Our TV entertainment programs generally present gossip news about artists, and one of the most frequent topics is the affair of the artist.
As affair is the real act of disloyalty, and unfaithfulness leads to distrust and hurt, none of us likes our partner to have affair. Not only human, God also doesn’t want to be betrayed.
Having affair means to present third person instead of the real partner. Numbers 31 revolves around God’s “vengeance” on the Midianites who once made the Israelites fall into “adultery” both physically (adultery with Midian women) and spiritually (turning away from God to worship the Midianites instead of worshiping God).
Behind the crushing of the Midianites, God has a Noble purpose, that is to Sanctify His People. There are two main things that cause God’s people ought to live holy lives before Him:
- Because God is Holy
Leviticus 11:44 – I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves along the ground. (read also: Leviticus 11:45, 21:8 , 20:26, 27, 19:2, etc.)
Exodus 19:6 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”
God is not visible to the physical eye, while the human / His people are seen by the physical eye. The image of God in front of a human who has not known God can only be witnessed through the behavior of followers of God.
God wants all nations to come back to Him, the true Creator after witnessing the way of life of His people.
The LORD is holy, and He has chosen His people to be a holy people, therefore we should live according to the holy nature of God so that the world is not mistaken in recognizing the nature of God, so that the world can recognize who God is. If our lives are careless and full of impurity, we can not be a living witness for others.
In the case of war against the Midianites, Moses was furious that the Israelites allowed all the Midian women to live, when they were the cause of Israel’s turning away from God.
Keeping our holiness is to stay away from temptation.
Temptation exists not to be faced, but to be avoided.
Holy includes everything, such as financial, sexual, speech, and worship.
God is disgusted with uncleanness, he is disgusted with infidelity both spiritually and physically. (1 Corinthians 6: 9-10) One who is still happy and enjoys life in sin, not willing to live holy, is a sign that he is not part of the kingdom of heaven. God rejects people like this.
Therefore we should keep ourselves holy because the LORD is HOLY, and He designed His people to be holy people to Him.
- Because God wants to protect us (His people)
God regulation sexual behavior and limits it in such a way only in the marriage (between His people), for He wants to protect his people.
- God protects us from the consequences of having an unwanted child. Long time ago, the Bible cited many of children resulting from marriage with non-God’s people grows and became violent nations. In this age, having children outside marriage causes the destruction of ideals and families.
- God protect us from sickness
The Israelites suffered the illness of infectious disease due to adultery with Midian women. In this age of fornication and adultery are very vulnerable to HIV and many other sexually transmitted diseases.
- God protects us from being broken hearted (mental and emotional)
Sexual sin poses negative emotions such as shame, guilt, anger, bitterness, insecurity, disappointment, fear, etc. The sex sin creates an invisible bondage.
- God Protects us from the spiritual destruction / destruction of our relationship with God
No one has committed a sexual sin that at the same time has a good intimate relationship with God. When a person decides to submit to his sexual desires, he immediately put aside God, not anymore as Master over himself/herself.
Conclusion
God wants to purify us so that we live according to His Holy Character so that we can radiance His Glory and To protect us from all the consequences that we must bear because of violating holiness. The limitation that God created is not a dictatorial act but a Protecting act.
Come, believe in God, walk in His Holiness to keep us safe and safe from severe consequences.
writer/preacher : Heren
catatanheren 