How does this verse connect to God's laws on marriage and purity? Scripture in Focus “Then Ahithophel said to Absalom, ‘Sleep with your father’s concubines whom he left to care for the palace. Then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself a stench to your father, and the hands of everyone with you will be strengthened.’” (2 Samuel 16:21) A Clear Violation of God’s Marriage Boundaries Absalom’s planned act overturns the Lord’s explicit standards: • Leviticus 18:8 — “You must not have sexual relations with your father’s wife; it would dishonor your father.” • Deuteronomy 22:30 — “A man is not to marry his father’s wife; he must not dishonor his father’s bed.” • Leviticus 20:11 — “If a man lies with his father’s wife, he has uncovered his father’s nakedness; both of them must surely be put to death.” Old Testament Commands That Frame the Issue • God’s design: one man, one woman, one flesh (Genesis 2:24). • Kings warned: “He must not take many wives for himself, lest his heart go astray” (Deuteronomy 17:17). • Purity was never optional; it guarded family honor and covenant fidelity. A Public Stain on Purity Absalom’s action was meant to broadcast power, yet it also broadcast rebellion against God. • Hebrews 13:4 — “Marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled; for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.” • 1 Corinthians 6:18 — “Flee from sexual immorality.” Consequences Unfolding Nathan had warned David: “I will take your wives… and give them to your neighbor, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight” (2 Samuel 12:11-12). • Absalom’s sin fulfilled that prophecy, showing God’s word stands literal and true. • Galatians 6:7 — “Whatever a man sows, he will reap.” David’s household reaped the bitter fruit of sexual sin begun with Bathsheba. God’s Timeless Design for Sexual Integrity • The marriage bed is a covenant sanctuary, reflecting Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:31-32). • Violating that bed attacks God’s picture of faithfulness. • Personal purity safeguards family, church testimony, and societal stability. Living It Out Today • Honor the exclusivity of the marriage covenant; no relationship outside that bond is permitted. • Guard sexual purity privately and publicly; hidden compromise often becomes public scandal. • Remember that leadership demands heightened vigilance; moral failure undermines every good cause. • Trust the sufficiency of Christ’s grace to forgive past sin and empower present obedience, yet never treat His standards lightly. |
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