Threats and Protections

13 “If any man takes a wife and goes in to her and then hates her 14 and accuses her of misconduct and brings a bad name upon her, saying, ‘I took this woman, and when I came near her, I did not find in her evidence of virginity,’ 15 then the father of the young woman and her mother shall take and bring out the evidence of her virginity to the elders of the city in the gate. 16 And the father of the young woman shall say to the elders, ‘I gave my daughter to this man to marry, and he hates her; 17 and behold, he has accused her of misconduct, saying, “I did not find in your daughter evidence of virginity.” And yet this is the evidence of my daughter’s virginity.’ And they shall spread the cloak before the elders of the city. 18 Then the elders of that city shall take the man and whip him, 19 and they shall fine him a hundred shekels of silver and give them to the father of the young woman, because he has brought a bad name upon a virgin of Israel. And she shall be his wife. He may not divorce her all his days.

What is the threat? The bride would be shamed and unable to find a husband to provide for her and potentially for her children.

What is the protection? That the bride would be provided for and that her name would not be put to shame.

This forced the selfish man to either change or have his name be a disgrace.

Protection for the groom.

Deuteronomy 22:20–21 ESV

20 But if the thing is true, that evidence of virginity was not found in the young woman, 21 then they shall bring out the young woman to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death with stones, because she has done an outrageous thing in Israel by whoring in her father’s house. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.

What is the threat: That the man’s heir would not be his own child and that disgrace would be brought upon his name.

What was the protection: The man’s name would be vindicated, the father and the woman would not be able to take advantage of someone else, and the man would be able to remarry and produce a legitimate heir.

Protection against promiscuity.

Deuteronomy 22:22 ESV

22 “If a man is found lying with the wife of another man, both of them shall die, the man who lay with the woman, and the woman. So you shall purge the evil from Israel.

What is the threat? That the culture would become promiscuous and leave the design of God for the care of children, women, and the inheritance of families.

What is the protection? That marriage would be kept holy and that the wronged man would be able to remarry and raise a legitimate heir.

Judging Promiscuity (Three Scenarios)

A warning to both men and women.

Deuteronomy 22:23–24 ESV

23 “If there is a betrothed virgin, and a man meets her in the city and lies with her, 24 then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city, and you shall stone them to death with stones, the young woman because she did not cry for help though she was in the city, and the man because he violated his neighbor’s wife. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.

A warning to men and protection of women.

Deuteronomy 22:25–27 ESV

25 “But if in the open country a man meets a young woman who is betrothed, and the man seizes her and lies with her, then only the man who lay with her shall die. 26 But you shall do nothing to the young woman; she has committed no offense punishable by death. For this case is like that of a man attacking and murdering his neighbor, 27 because he met her in the open country, and though the betrothed young woman cried for help there was no one to rescue her.

Protection for all women.

Deuteronomy 22:28–29 ESV

28 “If a man meets a virgin who is not betrothed, and seizes her and lies with her, and they are found, 29 then the man who lay with her shall give to the father of the young woman fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife, because he has violated her. He may not divorce her all his days.

Purity and the protection of Inheritance

Deuteronomy 22:30 ESV

30 “A man shall not take his father’s wife, so that he does not uncover his father’s nakedness.

What is the threat? That a man would upset the order of inheritance by taking his father’s wife as his own bride and bring disgrace on the name of his father and leave his brothers with no inheritance.

What is the protection? The holiness of marriage and the orderly structure of familial inheritance would be protected.

What does God have to say to us about marriage and adultery?

Adultery:

1 Corinthians 7:1–5 ESV

1 Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” 2 But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. 3 The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

Matthew 5:27–30 ESV

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.

Marriage:

Mark 10:2–12 ESV

2 And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” 3 He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” 4 They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away.” 5 And Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. 6 But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ 7 ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, 8 and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. 9 What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” 10 And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. 11 And he said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her, 12 and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

Children:

Ephesians 6:1–4 ESV

1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

What is the threat to our culture caused by adultery and promiscuity?

Destruction of the family unit.

Destruction of life.

Destruction of purity and innocence in our culture.

Destruction of cultural stability and safety (Esp. for women and children).

How does God’s design protect us from destroying ourselves?

Creates a clear family structure.

Creates clear lines for the roles of men and women.

Creates an environment where children thrive and grow.

Creates stability in our culture and protection and provision for women and children.

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