Friday, April 17, 2009

Does God encourage reproduction or not?

Gen 1:28 And GodH430 blessedH1288 them, and GodH430 saidH559 unto them, Be fruitful,H6509 and multiply,H7235 and replenishH4390 (H853) the earth,H776 and subdueH3533 it: and have dominionH7287 over the fishH1710 of the sea,H3220 and over the fowlH5775 of the air,H8064 and over everyH3605 living thingH2416 that movethH7430 uponH5921 the earth.H776

Lev 12:1 And the LORDH3068 spakeH1696 untoH413 Moses,H4872 saying,H559

Lev 12:2 SpeakH1696 untoH413 the childrenH1121 of Israel,H3478 saying,H559 IfH3588 a womanH802 have conceived seed,H2232 and bornH3205 a man child:H2145 then she shall be uncleanH2930 sevenH7651 days;H3117 according to the daysH3117 of the separationH5079 for her infirmityH1738 shall she be unclean.H2930

Lev 12:3 And in the eighthH8066 dayH3117 the fleshH1320 of his foreskinH6190 shall be circumcised.H4135

Lev 12:4 And she shall then continueH3427 in the bloodH1818 of her purifyingH2893 threeH7969 and thirtyH7970 days;H3117 she shall touchH5060 noH3808 H3605 hallowed thing,H6944 norH3808 comeH935 intoH413 the sanctuary,H4720 untilH5704 the daysH3117 of her purifyingH2892 be fulfilled.H4390

Lev 12:5 But ifH518 she bearH3205 a maid child,H5347 then she shall be uncleanH2930 two weeks,H7620 as in her separation:H5079 and she shall continueH3427 inH5921 the bloodH1818 of her purifyingH2893 threescoreH8346 and sixH8337 days.H3117

Lev 12:6 And when the daysH3117 of her purifyingH2892 are fulfilled,H4390 for a son,H1121 orH176 for a daughter,H1323 she shall bringH935 a lambH3532 of the firstH1121 yearH8141 for a burnt offering,H5930 and a youngH1121 pigeon,H3123 orH176 a turtledove,H8449 for a sin offering,H2403 untoH413 the doorH6607 of the tabernacleH168 of the congregation,H4150 untoH413 the priest:H3548

Lev 12:7 Who shall offerH7126 it beforeH6440 the LORD,H3068 and make an atonementH3722 forH5921 her; and she shall be cleansedH2891 from the issueH4480 H4726 of her blood.H1818 ThisH2063 is the lawH8451 for her that hath bornH3205 a maleH2145 orH176 a female.H5347

Lev 12:8 And ifH518 she be notH3808 able to bringH4672 H3027 H1767 a lamb,H7716 then she shall bringH3947 twoH8147 turtles,H8449 orH176 twoH8147 youngH1121 pigeons;H3123 the oneH259 for the burnt offering,H5930 and the otherH259 for a sin offering:H2403 and the priestH3548 shall make an atonementH3722 forH5921 her, and she shall be clean.H2891

Some say that the contradiction is: God first blessed Adam and Eve telling them populate the Earth in Gen 1:28 then curses it in Lev 12:1-8 Any simple reading of Gen 1:28 will tell the reader that God's actions are just as one would think. He told them to populate the earth. (Have a bunch of babies and fill the earth.) That is straight and simple. In Lev 12:1-8; God is laying out the guidelines for a woman after child birth. The time after birth was given for the woman to go through the cleansing period which was thirty three to thirty six days. As luck would have it, that happens to be about the same time as the average menstrual cycle of a woman today (28 days). God was given time after birth for the woman to have one menstrual cycle before resuming her normal life functions. Neither verse has anything to do with God cursing reproduction. In fact, God blessed it and then giving simple instructions on what to do afterwards. Some would ask, Why did God not tell Adam and Eve the same thing? Who says He didn't?

I don't know why anyone would see this as a contradiction; but there it is. Some people strain at gnats and swallow camels. Anyway, on to the next one.

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