Sex, Sin, and The Sanctuary
From the Garden to Golgotha God is Gracious
Judah is a Lion's Whelp
Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord and who shall dwell in his Holy Place?
Pre Law Sex
Some may not agree. They would say the Law was always there. No, the scripture is clear. The scriptures say "It was added because of transgression" Gal. 3:19 and "the Law entered that the offence might abound" Rom. 5:20. And whatsoever the Law says, it says to those who are under the Law. Slice it or dice it how we want, but what the Scripture says it says.
The question is "How was immoral sexual behaviour treated before the Law entered. It was virtually ignored. I can give you a list. From Lamech right down to Shechem.
1. Lamech and his eight wives
2, Abraham and Hagar
3, Reuben and Bilhah
4. Judah and Tamar
5. Shechem and Dinah.
Now the ignoring and tolerating of errors and wrong by God is not an indictment against God. God is not oblivious nor indifferent to these acts. Solomon alludes to this when he says "Because sentence against an evil act is not speedily executed, it is fully set in the hearts of men to do evil, Eccl. 8:11. And Paul says in Rom. 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
So God noted or noticed Reuben's sin and Judah's sin and later records in Lev. 18 his abject disgust for such behaviour. ​​
​
Lev. 1
6 None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the Lord.
7 The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.
8 The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father's nakedness.
9 The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, whether she be born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.
10 The nakedness of thy son's daughter, or of thy daughter's daughter, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover: for theirs is thine own nakedness.
11 The nakedness of thy father's wife's daughter, begotten of thy father, she is thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.
12 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's sister: she is thy father's near kinswoman.
13 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister: for she is thy mother's near kinswoman.
​
Peri-Law reaction to sexual sin
​
He that despised Moses Law, died without mercy under two or three witnesses. Reuben would have been a dead man. Judah would have been a dead man. Lev. 18 would have denounced all of them as dead men. Zimri and Cozbi are good examples of this Lev.25:6.
The scribes and pharisees brought a woman to Jesus caught Red Handed in adultery. In Moses Law such an one would be stoned. Death was the penalty for sinning Peri Law in Moses time. But between Moses Law and Grace and Truth given by Jesus, there was a period when the "Law was slacked". Hab.1:4. Habakuk said Judgment never goes forth and the wicked encompass the righteous. After Joshua died, judges ruled. So even under the Law when Judges ruled, judgment never went forth. The scripture records "In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes." Judges 17:6. Time and again the scripture records there was no King in Israel. The first and only gang rape in the bible occured under "no king in Israel". Judges 19. Even levites did not escape the fury of a Lawless, Kingless generation. Even when there were Kings, the absence of the Law caused havoc to reign particularly in the Davidic dynasty beginning with David, Amnon, Absalom, Solomon, Adonijah; Many of them weaponizing sex to seize power and authority. No wonder why Josiah was appalled when they found the Book of the Law.
And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes. 2 Kings 22. 11. So that many Peri-Law livers lived when the law was slacked. That's why the offenders got away with it. It Show whaat the world would be like without a central authority and how man has failed in every dispensation.
​
Enter Grace abd Truth
Gracee and Truth painted a whole new picture. Jesus is comfortably conversing by a well with a known adulterer and a Samaritan at that. Then, when he was brought a woman taken in Adultery, he said niether do I condemn thee. Go and sin no more. John 8:11 Truly the Law was given by Moses but Grace and thruth came by Jesus Christ. John 1:17. And of his fulness have we all received and Grace for Grace. We cannot site Pre-Law and Peri-Law practices to justify Post Law behaviour. Christ has come and he is the end of the Law for righteousness to every that believes. Rom. 10:4. God says we should listen to him Mark 9:7. In these last days he has spoken to us by his Son. Heb. 1:2. And in Heb. 2 we have an obligation to listen to Jesus Christ whose words were confirmed unto us by them that heard him, Heb. 2:3. Let us hear Them that that heard him.