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365 Devotionals: Sacrifices In The Temple
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. James 1:22 AMP
The Seeds of Promise Devotional Series
Purity & Chastity
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| 7th | Leviticus | Chapter 18 | Isaiah 54 | Purity & Chastity |
Memory Verse: Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, for in all these things the nations are defiled which I am casting out before you. Leviticus 18:24 AMP
Devotional Reading: Leviticus 18 AMP
The Ten Commandments already expressed the fault that God detested adultery. However, today’s reading is detailed in condemning incest and sexual impurity. These commands were given to the Levites and all of the Israelites. When humanity was initiated in the form of the first man, Adam, he and his wife Eve were told to be fruitful and multiply. In the early days of mankind, there was marrying amongst siblings and cousins, etc.
When the Children of Israel went down into Egypt, they were 70 peoples. By the time that Israelites were delivered from the bondage of Pharoah, there were about 2.5 million peoples including women and children [1]. After delivering the Ten Commandments and establishing the Levitical Priesthood, God commanded the Children of Israel to no longer uncover the nakedness of their women kin. Siblings and other close relatives were not to marry or to have sexual relations of any kind [2].
God was establishing His definition of undefiled living concerning intimacy. He of course wanted people to have love one to another, yet their communications were to be descent and in order of their relation, honoring the LORD with abstinence and self-control where appropriate.
Chastity and sexual purity is a commandment of God for people today. Jesus said to look on a woman and lust after her is to already have committed fornication. Each person must cast down evil imaginations and discipline himself or herself to bridle the tongue (speak chastely and wisely) and thereby have the power to control the entire body – to resist sexual sin. Paul said that being a eunuch by choice (self control) was a far better state than to be sexually active, if a person could in fact control his or her desires. Not being able to have self control, it would better for a person to marry than to burn with sexual desire that could not be fulfilled.
In our sexualized society, people are bombarded with television commercials, films, advertising, and other media sending the message that sex is fine as long as you have protection. God’s definition of sexual morality is far more complex than a condom. God only condones sex within the sanctity of marriage. The intimacy of intercourse can be a powerful mental and spiritual imprint on the persons involved – this creates soul ties – spiritual connections that are not easily broken. If, for example, a person is married to someone else after a soul tie was created to someone else previously, this connection can cause problems in the marriage. A person needs to be emotionally and spiritually “single” before marrying. The best way of course to maintain singleness is through devotion to God and abstinence.
Remember that God destroyed Sodom & Gomorrah because of sexual sin, which had become so extreme that people were having relations with fallen angels.
God encourages single women to depend wholly on Him for their provision and the role that a husband would be to them. God desires single people to see their personal freedom as an opportunity to worship more fully and often, not having the responsibilities of a spouse. Singleness gives you the opportunity to help raise the children of your generation by your example before God – they are your spiritual children.
Devotional Reading: Isaiah 54:1-6
1 Sing, O barren one, you who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who did not travail with child! For the [spiritual] children of the desolate one will be more than the children of the married wife, says the Lord. 2 Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; spare not; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes, 3 For you will spread abroad to the right hand and to the left; and your offspring will possess the nations and make the desolate cities to be inhabited. 4 Fear not, for you shall not be ashamed; neither be confounded and depressed, for you shall not be put to shame. For you shall forget the shame of your youth, and you shall not [seriously] remember the reproach of your widowhood any more. 5 For your Maker is your Husband—the Lord of hosts is His name—and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; the God of the whole earth He is called. 6 For the Lord has called you like a woman forsaken, grieved in spirit, and heartsore—even a wife [wooed and won] in youth, when she is [later] refused and scorned, says your God.
Footnotes
[1] The Exodus Route – http://www.bible.ca/archeology/bible-archeology-exodus-route-population-of-jews-hebrews.htm
[2] Leviticus 18:6
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