Journal Through the Bible: Week 19 Wednesday

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Leviticus 17:10-18:30

When it comes to marriage, love is not reason enough to enter it! Theologians and non-theologians alike have long argued (and are still arguing) about God's views of marriage and/or the relations that were intended to be reserved for marriage (this is a family friendly blog and I intend to choose my words carefully).

God deals with some controversial topics in this passage. Even King Henry VIII used chapter 18 in order to rid himself of Catharine of Aragon, his brother's widow whom he took as his own wife until he grew tired of her. The Church of England started as a result of his "understanding" of chapter 18.

Why did God choose such a time as this in the history of the young Hebrew nation to institute certain laws about who could produce children together? After all, hadn't it been a tradition throughout the history of the Hebrews that they would marry close relatives? Well, yes. And if this continued it was going to be a problem genetically. (Abraham and Sarah were half-siblings; Isaac and Rebekah were first cousins once removed; Jacob and his wives, Leah and Rachel, were first cousins. Even Moses' parents were aunt and nephew. Everyone's genealogy led back to Abraham's father, Terah.)

If you look at a standard family tree you will see that it branches out as you go farther back in generations and time. It keeps doubling. For instance, there are spaces for 2 parents, 4 grandparents, 8 great-grandparents, and so on. Theoretically if one could keep tracing his family tree back far enough one would find that the spaces allotted to a certain generation would exceed the earth's population at that given time. Eventually there would of necessity be the repetition of names upon the family tree. In other words, we're all related because there were only so many people from whom we all descend. The problem isn't that we marry relatives. As one human family, we automatically do. The problem is when people continue to breed with relatives that are too closely related to them. Genetic weaknesses can then become dominant. This is why God told the Hebrews to start marrying a bit more distantly than their ancestors had done.

This discussion really isn't as complicated as it sounds. This is why there are differing breeds of horses, dogs, cats, etc.  The animals in a certain breed are intentionally closely related in order to pass on certain characteristics. It is also why some animal breeds are having a tough time overcoming inbred weaknesses. After awhile undesired characteristics also become dominant and animals become weak or sickly.

Besides the inbreeding question, God was also telling them not to covet their neighbor's wife, close relative or not. The Apostle Paul had to deal with this situation many years later in the city of Corinth and what a mess that was!

There were also laws concerning taking wives that were closely related to each other. One can only imagine how the conflict that raged between Leah and Rachel figured into this ordinance! Although God never intended polygamy, He allowed it when it happened, probably as a means of protecting the children that resulted from the union. It is a system that caused jealousy and fighting whether the wives were related to each other or not, but it would be so much better than what we see today where people take liberties with many partners. They birth children for whom the parents provide few of life's necessities. Many of these children do not even know their biological father! Those children then grow up to be adults who have no idea how closely related they are to other members of their community and are at risk of unintentionally having children with close biological relatives.  (As someone wisely put it, we should all be thankful for the invention of the automobile and the way it introduced new bloodlines into our genealogies!)

Does God make any promises in this passage?

• God promised to "cut off" (destroy?) any person living among the Hebrews that ate the blood of animals.
• God promised that they would live if the Hebrews would keep His laws and not those of the Egyptians or Canaanites.
• God promised to throw out the inhabitants of Canaan because they were guilty of all the abominations that He forbid the Hebrews to do concerning marital relationships.
• God promised that if the Hebrews practiced those abominations the land of Canaan would spew them out also.

Are there any references to Jesus?

• Not specifically, but whenever we read a passage full of "Ye shall . . ." we know He did! And when we read a passage full of "Ye shall not . . ." we know He didn't!

Are there any references to future events?

• This passage dealt with the issues of shedding an animal's blood. There will be no animal blood shed in the eternal state (specifically, the New Earth) because there will be no death.
• This passage dealt with marital relationships and the passing along of a genetic code. Someday, many years from now (at least 1,000!), the last human baby will be born. There will no longer be reproduction of the human species. In eternity, all people who have ever existed will be separated into two groups: those who trusted Jesus as their savior and those that did not. Those who trusted will spend eternity with Him. Those who did not will spend an eternity in torment.

Does God issue any commands?

• God emphatically charged that no one who lived among the Hebrews be allowed to eat the blood of an animal!
• God commanded hunters that the blood of a slain animal be poured onto the ground and covered with dirt.
• God commanded that anyone that ate an animal that died from unknown causes or as prey of another animal should wash himself and his clothing and be unclean until the evening.
• God commanded that they not follow the laws of Egypt or Canaan but follow His laws.
• God commanded that no one have marital relations with a close blood relative.
• God commanded that no one sacrifice his children in the fire to idols. (Children are the heritage of the LORD [Psalm 127] and are to be raised to encourage them to offer themselves to Him as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable  [ Romans 12:1].)
• God commanded that the marital relationship be between a man and a woman. Anything else is termed an abomination.
• God commanded that there be no impure relationship with animals. (God had commanded people to care for His animals, not do abominable things with them.)