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KISSING COUSINS
A fellow Christian asked if Cousins were off limits as far
as marriage.
The reason they asked is a law that is in the Old Testament
given to the Israelites:
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Leviticus 18:6-14
None of you shall approach to any that is
near of kin
to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the
LORD. The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness
of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy
mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. The
nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not
uncover: it is thy father's nakedness. The nakedness
of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or
daughter of thy mother, whether she be born at home,
or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not
uncover. The nakedness of thy son's daughter, or of
thy daughter's daughter, even their nakedness thou
shalt not uncover: for theirs is thine own
nakedness. The nakedness of thy father's wife's
daughter, begotten of thy father, she is thy sister,
thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. Thou shalt not
uncover the nakedness of thy father's sister: she is
thy father's near kinswoman. Thou shalt not uncover
the nakedness of thy mother's sister: for she is thy
mother's near kinswoman. Thou shalt not uncover the
nakedness of thy father's brother, thou shalt not
approach to his wife: she is thine aunt.
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Note
that it did not say cousin ...
There were chosen men of God who did in fact marry into
their own family tree, including cousins.
Here is an example:
Rebekah was the mother of Jacob who is also known as Israel.
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Genesis 32:28
And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob,
but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God
and with men, and hast prevailed.
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Rebekah had a brother named Laban.
When
Esau (Jacob's brother) traded up his birthright, he was VERY
angry with Jacob and Rebekah sent Jacob away to live with
her brother Laban in fear Esau would kill Jacob.
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Genesis 27:43
Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; arise, flee
thou to Laban my brother to Haran; |
Jacob
did go and Laban accepted him as he was BLOOD.
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Genesis 29:14
And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and
my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a
month. |
Laban
had two daughters named Rachel and Leah ... Jacob LOVED
Rachel and agreed to work for Laban 7 years to have his
daughter as a wife. Laban tricked Jacob and gave him Leah
instead, but then an agreement was made to work another 7
years for Rachel to be his wife as well.
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Genesis 29:15-30
And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my
brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for
nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be? And Laban
had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah,
and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah was
tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well
favoured. And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will
serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger
daughter. And Laban said, It is better that I give
her to thee, than that I should give her to another
man: abide with me. And Jacob served seven years for
Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for
the love he had to her. And Jacob said unto Laban,
Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I
may go in unto her. And Laban gathered together all
the men of the place, and made a feast. And it came
to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his
daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in
unto her. And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah
Zilpah his maid for an handmaid. And it came to
pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and
he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto
me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore
then hast thou beguiled me? And Laban said, It must
not be so done in our country, to give the younger
before the firstborn. Fulfil her week, and we will
give thee this also for the service which thou shalt
serve with me yet seven other years. And Jacob did
so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel
his daughter to wife also. And Laban gave to Rachel
his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid. And
he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also
Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven
other years.
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The
LORD caused Leah to have children from this union.
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Genesis 29:31
And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, He opened
her womb: but Rachel was barren. |
Then
later God allowed Rachel to have a child ...
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Genesis 30:22
And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her,
and opened her womb. |
If you
have done your math ... These women were Jacob's cousins and
from them and their handmaids sprung forth the 12 tribes of
Israel. God's chosen people at the time.
Now, I realize that things have changed and that many have
their own opinions and that is cool. I am no man's judge.
Did God's chosen people violate God's laws by marrying into
the bloodline? That is between them and God, but God DID
bless them with children and those children are the root of
people like King David.
Now, I can just imagine how eager a Pharisee may be to point
out that Jacob married these cousins a few hundred years
before the Law was given to Moses and miss the message
within the words that God is not limited to man's
interpretation of any law or any specific circumstance that
He deems to allow.
So I best explain a lil more ...
Did God change His mind about allowing and blessing such
unions as He did in Jacob's case in that short time? Or is
the law itself just being misinterpreted? So the questions
arise from the word "near" in the phrase "near of kin" ...
This may be why Jacob was allowed and blessed with children
from the union. Therefore it may be that the LAW was not
created anew, but rather was the way it was all along.
I wanna share another story as to get my REAL point across
which is NOT Scripture Interpretation, but rather that God
is judge and not man ...
There was a law against marrying a gentile (Other than
Israelite) woman.
And yet Moses, who the law was given to by God ... DID.
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Numbers 12:1
And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of
the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had
married an Ethiopian woman.
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Did
God punish Moses? NO ... He punished Miriam.
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Numbers 12:9-10
And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them;
and he departed. And the cloud departed from off the
tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous,
white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and,
behold, she was leprous.
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Consider King David ... Found a married woman that he
wanted. Committed adultery and had her husband killed ...
But, another child from that SAME union, was King Solomon.
I am not here to defend marriage to one's cousin ...
I am NOT saying that we should start taking a second look at
our second cousins ...
I am here to defend God's right to show Love, Grace and
Mercy at will and am giving examples of how He has done so
in the past.
God allows what God wants to allow, when God wants to allow
and no human can define the essence of another couple's
marriage, just cuz of what they themselves believe or want
to believe.
Love oft times conquers all cuz God is all about Love cuz
God ... IS love.
Prayer is the answer.
Take
care and have a SON-derful day
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