 26) You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations, either any of your own nation or any stranger who dwells among you 27 (for all these abominations the men of the land have done, who were before you, and thus the land is defiled), 28) lest the land vomit you out also when you defile it, as it vomited out the nations that were before you. 29) For whoever commits any of these abominations, the persons who commit them shall be cut off from among their people. 30) "Therefore you shall keep My ordinance, so that you do not commit any of these abominable customs which were committed before you, and that you do not defile yourselves by them: I am the LORD your God.
Please notice the importance God places on these statutes. Over, and over, and over again he stresses the importance of coming out of spiritual Babylon. He does not want the land to vomit (spew you out of his mouth) his people out. He does not want his people to be involved in these things because they affect the tranquility of a family. Young people of the Church of God, are you listening? Oh, you say these laws do not apply today, besides look at Rachel and Leah, how did they get away with it? We are just as good as they are, so we can do the same. What does it matter anyway if one sister gets trashed? She can find someone else.
First, let’s put to rest the perverted idea that these statutes do not apply today in Christ’s Church. In 1 Corinthians 5:1, the Apostle Paul has to address a problem in the congregation. The congregation is putting up with a putrid sin in the midst of them. This is the case of a man having his father’s wife.
Leviticus 18:8 The nakedness of your father’s wife you shall not uncover; it is your father’s nakedness.
Yes, the Apostle Paul has the misguided idea that the statutes of Leviticus 18 are valid. He actually thinks the congregations of the New Testament Church should not let some things go on in their midst. How about that? To illustrate this point we need to consider another important scripture.
2 Corinthians 11:3-5 (NKJV) But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent
deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the
simplicity that is in Christ. 4)
For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you
receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel
which you have not accepted--you may well
put up with it! 5) For I
consider that I am not at all inferior to the most eminent apostles.
Paul had a lot of trouble keeping people on track in this congregation. Yes, the statutes in Leviticus 18 are part of the gospel. The gospel of Christ is pretty simple. The question I would have for young people is what spirit have you received? What Christ are you baptized into if you have reached that stage yet? What does your particular minister teach in your particular organization? If you are setting in a congregation of Christ’s Church and are practicing or willingly going along with any of the perversions in Leviticus 18, your congregation emits a putrid smell to God’s nostrils.
Sister
Hopping, Brother Hopping
When I was growing up, and most older people can confirm this, if you dumped a girl in your high school class, you would find it was almost impossible to ever get a date anywhere in that town again, at least from respectable girls. Your odds of going back to a dating relationship in the same family was zero. You had better believe that it was not permitted for boys to seriously date one girl in a family and then just move on to another sister. The same went for young ladies making the rounds among a group of brothers. This is because the practice was considered abominable in the eyes of the Gentiles. Note 1 Corinthians 5:1
1 Corinthians 5:1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles–that a man has his father’s wife.
Yes, all of the statutes in Leviticus 18 are valid. You would probably find these practices were repugnant to most Gentiles, event those outside the Churches of God today. Oh, but you say, we still have not married a sister or brother, just messed around a little until we decide which ones we like. People, that just does not cut it. You are in the New Testament Church where Christ revealed the spiritual intent of the law. God still holds young men responsible for their leadership. I know this has not really been taught since the book God Speaks Out on the New Morality was published, but God has not changed his ideas.
Young men, IF, you have dated a sister and been intimate with her, you have uncovered her nakedness in God’s sight. When will you ever learn? For untold decades the church has taught that advanced stages of necking and heavy petting is simply a form of fornication. You had better believe that you have uncovered her nakedness and you should have known better. This is a privilege that is biblically reserved for the wedding night, and not before. IF, you coerce a young lady into going this far, the sin is on your head because the responsibility of leadership is yours. Under the spiritual intent of the law, you do not have to actually have sexual intercourse. If you dump her it is akin to what Ammon did to Tamar. Read it for yourself.
Genesis 29:31-32 (NKJV) When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. 32) So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, “The Lord has surely looked upon my affliction. Now therefore my husband will love me. 33) Then she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon.
The narrative goes on through Genesis 29:35 but it does not change Jacob’s hardness of heart. You would think that after four sons he would finally get a wakeup call; but not so. This episode is proof that God’s laws have always existed. Note, Leah knows her rights. It is recorded as scripture that Leah was the wife, the first wife, The Wife of Jacob’s Youth; at least as far as The Eternal was concerned. They had laws in those days and Jacob was not careful. It is easy to see that Leah is just a quick source of sexual release to Jacob, nothing more, yet he was more than willing to partake of her pleasures on the wedding night. According to the laws of God, Rachel was just a second wife. Jacob could not willfully take a second wife and not do his duty to the first wife. This was a stipulation of God’s laws. Yes, God works with people despite sin, but in the New Testament Churches of God the law is even more binding.
IF, you are a young lady in the Church of God you are equally as guilty if you have been told not to do these things. What you do is vex your sister, to use Bible terminology. Oh, but you say, Rachel and Leah done it, it is only fair I get to also. What nonsense, two wrongs do not make a right. AND, Rachel and Leah did not get away with it. The practice was permitted but consequences did prevail. How would you like to be the wife who was not the favorite and placed in front of the group marching back to the home of Isaac and have Esau and his four hundred compatriots slaughter you first? Do you think Leah did not know why she was up front? The consequences of Abraham and his multiple marriages still cause strife today, thousands of years later. God’s ideal has always been one wife and one husband.
Good Help is
Hard to Find
In this chapter we have examined the betrothal of some of the first, and most important couples in God’s post-flood plan for mankind. This study has shown that the right of refusal existed for women in a family where the ways of God were known. It has also shown that eventually Laban deteriorated to a point he dealt deceitfully with a future son-in-law, albeit a son-in-law who was a manipulator. He unconsciously condemned Jacob and his daughters to a miserable existence. How did he do this, you ask? Quite simply, he sanctified, blessed their marriage arrangement. Yes, the arrangement was permitted even if it was against the statutes of God. Laban had strayed a long way from the ways of God, but he was still a pretty good citizen. He still knew a lot about the ways of God. He probably did not realize the long-term consequences of what he had really done. But this does not justify young people openly making the same mistakes. That is why these examples are in you Bible, so you can learn. They are for our admonition.
Genesis 31:48- 55 (NKJV) And Laban said, "This heap is a witness between you and me this day." Therefore its name was called Galeed, 49) also Mizpah, because he said, "May the LORD watch between you and me when we are absent one from another. 50) If you afflict my daughters, or if you take other wives besides my daughters, although no man is with us--see, God is witness between you and me!" 51) Then Laban said to Jacob, "Here is this heap and here is this pillar, which I have placed between you and me. 52) This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not pass beyond this heap to you, and you will not pass beyond this heap and this pillar to me, for harm. 53) The God of Abraham, the God of Nahor, and the God of their father judge between us." And Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac. 54) Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his brethren to eat bread. And they ate bread and stayed all night on the mountain. 55) And early in the morning Laban arose, and kissed his sons and daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned to his place.
Let’s study how Laban left Jacob. Laban caught up with Jacob and would probably have killed him if it were not for intervention. In Genesis 31:29 Laban tells why he does not do Jacob harm. It is because The Eternal talked to him in a vision. You cannot be all bad and have The Eternal direct your paths in a vision. Laban is just not a person God is working his ultimate purpose out with, at this time. Note that there is a stipulation on Laban’s part to allowing Jacob to depart in peace. It is that he take no other wives or harm his daughters. Jacob of course swears an oath by The Eternal, the God of Abraham, Nahor, and Isaac. This was the God of the patriarchs. In Verse 55, note that Laban leaves in peace. He kisses each girl and grandchild. Note that he blesses them. He sanctifies what they are doing. Laban realizes (Genesis 31:30) that Jacob Wants to Go Home. Laban also knows that there is a potential danger from Esau. But, Laban says it is okay, he agrees to what they want to do and sanctifies them staying together, just like he did when they were wed under a state of servitude. You see, there was a custom concerning slavery in those days. Jacob had sold himself into servitude to Laban; that is why Laban could claim the daughters and their children as his. If you have studied the recommended reading in The New Ungers Bible Dictionary, you could recognize this. What Laban utters is lawful. He had actually treated Jacob pretty good for someone in a condition of slave service. Laban treated him according to how a fellow Hebrew was supposed to be treated under the laws of servitude. He let him go with livestock and not leave empty-handed. Note, that the service was in seven-year increments. . All of us, just like Laban did so many years ago, learn that good help is hard to find. It is even harder to keep.
Contrast this story with Esau. Not once, do you find any blessing or sanctification by his parents for his marriage arrangements. If you are a young person in a dating arrangement or betrothal that has been vetoed by parents on either side because there has been sister-hopping or brother-hopping, you had better pay attention. Your marriage will not be sanctified by God if the father will not sanctify it. You will be living in a state of fornication if you proceed. In later chapters this study will show in detail what happens when a marriage is not sanctified by God.
Conclusion
When you set in the congregation willfully doing anything forbidden by the Spiritual Intent of the Law, you are just like the couple Paul rebuked in the Book of First Corinthians. As far as God is concerned, you are practicing customs, which are an abomination in his sight. What you should expect is to be put out of the congregation and your family’s home. If what you do vexes your brother or sister, and it will; your parents should discipline you, it is law. People around you who claim to be God’s People should be sick to their stomachs, if a minister allows such stuff to go on. Jesus Christ plainly taught that a little leaven, leavens the whole lump. In the next chapter we will continue studying more famous couples. The Bible is just full of famous couples who have set examples for us to learn from. It is certainly not sound doctrine to go against parents’ wishes concerning dating, betrothal, and marriage. If you find yourself doing any of these things, you simply need to stop doing what you are doing. If you are dating someone who is devoid of knowledge concerning God’s laws, you need to flee that person. If you are dating someone who knows about God but tries to reason around, create the exception, to God’s laws you need to get away from that person.
A true minister of Christ teaches respect for all of God’s laws. He does not just pick and choose what is convenient. How can you take the Passover while you sit in the congregation and commit sexual immorality? Under the laws of marriage, and example as recorded in scripture, we see that a concubine is practically the same as a wife, but she is still technically a concubine. From God’s perspective, if a young man is intimate with a sister and then decides to just swap sisters he is just stuck in his sins. He is responsible for his actions. Yes, it is true that the law is heavily favored toward male dominance and favor, but if the men do not behave correctly they are held accountable in a special way. Only parental interference can sanctify such a situation. IF, you are a young lady trying to figure out which brother you like best, beware. If you are intimate with a brother, God considers you to be his. You cannot just swap brothers as you choose. If you decide you do not like the first brother, you simply have to find a different family. God’s laws prohibit you from having any other brother. Would you like to be a male or female, Esau impersonator? I hope not. Esau is considered a profane person and fornicator from God’s viewpoint. In any case of sister/brother hopping there are always two people involved. The girls and boys both have to willfully proceed. They are both guilty.
About 4000 years ago, Abraham and Isaac practiced a way of life. This way of life included the authority of parents over betrothal and marriage. They were responsible for who entered their immediate families. Outworn as this idea may be, it was still considered a valid idea by The Eternal just before Moses died and the Israelites crossed the Jordan. Observe this scripture from the Book of Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy 7:3 (NKJV) “Nor shall you make marriages with them (Canaanites). You shall not give your daughter to their son, nor take their daughter for your son.
Yes, The Eternal still placed authority with the parents. This outworn idea came right over from the period of the Melchizadek Priesthood. The parents of a daughter did not have to give (sanctify) her betrothal to another family and the parents of a son did not have to take a daughter from another family. In Deuteronomy 8:1 these same Israelites were admonished to be careful to do all The Etenal commanded them. There is no mention of age limits or anything else. There is no being of age or any modern western ideas here. The governmental system of the family is the same from God’s perspective.
In the Book of Revelation we find an interesting scripture.
Revelation 3:15-17 (NKJV) I know your works that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish that you were cold or hot. 16) So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17Because you say, "I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'--and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—
Today there is a paradox in the many fragmented Churches of God. The gift of Miraculous Healing has been absent for decades. Is it possible the self-appointed leaders are to blame? Have they lost sight of the statutes of God? Do they unconsciously promote sexual immorality within the congregations because long ago they took the wrong turn off the freeway of life? Note that word VOMIT in Revelation 3:16. This is the same precept we find in Leviticus 18:24-30. Could it be that there truly is nothing new under the sun? When young people will not honor and obey parents, and openly practice habits that will fragment their family, it is no wonder the Church of God is fragmented into some 400 different splinter group.
Today, February 18, 2002 a relic from my youth died. I do not have many favorite journalists, but this man was one. He was Howard K. (Kingsbury) Smith and he came from an age in our country with different moral values than we see anywhere today. He was fired in the 60s for a statement made in a commentary. The statement was made during the movement in the South involving segregation. Howard said, “All it takes for evil to triumph, is for good men to do nothing.” How true these words were then. They were just as true when the Book of Numbers was written. When something is wrong in your family and the father does nothing; the family will suffer the consequences. Chances are that sexual immorality of some sort will be the problem. Such has it always been. The history of Israel is proof positive of this weakness.
Step right up to the counter and order please:
“One
small bowl of cold soup please. I’ll
take tomato if you have it. Otherwise,
any old flavor will do.”
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