HOW tersely Scripture relates the histories of men and women of olden days bringing before our minds, in a few bold strokes, incidents and experiences of their lives, which awaken a chord of sympathy even in these modern times.
I wonder how many of our readers are familiar with the name of Shelomith as a Bible character, or could relate the incident which must have left her a crushed and lonely woman. She just flits across the page of Old Testament history, few comments are made on her personal experiences, and a veil falls upon her exit, leaving us with much to provoke thought.
Besides the woman’s name, her father’s name is mentioned, and the tribe in Israel to which she belonged, giving an impression of detail in the entries made in God’s Book — possibly also to establish her claim to be a true daughter of Israel. Turn to Leviticus 24:10-23, and read carefully the incidents which may be new or unfamiliar to you; and yet it is an old, old story, ever new.
Shelomith was a woman favored above most. She belonged to a nation chosen by God to be a light-bearer in this world, chosen to be Jehovah’s peculiar possession in the midst of a world sunk in idolatry and sin, responsible to Him for the privileges bestowed upon them. Every privilege carries a corresponding responsibility. The responsibility of Israel was to keep separate from the surrounding nations religiously and socially. If they surrendered their separation they forfeited their raison d’etre, and failing to carry out divine commands they ceased to be God’s light-bearers in the world.
Shelomith lived in the lifetime of Moses, God’s most chosen vessel, called upon to lead his people through the wilderness, into their promised inheritance, and to give them the priceless heritage of the Law. Surely Shelomith was a favored woman, and yet her life was a blighted one.
What had blighted it? The same action that has blighted many a life since — the unequal yoke of marriage with an unbeliever. Details are not dwelt upon nor elaborated, only implied. Shelomith gave to her infant son an Egyptian father. What issues are involved in that simple statement! Scripture does not tarry to condone or condemn the action, it simply states the fact, and proceeds to demonstrate the result.
Shelomith’s son was distinctly handicapped — half the blood in his viens was Egyptian loaded with the idolatry and depravity of centuries of idol worship. We know not whether the young man learned from his father’s lips to blaspheme the God of Israel, but “blood tells,” and the crime of blasphemy seems to have come naturally to him.
Divided in sympathy between the widely different religions of his two parents, the young man grew up without that fear of God which is the beginning of wisdom, and in a moment of stress, and excitement — in a fight with another man―he broke out into swearing and blaspheming the God of Israel. Had he been brought up in a godly home he surely would not have fought or sworn “in the camp” where hovered the Shekinah glory-cloud, reminding Israel of God’s presence. Many a young man not godly in himself has been restrained in moments of stress by the memory of a mother’s faith and a mother’s prayers. “It isn’t done at home,” comes to his rescue.
Can you follow the story with sympathetic horror? The report circulates, the lad has committed a capital offense, he has publicly blasphemed the God of Israel (Ex. 20:7). He is arrested, his case is tried, and God through the lips of His vicegerent pronounces the young man’s doom (verse 14). Inflexible justice must take its course. Israel must be saved from pollution at all costs. The individual must suffer to save the nation and to establish the principle of Israel’s separation.
As we turn from the tragic scene we are tempted to say, “cui culpa?” Who hath sinned, this man or his parents — or both? We dare not apportion the blame.
Why is this incident inscribed on the sacred page? Scripture itself answers the question — “for our learning,” that we may be warned, in time, ere we may, either in ignorance or in willfulness, bring upon ourselves or our posterity the inevitable curse of “the unequal yoke.” Times have changed but the same dangers and temptations rain and warnings up-to-date are engraved upon the sacred pages. “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?... or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?” (2 Cor. 6:14, 15).
Union with a worldly partner may appear very tempting, dangerously attractive. Stop and furnish an answer to the thrice-repeated question of Scripture, what fellowship? what communion? what part? And finally, may I add, what chance — God-wards, Christ-wards, and heaven-wards, would any family have on whom you had thrust a godless parent?
Christian young Man and woman, may Shelomith’s tragic story not have been written in vain, as far as your life-history is concerned. Commit your life and future in trustful confidence to God, who understands youth’s needs and desires, and determine in His fear to avoid the disaster of marriage with an unbeliever.
E. M. Pollock.