What consequences are described in Leviticus 20:21 for marrying a brother's wife? Reading the Passage “ If a man marries his brother’s wife, it is an act of impurity; he has dishonored his brother. They shall be childless.” — Leviticus 20:21 Consequences Outlined • Act of impurity: God calls the union morally defiled, not merely socially improper. • Dishonor to the brother: The offender violates family loyalty and covenant order. • Childlessness promised: – Physical barrenness or early death of offspring. – Lineage and inheritance cut off, erasing the family name (cf. Ruth 4:10). – Divine judgment, not mere natural consequence. Underlying Principle • God guards the sanctity of marriage and family boundaries (Leviticus 18:16). • He preserves clear lines of inheritance so every tribe and household retains its allotted share (Numbers 27:8-11). • Sexual sin carries communal fallout; impurity in the home pollutes the land (Leviticus 18:24-25). Biblical Illustrations • Onan’s refusal in a legitimate levirate setting cost him his life (Genesis 38:8-10). • Herod’s marriage to Herodias (his brother’s wife) drew John the Baptist’s rebuke and Herod’s eventual downfall (Mark 6:17-18). • Israel’s later exile shows how persistent sexual immorality leads to national loss (Jeremiah 3:1-2; 2 Kings 17:7-18). Why This Matters Today • Marriage remains covenantal, not contractual; violating its God-given parameters still invites loss. • Childlessness here highlights that sin steals legacy—spiritual fruitfulness, influence, and generational blessing (Psalm 127:3-5). • Christ redeems repentant sinners (1 Corinthians 6:9-11), yet His grace never nullifies the moral law (Romans 6:1-2). Related Scriptures • Leviticus 18:16—initial prohibition. • Deuteronomy 25:5-10—levirate exception applies only after a brother’s death without heirs. • 1 Corinthians 5:1-5—church discipline for sexual immorality within family lines. • Hebrews 13:4—“Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept undefiled.” Grace and Redemption • Though sin brings loss, Christ’s atonement offers forgiveness and new beginnings (1 John 1:9). • Obedience restores relational order and invites generational blessing (Deuteronomy 30:19-20). |
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