Deu 22:13 | KingComments | STEP | The marriage relationship provides vital evidence as to our required conduct with regard to heavenly things. The situations Moses presents here are all deviations from God’s blueprint for marriage. They show what man is capable of in the most intimate relationship. The marriage relationship is a picture of the connection between God and His earthly people Israel, and also of the connection between the Lord Jesus and the church, the heavenly people. There are practical and spiritual lessons to be learned for us personally and for the church. In it becomes immediately clear what the order is: first marry and only then sexual intercourse. Marital intercourse can only exist after husband and wife are “joined in holy matrimony”. All sexual intercourse outside of a marriage coupling is fornication. In the case occurs of a man who develops an aversion toward his wife. He accuses her of previous fellowship with another man. The accusation may be false. This will become clear when the girl’s parents can provide the evidence of her innocence. In that case, the man is disciplined, has to pay a fine and may never send her away. If the accusation turns out to be true, the girl must be stoned in front of the doorway of her father’s house. Until her marriage she is attached to her father’s house. She therefore committed this shameful act in connection with her father's house. The fact that the death penalty must be carried out in order to eliminate evil from the midst of Israel shows how seriously God takes this shameful act. The prescription in these verses is a protection against false accusation by the man. The prescription mitigates against a man dealing arbitrarily with his wife. With such regulation, he will be careful not to falsely accuse his wife. We can apply these verses to the relationship between God and His people. It is a question of making manifest whether His people are faithful to Him or unfaithful. For God this is not a question. Of course, His knowledge is perfect. For Him, there is no need for such a search. And He certainly does not act arbitrarily. The question is whether our spiritual parents – not we ourselves – can provide the proofs of our loyalty to God or not. If we have surrendered to things that are not connected with Christ, the proofs of our ‘virginity’ cannot be provided. The opposite will be the case. Unfaithfulness is in connection with our past life, without God and without Christ. This should be recognized and judged as such. Virginity represents a principle that applies to every believer. It means that there is no fellowship with persons or teachings who are not in fellowship with Christ ( ; ). Christ will soon tell the false church that it she not virginal. The false Christian church, the great Babylon, the roman catholic church, which pretends to be the bride of Christ, is called “the great whore” and “the mother of the whores” ( ). The false accusations against those who wish to be faithful to the Lord will then turn out to be unfounded. Proof will be provided.

‏ Deuteronomy 22:13

Accusation of Not Being a Virgin

The marriage relationship provides vital evidence as to our required conduct with regard to heavenly things. The situations Moses presents here are all deviations from God’s blueprint for marriage. They show what man is capable of in the most intimate relationship. The marriage relationship is a picture of the connection between God and His earthly people Israel, and also of the connection between the Lord Jesus and the church, the heavenly people.

There are practical and spiritual lessons to be learned for us personally and for the church. In Deu 22:13 it becomes immediately clear what the order is: first marry and only then sexual intercourse. Marital intercourse can only exist after husband and wife are “joined in holy matrimony”. All sexual intercourse outside of a marriage coupling is fornication.

In Deu 22:13-21 the case occurs of a man who develops an aversion toward his wife. He accuses her of previous fellowship with another man. The accusation may be false. This will become clear when the girl’s parents can provide the evidence of her innocence. In that case, the man is disciplined, has to pay a fine and may never send her away.

If the accusation turns out to be true, the girl must be stoned in front of the doorway of her father’s house. Until her marriage she is attached to her father’s house. She therefore committed this shameful act in connection with her father's house. The fact that the death penalty must be carried out in order to eliminate evil from the midst of Israel shows how seriously God takes this shameful act.

The prescription in these verses is a protection against false accusation by the man. The prescription mitigates against a man dealing arbitrarily with his wife. With such regulation, he will be careful not to falsely accuse his wife.

We can apply these verses to the relationship between God and His people. It is a question of making manifest whether His people are faithful to Him or unfaithful. For God this is not a question. Of course, His knowledge is perfect. For Him, there is no need for such a search. And He certainly does not act arbitrarily.

The question is whether our spiritual parents – not we ourselves – can provide the proofs of our loyalty to God or not. If we have surrendered to things that are not connected with Christ, the proofs of our ‘virginity’ cannot be provided. The opposite will be the case. Unfaithfulness is in connection with our past life, without God and without Christ. This should be recognized and judged as such. Virginity represents a principle that applies to every believer. It means that there is no fellowship with persons or teachings who are not in fellowship with Christ (Rev 14:4; 2Cor 11:2-3).

Christ will soon tell the false church that it she not virginal. The false Christian church, the great Babylon, the roman catholic church, which pretends to be the bride of Christ, is called “the great whore” and “the mother of the whores” (Rev 17:1 ; 5). The false accusations against those who wish to be faithful to the Lord will then turn out to be unfounded. Proof will be provided.