Why did Jesus have to die? A question that many have asked over the years and the answer that Christianity provides is atonement, and though that is by itself enough, is it the WHOLE story? What if I told you the Bible is a love story like no other love story ever written, and that everything points to the love of a Bridegroom for His Bride? What if God chose to die as an ultimate dowry for the bride He so faithfully loved and desired to win her affection? Please read on and judge for yourself whether the framework of the entirety of Scripture could be considered the Greatest Love Story Ever Told.
God in His creative genius created and established the institute of marriage as a special covenant between one man and one woman. He did this by forming the woman out of the body of the man. When God created the man, everything needed to form the woman was contained in the man's body; they were therefore created at the same time. God then took her out of his body and ultimately reunited them as one flesh. This statement “…they shall be one flesh” is a bit mysterious; obviously the two remain separate entities, but are united in a way that causes them to be one. Does this refer to child bearing? Or does this refer to the special bond that forms between husband and wife?
“And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” Genesis 2:22-24
A man shall cleave to his wife. This word cleave is a verb meaning to cling, stay close, stick with…in other words they become inseparable, when you think of one you think of the other they are a team that is closer than any other kind of relationship. God established a similar relationship between Himself and the nation of Israel immediately after rescuing them from Egypt.
“Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.” Exodus 19:5-6
God promises to establish Israel as His people, a peculiar treasure valued above all else on the condition that they are obedient to Him. In Leviticus He further explains that He will live among them and walk among them as His own people.
“For I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you. And ye shall eat old store, and bring forth the old because of the new. And I will set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.” Leviticus 26:9-12
Later in Deuteronomy, God provides His instruction on marriage as it pertains to divorce. The husband, by law, is required to put a bill of divorce in his wife’s hand.
“When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.” Deuteronomy 24:1
We can see that throughout Scripture, time and time again Israel plays the harlot and shows her unfaithfulness to God by her adulterous “flings” with the gods of other nations. She is compared to a threacherous wife
“Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the LORD.” Jeremiah 3:20
Centuries later after forgiving them over and over for their continuous whoring after idols and other gods, God finally divorces Israel and issues her a bill of divorcement in accordance with His law.
“The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot. And I said after she had done all these things, Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it. And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce…” Jeremiah 3:6-8
According to Deuteronomy, once a wife has been given a bill of divorce she is free to be another man’s wife.
“And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man's wife.” Deuteronomy 24:2
The problem is here given; once a woman is divorced from her first husband and she chooses to marry another who subsequently divorces her, it is unlawful for the first husband to take her back. It is even considered an abomination before God.
“And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife; Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the LORD ….” Deuteronomy 24:3-4
So now the problem is established; God divorces Israel, she subsequently whores after Baal, Ashteroth and an assortment of other foreign gods making it impossible for God to re-establish the marriage covenant with Israel and be in compliance with His own law. Yet God says that He will again have Israel as his bride.
“For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.” Isaiah 62:5
“Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.” Joel 2:16-17
And finally…
“And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD.” Hosea 2:19-20
“And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.” Hosea 2:23
“Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void. But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day; then he establisheth all her vows, or all her bonds, which are upon her: he confirmeth them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them. But if he shall any ways make them void after that he hath heard them; then he shall bear her iniquity.” Numbers 30:13-15
The stage is set, how will God accomplish the impossible and yet retain the integrity of His Word? How will a loving Husband free His bride from the curse of adultery when His law states clearly that it is unlawful for the husband to re-marry his divorced wife. Paul, by revelation of the Holy Spirit, keenly explains the impossible technicality in the law that an all-powerful God makes possible.
“For with God nothing shall be impossible.” Luke 1:37
“The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 7:39
“For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.” Romans 7:2-3
When her husband dies, the divorced wife is free from the curse of adultery, she is free to marry WHOMEVER she will. The word whomever is key, because that whomever could also include her first husband. Huh, you ask? Oh yes, she would be free to marry whomever, but in order for her to be free from the curse her first husband would have to die so how would she marry her first husband? Thus the technicality provided that only God could exploit, and He did for the love of His bride.
“Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.” Romans 7:4
Paul brings his point to a climatic conclusion in his letter to the Romans 7:4. By Christ suffering death he voided the curse and by raising Himself again ALIVE, He again is an eligible bachelor for His bride. God loves His people so much that He died for them, but didn’t just die, He suffered and bled and accomplished the impossible task of maintaining the integrity of His Word while saving His people from their sin through His atoning blood.
There is still one aspect of the law that has yet to be fulfilled…
“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.” Leviticus 20:10
The adulteress was freed from the curse of the law to be put to death by the action of her bridegroom, but the adulterer is to be put to death. He that lured away the wife of the Lord will have “Hell to Pay!” for his crime against the Bridegroom, and it will be administered by the Father.
“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” Revelation 20:10
And finally the marriage of the Lamb of God, who is the bride? John is a witness.
“And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” Revelation 21:2
“And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Revelation 22:17
The Spirit AND the Bride say come…
“And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel” Ephesians 6:19
“For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” Ephesians 5:30-32
There is a great misconception of this word church, ἐκκλησία ekklēsia, it does not refer to a building and it does not originate in the New Testament with the book of Acts, this word ekklesia is a gathering or an assembly and one of the definitions is a “gathering of Israelites” . Ok, but what does that do for me, I’m not an Israelite? Wrong! If you, by the grace of God, accept Christ as your savior, no matter what your heritage, you are grafted into the blessing of Israel. Not replacing Israel, but becoming one with Israel. The Spirit and the Bride say come…
“And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree.” Romans 11:17
The “church” always was and always will be the assembly of His people, His body if you will, the body of Christ. Therefore, out of His body shall be taken His Bride. As it was in the beginning so shall it be in the end.
Showing posts with label Marriage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Marriage. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Genesis 34:8-31
C.
Genesis
34:8 - And Hamor communed
with them, saying, The soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter: I pray
you give her him to wife.
1.
We have a
Canaanite asking to marry an Israelite, knowing what we know up to this point
about the character and nature of God,
a)
Does this sound
like something that would be pleasing to Him? Why or Why not?
b)
Why is it
important that Israel Israel
§
But all came from Noah aren’t all the
bloodlines pure? Not necessarily, the Nephilim, offspring of the fallen angels
from Genesis 6 were mixed in with the Canaanites and therefore corrupting their
bloodline.
§
See the book of
Ruth for in-depth look at the role of Kinsman redeemer which Christ fulfills.
c)
We continue to
see this tactic employed by Satan, possess the land that is promised to
Abraham, attempt to defile the promised “seed”.
§
Happened to Sarah
twice, Pharoah and Abimalech were both warned supernaturally not to take Sarah
to wife.
§
Happened to
Rebekah, Abimalech prevented from lying with Rebekah by means of supernatural
intervention.
§
Here we have a
successful assault on the seed of Abraham by attacking Jacob’s daughter Dinah
who may have been the only daughter at this time. It would not have been out of
the questions for one of her half-brothers to take her for a wife.
i. Satan knows God’s plan and tries to thwart it at every
opportunity
ii. This was not just a chance act, but a carefully
scripted assault
iii. Provides insight on how Satan attacks, he is very
organized and tactical and uses our own choices against us, especially young
people.
2.
Note here that
Dinah is being held in the house of Shechem, so even though this appears to be
a genuine “request”. Shechem never
relinquishes possession of Dinah, who does not belong to him. He is attempting to negotiate from a position
of strength giving limited options to Dinah’s family.
3.
This was not part
of God’s Will, he wanted Israel
4.
The behavior of
both Abraham and Isaac indicate that God intended them to remain separate,
Esau, who married outside the appropriate genealogy, was displeasing to God and
displeasing to his father Isaac.
5.
What about other
races and cultures, should they intermingle? Argument for and against…
a)
God created the
races distinct
§
Why would God
create separate and distinct races if He intended them to eventually be blended
into one?
§
Is it racist to
ask the question?
§
Ultimately it’s
an individual’s choice, just like finding any mate, the individual needs to act
on convictions to determine what relationships are pleasing to the Lord.
b)
God also made it
possible for inter-racial unions to produce offspring
§
Why would God
make it possible to pro-create interracially if He intended humans to remain in
separate and distinct races?
§
Seems that if he
wanted races to remain separate and distinct He could have made them
incompatible with each other.
c)
We have these
conflicting questions that complicate this issue, along with the political
rhetoric that once made this a major issue
d)
Is it a matter of
individual convictions?
e)
What are the
unknown factors?
§
Why did God
create separate and distinct races?
§
What about the
dilution of cultural identity?
§
Are there genetic
ramifications?
§
Are there
spiritual ramifications?
§
Others?
D.
Genesis
34:9 - And make ye marriages
with us, [and] give your daughters unto us, and take our daughters unto you.
1.
Speaking of
plural daughters, an indication that Jacob has other daughters? Or referring to
future generations?
2.
The enemy always
wants us to compromise and dilute God’s perfect plan, God did not want Israel
a)
Romans
1:3-6 - Concerning his Son
Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the
flesh; And declared [to be] the Son of God with power, according to the spirit
of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the
faith among all nations, for his name: Among whom are ye also the
called of Jesus Christ:
E.
Genesis
34:10 - And ye shall dwell
with us: and the land shall be before you; dwell and trade ye therein, and get
you possessions therein.
1.
What’s the
problem with this offer? Hamor’s offer sounds genuine, but what he is offering God
has already promised to Jacob
2.
Compare this to
Satan in Matthew 4 taking Jesus up to a high mountain and showing Him all the
kingdoms of the world and said he would give them to Him if only He would fall
down and worship him. God has already promised to place
everything under His Son, why would He compromise and take a shortcut.
3.
Likewise, why
would Israel
4.
How often do we
sacrifice the promises that God has made to us for a shortcut an easy means to
achieve what we perceive in our own flesh eyes as the same end.
a)
God’s way is the
best way, the narrow path. Sometimes its
hard to see the destination when you are traveling a narrow path
b)
A wide path
allows you to see miles ahead and you walk by sight, a narrow path may need to
take a machete (or a sword) to chop away the overgrown vegetation, you walk by
faith that it leads to the desired destination.
c)
Which path are we
walking?
F.
Genesis
34:11 - And Shechem said unto
her father and unto her brethren, Let me find grace in your eyes, and what ye
shall say unto me I will give.
1.
So when did
Shechem show up? Did he come with his
father Hamor? The previous verses
indicate that Hamor is negotiating on behalf of Shechem who was absent.
a)
Jasher 33:26 –
And Hamor ceased speaking unto Jacob and his sons, and behold Shechem his son
had come after him, and he sat before them.
2.
Up until this
point Hamor has been doing all of the negotiating on behalf of his son
Shechem. It seems Shechem, possibly
charged with emotions jumps into the fray and makes this additional offer.
a)
Did Shechem see
something in Jacob’s face that would cause him to immediately follow-up with
this offer?
b)
It seems like a plea
of desperation
3.
It seems that the
initial offer must not have been all that appealing to Israel
G.
Genesis
34:12 - Ask me never so much
dowry and gift, and I will give according as ye shall say unto me: but give me
the damsel to wife.
1.
Matthew
4:9 – And saith unto Him,
‘All these things will I give thee, if Thou wilt fall down and worship me.’
2.
Mark 8:36 – For
what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his
soul?
a)
Think about this
verse for a moment…
b)
If you gain the
whole world for a lifetime, you enjoy it for all of a whisper in eternity
c)
Could Shechem
possibly offered Jacob anything worth the price of his daughter?
H.
Genesis
34:13 - And the sons of Jacob
answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, and said, because he had
defiled Dinah their sister:
1.
One sin leads to
another, leads to another, leads to another…Dinah went where she shouldn’t have
gone, Shechem did something he shouldn’t have done, the sons of Israel are
plotting there revenge.
a)
A carefully
scripted plot
2.
When we sin its
rarely isolated, it usually snowballs, the subsequent sins may not even be
committed by the initial sinner
3.
One quality that
Jacob passed to his sons was his capacity to employ deception where it benefits
him
I.
Genesis
34:14 - And they said unto
them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised;
for that [were] a reproach unto us:
1.
Reproach - חרפה cherpah, scorn, taunt
2.
Here we have the
sons of Jacob using the outward sign of their covenant with the Lord as a
manipulative tool to exact their revenge
3.
Down through the
years religious “requirements” have been used to manipulate behavior of
individuals and groups of people to gain a desired result. It’s
about control, and using God’s Word as a means of control is against
the Will of God for God is a God of Liberty and not a God of Control.
a)
The enemy seeks
to control and manipulate
b)
God seeks to
liberate
J.
Genesis
34:15 - But in this will we
consent unto you: If ye will be as we [be], that every male of you be
circumcised;
1.
Remember that
circumcision normally takes place when the child is 8 days old, not grown adult
males
2.
Would this bring
them under the covenant of circumcision that God made with Abraham?
3.
Though this was
an insincere effort, it is not enough to only signify an outward expression,
but must be instructed of the meaning, understanding and power behind it.
K.
Genesis
34:16 - Then will we give our
daughters unto you, and we will take your daughters to us, and we will dwell
with you, and we will become one people.
L.
Genesis
34:17 - But if ye will not
hearken unto us, to be circumcised; then will we take our daughter, and we will
be gone.
M.
Genesis
34:18 - And their words
pleased Hamor, and Shechem Hamor's son.
1.
Shechem must have
really loved Dinah (or at least thought he did) and Hamor must have really
loved his son
2.
Did the Hivites
have any knowledge of the covenant?
3.
Why was Shechem
so willing to go through with this without even attempting to negotiate? It
appears that he views this as a good deal?
4.
What was the
covenant
a)
Genesis
17:7-10 – And I will
establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their
generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed
after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein
thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan
b)
So by being
circumcised were they brought into this covenant?
c)
Read on…
II.
The Circumcision of the Males of Shechem (v.19-24)
A.
Genesis
34:19 - And the young man
deferred not to do the thing, because he had delight in Jacob's daughter: and
he [was] more honourable than all the house of his father.
1.
If Shechem is
more honorable than the rest of his father’s house, this doesn’t speak well for
his father’s house.
a)
Could read that
Shechem was the most respected among his father’s house
2.
Nonetheless, it
does appear that Shechem is attempting to right a wrong in the best way he
knows how
B.
Genesis
34:20 - And Hamor and Shechem
his son came unto the gate of their city, and communed with the men of their
city, saying,
1.
Gate of the city
– place of judgment, city hall
C.
Genesis
34:21 - These men [are] peaceable
with us; therefore let them dwell in the land, and trade therein; for the land,
behold, [it is] large enough for them; let us take their daughters to us for
wives, and let us give them our daughters.
D.
Genesis
34:22 - Only herein will the
men consent unto us for to dwell with us, to be one people, if every male among
us be circumcised, as they [are] circumcised.
E.
Genesis
34:23 - [Shall] not their
cattle and their substance and every beast of theirs [be] ours? only let us
consent unto them, and they will dwell with us.
1.
Shechem is
himself being deceitful in that he is convincing his people to go through with
this in order to possess the belongings of Israel
2.
The men were only
interested in being circumcised for the purpose of gaining material wealth.
F.
Genesis
34:24 - And unto Hamor and
unto Shechem his son hearkened all that went out of the gate of his city; and
every male was circumcised, all that went out of the gate of his city.
1.
Picture whats
going on here, imagine the logistics…
2.
Was there a line,
were these men standing in line for this?
3.
What were the
wives of these men thinking? “I don’t think this is a good idea”
III.
Exacting of Revenge (v.25-31)
A.
Genesis
34:25 - And it came to pass
on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon
and Levi, Dinah's brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city
boldly, and slew all the males.
1.
Third day
reference
2.
Simeon and Levi
were full brothers to Dinah, acted as Kinsman redeemers
a)
What these
brothers failed to determine was Dinah’s level of censent
b)
Why the entire
city and not just Shechem?
3.
Was this act
condoned by God?
a)
He allowed it to
happen, just like He allows many things to happen that in our eyes seem so
cruel and inhumane, but He has a higher purpose.
b)
There is no passage
that provides any insight to God’s approval or disapproval in Genesis, we can
clearly see though that Jacob strongly opposed and lived in fear because of it.
c)
Jasher 33:52 –
And they circumcised Shechem and Hamor his father, and the five brothers of
Shechem, and then every one rose up and went home, for this thing was from the
Lord against the city of Shechem, and from the Lord was Simeon’s counsel in
this matter, in order that the Lord might deliver the city of Scechem into the
hands of Jacob’s two sons.
§
At least according
to Jasher this seems to have been condoned by God.
4.
Even with all the
males in the city in a delicate state, this act seems supernatural for two men
to wipe out an entire city
a)
Draws
similarities to the two angels that came to save Lot
and his family before the destruction
b)
The two witnesses
of Revelation 11 who will prophecy for 1,260 days before they are killed by the
enemy
5.
Genesis
27:40 – And by the sword
shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother…
a)
Words spoken by
Isaac over his son Esau, these sons of Jacob have embraced that lifestyle.
B.
Genesis
34:26 - And they slew Hamor
and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem's house, and went out.
1.
Notice that Dinah
was not returned to Jacob to await the marriage, she was living in the house of
Shechem, possibly against her will
2.
Another
similarity to what the angels did with Lot ,
took him and his family out of his house to safety
3.
Were Simeon and
Levi wrong to do what they did? This
verse may provide justification for their actions, if Dinah was being held
against her will and locked away in a stronghold then it seems that their
actions as full blood brothers rescuing their sister by any and all means
necessary was completely justified.
a)
Just like Abraham
rescued Lot and his family when they were captured and carried
away by the unified invasion force from Babylonia .
b)
Just like Simeon
and Levi demonstrated that there is no length they would not go to rescue their
sister, there is no length that the Lord will not go to rescue even one of his
own “lost sheep”
C.
Genesis
34:27 - The sons of Jacob
came upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their
sister.
1.
Not only did they
kill all of the men, they took all of their possessions
a)
Opposite of
Shechem’s intentions in v. 23
2.
No indication
that Dinah was unhappy with them for rescuing her, another indication she was
being held against her will.
D.
Genesis
34:28 - They took their
sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, and that which [was] in the city, and
that which [was] in the field,
1.
That which the Hivites
thought they would gain through the performance of ritual circumcision, became
what they lost, including their very lives
2.
Sowing and
reaping
E.
Genesis
34:29 - And all their wealth,
and all their little ones, and their wives took they captive, and spoiled even
all that [was] in the house.
1.
What did they do
with all of the captive women and children?
2.
Likely they
became servants
F.
Genesis
34:30 - And Jacob said to
Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me
to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and
the Perizzites: and I [being] few in number, they shall gather themselves
together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.
1.
Jacob, in his
flesh, shows his lack of faith in a righteous God who has made a covenant with
him.
2.
This signifies
the beginning of “Jacob’s trouble” in the land a period of six years and
foreshadows end times prophecy of Jeremiah
a)
Jeremiah
30:7 - Alas! for that day [is] great, so that none
[is] like it: it [is] even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved
out of it.
b)
God was with Israel
G.
Genesis
34:31 - And they said, Should
he deal with our sister as with an harlot?
1.
Just because the
answer to this question is obviously no, it does not necessarily justify the
slaughter of the entire city.
2.
It doesn’t
necessarily rebuke it either
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