Commandment #7: Western society, specifically the United States and Britain, is obsessed with sex. This is a relatively new phenomenon. Prior to the 1940’s it was against federal law to sell or distribute information related to sex in the United States. The situation reversed itself over the years as Satan gained ever more control over the minds of the American and British people. Throughout the Western World there are literally dozens, even hundreds of publications that openly discuss details of what should be reserved for the private, most intimate moments between husband and wife. I recall that in the 1950’s when television was first introduced into the homes of civilized nations that the program production rules were extremely strict. Sex was not so much as hinted at, much less talked about. At that time we were still trying to portray ourselves as Bible-based, God-fearing nations. I recall that at the ending of the broadcast day (10 p.m.) a minister would giving a short sermon followed by a prayer. Anything that even hinted of sexual activity was strictly forbidden. The situation has most assuredly changed. A few years ago while I was still watching entertainment t.v. I saw full frontal nudity of both a male and a female on television from the comfort of my living room. At the turn of the century pornography was reported to be a $3 billion dollar a year industry. I recently read that the figure has increased to $10 billion a year. It has been reported that more people watch porn than watch professional football. No one is shocked by the fact that pornography and the availability of sex-saturated television and printed reading material have brought about a huge increase in the rate of adultery.

It is also no surprise that adultery is instrumental in the rise of divorce. This is especially true in first world countries. In America it is reported that approximately one half of all marriages end in divorce. In Britain more young couples live together than get married. Experts reveal that there is a direct link between adultery and divorce which should not surprise anyone.

In the two previous postings we have covered the commandments that safeguard the sacredness of human relationships and human life in general. The fifth commandment dealt with the relationship between children and their parents which is precious in the eyes of the Lord. The sixth commandment safeguarded human life. The seventh commandment was designed to protect the most vital human relationship–that between husband and wife.

In the seventh commandment the Almighty commands that husbands and wives remain pure relative to their sexual relationships in order to protect the honor and sanctity of the marriage bond. The Lord designed sex for two purposes–as an expression of love and as a method of populating the earth. What He had to say about the relationship reveals His strong feelings about it–He made the breaking of the marriage bond a CAPITAL OFFENSE: “And the man that commits adultery with another man’s wife …both the adulterer and the adulteress will surely be put to death” (Lev. 20:10). In that God has declared the death penalty for an act, that means that only one act is more egregious than that act–blaspheming the Holy Spirit, for which there is no forgiveness. I have personal experience with that sin. I once prayed for a woman whom God healed instantly and totally. Her church denomination does not believe in divine healing. She accused me of healing her through witchcraft, not through the power of the Holy Spirit. In so doing she blasphemed the Spirit. She died in her sleep a few weeks later. Her daughter told me that doctors could find no medical reason for her death.

The marriage between a man and a woman is in reality a type of Christ’s relationship with His true church. We need to understand the spiritual depth of this subject. The Apostle Paul goes into considerable detail relative to the husband-wife relationship. In Ephesians 5:22-24 he writes: “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, EVEN AS CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH AND THE SAVIOR OF THE (CHURCH) BODY. Therefore, as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be subject to their own husbands in everything.” Needless to say, this godly rule is not popular within the family today, which explains why so many families are coming apart.

Paul also addressed the role of the husband within the marriage: “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it …. so ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loves his wife loves himself” (vss 25,28). Within the most advanced societies we find that this kind of family relationship is desperately needed as divorce rates climb steadily.

There is a deep and abiding spiritual purpose embedded within the marriage relationship. Paul continues: “For we are members of His (Christ’s) body, of His flesh and of his bones. For this cause a man will leave his father and mother and the two will be one flesh. This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church (vss 30-32).

Commandment #8: With the eighth commandment–“Thou shalt not steal”–the Lord protects the right of individuals to own private property. To my knowledge, there is no society in which this commandment is fully obeyed. Many types of acts serve to break the eighth commandment–muggings, bank robberies, auto theft, shoplifting, etc. But much of the thievery going on throughout the world is not of the individual kind. Nations go to war in order to steal what other nations possesses. The current Russian-Ukrainian war is an excellent example. The above-mentioned types of stealing are not the most profitable for thieves–white collar crime is by far the most serious. In the past, America was shocked at the Enron scandal in which huge amounts of money were stolen. The proven fact of the matter is that white collar crime permeates every level of society.

Because while white collar crime is done at the highest levels of corporate society, it has been estimated that only about 40% of those crimes are ever reported, which means that the majority of white collar crimes are never prosecuted. That the Lord wants His people to live need-free lives which includes the right to own private property is made clear in the Holy Scriptures. The Apostle John clearly communicated God’s desire relative to private property: “Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers” (3 Jn. 2). It is not God’s desire for His people to live in poverty and need or to be dependent on other people. However, more important than having our physical necessities being met, He desires that our spiritual lives be in line with His spiritual desires for His people. Note that He added, “EVEN AS YOUR SOUL PROSPERS.” The Lord makes it clear that there are two legitimate ways to own property: to receive it as a gift and to earn it through personal labor.

Lastly, and most importantly, we must not steal from God. In Malachi 3 the Lord speaks to modern day Israel (America, Britain and the tiny Middle-eastern nation called Israel): “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me. But you say, ‘how have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings” (3:8). Let us not forget that God owns everything. “‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ says the Lord of hosts” (Hag. 2:8). All He asks if 10% of what He already owns. Let us not rob God. Relative to the identity of modern day Israel, read Who and Where is Israel today? Key word–Today. L.J.