In what ways does Leviticus 18:9 connect to the Ten Commandments? Leviticus 18:9—the immediate command “‘You must not have sexual relations with your sister, either your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether she was born in your father’s house or in another woman’s house.’” Why this matters for the Ten Commandments Leviticus 18:9 safeguards the sanctity of family and sexuality—truths already embedded in the Decalogue. Three commandments stand out. • Seventh Commandment—“You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14). – Adultery forbids all unlawful sexual unions, not merely relations with someone else’s spouse. – Incest is a direct violation of God’s design for exclusive, covenantal intimacy (Genesis 2:24). – In 1 Corinthians 5:1–2 Paul rebukes a church tolerating a relationship “of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate,” showing the New Testament still ties incest to the adultery prohibition. • Fifth Commandment—“Honor your father and your mother” (Exodus 20:12). – Incest demeans the parental role by blurring the lines God established for family order. – It injects shame into the household, stripping parents of the dignity God commands children to uphold (Deuteronomy 27:16). • Tenth Commandment—“You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife” (Exodus 20:17). – Coveting roots most illicit unions; incest begins with an inward desire that refuses God-given boundaries. – James 1:14–15 shows how unchecked desire conceives sin that eventually “gives birth to death.” The shared foundation: holiness and love • Both Leviticus 18 and the Ten Commandments open with God’s self-revelation (“I am the LORD”). • They call Israel—and every believer—to mirror His holiness in tangible relationships (Leviticus 19:2; 1 Peter 1:15–16). • Jesus summed up the Decalogue in love for God and neighbor (Matthew 22:37–40). Incest violates neighbor-love at the most intimate level. Practical takeaways for today • Treat every family relationship as a sacred trust, protected by God’s explicit commands. • Guard the heart; purity begins long before any physical act (Proverbs 4:23; Matthew 5:27–28). • Celebrate the goodness of God-ordained marriage, honoring its boundaries as life-giving rather than restrictive (Hebrews 13:4). |
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