Seventh Commandment – No Adultery

Seventh Commandment – No Adultery

Exodus 20:  ¹⁴ “You shall not commit adultery.

 

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GOD provided the seventh commandment to Moses and the children of Israel. This time HIS focus was on relationships.

 

My Observations:

• GOD was protecting the lineage of JESUS, keeping it pure and traceable.
• GOD symbolically wanted a relationship with people who wanted HIM and HIM alone.
• GOD was addressing their polytheistic mindset through the symbolism of marriage.

 

To keep the lineage of JESUS pure and traceable, GOD needed the children of Israel to remain married. They had been under the influence of Egypt for hundreds of years. Their mindset was that any god will do. This mindset would spill into their relationships. Any woman or man will do, was not enough for GOD.

 

In this commandment, GOD shows HIS commitment that HE would keep HIS promise. “I will never leave you or forsake you.” When humans look at this commandment from a human perspective, they fail miserably by boiling the statement down to sex versus choice.

 

GOD was establishing a lineage that would eventually lead to the birth of CHRIST. Both people needed to follow GOD versus the ways of the people of Canaan. Zipporah had a strange encounter with GOD, who was about to execute Moses if his son was not circumcised.

 

We are not given the context, but I believe Zipporah had to accept the command of circumcision without fighting it as she may have done. GOD wanted harmony between HIM, Adam and Eve. But due to the fall of humans, pain and rules needed to be put in place.

 

I believe the commitment to GOD is what HE is speaking about. I carefully paraphrase this passage by saying, “Children of Israel, choose a mate who will follow ME so that JESUS will come through your people and save all humans from their sins.”

 

It was not about effectiveness. The woman that JESUS spoke to at the well had many “husbands,” yet her testimony saved an entire town. David, the most famous adulterer, was a man after GOD’s heart. Not because of adultery, but because of his relationship with GOD.

 

JESUS said there is no need for marriage in heaven because HE is the GOD of the living. Humans look at themselves when reading this commandment versus looking at GOD. Their choice of a mate needed to point to the arrival of JESUS.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about HIS commandment to not have adultery?
• Have you ever considered leaving GOD and HIS ways, to pursue what?
• GOD said HE would never leave you nor forsake you, so are you willing to stay with GOD no matter what you have done?

Broken Repaired

Broken Repaired

1 John 4: ¹⁹ We love because God first loved us. ²⁰ If we say we love God, but hate others, we are liars. For we cannot love God, whom we have not seen, if we do not love others, whom we have seen. ²¹ The command that Christ has given us is this: whoever loves God must love others also.

 

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Sitting on the couch of my apartment, it hit me that my life was not going so well. With creditors calling, and my car totaled, I wanted to hear a friendly set of words but they were not available.

 

“Why don’t you go to church with us?” someone asked. I went and heard words of love I hadn’t heard in a while. I felt great. Years of success later, a guy would come by my desk to steal ideas. “I hate that guy” I said to myself.

 

• I had forgotten what GOD did for me when I was broken.
• In my lowest moments, I needed GOD and HE was faithful to me.
• I was not faithful to GOD because I harbored hatred in my heart.

 

John addressed hatred. He knew the believers in CHRIST were persecuted by the very group that was supposed to be following GOD. He reminded everyone, that while we were still sinners CHRIST died for us. He then explained that you cannot love GOD and hate people.

 

My Observations:

• GOD is love and expects me to act like HIM.
• GOD loved me first and wants me to do the same.
• GOD wants me to love those who are spiritually blind, selfish, and mean.

 

Without GOD, love cannot exist. I mean, GOD is the one who defined what love is and HE created us in HIS image to love one another. Unfortunately sin entered the world and is a part of us. Humans conjure up a new definition of love, that could include selfish desires that are not aligned to GOD’s.

 

JESUS gave us the example to follow. HE, being GOD, did not think being a servant to those who hated HIM was a problem. Even before HIS death, he healed a guards ear, who came to arrest HIM. JESUS commands something that is a choice. “love those who hate you.” I am glad GOD loved me first, so I choose to follow HIS example, HIS way.

 

Challenge

• What lie does the writer point out?
• Has GOD ever brought you out of something?
• Will you consider examining your heart to see if you harbor any hatred towards someone and ask GOD to cleanse you of this and replace it with HIS love for others today?

Marriage Expectations

Marriage Expectations

Ephesians 5: ²¹ Submit yourselves to one another because of your reverence for Christ.

 

²² Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands as to the Lord. ²³ For a husband has authority over his wife just as Christ has authority over the church; and Christ is himself the Savior of the church, his body. ²⁴ And so wives must submit themselves completely to their husbands just as the church submits itself to Christ.

 

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave his life for it. ²⁶ He did this to dedicate the church to God by his word, after making it clean by washing it in water, ²⁷ in order to present the church to himself in all its beauty—pure and faultless, without spot or wrinkle or any other imperfection. ²⁸ Men ought to love their wives just as they love their own bodies. A man who loves his wife loves himself. (²⁹ None of us ever hate our own bodies. Instead, we feed them, and take care of them, just as Christ does the church; ³⁰ for we are members of his body.) ³¹ As the scripture says, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and unite with his wife, and the two will become one.” ³² There is a deep secret truth revealed in this scripture, which I understand as applying to Christ and the church. ³³ But it also applies to you: every husband must love his wife as himself, and every wife must respect her husband.

 

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Seeing my beautiful bride walk down the aisle brought tears to my eyes and a smile to my face. I was finally married to someone until death do us part. I never expected any arguments, disagreements or opposite opinions, but they happened.

 

• I wondered how I could fix things under “my” energy.
• I questioned “my” every move and action.
• I felt lost and needed direction.

 

Paul addressed an issue brought to him, namely marriage. Knowing that marriage had the curse of inequity mentioned in Genesis, he mentions the only cure for balance and that is JESUS.

 

My Observations

• JESUS wants me to love my wife as HE loved me.
• JESUS wants me to leave my parents and have my own family.
• JESUS wants me to dedicate my family to GOD by HIS word, making all clean and presented without a spot or wrinkle or any other imperfection.

 

Hatred cannot exist in GOD’s marriage. I mean, the yearning for self-protection must be reduced beneath that of loving like JESUS does. Unfortunately this is not easy. Different styles, experiences and choices makes unity sometimes seem evasive. BUT GOD has a remedy.

 

HE gave HIS only SON as an example of true submission. JESUS never got caught up in the world’s tactics and showed what pure love looks like. HE, being GOD, suffered insults, never owned anything and was murdered by HIS own creation. HE said “FATHER forgive them” out of love. I am grateful for my wife and the example JESUS shows us and pray for continued growth in HIS love.

 

Challenge

• What do you notice about this passage?
• How do you think GOD brings couples into balance and back into full equality?
• If married, will you seek JESUS ways as the solution to true balance, peace and love today?

Broken Mirror

 Broken Mirror

1 Corinthians 12 ¹² Christ is like a single body, which has many parts; it is still one body, even though it is made up of different parts. ¹³ In the same way, all of us, whether Jews or Gentiles, whether slaves or free, have been baptized into the one body by the same Spirit, and we have all been given the one Spirit to drink.

 

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When I was moving, I threw a hand mirror in a box with books and other hard items. While unpacking I noticed it was cracked. I could still use the mirror, but it just wasn’t the same.

 

• I am part of larger group.
• I am a broken piece of a whole mirror.
• I am part of the entire body of CHRIST, but I need other broken pieces.

 

“Let us make man in OUR image” was the creation of the mirror. But when Adam sinned, the entire mirror was broken. It could no longer reflect GOD as a whole. Each piece could reflect a tiny portion, but not the whole being.

 

My Observation

• GOD wants me to know I am part of CHRIST, but only a part.
• GOD wants me to understand that I need other pieces of the mirror to reflect HIM properly.
• GOD wants me to seek the other broken pieces to put the mirror back together.

 

Knowing one part of the mirror is not more important than another part is the beginning. I mean, when I move a piece of the mirror to the eye or the ear, it reflects what is shown. BUT GOD wants an entire reflection. HE wants all the pieces put back together.

 

But what happens when they are all together? Wouldn’t there still be a crack? Yes. But somehow the HOLY SPIRIT removes the crack when we are “baptized into the one body” by HIM. HE guides us to see we all need each other to truly reflect GOD. I am glad I need other pieces.

 

Challenge

• What are your observations about the differences spoken here?
• What do you notice about the HOLY SPIRIT?
• Do you feel you are a part of something much bigger?
• Will you seek CHRIST and be added into the body today?

Unfortunate Unity

Unfortunate Unity

Acts 5: ⁵ Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. ⁶ And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him.

⁷ Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. ⁸ And Peter answered her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?”

She said, “Yes, for so much.”

⁹ Then Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” ¹⁰ Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband. ¹¹ So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.

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When pledging to get into an organization, we all agreed to lie and steal on a number of occasions. I mean it was only for a short time. I could do and say what I wanted to as long as I was with the group. I fit in and we made it into the organization. In one meeting, we discovered money was missing. “How could this happen?” we all exclaimed.

• There were times when I showed unity but it was missing something.
• There were times when I showed unity but the actions were not above the level.
• There were times when I showed unity but I did not want to tell everyone why I was unified.

Ananias and Sapphira sold their land like everyone else, but held some money back for themselves and made it look they gave their all. This pledge ended up being a deadly vow they did not have to make. While they showed unity in their marriage, it was missing one key ingredient, namely GOD.

• GOD wants me to have unity in HIS word.
• GOD wants me to believe in HIM first before anything else.
• GOD wants me to make attempts to unify under HIM so all efforts will be blessed.

Unity is extremely important to GOD. When two or more people vow to stand for what GOD stands for, incredible things happen. Unfortunately when people act on their own, avoiding GOD’s unity, their promises are not heard and prayers end up falling by the wayside.

GOD wants belief in HIS SON to be unified by HIS followers. HIS power, HIS name and HIS position as GOD are all to be lifted to the highest reverence. Even if one person does not have as much faith as another, unity kicks in when by accepting the statement “I believe but LORD help the part of me that does not believe.” I am glad unity is possible through CHRIST.

• Are you right in a group but wrong in the eyes of GOD?
• Do you believe your efforts are unifying or divisive?
• Will you look to unify all your efforts under the way GOD says versus your solo actions so true success can blossom today?

Out Clause

Matthew 19: ⁷ “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”

⁸ Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. ⁹ I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”

¹⁰ The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.”

¹¹ Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. ¹² For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”

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“Negotiate your exit” was the advice of the wealthy and powerful. They just knew their relationship would dissolve someday so they went in with an “exit strategy.”

• GOD says to me there is no “Exit Strategy” when it comes to marriage.
• GOD says to me “Throw away your ‘Out Clause’ thinking.”
• GOD says to me “Marriage is a calling, not a pleasure ride.”

Within a few short sentences JESUS speaks about sexual purity in marriage as part of this calling. HE calls the “Out Clause” thinking “Forced Adultery.” The disciples reaction was classic! They had been taught they could divorce and move on to the next so there was no need for reconciliation or control of lust. “Who can do this?” they cried out.

• JESUS explained a higher calling of sexual purity in not being married.
• JESUS explained the higher calling is for a chosen few who can accept it.
• JESUS explained that living married or unmarried is for the kingdom.

Anger, bitterness and rage can be controlled by those who are headed towards divorce or have already done it. GOD says “I forgive all who believe in ME” and HE means it. HE says to me “Love everyone as I have loved you.”

• Do you have an “Out Clause?”
• Are you bitter towards another person?
• Can you drop your bitterness and turn your rage into GOD’s love so you can be successful?

Perfect Couple

Matthew 19: When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan. ² Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.

³ Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?”

⁴ “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ ⁵ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? ⁶ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

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It is quite amazing how the Pharisees ignored the miracles happening before their very eyes. Instead they brought questions about something that was on their heart in the first place, namely divorce.

• JESUS says “In the beginning I made male and female.”
• JESUS says “A man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”
• JESUS says “So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

What happened to the miracles? Didn’t someone get healed from a terminal illness moments before? The mere mention of the word “divorce” distracted me as I have seen the disintegration of this institution with not much help to keep it successful.

• JESUS took me back to HIS creation to show me how HE meant things to be.
• JESUS took me back to HIS creation to show me what perfection looked like.
• JESUS took me back to HIS creation to show me HIS structure, not mine.

There is an important observation in this passage. “GOD has joined together” is the thing that I noticed the most. This means there is more of a purpose than my pleasure in this union. Without JESUS being the purpose of the marriage, two will remain two.

• Are you divorced or getting divorced?
• Are you married but are two instead of one?
• Can you unite for the purpose of JESUS so you can see HIS miracles?

Exhaustion Solution

Zechariah 7: ⁹ “This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. ¹⁰ Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’

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“I’m going to get that person back!” were my words. I used a lot of energy developing my plan. I lost several nights’ sleep while I brooded over situations that I would replay in my mind. “How dare they!” would come to mind as I think of more retaliation.

• There were times in my life when my immaturity led me to anger.
• There were times in my life when my immaturity led me to rage.
• There were times in my life when I wanted to harm those who harmed me, or at least in my mind they did!

After a while I believed the lies my mind told me about “that” person. I would replay old videos and negate positive imagery. I was not at peace. Soon I found myself mad at the world because I wanted people to justify my rage. I became exhausted. What was I to do?

• GOD said to me “Show mercy and compassion to one another.”
• GOD said to me “Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor.”
• GOD said to me “Do not plot evil against each other.”

When I reviewed my rage I realized I had no compassion, extended oppressive thoughts and an evil plot. I had not let go of the situation or the person, for that matter. GOD sees every heart and knows the wickedness of all souls. HE allows us to be prodigals and has compassion to enable our return. HE wants me to see HIS example and to give my stony heart to HIM.

Only GOD can change a person, it is not my job. HE is busy trying to change me! HE wants me to have perfect peace within HIM so I can drop my rage in exchange for mercy and compassion. I can release my anger and exchange it for peace. I can get rid of my evil plot and exchange it for encouragement. GOD gives me peace.

• Are you exhausted because of your evil thoughts?
• Are you tired trying to justify your oppressive thinking?
• Will you stop trying replaying old issues and live for GOD today?

How Long?

Jeremiah 47: ⁶ “‘Alas, sword of the Lord,
    how long till you rest?
Return to your sheath;
    cease and be still.’
⁷ But how can it rest
    when the Lord has commanded it,
when he has ordered it
    to attack Ashkelon and the coast?”

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“Are we there yet?” was my first question followed by “how long ‘til we get there?” Staring at the same cornfield seemed agonizing to me as a child but quite peaceful to me now, but that’s another story. When I went to the dentist, he asked “how long has this been hurting?” Another time I sat through a final exam and wondered “how much longer do I have to do this?” On a boring job I had to stop wearing a watch because the day would creep by in an agonizing way.

• When I am in pain I ask “how long?”
• When I want something to change I ask “how long?”
• When I am in a situation that seems to go on forever I ask “how long?”

Honestly, I really don’t want the answer to “how long” sometimes. I mean if the answer is “a few minutes” the question should not be “how long should I hold my hand in the fire?” “How long?” is a question I ask GOD quite often. The real question I am asking HIM is “Can you hurry up and change this situation in my favor?” HIS answer to “how long” may be “decades more” when I want something cured right away.

• GOD holds onto my future so I do not have to worry about it.
• GOD repairs my past so I do not have to dwell on it.
• GOD stays with me in the present so I can be confident in it.

Time is GOD’s. The writer says “A thousand years are but a day to the LORD.” In other words, HE can be extremely patient with me for as long as it takes. The situations I go through enable me to grow and GOD has just the right amount of time to hold me in the fire, to refine me like gold. “How long?” is a valid question but I have learned to answer the question myself with “Thank YOU LORD for bringing me through this like all other situations.”

• Are you going through something?
• Does it seem like you have been going through this situation for years?
• Can you ask GOD the real question “Will YOU change my heart to be YOURS?”
• Will you add praise to your life daily so you can gain endurance?