This chapter and others that condemn Israel’s practice of intermarrying with the surrounding people groups have often been applied to interracial marriage, but that’s a distortion of both God’s Word and His character.
God’s Word makes it clear that the prohibition had to do with the religious practices of the people, not about the color of their skin or any other ethnic differences. The genealogy of Jesus’ earthly family proves God’s acceptance and blessing of marriages between an Israelite and a Moabite (Ruth) and between an Israelite and an Amorite (Rahab).
The prohibition had to do with behavior and with the Israelites remaining faithful to God, rather than learning to worship false gods because of influence from other people groups.
These passages have also been mis-applied to support treating people of other faiths with contempt or cruelty.
But that neglects Christ’s coming to open the way of salvation to all nations and tribes. Jesus made it clear when He spoke with a Samaritan woman by the well that our faith should cause us to extend mercy and grace to those in need regardless of cultural divides. Christ suffered on the cross to bring them into the family of God, just as He did for each of us.
How has God shown you mercy?
How can you extend that same generous grace to someone different from you today?
How can we apply this scripture accurately, to keep our hearts and lives purely devoted to God?
God’s Word makes it clear that the prohibition had to do with the religious practices of the people, not about the color of their skin or any other ethnic differences. The genealogy of Jesus’ earthly family proves God’s acceptance and blessing of marriages between an Israelite and a Moabite (Ruth) and between an Israelite and an Amorite (Rahab).
The prohibition had to do with behavior and with the Israelites remaining faithful to God, rather than learning to worship false gods because of influence from other people groups.
These passages have also been mis-applied to support treating people of other faiths with contempt or cruelty.
But that neglects Christ’s coming to open the way of salvation to all nations and tribes. Jesus made it clear when He spoke with a Samaritan woman by the well that our faith should cause us to extend mercy and grace to those in need regardless of cultural divides. Christ suffered on the cross to bring them into the family of God, just as He did for each of us.
How has God shown you mercy?
How can you extend that same generous grace to someone different from you today?
How can we apply this scripture accurately, to keep our hearts and lives purely devoted to God?
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