In Part One of this blog, allegations were answered that Daniel and Ashpenaz, Jonathan and David, and Naomi and Ruth were engaged in homosexual relationships. The Biblical "evidence" was found not only wanting, but downright spurious. Some people find what they want to find in the Bible, whether it is there or not.
The first thing I am going to do is respond to an important side issue found in the letter my friend recieved. To quote the letter, "In Genesis 2:24: 'Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.' (KJV)
"Many anti-same sex marriage supporters use this as evidence that God intended marriage should be only between a man and a woman." If it is only "many" who use this argument to support that position, I find that weird. I thought everyone who does not believe in "gay marriage" uses that verse. It is a completely valid argument. That marriage is only to be between a man and a woman is exactly what the verse says!
The argument that Ruth "clave to" Naomi was dealt with in Part One of this blog.
In about 1994, my father asked me to give him a summary of what the Bible says about homosexuality. There are about 150 verses legitimately dealing with the subject. Not one good thing is said about it in any of the 66 books of the Bible.
Three things will now be examined that the Bible really says about homosexuality: 1) It is called an "abomination" by God, 2) God destroys cultures that engage in and encourage it, and 3) Like any sin, if it is not repented of, it will send a person to hell, and keep him out of heaven.
1) The first thing is, God calls homosexuality an abomination. He said in Leviticus 18:22, "Thou shalt not lie down with mankind as with womankind: it is abonimination." The word translated abomination, toebah, means disgusting, an abhorance, and in The Interlinear Bible, it is translated detestable. It is something that God detests, abhors, and finds disgusting!
2) Secondly, God destroyed Sodom for engaging in and encouraging homosexual practices. Sodom and Gomorrah are the most obvious examples. Genesis 13: 12 and 13 says, "Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. But the people of Sodom were wicked and sinners before God exceedingly." It cannot even be grasped how evil and wicked that culture was. The people were EXCEEDINGLY wicked!
The reason Sodom was destroyed had a lot more to do than with a lack of hospitality, as the homosexuals allege (this is also true), as the cause. That is a relatively minor sin, compared to the sexual. By the time the the events of chapter 19 took place, Lot was, if not a town leader, at least very prominent among the Sodomites. In chapter 18, Three men visit Abraham and tell him "Because the cry of Sodom and Gommorah is great, and because their sin is grievous, I will go down and see if they have done according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know." Abraham tries to bargain with God for the life of Sodom, knowing his nephew Lot is living there.
In chapter 19, On the same evening Lot entertains the same men in his house Abraham had that day. After they were inside eating dinner, the Sodomites surrounded the house (v.4) and demanded Lot bring the men out, "That we may know them." What the Sodomites wanted was not a simple "meet and greet," but they wanted to use the men sexually. The word for know, yada, has a number of connotations, one of which could have been "meet and greet," but was also an euphamism for sex, as in Genesis 4:1, "And Adam knew his wife; and she conceived," and 4:17, "And Cain knew is wife; and she conceived."
We know the sexual connotation is meant here because, if this were a simple "meet and greet," why would Lot have replied in verse 7, "I pray you brethren, do not so wickedly," then offer his two daughters "which have not known men?" Lot knew exactly what they wanted and the lengths they would go to to get the men. Lot's moral compromise with the lives of his daughters was terrible, but he was trying to protect his guests.
The Sodomites tried to break Lot's door down to get to the men. The men pulled Lot back inside and with the power of God, struck the Sodomites with blindness. Then they told lot to get his family and get out of Sodom. At sunrise, Lot entered the city of Zoar (v.23).
Then fell the judgment of God. "Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven; And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground" (vs. 24 and 25). This was total destruction, total judgment. And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the Lord: And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace."
This was clearly a judgment of the culture of Sodom and Gomorrah in large part for not just tolerating homosexuality, but for actively embracing the lifestyle.
3. Lastly, homosexuality is a sin against God which will keep a person out of heaven and send him to hell. There are homosexual churches which justify the sin, but that does not mean their members are true Christians. It probably means they are not.
In Romans 1:18-32 it will be seen that the wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness. The part that will be concentrated on will be verses 26-28 and 32. Verses 26-28 read, For this cause (men turning away from the true God to worship idols) God gave them up to vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not conmvenient. We see from this passage that God has an extremely low opinion of homosexuality. It is so serious to Him that becuse of it He turns men over to a reprobate mind (a mind rejected by Him) so they are filled with the sin in verses 29-31.
The end result is that these people, "Who, knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them." Not only do people do things worthy of death, but they take pleasure when they see or hear about others doing them! They are entertained by it. Television is full of it!
Homosexuality is sin as much as heterosexual adultery is sin. Both will send you to hell. Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians 6:9 and 10 tell us, "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdon of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effiminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind (homosexuals), nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." It is true. Everyone has sinned, and all it takes is one sin to cause one not to inherit the kingdom of God, i.e. go to heaven. Homosexuality makes the list.
But there is hope even for the homosexual. Verse 11 says, "And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the
spirit of our God."The Corinthians Church had people in it who had been delivered from the homosexual lifestyle: "Such were some of you." They are new creations in Christ, born again by the Spirit of God.
Friends, sin is a very serious matter with God. The whole reason Jesus came to earth was to deliver men from their sin. He died on the cross to deliver you from your sin. It does not matter what you have done, or how many times you have done it. If you will put you trust in the Lord Jesus Christ rigth now, He will save you, and yo will be on the road to heaven. You may not have tomorrow. II Corinthians 6:2 says, (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation."
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Thursday, May 7, 2009
Homosexuality in the Bible, Part One
A friend of mine wrote to me on Facebook requesting my help with some arguments a friend of his gave saying the Bible supports homosexuality.
The argument is the Bible mentions three relationships that are claimed to be homosexual. They say Ruth and Naomi had a lesbian relationship, and there were homosexual relationships between King David and Jonathan, and Daniel and Ashpenaz, the prince of the eunuchs. These will be dealt with in reverse order.
Daniel 1:9 - "Now God had brought Daniel into favor and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs" (King James Version).
II Samuel 1:26 - "I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women."
Ruth 1:14 - "And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law (Naomi); but Ruth clave unto her."
These are the Passages alleged to give support to the claims of homosexuals that their lifestyle is somehow okay with God. These allegations are far from the truth.
First, we see what the Bible says about the relationship between Daniel and Ashpenaz. The Interlinear Bible translates Daniel 1:9 this way, "And God had given Daniel kindness and compassion before the prince of the eunuchs." The passage says absolutely nothing whatsoever about a sexual relationship between Daniel and Ashpenaz. The word translated "tender love" is racham, which simply means compassion. It is NOT a reference to sexual orientation in any way, shape or form.
The second instance of alleged homosexuality mentioned as "legitimate" is the relationship between King David and Saul's son, Jonathan. Jonathan's love for David, was "passing the love of women." The word translated "love" in II Samuel 1:26 is ahabah (starts with the letter aleph), meaning affection. Jonathan affection for David passed the affection of women. Men have affection for one another that is not in any way remotely sexual. There are many men I have affection for, but not one of them would I want to go to bed with! If David had meant sexual relations, he would have used the word agabah (starts with the letter ayin), which is sexual love. The words do not have the same meaning. Therefore David was NOT talking about a homosexual relationship with Jonathan, but affection between best friends. This in no way Biblically legitimizes the homosexual lifestyle.
We now come to the "lesbian" lifestyle of Ruth and Naomi. This is one of the most pathetic interpretive graspings at straws I have come across in all my nearly 40 years of studying the Scriptures! The writer of the letter to my friend takes one sentence in Ruth 1:14 out of context and says, "Ruth 1:14, referring to the relationship between Ruth and Naomi, mentions that 'Ruth clave unto her' (KJV). Clave in this instance is the past tense of cleave used above to show the joining of man ands woman." This last sentence is a reference to Genesis 2:24, which will be covered subsequently.
"Ruth clave unto her" in the context in no way even implies a lesbian relationship. The verb dabaq (to cleave) has more than one meaning. Yes, it does mean to adhere or cling to, which is the meaning in Genesis 2:24 without question. But in this context, it means to follow close (hard after), and perhaps pursue hard.
In the context Naomi (a Jew) is leaving Moab, where she has lived for 20 years and raised a family. Her two sons, Mahlon and Chilion have died, leaving Naomi with Orpah and Ruth, her daughters-n law. She is about to return to her homeland, Israel. Orpah kissed her goodbye, but "Ruth clave unto her." In verse 15, Naomi asks Ruth to go back to her own people as Orpah had done. But in verse 16 and 17, "And Ruth said, 'Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for wither thou goest, I will go, and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me.'"
Ruth was very determined to stay with Naomi. She was, according to verse 18, "steadfastly minded to go with her." This means she "clave" to Naomi, i.e., followed close after, her. It is ridiculous to postulate a lesbian relationship between them. That is pure speculation and rationalization and nothing more; all smoke and mirrors. No substance.
There was no homosexual relationship between Daniel and Ashpenaz, or David and Jonathan, and no lesbian relationship between Ruth and Naomi.
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The argument is the Bible mentions three relationships that are claimed to be homosexual. They say Ruth and Naomi had a lesbian relationship, and there were homosexual relationships between King David and Jonathan, and Daniel and Ashpenaz, the prince of the eunuchs. These will be dealt with in reverse order.
Daniel 1:9 - "Now God had brought Daniel into favor and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs" (King James Version).
II Samuel 1:26 - "I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women."
Ruth 1:14 - "And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law (Naomi); but Ruth clave unto her."
These are the Passages alleged to give support to the claims of homosexuals that their lifestyle is somehow okay with God. These allegations are far from the truth.
First, we see what the Bible says about the relationship between Daniel and Ashpenaz. The Interlinear Bible translates Daniel 1:9 this way, "And God had given Daniel kindness and compassion before the prince of the eunuchs." The passage says absolutely nothing whatsoever about a sexual relationship between Daniel and Ashpenaz. The word translated "tender love" is racham, which simply means compassion. It is NOT a reference to sexual orientation in any way, shape or form.
The second instance of alleged homosexuality mentioned as "legitimate" is the relationship between King David and Saul's son, Jonathan. Jonathan's love for David, was "passing the love of women." The word translated "love" in II Samuel 1:26 is ahabah (starts with the letter aleph), meaning affection. Jonathan affection for David passed the affection of women. Men have affection for one another that is not in any way remotely sexual. There are many men I have affection for, but not one of them would I want to go to bed with! If David had meant sexual relations, he would have used the word agabah (starts with the letter ayin), which is sexual love. The words do not have the same meaning. Therefore David was NOT talking about a homosexual relationship with Jonathan, but affection between best friends. This in no way Biblically legitimizes the homosexual lifestyle.
We now come to the "lesbian" lifestyle of Ruth and Naomi. This is one of the most pathetic interpretive graspings at straws I have come across in all my nearly 40 years of studying the Scriptures! The writer of the letter to my friend takes one sentence in Ruth 1:14 out of context and says, "Ruth 1:14, referring to the relationship between Ruth and Naomi, mentions that 'Ruth clave unto her' (KJV). Clave in this instance is the past tense of cleave used above to show the joining of man ands woman." This last sentence is a reference to Genesis 2:24, which will be covered subsequently.
"Ruth clave unto her" in the context in no way even implies a lesbian relationship. The verb dabaq (to cleave) has more than one meaning. Yes, it does mean to adhere or cling to, which is the meaning in Genesis 2:24 without question. But in this context, it means to follow close (hard after), and perhaps pursue hard.
In the context Naomi (a Jew) is leaving Moab, where she has lived for 20 years and raised a family. Her two sons, Mahlon and Chilion have died, leaving Naomi with Orpah and Ruth, her daughters-n law. She is about to return to her homeland, Israel. Orpah kissed her goodbye, but "Ruth clave unto her." In verse 15, Naomi asks Ruth to go back to her own people as Orpah had done. But in verse 16 and 17, "And Ruth said, 'Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for wither thou goest, I will go, and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me.'"
Ruth was very determined to stay with Naomi. She was, according to verse 18, "steadfastly minded to go with her." This means she "clave" to Naomi, i.e., followed close after, her. It is ridiculous to postulate a lesbian relationship between them. That is pure speculation and rationalization and nothing more; all smoke and mirrors. No substance.
There was no homosexual relationship between Daniel and Ashpenaz, or David and Jonathan, and no lesbian relationship between Ruth and Naomi.
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