A Pure and Holy People [Family Worship lesson in Deuteronomy 22:13–23:14]

How is marriage to be honored? Deuteronomy 22:13–23:14 looks forward to the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these thirty-two verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that marriage is to be honored by guarding the purity of the marriages of men, and also by safeguarding the purity of the church as betrothed unto God. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) Summary of the transcript of the audio: This passage applies the seventh commandment, 'You shall not commit adultery,' to both individual marriages and the collective holiness of Israel as God’s betrothed people. It establishes a legal framework that protects the sanctity of marriage by safeguarding a woman’s virginity, punishing false accusations with severe penalties, and ensuring justice. The laws distinguish between cases of guilt and innocence, emphasizing the importance of public accountability, and the protection of vulnerable women, especially in contexts where help was unavailable. Beyond individual morality, the passage extends this principle to the spiritual life of the nation, requiring ritual purity in the camp—such as the exclusion of eunuchs, illegitimate births, etc.—because God dwells among His people. Ultimately, the law calls the people to reflect the purity of their covenant God, mirroring the sacred union between Christ and His church, and to live in a way that honors both marital fidelity and divine consecration.