21:7,8
They were to be careful whom they married. They were not to marry anyone who had been involved, and therefore defiled, in prostitution. Nor were they to marry divorcees. In 21:6 it says “They must be holy”, here it says “Regard them as holy”, it seems that the community is involved in maintaining this rule. The community must not put any pressure on them to break the rule. In the New Testament it says we are all part of the priesthood, a royal priesthood. This includes being holy to the Lord, and the subsequent requirements onus.
21:9
Prostitution is clearly regarded as extremely serious and abhorrent. Today there are moves to normalise prostitution, referring to it as “sex work”. This is a serious mistake. Prostitution defiles those who are prostitutes, along with those who use them. In practice prostitutes become victims of violence and exploitation. In short there is nothing good about prostitution. “She must be burned in the fire.” Do I think we should carry out such sentences on prostitutes? Absolutely not. And it seems that this was rarely if ever carried out. Remember that some of the women who followed Jesus had been prostitutes. I think we are better to take the various sentences that we find here as an indication of the seriousness of the sins, and that such things will not exist in God’s kingdom.
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