I'm reading Genesis 38 over and over again this morning and I see so much of modern culture in the account of Tamar. While Joseph is off in Egypt Judah is living the life of a rascal. He is married but has a girlfriend in a village. He has children with this woman and all kinds of intrigue follows.
Tamar marries one of Judah's sons but that man dies and the culture of sleeping around continues. The scriptures are quite graphic in their description of deception and sexuality.
The account makes me think of this passage...
"It was also said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.' But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery." - Matthew 5:31-32 ESV
Not a passage often preached on by 'grace preachers'. It seems to forbid remarriage. It doesn't. It uncovers the reality of what broken relationships can do.
If you read Genesis 38, and I suggest you do, you will see that Tamar has needs and the double standard in her culture puts her in a difficult situation. She used her sexuality to get what she needs and what everyone knew she deserved in that culture. Was it right? No. But Judah set an unjust standard and everyone became a victim of his compromise.
The women in our culture need men to be men. It is easy to condemn a person for their loose ways but what made them that way? Nor should a husband who is married to someone who was married before condemning his wife for bringing what 'was' into what 'is'.
"Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered." - 1 Peter 3:7 ESV
She has battle scars. Respect her. Love her. The hard hard world hurt her and she had to adapt. Be a covering and a friend. She is on loan from a God who cherishes her.
Jesus paid for all sexual sin on the cross. He died for the victims and for the people who caused a wild west culture.
As men let's look at Judah and Joseph and make wise choices. Who will we be?
"He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself. He will get wounds and dishonor, and his disgrace will not be wiped away." - Proverbs 6:32f ESV
Amen.
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Showing posts with label Adultery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Adultery. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 20, 2017
Wednesday, June 14, 2017
The Other Woman - Part 2
It is always valuable to look at the 'first mention' of any subject in the scriptures. Most, but not all, subjects are introduced in Genesis and then wrapped up in the book of Revelations.
The first 'other woman' scenario we see in the Bible is in Genesis chapter 16 with Abraham, Sarah and Hagar.
"Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said to Abram, 'Behold now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.' And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. So, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, and gave her to Abram her husband as a wife. And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress. And Sarai said to Abram, 'May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my servant to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the LORD judge between you and me!' But Abram said to Sarai, 'Behold, your servant is in your power; do to her as you please.' Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her. The angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur. And he said, 'Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?' She said, 'I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai.' The angel of the LORD said to her, 'Return to your mistress and submit to her.' The angel of the LORD also said to her, 'I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude.' And the angel of the LORD said to her, 'Behold, you are pregnant and shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the LORD has listened to your affliction. He shall be a wild donkey of a man, his hand against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.' So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, 'You are a God of seeing,' for she said, 'Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.' " - Genesis 16:1-13 ESV
Wow, There is so much here isn't there? Human nature is on display. God's love and mercy is also. Men and women make bad decisions out of need but God is merciful to us.
The last mention is darker. Society itself has become adulterous.
"Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, 'Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.' And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: 'Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth's abominations.' And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I marveled greatly. But the angel said to me, 'Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her... And the angel said to me, 'The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages. And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth.'' - Revelation 17:1-7, 15-18 ESV
This 'other woman' concept shows the systemic failure of the natural person to cope with their needs apart from God. Problems compound into even more complex problems with a victim until the system consumes itself in the end.
But there is hope. God is merciful and has a merciful provision for the individual. The system... not so much.
Hagar found out she was not God's 'other woman.' He had a loving provision for her.
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The first 'other woman' scenario we see in the Bible is in Genesis chapter 16 with Abraham, Sarah and Hagar.
"Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said to Abram, 'Behold now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.' And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. So, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, and gave her to Abram her husband as a wife. And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress. And Sarai said to Abram, 'May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my servant to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the LORD judge between you and me!' But Abram said to Sarai, 'Behold, your servant is in your power; do to her as you please.' Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her. The angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur. And he said, 'Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?' She said, 'I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai.' The angel of the LORD said to her, 'Return to your mistress and submit to her.' The angel of the LORD also said to her, 'I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude.' And the angel of the LORD said to her, 'Behold, you are pregnant and shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the LORD has listened to your affliction. He shall be a wild donkey of a man, his hand against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.' So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, 'You are a God of seeing,' for she said, 'Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.' " - Genesis 16:1-13 ESV
Wow, There is so much here isn't there? Human nature is on display. God's love and mercy is also. Men and women make bad decisions out of need but God is merciful to us.
The last mention is darker. Society itself has become adulterous.
"Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, 'Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.' And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: 'Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth's abominations.' And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I marveled greatly. But the angel said to me, 'Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her... And the angel said to me, 'The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages. And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth.'' - Revelation 17:1-7, 15-18 ESV
This 'other woman' concept shows the systemic failure of the natural person to cope with their needs apart from God. Problems compound into even more complex problems with a victim until the system consumes itself in the end.
But there is hope. God is merciful and has a merciful provision for the individual. The system... not so much.
Hagar found out she was not God's 'other woman.' He had a loving provision for her.
--
Tuesday, June 13, 2017
The Other Woman - Part 1
For the last few weeks, I have been thinking about the concept of the 'other woman'. In a way, it is a taboo subject but it is an important one to know and understand because it applies to our relationship to God and His relationship to us.
Who is the other woman and why does she exist at all? Someone only becomes the other woman because mankind is fallen. Fallen men fantasize and can lead dual, or even multiple, lives and fallen women are placed in pressurized situations and they settle or opt for choices that allow benefits that have extreme compromises that damage their souls.
"So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, 'If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.' " - John 8:31-32 ESV
"You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." - James 4:4 ESV
This is a multi-part post and we will dive deep into this subject and I believe it will be very edifying and life changing for both the reader and the author. This is only an introduction and not as satisfying perhaps because a subject is introduced but not concluded with a clear thorough application.
Let me just say this...
Jesus has given us a solution for any connection to 'otherness.' The bonds are broken in Him. Each of us is loved with an everlasting love that resolved the needs of men and of women in a pure a satisfying way without compromise.
--
Who is the other woman and why does she exist at all? Someone only becomes the other woman because mankind is fallen. Fallen men fantasize and can lead dual, or even multiple, lives and fallen women are placed in pressurized situations and they settle or opt for choices that allow benefits that have extreme compromises that damage their souls.
"So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, 'If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.' " - John 8:31-32 ESV
"You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." - James 4:4 ESV
This is a multi-part post and we will dive deep into this subject and I believe it will be very edifying and life changing for both the reader and the author. This is only an introduction and not as satisfying perhaps because a subject is introduced but not concluded with a clear thorough application.
Let me just say this...
Jesus has given us a solution for any connection to 'otherness.' The bonds are broken in Him. Each of us is loved with an everlasting love that resolved the needs of men and of women in a pure a satisfying way without compromise.
--
Thursday, March 10, 2016
Worldly Attraction
"Do not love the world or the things in the world." - 1 John 2:15a ESV
What an interesting and expansive command.
It makes me think of a circumstance when someone is doing something annoying and the other annoyed person just says, 'Knock it off!' and the offender says, 'What do you mean!?!' The offender just has no clue as to what they are doing wrong.
Here is the context of the above passage.
"I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life - is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever." - 1 John 2:12-17 ESV
If we really read 1 John chapter 2 it gives us good reasons to, 'Knock it off.' doesn't it?
These children and these fathers have known victory. They have known God and He transcends culture and every counter cultural or sub-cultural movement. He created the planet but He does not love the world. He loves people but not the systems and fads of the world.
In fiction if you want to establish the 'coolness' of a character there are certain methods you can employ. Making them love something cool is one way to do it. A dull character loves nothing.
"To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled." - Titus 1:15 ESV
"I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth." - John 17:15-17 ESV
Yes. We are in the world but not of the world.
"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." - Romans 8:1 ESV
God does not condemn us for being attracted to things. We live in a culture that tells us to explore every attraction and derive an identity from the bond that forms in that exploration but we have a holy God that tells us to refuse to love the world and love His mind instead.
God's way restores purity and innocent appreciation. Love of the world will only defile us.
End the affair now and return to your true love. He already thinks you are cool.
--
What an interesting and expansive command.
It makes me think of a circumstance when someone is doing something annoying and the other annoyed person just says, 'Knock it off!' and the offender says, 'What do you mean!?!' The offender just has no clue as to what they are doing wrong.
Here is the context of the above passage.
"I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life - is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever." - 1 John 2:12-17 ESV
If we really read 1 John chapter 2 it gives us good reasons to, 'Knock it off.' doesn't it?
These children and these fathers have known victory. They have known God and He transcends culture and every counter cultural or sub-cultural movement. He created the planet but He does not love the world. He loves people but not the systems and fads of the world.
In fiction if you want to establish the 'coolness' of a character there are certain methods you can employ. Making them love something cool is one way to do it. A dull character loves nothing.
"To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled." - Titus 1:15 ESV
"I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth." - John 17:15-17 ESV
Yes. We are in the world but not of the world.
"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." - Romans 8:1 ESV
God does not condemn us for being attracted to things. We live in a culture that tells us to explore every attraction and derive an identity from the bond that forms in that exploration but we have a holy God that tells us to refuse to love the world and love His mind instead.
God's way restores purity and innocent appreciation. Love of the world will only defile us.
End the affair now and return to your true love. He already thinks you are cool.
--
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