2 Samuel 13:14 (NIV) describes Amnon’s rape of Tamar as “he raped her”. Judges 19:25 (NIV) says “they raped her and abused her throughout the night.” God could have described these rapes more graphically but He purposefully chose not to. Little is ever said about the sexual attraction between Samson and Delilah. Do we really know that much about Joseph and Potiphar’s wife? God said little about the incest and homosexuality in the church at Corinth. He doesn’t describe the type of sexual immorality in the church in Thyatira. The list could go on.  God could have said SO much more but He didn’t. He purposefully omits the sexual details as He directed the writers of Scripture what to include or not include (2 Peter 1:20,21). Just imagine what steamy details that today’s television or movie producer would include within these Bible stories! God did not describe the bedroom scenes, what they were or were not wearing, the seductive tease or sensual nature of the actions, the physical orgasms they experienced, or the performances they gave.  His ways are above our ways; so why do you think He leaves the sexual details out of these?

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5. Your goal is to teach, not tempt, in mentioning sex.

God does not dwell on what happens before — or during — the sexual scenes in Scripture but He does dwell on what happens later on as a result of these scenes!  That is His pattern and it must become ours as we address any sexual topics, too. He wants us to learn, not lust. Education, not imagination or titillation, is His goal.

After describing (briefly, of course!) the sexual immorality in 1 Cor.10  which was taken from Exodus 32, we’re told why it was mentioned here in verses 11-13: God wants us to learn from their mistake! He didn’t describe Rahab’s life as a prostitute (He could have) but instead He describes her obedience afterwards in Joshua 2. The same is true of the woman in John 4; we’re told of her new life and testimony, not her old life. We’re not given any details about the ex-homosexuals in 1 Corinthians 6 but only the fact that they were changed by God’s power. And we’re not told about the nature of the incest in 2 Corinthians 2 but only about the proper treatment of this man.  Even some of the most sexually graphic Bible chapters (Ezekiel 16 and 23) are mentioned by God in order to teach spiritual life lessons (see Ezekiel 16:30ff and 23:28ff). Earthy, raw, and sexual language found in Deuteronomy 23:9-13 ends with the spiritual lesson found in verse14. 

The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were removed by God. The incest of Lot with his daughters produced two nations of wicked people who troubled Israel. Revenge on Shechem’s rape of Dinah resulted in the murder of every man in the city. The sexual sin of Reuben in Genesis 35:22 is exposed and punished later in 49:3,4. The lust of Potiphar’s wife sent an innocent man to prison and the lust of Samson brought his and his nation’s downfall. David’s adultery led to the death of an innocent man and also of his infant son. Amnon’s rape of Tamar prompted Absalom’s murder of Amnon. Solomon’s sexual partners caused him to stray from God and bring judgment on the nation. Do you see this important biblical pattern?