MORAL EXCELLENCE FOR YAHWEH’S PEOPLE

Part 1

By Reb. Sherry A. Hord
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MARRIAGE - MONOGAMY VS. POLYGAMY

Monogamy, marriage between one man and one woman, is Yahweh’s foremost design for human living on the earth. In Bereshith (Genesis) 2:18-24, Yahweh’s desire for monogamous marriage is expressed through the following concepts:

1. Unity between a man and a wife.
2. Marriage is not to be dissolved without strong grounds; this is because man and wife become one flesh in the uniting or bonding of their souls through marriage.
3. Monogamy is the original state of marriage.
4. Social equality of the partners.
5.  Subordination of the wife to the husband (1 Corinthians 11:8-9; 1 Timothy 2:13).
6. Duties of the man and woman.

After Adam and Chavah (Eve) sinned in Gan Eden (Garden of Eden), they were banished from the perfect state of creation and its sphere on the earth to enter into human life as it was expressed through imperfect human beings. During the years following their banishment known as the patriarchal years, polygamy or the practice of a man having multiple wives and concubines, and divorce became a known practice among the people living in the Mesopotamian area.

Generations later, after the descendants of Avraham, Yitzak (Isaac), and Ya’acov (Jacob) were released from 430 years of slavery in Mitzraim (Egypt), Yahweh gave the Ten Commandments and Torah instructions to Moshe (Moses). These were given to form an established nation out of the people of Yisrael. They were to become a nation of individuals who would be a light or witness unto the heathen people of Yahweh’s existence and how His people should live on the earth. The Mosaic Law or Torah was given to the people of Yisrael to point out sin (Romans 3:20) and to show a more perfect manner of living for all people. Before the Mosiac Law or Torah, there was no concept of sin, everyone did what right in his own eyes (Romans 4:15). Therefore, the practice of polygamy, a man having multiple wives, flourished even among the ancestors of the Yisraelite people.

The Mosaic Law or Torah did not directly forbid the practice of polygamy, having multiple wives, but did discourage the practice and pointed to a more perfect way for marriage. One instruction that discouraged the practice is found in Debarim (Dueteronomy) 17:17. In this instruction, Yahweh discouraged the king of the nation of Yisrael not take many wives knowing that multiple wives would lead the king into idolatry and alliances with enemy nations. The king was to be a good moral example for the nation. Sholomo (Solomon) is a good example to view the disastrous results that come from polygamy and other acts of disobedience to Yahweh’s instructions.

In time, the nation of Yisrael split into two kingdoms. Both kingdoms were eventually scattered into the heathen nations as a result of Yahweh’s punishment for their sins of idolatry. After an exile of 70 years in Babylon, a remnant of the House of Yahudah (Judah) returned to Yisrael to rebuild the Temple in Yerushalyim (Jerusalem) and to resettle the area. During the Post-Babylonian period that followed, monogamy (a man having one wife) became more prevalent than the practice of polygamy but the abuse of divorce existed. During Yahshua’s ministry time in Yisrael, He confirmed Yahweh’s original intent for marriage to be between one man and one woman (Matthew 19:4-5), and the following moral issues regarding marriage:

1. Confirmed Yahweh’s original plan for marriage.
2. Restricted divorce to adultery as the only ground for divorce.
3. Prohibited remarriage for all persons divorced on improper grounds
   (Matthew 5:32, 19:9; Romans 7:3; 1 Corinthians 7:10-11).
4. Enforced moral purity (Hebrews 13:4).
5. Condemned fornication (which includes adultery) (Acts 15:20).

As time evolved, many nation-states, especially where the descendants of the two Houses of the nation of Yisrael (the ten tribes of the Northern Kingdom of Yisrael and the remaining descendants of the House of Yahudah that remained in the heathen lands) migrated and settled, adopted monogamous marriage laws, and all members of those nations were to abide by the laws. Today, in all democratic nations, including the modern State of Israel, marriage laws and customs approve of only one man for one woman as legal marriages. In Jewish marriages even today, in the United States, Israel, and elsewhere, a "ketubah" or marriage contract is signed between the bride to be and the groom which states their intent of marriage and the vows applying to their marriage.

Therefore, it is reasonable to say that polygamy, the practice of having multiple wives, was adopted by ancient people in ancient cultures for man’s personal and cultural esteem but was never Yahweh’s intent nor plan for marriage.

BRIT CHADASHA INSTRUCTION ON MORALITY REGARDING

ADULTERY AND FORNICATION

There are two good instances in the Brit Chadasha (N.T.) that indicate that adultery, fornication, and multiple partners are not acceptable before Yahweh.
In Yohanan (John) 4:15, Yahshua met a Shomeron (Samaritan) women at a well. He asked her to call her husband to come to Him. She did not lie to Yahshua but admitted that she had no husband at the present time. This possibly implies that she was having a sexual affair or living with a man outside of the confines of marriage, and Yahshua was aware of her present undesirable state of affairs, and also of her past five husbands. I Corinthians 7:1-2 further elaborates on why a person should not emulate or copy the adulterous way of the Shomeron woman.
Yohanan’s portion of Scripture indicates that Yahweh is always aware of His people’s lives, including their areas of sin. By Yahshua stating that He knew of the woman’s repeated behavior with men and her existing unmarried but sexually active state, He was suggesting that the woman’s lifestyle was not acceptable before Yahweh.

In this story, we can see a "remez" or hint as to how Yahweh sees His people of Yisrael. The Shomeron woman represents the nation of Yisrael in its history of whoring after other gods or worshipping "ba’als." The word "ba’al" means "husband." The woman, Yisrael, has been whoring after other gods and worshipping ba’als for centuries. It is the sin of idolatry, the act of committing spiritual adultery against Yisrael’s true husband Yahweh, and living in a perpetual state of spiritual fornication by worshipping other gods.

In Yohanan (John) 8:3-11, during the last Great Day of the Sukkot (Tabernacles) festival, Yahshua went into the area of the Court of the Women at the Temple in Yerushalyim. His whereabouts at that time is verified in the fact that women were not allowed in the court area set aside for men only. The rabbis brought a woman to Yahshua that was accused of adultery (a married person having sexual relations with someone other than her marriage partner) to test Yahshua‘s wisdom of Torah instructions.

The particular circumstances in this portion of verses indicate that the woman was either a married woman having sexual relations with a man other than her husband, or it may indicate that she was a single woman betrothed to a man but not yet married, and defiled herself and her future marriage by having sexual relations with another man during her engagement.

During a betrothal or "kiddushin" which means "sanctification, separation" or the setting aside and separation of a particular woman for a particular man is to be upheld in all honesty and integrity. For a woman to commit the sexual act of having relations with another man during her betrothal time was against Yahweh’s Ten Commandments found in Shemoth (Exodus) 20:14, and was considered to be an act of adultery. Unfortunately, during Yahshua’s time on earth, the rabbis applied the commandment against a woman in such a situation more so than against the guilty man or men involved. Yahshua readily realized the hypocrisy of the rabbis regarding this point of issue.

The penalty for adultery in the situation of a betrothed woman was based on Debarim (Dueteronomy) 22:23-24 which included death by stoning as its primary measure. In addition to the Torah interpretation of the above Scripture, the rabbis stated in the Mishna that if one is set-apart in a betrothal and has sexual relations with another person during the betrothal period is considered adultery and is seen to be more serious sin than adultery after marriage. The Mishna (Sanhedrin 7:1) specifies four kinds of death penalties depending on gravity of sin involved:

1. Stoning - a man who is betrothed and has intercourse with another is the same penalty as one who has intercourse with his mother.
2. Burning
3. Beheading
4. Strangling

Regarding the confrontation with the rabbis over the woman’s state of adultery in Yohanan (John) 8:3-11, there are two very important issues that Yahshua dealt with. First, in verse 7, He exposed the hypocrisy of the rabbis’ actions against the woman by their failure to bring the man that was also as guilty as the woman to impose the same penalty upon him as well for his equal participation in the sin of adultery. According to Debarim (Dueteronomy) 22:22 both the man and the woman were to be equally responsible for their sinful deed. By Yahshua’s action of writing in the ground, He may have been writing the rabbis names in the dirt to fulfill the prophecy found in Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah 17:13).

Secondly, in verse 11, Yahshua pronounced "grace" or pardoned the woman’s sin of adultery because the rabbis had failed to judge the man that was equally involved. Yahshua released the woman from the penalty of death by stoning. However, it is most important to understand that Yahshua released the woman from the penalty of committing adultery with the commandment of, "Go and sin no more." He was instructing her to personally repent and do not ever commit adultery again during her betrothal time or in her marriage with her intended husband. This verifies that Yahshua upholds the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman.

Again in Yohanan 8:3-11, there is a "remez" or hint as to the spiritual state of the nation of Yisrael that Yahshua brought forth. The nation of Yisrael had spiritually become like an adulterous woman whoring after other "husbands" or ba’als," other gods, and committing spiritual fornication and adultery with them which is idolatry. This adulterous spiritual course of sin would lead the nation into spiritual divorce by Yahweh in accordance with His instruction on the Torah portion of the adulterous wife found in Debarim (Dueteronomy 24:1-5. In Yahshua’s forgiveness of the woman, there is a picture of Yahweh’s grace and forgiveness for the nation of Yisrael if they would "repent" and no longer whore after other gods or ba’als (husbands). Yahshua not only confronted sins committed in a physical sense but also taught the spiritual application regarding the sins. We can also apply the spiritual significance to Yahshua’s "remez" to the Body of Mashiach (Messiah). For we are betrothed to Yahshua, the Bridegroom, upon salvation and are to keep the "ketubah" instructions of Torah and the Brit Chadasha to be spiritually pure and set-apart during our betrothal period until He Comes.

It is good to understand the full and complete Biblical and social meanings for fornication and adultery to go along with this lesson.

Fornication - Strong’s Hebrew #2181 - "zanah" meaning highly fed and therefore wanton; to commit adultery; to commit idolatry; whoring.

Strong’s Hebrew #8457 from root word #2181 - "taznuth" meaning harlotry; idolatry: fornication, whoredom.

Strong’s Greek #4202 - "porneia" meaning harlotry (incl. Adultery and incest); idolatry; fornication.

Strong’s Greek #4203 - "porneno" meaning to act the harlot; indulge unlawful lust; practice idolatry; commit fornication.

Webster’s Dictionary - sexual intercourse outside of marriage; between a spouse (married person) and an unmarried person: between unmarried or single people

Adultery - Strong’s Hebrew #5003 - "na’aph" meaning to commit adultery; to apostatize (renounce religious faith) (in Biblical sense to commit physical fornication and adultery, and spiritual fornication by worshipping other gods or ba’als and committing adultery by leaving Yahweh for them); woman that breaks wedlock.

Strong’s Greek #3430 "moicheia" and #3431 "moicheuo" both referring to committing adultery. These are the Greek words used in Yohanan 8:3-4 for the woman accused of adultery.

In the Brit Chadasha, the words "fornication" and "adultery" are closely linked to the common understanding of someone having sexual relations outside of the confines of Yahweh’s plan for marriage. Both words are very closely related in meaning and are therefore, relatively interchangeable to imply the sin of having sexual relations between individuals that are not married. The following verses are given for study on the subjects listed:

Fornication - Matthew 5:32, 19:9; Yohanan (John) 8:41; Acts 15:20-29, 21:25; Romans 1:28-32; I Corinthians 5:1, 6:13-18, 7:2, 10:8; II Corinthians 12:21; Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 5:3; Colossians 3:5; I Thessalonians 4:3-5; Jude 7; Revelations 2:14-21, 9:21, 14:8, 17:2-4, 18:3-9, 19:2 (Revelation verses reveal to us that whoring is idolatry and is linked to the Spirit of Jezebel and the Whore of Babylon in the Satanic realm).

Adultery - Matthew 5:27-32, 19:9 & 18; Mark 10:11-12 & 19; Luke 16:18, 18:20; Yohanan (John) 8:3-11; Romans 2:22-23, 13:9; Galatians 5:19; James 2:11; II Peter 2:14; Revelations 2:22.
We must acknowledge that committing any form of fornication, whoring or adultery in the physical as well as the spiritual is sin and must be repented of by the individual in Yahshua HaMashiach (the Messiah). The Brit Chadasha advises us that all forms of sexual sins are leaven that spread in a Body of believers, therefore must not be tolerated nor exist in a congregation (I Corinthians 6:9-20).

SENSUALITY AND SEXUAL ACTIVITIES

Yahweh has called His people Yisrael to submit their sensuality to the reign of the Ruach HaKodesh, and sexual activity only to the confines of marriage.

Before we are saved, our human response to all situations including sexual activities is based on how we are trained to think and act out our carnal lustful desires to appease ourselves for self-gratification. Once we are saved, we can no longer allow our sinful human nature to rule over our lives, and we must repent of everything that is sinful. The conclusion of what is sin must be based upon Yahweh’s Torah and Brit Chadasha instructions, and must be taught and followed in a uniform manner and consistently maintained within the Body of Mashiach (the Messiah). No one in the Body of Mashiach has liberty to sin against the instructions of Yahweh.

Throughout Scripture, Yahweh has revealed His Heart for intimate relations between a man and a wife in the context of marriage (Bereshith (Genesis) 1:27-28). He created the human body and defined the psycho-physiological response of all its organs. To see this understanding in Scripture, we must read Proverbs 5:18-19. The fountain mentioned in these verses is a Biblical way of stating that Yahweh has created particular human body parts to be instrumental in reproducing life and sensual pleasure for a man and a woman in marriage. These parts are blessed and should cause rejoicing in the life of the mate. The sexual response is to be "ravished" or to be fully and completely satisfying. (1)

Bereshith (Genesis) 2:18-24 indicates that Yahweh created man to have one wife and to stay with her in marriage because it is an exclusive union that is experienced physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Adultery is a violation of that union or "oneness" of the marriage partners. That is why Hebrews 13:4 states that marriage is honorable and must not be defiled. Whoremongers (people that have sexual activity with others), fornicators, and adulterers will be judged by Yahweh.
Marriage between a man and woman is expressed through the physical act of sexual love making, emotional well-being (feeling secure within a marriage built on trust and honesty), and spiritual oneness before Yahweh to receive His blessing upon the marriage. The "oneness" of marriage is an example of the relationship that Mashiach desires to have with His people Yisrael. Therefore, believers’ marriages are to witness the Word of Yahweh. If the sin of adultery and fornication is allowed to creep into a believer’s marriage, the union or "oneness" aspect is destroyed physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Yahweh must then intervene through the conviction of sin by His Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit), lead the guilty partner unto repentance, and re-establish the trust issue of the marriage to bring about a restoration for both partners.

In the Word of Yahweh, sexual activity is reserved for only the married in the Body of Mashiach (the Messiah). Sex between unmarried people is forbidden, and is considered to be fornication, and must be stopped and repented of.

Sex between a married person and someone outside of that marriage is forbidden; it is doubly sinful because it involves fornication, and adultery. It entails a physical, emotional, and spiritual bonding that is unlawful and thus leaves both people open to demonic desire for self-gratification which ultimately gives glory to Satan because it is sin, the transgressing of Yahweh’s institution of marriage. If the sin is not repented of, and forgiveness issued by the offended partner, it is carried into the person’s marriage to eventually bring destruction to the marital partners. If the sexual activity was with an unmarried person, that person also suffers in the consequences of the sin. I Corinthians 6:15-20 tells us that when a person commits the sin of fornication, whoring and adultery, that he/she is spiritually enjoined to the other whoring partner.

Sexual activity outside of marriage deteriorates and alters an individual’s physical life (often times brings diseases), destroys emotional well-being in one’s soul, severs one’s spiritual communion or relationship with Yahweh, and allows one to be enslaved to the lust of the sin. We can see this aspect of sin in Proverbs 5:20-23:

1. The person is held captive, is enslaved by the sin, and is driven to continually act out the sin.
2. Physical death was a penalty in the First Covenant, and can be today as a result of the consequences of the sin (disease, jealous hatred, etc.).
3. Yahweh does not change His view on sin - sin is sin.
4.  Spiritual death is the penalty under the Renewed Covenant (N.T.).

Any kind of sexual or sensual activity with someone other than one’s own marriage partner is sin. Sin brings separation from Yahweh (Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 59:2). Yahshua said that a person is guilty of adultery even if he/she thinks about doing the sin (includes daydreaming, fantasies, impure thoughts about sexual activities) in Matthew 5:28. (1)

Fornication can include a variety of sensual or sexual activity that people allow into their minds and act out in their lives:

1. Pornography
2. Masturbation
3. Daydreaming and fantasies
4. Voyeurism (watching sexual acts and nudity)
5. Unlawful sexual acts outside of marriage
6. Lasciviousness (willful behaviors directed at stimulating carnal human desires in another person. This sin includes:

A. Flirting

B. Enticing through words, actions, manner of dress

C. Act provocatively ( Sexually explicit for enticing another into sexual activity). (1)

All sexual sins are against the person’s own body. A believer’s personal body is the Temple of Elohim (I Corinthians 6:18-19). Sexual sins can be unpardonable sins because:

1. Continued, willful sin sears the conscience.
2. A seared conscience rejects the conviction of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit), and denies the Word of Yahweh.
3. People with a seared conscience eventually turn away from Yahweh and throw away their salvation not to be regained (Hebrews 10:26, 6:4-6; Romans 1:28). (1)

Therefore, acknowledgment of one’s sins in these categories, and true remorse for one’s sins, and a willingness to fully repent will enable the person to receive Yahweh’s forgiveness (II Corinthians 7:9-10; I Yohanan (John) 1:9. It is also of utmost importance to ask the Body of Mashiach’s forgiveness if these sins were allowed to exist in their midst.

Yahweh’s people are to be morally clean (II Corinthians 7:1); sexual sins affect our spirits and the spirit of the local Body of Mashiach. They bring destruction to the individual, and diminish the corporate spiritual unity or "oneness" of the Body. Separating ourselves from anything that is evil is a fundamental teaching in the full counsel of Elohim both the Tanakh (Torah, Writings, Prophets) and the Brit Chadasha (N.T.). We are to separate ourselves from sin so that we can pursue a set-apartness (holiness) life in the likeness of Yahshua HaMashiach. We are to hate any form of sin (Hebrews 1:9; I Yohanan (John) 2:15. Refusal to separate from sin results in the loss of fellowship with Yahweh and His people of the Commonwealth of Redeemed Yisrael. We must make a clean break from sin and we must maintain a continual resistance to sin and the carnal sinful desires of our flesh.

(1) The School of the Minister of Excellence, published by Intensive Training Institute, Session Two, written by Rev. Judith K. Harrington, Founder & Director, and Maureen G. Galsterer, Ph.D., Academic Dean

For Part 2

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