sex – Be Still…

Leviticus 18:1-30 – Prohibited Sex

Read Leviticus 18:1-30

Do you think it helped that God reminded them more than once that he was the LORD, their God? Why such emphasis? I imagine it was because he wanted their attention because he was going to start talking about sex. That was a hot button topic then as well, especially considering the fact God wanted them to be set apart from the culture they had left (Egypt) and the one they would soon enter (Canaan).

God knew that his model for sex was different than the world’s view and practice. You may notice right off the bat that God speaks of multiple partners. He thought of everything, certainly, but in that culture it was not uncommon for men to have multiple wives. This is known as polygamy, and according to Google it is illegal in most countries and is the practice of only about 2% of the global population. In our day, with the prevalence of divorce, people will often have more than one spouse during a lifetime, just not at the same time. Continue reading “Leviticus 18:1-30 – Prohibited Sex”

Hebrews 13:4-6 – Sex & Money

Read Hebrews 13:4-6

Keep in mind that our reading today comes from the Preacher’s closing remarks. As such, we encounter those important “last-minute details” we mustn’t overlook. These few verses handle three hot-button items: Marriage, Sex, and Money.

Times haven’t changed that much because we could agree those are highly relevant topics still today. What wisdom can we glean for ourselves?

1 Corinthians 7:1-7 – Sex in Marriage

Read 1 Corinthians 7:1-7

black and white photo of a wedding couple about to kiss

Starting in Chapter 7, we see Paul addressing the issues that the church had written to him about. Up to now, apparently, Paul was focusing on the issues he felt needed attention. I think this is helpful to note. Paul didn’t just meet the people “where they were” but first set foundation and reaffirmed the gospel. Paul laid the framework to make it easier to work through the issues concerning the people.

Even back then, sex was on people’s minds! It seems their concern was whether they should live celibate lives. While we’ll see Paul’s slant in this chapter being a single man himself, he does encourage marriage “because there is so much sexual immorality.” It’s as if marriage can become the solution to a big problem.

Song of Solomon 7:1-13 – Even More Perfect

Read Song of Solomon 7:1-13

We can probably all agree – nobody is perfect (except Jesus that is). We may try to be perfect or beat ourselves up if something we are working on isn’t perfect, but bottom line—we are not perfect. In our passage today, we see that Solomon is telling Shulamith she is even more perfect than before.

I come up with the word “perfect” because of the number of attributes used both times we see these words of affirmation. On their wedding night, the number was 7. In the Bible, that is a word to show “perfection” and completeness. Already on their wedding night, Solomon was thinking his wife was pretty wonderful. Now that time has passed, the couple has gotten past the “honeymoon phase” of exploration. They have entered a new season in their relationship and now we see ten attributes he’s sharing. The number 10 signifies even more perfect!

Song of Solomon 1:1-11 – Getting Ready

Read Song of Solomon 1:1-11

We’re about to embark on a new discovery of the wedding gift God gave to a husband and wife. As we read through these beautiful and sometimes odd descriptions of lovemaking and how best to cherish our spouses, remember the intention. It’s a love song of a couple, King Solomon and his bride, Shulamith. Some say this is an allegory for God’s love to his people. It can be both, and when we truly enjoy each other as God intends, we can’t help but thank him for loving us that much that he gave us such a gift.

Being part of Scripture, we can be certain that God intends for us to see the beauty in sexual relations within marriage. So much of what we see on television, in steamy novels, and in other forms of media would lead us to believe that sex outside marriage is okay, that perversion is normal, and that sexual escapades are open season. I could go on and on. Rather, God created sex for more than procreation, and it is certainly not dirty or perverted. He wants us to enjoy it, treasure it, and be blessed by it. Could I be so bold to say, sex is holy?