Playing the harlot...

"While Israel remained at Shittim, the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab."--Numbers 25:1.  Israel again venturing after other gods forsaking the one true God.  In this particular verse their actions are describes as playing the harlot.

Playing the harlot.  A harlot would be the equivalent of a modern day prostitute who would sell herself off for sexually immoral purposes.  Israel by playing the harlot was probably engaging in these activities and more.

Playing the harlot.  Playing the harlot though as it is used in the Scriptures is not restricted to literal prostitution of one self for sexually immoral purposes.  The phrase is also used to refer to when the Lord's people essentially "cheat" on God, break their covenant with Him and go chase after other gods.

Playing the harlot.  This concept of cheating is not one that is unfamiliar in today's culture.  So many marriages today, Christian and otherwise are destroyed because a spouse has gone out and broken the God ordained covenant of marriage. All because one, and sometimes both spouses have chosen to play the harlot.

Playing the harlot.  So what does this mean to us? Well in Ephesians 5:22-33, we find that the relationship Christ has with His church is likened to that of the marriage relationship. What this means is that if we claim to be Christian and we venture outside the bounds of what Christ expects of us in our commitment to Him, we too are choosing to play the harlot.

Playing the harlot.  If we so choose to venture outside of Christ commands of us, we find ourselves prostituting ourselves out to foreign gods in the same way Israel did in Numbers 25.  Making such a choice is never worth it.  Living a life without Jesus Christ has consequences in this life as well as the next.  God's commands are there to protect us, not to harm us or to restrict us. Playing the harlot is not worth the risk we take when we choose to play the harlot.

Playing the harlot.  So I don't know if there are other gods in your life with whom you have been playing the harlot.  Whatever the case be reminded that God is offering mercy and grace through obedience to the gospel  which involves commitment to follow Christ. Returning to my marriage illustration, while many marriages have been destroyed by spouses playing the harlot, I know of a small handful of cases where the spouses overcame that and the marriages were saved. If we have broken our covenant with Christ by playing the harlot with other gods, we still have a chance to come back and save our covenant with Christ if we will repent and follow Him.

DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! PRAY ABOUT IT! LOVE Y'ALL! GOD BLESS!