The Sex God
otherwise you might make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land and they would play the harlot with their gods and sacrifice to their gods, and someone might invite you to eat of his sacrifice. Exodus 34:15
Play The Harlot – When Israel entered Canaan, it was surrounded by pagan fertility cults. The sex act was central to these pagan religions. Human fertility was seen as an imitation of divine fertility. Sexual practices of all kinds were part of religious worship. It’s not surprising that YHWH gives explicit instructions about avoiding and destroying any representations of these false beliefs. But if you think this is all just ancient history, you haven’t been paying attention to the text or the culture. It’s time to investigate.
First, the text. Our translations tone down the actual Hebrew verb here. Zanu means “to have sexual relations.” The euphemism “play the harlot” isn’t quite as forceful. The King James, “go whoring” is a bit better, but even it transfers the imagery to prostitution. Zanu can describe acts of prostitution, but its primary meaning is sexual relations. Of course, from a Hebrew perspective, sexual relations outside of marriage include prostitution, but obviously are not limited to sex for hire. God’s warning in Exodus is not about the street value of a “date.” His warning is about breaking the exclusive covenant in an act of intimacy with another. What is important is to appreciate the direct connection between sexual fidelity and covenant commitment to God alone.
Why does this matter? It matters because everyone can clearly identify and empathize with sexual infidelity! There is no doubt whatsoever about the break in trust, the damage to integrity and the disregard for the well-being of another when sexual relations are extended beyond the covenant partner. A great many of us today know exactly what this feels like. From God’s perspective, that same feeling is how He feels when we are unfaithful to Him. Zanu isn’t limited to temple prostitution. It’s about the equivalence between sexual infidelity and idolatry. Idolatry is not simply the “worship” of a false god. We need to replace this deficient picture with a more robust (and disgusting) image. Idolatry is having an intimate relationship with a god of my own making.
Put aside those misleading perceptions about worshipping statues or stones. Forget the images of prostrating before golden bulls or sacred poles. Idolatry is not about images. It’s about an insatiable need for love from something or someone other than YHWH. It is ego lust – the boiling desire to be affirmed by something less than my Creator. With this in mind, my idols become whatever grants me ultimate purpose, meaning and significance. There are a lot of contemporary candidates for the role of statues and stones. If you find that you are infatuated, overcome or craving someone or something so much that you simply must possess them in order to feel whole, you are playing with idolatry no matter what you pretend to call it.
Topical index: zanu, sexual relations, idolatry, Exodus 34:15
“Forget the images of prostrating before golden bulls or sacred poles. Idolatry is not about images”
Hi Skip,
I think I get your point, but when I think of the need to FEAR the Lord, I tend to think of the Israelites prostrating before golden bulls or sacred poles and partying with the pagan women.
In the Pinchas story, as I recall, about 24000 people are killed by Yahweh for their idolatry.
Along the same lines, when I think of David’s desire for Bathsheeba and his and his inabilty to live without her, I tend to think in terms of adultery and murder rather than idolatry.
Your point is well taken, but don’t we need to differentiatiate between “teenage” romance, which is typically the psychlogical feeling that you can’t live without “Juliet” and idolatry?
Maybe not 🙂
Actually, the real point is that idolatry is the basis of all sin. It is the first, foundation of sin. Maybe that’s why it is first in the 10 Commandments. The behaviors of ancient times might have been prostration before golden bulls (not calfs), but today we have the same idolatrous foundation. “I can’t live without x, y, z” is the philosophical and theological foundation of idolatry.
This is the point of Paul’s exhortation to “flee idolatry” in 1 Cor 10. That chapter makes for an interesting study when one goes back to discover all of the Torah passages that Paul is teaching from.
“for scripture says: “After sitting down to eat and drink, the people got up to amuse themselves.”
1 Corinthians 10:8
Hi Rodney, Good point!
BTW I don’t know if it is just my translation, but Paul seems to be pretty good at understating his point to get a humorous effect:
“The people got up to amuse themselves,” and “23 thousand” met their downfall in one day.”
1 Corinthians 10:9
Note that Paul also understates the number for some reason; in Numbers 25:10 it says the number was really “24 thousand.”
In any case, idolatry and sexual immorality was no laughing matter to Yahweh.
It isn’t Paul that’s the problem here. It is the English deliberate sanitized reading of the text. It’s pretty clear in Hebrew that sexual orgy was the culmination of this pagan festival, precisely what the surrounding cultures did and what the children of Israel would have known about. One more significant connection between idolatry and sex.
Back in college days, One of my favorite books was Love in the Western World (Princeton Paperbacks). In this classic work, Denis de Rougemont explores the psychology of love from the legend of Tristan and Isolde to Hollywood.
At the heart of his ever-relevant inquiry is the inescapable conflict in the West between marriage and passion–the first associated with social and religious responsiblity and the second with anarchic, unappeasable love as celebrated by the troubadours of medieval Provence.
These early poets, according to de Rougemont, spoke the words of an Eros-centered theology, and it was through this “heresy” that a European vocabulary of mysticism flourished and that Western literature took on a new direction.
In short, it seems to me that we have two choices: Eros, which makes me think of the Yezer Hara, and Agape, which makes me think of Jesus Christ.
Much to be said on this one brother Skip as we are living in the days of “anything goes!” If you’ve got it, flaunt it- especially on HD television or movies- as we all know- sex sells. I remember (true story y’all) buying a pack of thumbtacks (yes, thumbtacks) from a hardware store. No big deal, except for the picture of a pretty lady wearing a mini-skirt on the front cover of the package. What is this all about? I wondered.. and then I remembered – sex sells!. (All I wanted -at the time- was some thumbtacks!- lol!
First things first- (back to the garden?)- shock upon shock- YHWH invented sex! It is (like everything else- the gift of G-d!) Oh horrors.. everyone- run!!. lol!- “remember” these words? “they were both naked, and they were not ashamed!” One man, one woman-till death do you part- this is (and always will be) the will of YHWH. It was His plan from day one, for you see, G-d is faithful. Always. Forever. Faithful. And we (little fella) are made in His image. We also, are to be imitators of G-d. Semper Fidelis. Always Faithful.
Your wife sir, is the “gift of G-d”. YHWH gave her to me. She is mine, (and yes, I am hers- in totality- the “all” of me belongs to her. Thirty plus years (and counting!)- the two are (still in the process of) becoming one! Folks- I thank G-d for her, she is the “ezer!” (Amen,-brother Skip?- lol!)
Now.. to “kick it up a notch!” This “marriage covenant” (and it is a covenant relationship- BTW) is also part of and a symbol of another “reality”. We (the followers of Y’shua), those who belong to Him- are in a “blood covenant” relationship with the living G-d. (Please read the previous sentence fifty times, if necessary or until it “sinks in!”
You, (mister), you (m’am) belong to (the now living) Christ. Lock, stock, and barrel, the “all” of you belongs to Him. Not 10%, not “just on Sunday” or “just on the Sabbath”-, we are (as the young people sometimes say- “p-owned!” We (I’m talkin’ to you!) have been “bought” with a price. Under new ownership- (He is LORD!, remember?) and under new management- (our daily walk).
Have you come to this realization? If not, you’re in for an “awakening!” .. (hello!)
Recommended reading for more on the “blood covenant” is a (highly recommended) book entitled, “The Blood-Covenant”, by H. Clay Trumbull. An eye-opener, no doubt.
Do not fear being “owned” by the Shepherd! But rather acknowledge Him as your “Owner/Operator” today!- What a difference it will make in the quality of living! You will know (yes, epignosko..) He is LORD!
Just a bit of observational humor regarding todays word: “The Sex God” for July 13th.
If you read the ad for the upcoming Worldwide Family Face to Face and then go directly in to the verse for today, you’ll get a humorous consequence.
Read it without pausing after the ad and before the verse:
“DON”T MISS OUT!! HERE’S A CHANCE TO MEET YOUR WORLDWIDE FAMILY FACE TO FACE. BUT YOU HAVE TO ACT QUICKLY. THE FAMILY REUNION! CLICK HERE. . .
. . . otherwise you might make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land and they would play the harlot with their gods and sacrifice to their gods, and someone might invite you to eat of his sacrifice. Exodus 34:15”
Just gotta laugh sometimes! 🙂
Interesante enseñanza, Dr. Moen. Le bendigo desde El Salvador y gracias por compartirnos esos misterios. Ignoraba este punto de vista. Ahora sé que debo andar con más cuidado con los idolos que se presentan todos los días. Saludos.