The Questions People Ask: 6

QUESTION # 6: How can a holy and just God approve of the vile practice of incest in one part of His Word (see Genesis 4:16-24; 5:3-32), then later, in another part, contradict His approval of incest by condemning it? (See Deuteronomy 27:22 for example).

ANSWER: My question to the above Question is – “Who else were the sons of Adam and Eve to marry other than their sisters?” They really had no choice. It is important to note here that this time period (or dispensation) occurred before the Mosaic Law even existed.

For the first few generations of man’s existence, brothers married sisters until they were able to marry distant relatives, then finally those who were not related to them. It was only when the population became large enough, people then had more of a variety of potential mates to choose from. Even before the time of Moses, people were still marrying family members. For example, Abraham married his half sister, Sarah. Perhaps some are thinking, “Okay, that’s fine in all, but where are the women that Cain, Seth, Enoch, Methuselah, Noah, and others married? Where is it mentioned in the book of Genesis?” The women are mentioned in Genesis 4:16-24; 5:3-32. In Genesis 5, the word “daughters” is mentioned eight times. This shows us where Cain, Seth, Enoch, Noah, and others got their wives. Please note that the law against incest was not in affect during this time period.

The law against incest came about when Moses received the law from God. Read such Scriptures as the one in Deuteronomy 27: 22 that people think contradict Genesis 4: 16-24; 5: 3-32. See also such Scriptures as Leviticus 18: 6-18. Over and over again we read that to have sexual relations with mother, daughter, sister or close relatives is “uncovering the nakedness” of their parents or your close relatives. It is interesting to note that this phrase “uncovering the nakedness” is mentioned 15 times in Leviticus 18: 6-18. This chapter is even specific in who is being offended and sinned against. This makes clear how important the issue about incest was to God. Moses even opens up the chapter by quoting what God had said to him, “You shall not do what is done in the land of Egypt where you lived, nor are you to do what is done in the land of Canaan where I am bringing you; you shall not walk in their statutes.” (18: 3).

No one is denying that incest in God’s eyes is wrong. Obviously it is; for it is wickedness and immorality. Now having said this, keep in mind what was written in the previous paragraph where before the law, during the beginning of the human race that there was no law then to forbid them from having sexual relations and marriage to their brothers, sisters, and close relatives. It was acceptable in God’s eyes until the population of man flourished on the face of the earth until God gave Moses the law that forbids incest. So you see there really is not a problem with Genesis 4: 16-24; 5: 3-32 contradicting such passages as Deuteronomy 27: 22 in regards to the sin of incest. In Genesis, during the beginning of the Human race it was necessary for Adam’s children to marry one another; whereas, during the time of Moses it was then necessary for God to institute the law against incest.