Tag: seventh commandment

Because marriage is such a sacred and important institution, God took great pains to guard and protect it. A loving, faithful marriage relationship not only builds a stable society by preserving the family, but it is also a wonderful illustration of the covenant relationship God wants to have with His people which will contribute to the stability of the entire universe.

God gave His people the seventh Commandment and several Statutes regarding sexual immorality. Here are a few examples:

Thou shalt not commit adultery. Exodus 20:14

And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. And the man that lieth with his father’s wife hath uncovered his father’s nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. And if a man lie with his daughter in law, both of them shall surely be put to death: they have wrought confusion; their blood shall be upon them. If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness among you. Leviticus 20:10-14

If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her; Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbour’s wife: so thou shalt put away evil from among you. But if a man find a betrothed damsel in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her: then the man only that lay with her shall die: But unto the damsel thou shalt do nothing; there is in the damsel no sin worthy of death: for as when a man riseth against his neighbour, and slayeth him, even so is this matter: For he found her in the field, and the betrothed damsel cried, and there was none to save her. If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found; Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days. Deuteronomy 22:23-29

Sexual impurity and/or violating the marriage covenant was an abomination to the Lord and brought great shame on the family. When these things occurred openly, the guilty ones were dealt with very decisively. But then, as now, secret “affairs” could happen and God provided a way to come to a right conclusion in a very serious but uncertain situation. It was called the Law of Jealousy and was essentially a way that God Himself revealed the truth.

We will look at Numbers 5:11-31.

Imagine two different scenarios:

1) A husband suspects that his wife has been unfaithful to him. When he confronts her, she denies it. How can he know? There is no concrete evidence, no witnesses.

2) A wife is accused by her husband of being unfaithful. She is innocent but she has no proof.

When a wife was suspected of unfaithfulness (possibly because she was pregnant and her husband questioned whether the child was his, or anything in her behavior that raised suspicion in his mind), she was not killed as in cases of open adultery (Leviticus 20:10) because there were no witnesses (Deuteronomy 17:6). The husband would bring her to the Priest, along with a special offering of barley meal with no oil or frankincense, for the purpose of discovering the facts of the matter. Uriah could have done this with Bathsheba if he had survived to return from the war.

According to Jewish commentators, the Priest would first try to persuade the woman to confess. If she admitted that she was guilty, she was divorced from her husband and lost her dowry. If she still claimed innocence, the Priest would carry through with this procedure in order to be certain. It is very likely that the wife, knowing the seriousness of the consequences if she was actually guilty of infidelity, would probably confess before going through with this process.

The Priest would make a mixture of “bitter water,” combining holy water (probably from the Laver) and dirt from the floor of the Tabernacle in an earthen vessel. He would bring the woman before the Lord, uncover her head, put the offering of barley meal in her hand, and charge her by an oath that if she was innocent, nothing negative would happen to her, but if she was guilty, she would be cursed. She would respond by saying, “Amen, amen,” acknowledging the validity of the oath and accepting the inevitable consequences of the curse. He would write the curses in a book and erase them with the bitter water. After he had waved the offering before the Lord and offered part of it on the Altar, he would give her the bitter water to drink.

If she was innocent, everything would remain normal in regard to her child-bearing abilities and she would be cleared of all suspicion. If she was guilty, she would be struck with a serious disease process that would make her infertile (possibly ovarian cancer or something similar) or, if she was carrying an illegitimate child she would have a miscarriage and be infertile and cursed among the people. Divorce following this trial is not mentioned but we can assume that it was part of the retribution.

Here is an interesting note from Matthew Henry’s Commentary:

“Jewish doctors add that the waters had this effect upon the adulteress only in case the husband had never offended in the same kind; but that, if he had at any time defiled the marriage-bed, God did not thus right him against his injurious wife; and that therefore in the latter and degenerate ages of the Jewish church, when uncleanness did abound, this way of trial was generally disused and laid aside; men, knowing their own crimes, were content not to know their wives’ crimes.”

God’s jealousy, His passion, is aroused when His people are unfaithful, and it is greater when they try to hide it. This “trial” is another acted parable, giving us a picture of judgment, of Him revealing the truth about each individual, either acquitting those who have been faithful or dealing with unfaithfulness. We can’t hide anything from Him.

. . . behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out. Numbers 32:23

. . . the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7

Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. 1 Corinthians 4:5

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Hebrews 4:12, 13

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23, 24

The Law of Jealousies was invoked when a wife was suspected of unfaithfulness. Naturally, she would deny it, but this was a situation that could not be trifled with. It was the husband’s right to know the truth and her obligation to let it be known. It is important to keep in mind that, even if her husband was totally oblivious to anything she had done (if she managed to keep her “affair” secret) and he did not put her through this trial, her willful and purposely-hidden sin would receive retribution following the Day of Atonement–she would be “cut off” from among the people.

In the typical service, while the high priest was making the atonement for Israel, all were required to afflict their souls by repentance of sin and humiliation before the Lord, lest they be cut off from among the people. (GC 489, 490)

Let us look at some of the aspects of this Law and contemplate our own pending Judgment in the near future. Are we faithful to our Covenant with Him or do we have “secret affairs?”

• the Offering of Jealousy — barley meal with no oil or frankincense, the lowest value of any offering — “to bring iniquity to remembrance”

Barley was considered cheap, low-grade food, eaten by animals and poor people or in times of food shortage. Oil was a symbol of grace and joy, and frankincense symbolized acceptance. Both were left out of this offering because of the seriousness of the accusation. This offering was somewhat similar to a poor person’s sin offering (wheat flour without oil or frankincense Leviticus 5:11) but was not an appeal for forgiveness or atonement. It was brought by the husband as an appeal to God to reveal the truth, to expose serious sin.

For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. Ecclesiastes 12:14

• the Bitter Water — holy water + dirt from the Tabernacle floor in an earthen vessel — to cause a curse

Dust was part of the curse that was pronounced against the Serpent in the Garden of Eden.

And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: Genesis 3:14

Moses put the dust from the pulverized golden calf into the water that came from Mt. Sinai and made the people drink it. They had committed spiritual adultery.

And I took your sin, the calf which ye had made, and burnt it with fire, and stamped it, and ground it very small, even until it was as small as dust: and I cast the dust thereof into the brook that descended out of the mount. Deuteronomy 9:21

The bitter water may in some ways symbolize Jesus coming to this world. He was a mixture of the holy and the unclean, the divine and the human. He came in a human body–the earthen vessel. When He entered the body of His people, His Temple (literally), He expelled what was corrupt and the Temple became desolate. In about 40 years, it was destroyed and never rebuilt and those who had been His chosen people were no longer considered specially chosen.

Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years. And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts. Malachi 3:1-5

And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. Daniel 9:27

Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. Matthew 23:38

The bitter water is also similar to the wine of the God’s wrath, mentioned in Revelation 14:10, that is administered undiluted to those who have worshiped the Beast. There we are shown the metaphor, used so often in the Old Testament, that compares adultery in marriage to sin, apostasy, false worship.

• the woman’s head was uncovered, her hair was loosened (the Hebrew word for “uncover” is directly related to the word for locks of hair)–

This was a symbol of exposure and of removing her from under the covering jurisdiction of her husband. She was not under him now; she faced judgment on her own.

. . . we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. . . . So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Romans 14:10, 12

• the Curse — her thigh would rot (this Hebrew word for “rot” (nâphal) is very similar to another (nephel) that means “untimely birth,” miscarriage, or abortion) and her belly (womb) would swell — she would lose her child-bearing abilities, her purpose for existence as a woman, and would waste away as a reject of society

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. Hebrews 6:4-6

It is interesting to note the Priest’s act of writing the curses in a book and then erasing them with the bitter water.

And the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out with the bitter water: Numbers 5:23

This speaks of two different symbolical acts. The curses were washed off the page into the water making it truly curse water, potent to cause the curse if the woman was guilty. Also, the curses were erased from the record if the woman was innocent. What is described here is very similar to what Paul speaks of in Colossians 2.

Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; Colossians 2:14

Notice the comments on this verse in the notes of the MacArthur Study Bible (NKJV):

2:14 wiped out the handwriting. The Gr. work translated “handwriting” referred to the handwritten certificate of debt by which a debtor acknowledged his indebtedness. All people (Rom. 3:23) owe God an unpayable debt for violating His law (Gal. 3:10; James 2:10; cf. Matt. 18:23-27), and are thus under sentence of death (Rom. 6:23). Paul graphically compares God’s forgiveness of believers’ sins to wiping ink off a parchment. Through Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross, God has totally erased our certificate of indebtedness and made our forgiveness complete.

• the Oath — blessed if innocent, cursed if guilty — only God knows all of the truth and will reveal it

For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Luke 12:2

The oath that she was charged with reflects what Jesus said to Nicodemus.

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:18

God did not merely make a statement about whether she was guilty or innocent. He actually caused the penalty for guilt or the blessing for innocence to occur without any verbal pronouncement.

Judgment is bitter for the guilty, but good–a welcome relief–for one who is accused falsely.

As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. Matthew 13:40-43

The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me. Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins. Psalm 7:8, 9

Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. Psalm 37:5, 6

• This Law of Jealousies is one of the Judgments, referred to in the following paragraph from Patriarchs and Prophets, “illustrating and applying the principles of the Ten Commandments.”

The minds of the people, blinded and debased by slavery and heathenism, were not prepared to appreciate fully the far-reaching principles of God’s ten precepts. That the obligations of the Decalogue might be more fully understood and enforced, additional precepts were given, illustrating and applying the principles of the Ten Commandments. These laws were called judgments, both because they were framed in infinite wisdom and equity and because the magistrates were to give judgment according to them. Unlike the Ten Commandments, they were delivered privately to Moses, who was to communicate them to the people. (PP 310)

• This Law is a reminder of the meaning of the first four of the Ten Commandments–be faithful and exclusive in your covenant relationship with God.

God: Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Exodus 20:3

Spouse: You shall not have any “affairs.”

God: Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. Exodus 20:4-6

Spouse: You shall not have sexual relations with any other.

God: Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. Exodus 20:7

Spouse: Don’t claim to be my spouse if you don’t act like you are married to me.

God: Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. Exodus 20:8-11

Spouse: I have established a special time of intimacy with you. Don’t forget it and miss our time together.

• This trial and the resulting curse if the woman was actually guilty are a very serious reminder of the importance, not only of being faithful to our covenant with God, but also of being honest with Him in recognizing and admitting our sins and mistakes. We cannot hide anything from Him; He knows it all. It is a great mistake to be unfaithful to Him; but it is a greater mistake to deny it and think we can hide our sins.

If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 1 John 1:6-10

We have this promise that God does not immediately “divorce” us or abandon us when we sin against Him. He wants to help us become what He wants us to be, but He must have our cooperation.

Day by day and year by year we shall conquer self, and grow into a noble heroism. This is our allotted task; but it cannot be accomplished without help from Jesus, resolute decision, unwavering purpose, continual watchfulness, and unceasing prayer. Each one has a personal battle to fight. Not even God can make our characters noble or our lives useful, unless we become co-workers with Him. Those who decline the struggle lose the strength and joy of victory. MH 487