Let’s talk about R a p e and what the Bible says about it.
25“But if in the open country a man meets a young woman who is betrothed, and the man seizes her and lies with her, then only the man who lay with her shall die. 26But you shall do nothing to the young woman; she has committed no offense punishable by death. For this case is like that of a man attacking and murdering his neighbor, 27because he met her in the open country, and though the betrothed young woman cried for help there was no one to rescue her.
God says that rape is in the likeness of MURDER. That the rapist should be put to death, but the victim should have nothing done to her. Why? Because the worst thing that can happen to her has happened. The scripture shows that rape is the same as murder for the victim. Your life is no longer the same. A part of you us died. And God knows. This is one of the topics where people just assume that because the scripture says that adulterous couples should be put to death, that God feels the same way about all types. But he very clearly makes a distinction.
Sweet sister who has gone through unbelievable sexual trauma at the hands of a evil evil man. I want you to know. God NEVER wanted you to go through that. You are not responsible for what happened to you. God is your healer, and your comfort, your peace, and he will supply all your needs. I am so sorry that someone would do such a horrible thing to you. This is one law I wish was still in place to day. Just so that your trauma never would have happened. I love you girl. I am here for you!
What kind of birds were around back then? Eagles? Some kind of ostrich? It said they could take the babies but not the mother… so they (the people) could live a long and prosperous life. Why? Health? Safety? That’s why I’m wondering if it was a big bird or something.
Also, I just now fully understand that marriage and brothers passage. Jesus was not interested in that red herring question. He went straight for what he knew they didn’t believe.. the resurrection.
And God saying Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob makes sense that he would say they’re living and not dead because they are alive in heaven!!
The Sadducees perceive the parable is about them and yet they continue on in their scheming to kill Jesus. May we and the friends we call to believe not continue in our sinful ways but turn and repent when God’s Word reveals our hearts.
I’m asking for prayers. As a college student I have come distant from the lord. I grew up in a lovely church and I hope that I can be close to the lord again. I have been through many struggles in my life and I can tell how being away from the lord has affected my life. Thanks for the prayers.
I hope you see this Kristen. I am praying for you now and will be for days to come. I have been there too. But God held me through it all. I know He won’t let go of you either! I’m praying you will sense His presence and guidance as never before. …
18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come… Ephesians chpt 1. Praying you will be filled with hope and experience the resurrection power today! And always!!
The Old Testament verses today reminded me just how holy our God is and painted an even deeper picture for me as to how we can never measure up to His holiness. We are all wicked, vile sinners that deserve nothing less than death and Hell. Praise God He paid that punishment for us! Praise God there is forgiveness, healing, cleansing and FREEDOM at the foot of the cross! Praise God for His mercy on a wretched sinner like me. Satan tries to label me, reminding me of my past mistakes. Liar. Thief. Gossiper. Unholy. Impure. Disrespectful. Vile. Wicked. Unworthy. The list goes on and on and if I dwell there, I can make myself physically sick with guilt and shame. Praise God that the ONLY label that masters is the one written in red: FORGIVEN.
I agree, very difficult to see how such a loving God would allow STONING someone to death!!!!! I understand the historical context and culture, and am so thankful for the price that was paid by Jesus so we don’t have these rules any longer…..but “stoning” someone to death is so cruel, I’m having a hard time with that one
Hi Amanda, I wear pants too, lol! Most days anyway :) Remember this is the OT and holds much significance in its historical context. Because Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice and died for our sins, we can (thankfully) wear pants today without being seen as an abomination. :)
This may seem like a weird verse to be posting, but I was struck by God’s command for Christians to help their neighbors. I’ll admit that it’s easier for me to ignore issues or people that make me uncomfortable. But this verse shows that I need to love (which is not a feeling but a decision) my neighbor by helping out even when it’s uncomfortable or inconvenient. Deut. 22:3 “And you shall do the same with his donkey or with his garment, or with any lost thing of your brother’s, which he loses and you find; you may not ignore it.”
I agree that passages like these can be truly shocking for modern women today. However, when I struggle with these I try to remember to place the OT in its historical context.
Knowing what we now know about rape and other sexual assaults, I found the first half of today’s reading to be very difficult to read and agree with… for example, a woman being raped often freezes, and can’t cry for help, even though she wants to. I really struggle with some of the passages in the OT about women, to be honest. That being said, all of you ladies’ wonderful, insightful comments have really pulled me through and deepened the reading for me. Thank you for that! (and yes, I am quite behind… I started a month too late and am still catching up. But I’ll get there :)
Hey Gudrun, I know what you mean. Verses on women in the Old Testament are often hard for us as modern day readers to understand. When I was reading 22:28-29, my first response toward’s the act of rape and the subsequent “consequence” of him having to marry her was “What?! Why would that be a GOOD thing to force the woman to be married to her rapist??” However, then I remembered studying a similar passage in context awhile back and learning how sadly low the status of women was back in OT times. Society as a whole only prized women for their virginity, so if a woman was raped, she would most likely be disowned by her family and never be able to marry, which essentially screws her over for life permanently.
What this passage actually does is it PROTECTS women from those sort of circumstances and, in doing so, show a much much higher regard for women than the whole of society showed at the time.
Anyway, this was just something that helped remind me that God values women. I know it’s such a “duh” reminder, but I think it’s easy for me to forget sometimes when I’m reading through the OT for long periods of time. Hope it helps you too :) I haven’t studied the passage you specifically mentioned but if I get a chance to, we can chat about it more.
Thanks for being honest with your questions! I think it’s good for sisters to ask, pray, grow, and worship together – even online through an app hehe :)
I was thinking about that too, and I noticed that the emphasis is on them “meeting in the city” in that first instance; whereas, the other two instances describe being “seized.” I wonder if the first instance is describing an affair and the last two are describing rape and sexual assault. (Especially because the first verse in the series is about a married woman having an affair). I resonate with Jennifer’s post about God protecting women in that context. Exodus 22:16-17 has a similar law, but the father can take the money from the man and refuse to give his daughter in marriage, keeping her in his house and protecting her.
In the context of glorification these verses are so encouraging. All of the ailments and impurities that once disabled Gods people from entering Gods perfect presence are now covered in Grace. We will one day be fully glorified, so that where we would have once been displaced and destroyed by the Lords presence, we will now stand fully satisfied and whole in Jesus.
Reading through all of these laws, I stopped to think about how much there would be to remember. It made me thankful for the Holy Spirit to guide through our days!
I don’t have a specific verse, but Deuteronomy 23-24 contains such great, practical things we should do in our lives even now. I love how God is so specific with ways we should treat eachother. HE wants the best for us, and he wants us to want the best for eachother. Deuteronomy has probably been my favorite OT book so far.
Ladies I am asking for prayers today. God has laid it on my heart to share the gospel with someone at my orchestra retreat this weekend. I don’t know who it will be, but I feel that there will be a kid there that will really need to hear it, and I need to be there to say it. Praying that the Holy Spirit will guide me through this!
Just prayed for you! May God give the sense of peace and the words that are perfect for the moment and from the Holy Spirit. I pray that this opens the door for others to learn about Christ..through this one action. Amen!
Hi Savannah, I declare that the Lord will open the doors of utterance for you to speak life and grace at your retreat and the Holy Spirit will put words in your mouth and it shall be accurate!
The God of the living!
❤️
He is a he God of the living
❤️
❤️
Apparently because she could have cried out to be saved and had people hear her.
Rob Bell also believes there is no hell which is completely anti the Bible. He is a false teacher. Be discerning!
✅
Let’s talk about R a p e and what the Bible says about it.
25“But if in the open country a man meets a young woman who is betrothed, and the man seizes her and lies with her, then only the man who lay with her shall die. 26But you shall do nothing to the young woman; she has committed no offense punishable by death. For this case is like that of a man attacking and murdering his neighbor, 27because he met her in the open country, and though the betrothed young woman cried for help there was no one to rescue her.
God says that rape is in the likeness of MURDER. That the rapist should be put to death, but the victim should have nothing done to her. Why? Because the worst thing that can happen to her has happened. The scripture shows that rape is the same as murder for the victim. Your life is no longer the same. A part of you us died. And God knows. This is one of the topics where people just assume that because the scripture says that adulterous couples should be put to death, that God feels the same way about all types. But he very clearly makes a distinction.
Sweet sister who has gone through unbelievable sexual trauma at the hands of a evil evil man. I want you to know. God NEVER wanted you to go through that. You are not responsible for what happened to you. God is your healer, and your comfort, your peace, and he will supply all your needs. I am so sorry that someone would do such a horrible thing to you. This is one law I wish was still in place to day. Just so that your trauma never would have happened. I love you girl. I am here for you!
Nicole! I loved this note! Any thoughts on the passage prior to those verses? Why does the girl in the city get put to death as well? I’m confused!
❤️
God is the god of the living not the dead! He is working for us right now and intervening on our behalf
What kind of birds were around back then? Eagles? Some kind of ostrich? It said they could take the babies but not the mother… so they (the people) could live a long and prosperous life. Why? Health? Safety? That’s why I’m wondering if it was a big bird or something.
Also, I just now fully understand that marriage and brothers passage. Jesus was not interested in that red herring question. He went straight for what he knew they didn’t believe.. the resurrection.
And God saying Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob makes sense that he would say they’re living and not dead because they are alive in heaven!!
This section of Deuteronomy was hard with the put to death laws, maybe since our culture has shifted so much!
27He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.” amen !! -ellie
I love this verse too!
The Sadducees perceive the parable is about them and yet they continue on in their scheming to kill Jesus. May we and the friends we call to believe not continue in our sinful ways but turn and repent when God’s Word reveals our hearts.
♥️
Awesome Kristy !! Amen!
I’m asking for prayers. As a college student I have come distant from the lord. I grew up in a lovely church and I hope that I can be close to the lord again. I have been through many struggles in my life and I can tell how being away from the lord has affected my life. Thanks for the prayers.
I hope you see this Kristen. I am praying for you now and will be for days to come. I have been there too. But God held me through it all. I know He won’t let go of you either! I’m praying you will sense His presence and guidance as never before. …
18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come… Ephesians chpt 1. Praying you will be filled with hope and experience the resurrection power today! And always!!
Praying for you, sweet Kristen. Asking the Lord to draw near to you and to remind you of who you are, through Him, by His Word. Grateful for you.
– Stormye
Prayed for you today Kristen. :)
The Old Testament verses today reminded me just how holy our God is and painted an even deeper picture for me as to how we can never measure up to His holiness. We are all wicked, vile sinners that deserve nothing less than death and Hell. Praise God He paid that punishment for us! Praise God there is forgiveness, healing, cleansing and FREEDOM at the foot of the cross! Praise God for His mercy on a wretched sinner like me. Satan tries to label me, reminding me of my past mistakes. Liar. Thief. Gossiper. Unholy. Impure. Disrespectful. Vile. Wicked. Unworthy. The list goes on and on and if I dwell there, I can make myself physically sick with guilt and shame. Praise God that the ONLY label that masters is the one written in red: FORGIVEN.
Praise the Lord indeed sister! God doesn’t shame us, or remind us of our transgressions; if we repent we are FORGIVEN! Praise the Lord!
I agree, very difficult to see how such a loving God would allow STONING someone to death!!!!! I understand the historical context and culture, and am so thankful for the price that was paid by Jesus so we don’t have these rules any longer…..but “stoning” someone to death is so cruel, I’m having a hard time with that one
The Old Testament versus about the rules seem distant & are difficult to read and understand.
I guess I’m an abomination every day for wearing pants? I don’t understand why this was included…
Hi Amanda, I wear pants too, lol! Most days anyway :) Remember this is the OT and holds much significance in its historical context. Because Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice and died for our sins, we can (thankfully) wear pants today without being seen as an abomination. :)
This may seem like a weird verse to be posting, but I was struck by God’s command for Christians to help their neighbors. I’ll admit that it’s easier for me to ignore issues or people that make me uncomfortable. But this verse shows that I need to love (which is not a feeling but a decision) my neighbor by helping out even when it’s uncomfortable or inconvenient. Deut. 22:3 “And you shall do the same with his donkey or with his garment, or with any lost thing of your brother’s, which he loses and you find; you may not ignore it.”
I agree that passages like these can be truly shocking for modern women today. However, when I struggle with these I try to remember to place the OT in its historical context.
Knowing what we now know about rape and other sexual assaults, I found the first half of today’s reading to be very difficult to read and agree with… for example, a woman being raped often freezes, and can’t cry for help, even though she wants to. I really struggle with some of the passages in the OT about women, to be honest. That being said, all of you ladies’ wonderful, insightful comments have really pulled me through and deepened the reading for me. Thank you for that! (and yes, I am quite behind… I started a month too late and am still catching up. But I’ll get there :)
Hey Gudrun, I know what you mean. Verses on women in the Old Testament are often hard for us as modern day readers to understand. When I was reading 22:28-29, my first response toward’s the act of rape and the subsequent “consequence” of him having to marry her was “What?! Why would that be a GOOD thing to force the woman to be married to her rapist??” However, then I remembered studying a similar passage in context awhile back and learning how sadly low the status of women was back in OT times. Society as a whole only prized women for their virginity, so if a woman was raped, she would most likely be disowned by her family and never be able to marry, which essentially screws her over for life permanently.
What this passage actually does is it PROTECTS women from those sort of circumstances and, in doing so, show a much much higher regard for women than the whole of society showed at the time.
Anyway, this was just something that helped remind me that God values women. I know it’s such a “duh” reminder, but I think it’s easy for me to forget sometimes when I’m reading through the OT for long periods of time. Hope it helps you too :) I haven’t studied the passage you specifically mentioned but if I get a chance to, we can chat about it more.
Thanks for being honest with your questions! I think it’s good for sisters to ask, pray, grow, and worship together – even online through an app hehe :)
I was thinking about that too, and I noticed that the emphasis is on them “meeting in the city” in that first instance; whereas, the other two instances describe being “seized.” I wonder if the first instance is describing an affair and the last two are describing rape and sexual assault. (Especially because the first verse in the series is about a married woman having an affair). I resonate with Jennifer’s post about God protecting women in that context. Exodus 22:16-17 has a similar law, but the father can take the money from the man and refuse to give his daughter in marriage, keeping her in his house and protecting her.
In the context of glorification these verses are so encouraging. All of the ailments and impurities that once disabled Gods people from entering Gods perfect presence are now covered in Grace. We will one day be fully glorified, so that where we would have once been displaced and destroyed by the Lords presence, we will now stand fully satisfied and whole in Jesus.
Amen!
Be kind to people. Be helpful. And don’t take advantage of the poor.
Reading through all of these laws, I stopped to think about how much there would be to remember. It made me thankful for the Holy Spirit to guide through our days!
Praying savannah! Anyone else have to look up what “nocturnal emissions” are and then regret it immediately?! Lol
Wow! I’ll be praying for you.
I don’t have a specific verse, but Deuteronomy 23-24 contains such great, practical things we should do in our lives even now. I love how God is so specific with ways we should treat eachother. HE wants the best for us, and he wants us to want the best for eachother. Deuteronomy has probably been my favorite OT book so far.
Praying!
Trusting the Lord will ordain this meeting! Praying for boldness, clarity and grace for you as you share the gospel Savannah!
Praying that God gives you strength and guidance to show the power of His love through your words
Praying for the Holy Spirit to give you the words!
Ladies I am asking for prayers today. God has laid it on my heart to share the gospel with someone at my orchestra retreat this weekend. I don’t know who it will be, but I feel that there will be a kid there that will really need to hear it, and I need to be there to say it. Praying that the Holy Spirit will guide me through this!
Woohooo praying, and that sounds exciting! Someone is about to know the joy of being free and loved. Speak from your heart, and amen!
My son’s Awana verse this week was “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” – Romans 10:15. Praying that over you!
May you be filled with the power of Holy Spirit to share the Good News!! Check out the results of Acts 2!
Praying for you! May the Lord grant you the opportunity, the wisdom to see the opportunity, and the words to say. How exciting!
Praying for the words for you!!!! So exciting!!
Just prayed for you! May God give the sense of peace and the words that are perfect for the moment and from the Holy Spirit. I pray that this opens the door for others to learn about Christ..through this one action. Amen!
Sending prayers!!! So excited for you what an amazing opportunity – have fun!
Praying for you Savannah! Praying for peace and an attentiveness to the Holy Spirit.
Hi Savannah, I declare that the Lord will open the doors of utterance for you to speak life and grace at your retreat and the Holy Spirit will put words in your mouth and it shall be accurate!