How does Leviticus 18:15 connect with the Ten Commandments on honoring family? Scripture at the Center “You must not have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law. She is your son’s wife; you are not to violate her.” (Leviticus 18:15) Family Honor in the Ten Commandments • Exodus 20:12 — “Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.” • Exodus 20:14 — “You shall not commit adultery.” These commands set the baseline for how God expects His people to protect and elevate family relationships. Where Leviticus 18:15 Meets the Fifth Commandment • Honoring father and mother includes safeguarding the whole household’s dignity; violating a daughter-in-law would shame one’s son and, by ripple effect, dishonor the parents who raised both men. • Ancient Israel saw family as an interwoven unit. Any breach against a single member disgraced the entire lineage, directly opposing the call to “honor.” • By forbidding this union, God protects the generational line, ensuring parents are respected through the preservation of their children’s marriages. Connection to the Seventh Commandment • A daughter-in-law is explicitly “your son’s wife.” Sexual relations would be adultery, attacking the covenant God holds sacred. • Leviticus 18:15 therefore amplifies Exodus 20:14, spelling out one concrete scenario where adultery could be rationalized but must be rejected. • The prohibition guards marital fidelity, reinforcing that no circumstance justifies crossing God-given boundaries. Guarding the Sacred Structure of Family • Proximity sins: Scripture often specifies sins most likely to arise in close quarters (cf. Leviticus 18:6–18). God closes loopholes before they open. • Public testimony: Israel’s distinct sexual ethics set them apart from surrounding cultures (cf. Deuteronomy 4:6-8). Obedience displayed the holiness of the LORD. • NT echo: 1 Corinthians 5:1 condemns a similar violation, showing the principle transcends covenants and cultures. Living it Out Today • Esteem every family role—parent, child, in-law—as God-assigned and worthy of protection. • Draw firm boundaries: emotional and physical purity preserves honor for God and relatives alike. • Promote accountability within the church so hidden sins do not fracture families or tarnish Christ’s witness. |
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