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May a Christian Sell Dogs and Tithe on the Income (Deuteronomy 23:18)?
Bible Questions & AnswersDeuteronomy 23:17-18 warns against bringing the hire of a harlot or the price of a dog into the house of the LORD your God for any vowed offering, as both are an abomination to the LORD your God. In this context, the Hebrew word for dog refers to a male cult prostitute, tied to religious rites involving sexual acts, common among many idolatrous peoples. Verse 17 clarifies this by stating there shall be no ritual harlot of the daughters of Israel, or a perverted one of the sons of Israel. Similarly, Revelation 22:15 mentions dogs alongside sorcerers and the sexually immoral, referring to categories of unrepentant and degenerate humans excluded from God's Kingdom.
A Vivid Comparison (2000)
Sermonette by John W. RitenbaughIn the Bible, dogs are often depicted with contempt, representing the lowest social scale among the Hebrews. This perception is vividly applied to human beings considered as groveling scavengers, feeding on the refuse of humanity. Specifically, in Deuteronomy 23:17-18, it is declared that there shall be no ritual harlot or perverted one among the sons of Israel, and the wages of a harlot or the price of a dog shall not be brought to the house of the LORD your God for any vowed offering, as both are an abomination to Him. Here, a dog refers to a sodomite, deemed the bottom of Hebrew society, and just like female prostitutes, these dogs charge for their services. However, nothing earned from such activities is permitted to enter God's Temple, as it is considered dirty, filthy, and unholy. God desires no association with such offerings, viewing them as blemished and unacceptable, a principle that extends to all offerings, which must be without blemish, whole, and pure, reflecting the holiness required by Him.
Whoever Loves and Practices a Lie
Sermon by Charles WhitakerIn the catalog of behaviors listed in Revelation 21:8, the sexually immoral are identified as a group destined for the Lake of Fire. The Greek term used here, pornos, refers specifically to male prostitutes, though it may encompass broader illicit sexual practices, including homosexuality. This term is potentially linked to the reference of "dogs" in the catalog at Revelation 22:15, where "dogs" likely denotes male prostitutes, as suggested by its usage in Deuteronomy 23:18. Such behaviors are among the actions that exclude individuals from God's Kingdom, reflecting a spiritual condition that manifests in sinful conduct.