Fornicator
By Walter Giddings
June 22, 2025
Featured Scripture: Hebrews 12:16
“lest there be any fornicator, or profane person,”
In The Scriptures, against whom is this charge of fornicator laid? What makes someone a “fornicator”? (1 Corinthians 5:11). Of what is a “fornicator” guilty of committing? Most of us here could say a “fornicator” is guilty of committing fornication. Is that “dodging the question”? Is that a humorous way of confessing our ignorance? Is that the same as saying a Jew is a non-Gentile, and a Gentile is a non-Jew? If we are expecting God does better than that, this Lesson might well bear fruit! Seriously, would God fail to define His terms? Does First Corinthians 5:11 anticipate we know who is committing fornication?
11 But now I have written unto you
not to keep company, if any man is
called a brother be a fornicator, or
covetuous, or an idolator, or a railer,
or a drunkard, or an extortioner;
with such an one no not to eat.
First Corinthians chapter five.
“With such an one no not to eat." If we avoid eating with a fornicator, are we enforcing God’s Law? If we are enforcing God’s Law in our household, would we be consistent, insistent and persistent to enforce God’s Law in our local church body? And, if we are enforcing God’s Law in our local church body would we be consistent, insistent and persistent enforcing God’s Law in our immediate neighbourhood?
(Hebrews 12:16). What does commit fornication mean? Can we understand from God’s Word who is a fornicator?
16 Lest there be any fornicator, or
profane person, as Esau, who for one
morsel of meat sold his birthright.
Hebrews chapter twelve.
Does the God of our Fathers reveal Himself in His Word? Does Hebrews 12:16 directly instruct us, “any fornicator... as Esau”? Where do we look in The Scriptures for the record of Esau committing fornication?
(Hebrews 12:17). Does the very next verse, Verse 17, give us a clue where we might look?
17 For ye know how that afterward,
when he would have inherited the
blessing, he was rejected: for he
found no place of repentance, though
he sought it carefully with tears.
Hebrews chapter twelve.
So, where do we look? For what do we look?
Where in the Scripture record do we find Esau shedding tears? Over what did Esau get so upset that he cried tears? Did Esau weep over being rejected? Where do we find this? (Genesis 27:32-38).
c 32 And Isaac his father said unto him,
Who art thou? And he said, I am thy
son, thy firstborn Esau.
p 33 And Isaac trembled very exceedingly,
and said, Who? where is he that hath
taken venison, and brought it me, and I
have eaten of all before thou camest
and have blessed him? yea, and he
shall be blessed.
c 34 And when Esau heard the words
of his father, he cried with a great
and exceeding bitter cry, and said un-
to his father, Bless me, even me also,
O my father.
p 35 And he said, Thy brother came
with subtilty, and hath taken away
thy blessing.
c 36 And he said, Is not he rightly na-
med Jacob? for he hath supplanted
me these two times: he took away
my birthright; and, behold, now he
hath taken away my blessing. And
he said, Hast thou not reserved a
blessing for me?
p 37 And Isaac answered and said un-
to Esau, Behold, I have made him thy
lord, and all his brethren have I given
to him for servants; and with corn and
wine have I sustained him: and what
shall I do now unto thee, my son?
c 38 And Esau said unto his father, Hast
thou but one blessing, my father?
Bless me, even me also, O my father.
And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.
Genesis chapter twenty-seven.
“And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.” Does this remind us of what we read in Hebrews 12:17? “When he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected.” And “He found no place of repentance though he sought it carefully with tears.” Look back to Verse 35. Isaac says, “Thy brother ... hath taken away thy blessing.” In Verse 36 Esau accuses his brother Jacob (whose name means “supplanter”) of supplanting him twice: the 1st time was the birthright, for Esau was firstborn; the 2nd time was the blessing that goes to the firstborn. Did we read in Hebrews 12:16-17 that God tells the story differently from Esau? Did we read in Verse 16 that God calls Esau, “who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright” to Jacob, a “profane person”? Did we read in Verse 17 that Esau found “no place of repentance”! What does that tell us? Is it possible for sinners to repent of fornication? Does this mean fornication is not the Unforgivable Sin? In Hebrews 12:16 does God name Esau a “fornicator”?!
Here might be the most difficult part of our Lesson! Here is a good place to repeat a Question we asked at the very beginning: would God fail to define his terms? A question whose answer is patently obvious is known as a rhetorical question. By Faith we understand that God would be sure to define his terms! As so often happens God’s definition is not man’s definition!!
In Churchianity fornication is most often defined as cleaving, outside the Covenant of Marriage. In our gutter vernacular and alley slang of today, that is expressed as sexual relations outside marriage. (Deuteronomy 22:28-29). Cleaving outside the Covenant of Marriage is an unlawful Act precisely because it may impact upon The Doctrine of One Flesh! The Doctrine of One Flesh is one of the least understood Doctrines of The Bible and requires a separate Lesson on its own. Deuteronomy chapter 22 has two verses that address this situation.
p 28 If a man find a damsel that is a
virgin, which is not betrothed, and
lay hold on her, and lie with her,
and they be found;
c 29 Then the man that lay with her
shall give unto the damsel’s father
fifty shekels of silver, and she shall
be his wife; because he hath hum-
bled her, he may not put her away
all his days.
Deuteronomy chapter twenty two.
“Because he hath humbled her.” Do we call this circumstance “shotgun wedding” in our day. So what started out as unlawful has become lawful marriage. Since God ordained Marriage, is God Himself the Expert and Arbiter of what constitutes Lawful Marriages. Does this create a strong Implication that no one should enter into an Unlawful Marriage?
An important part of any Bible Study is this Key Question: Is this a Doctrine of God, or a doctrine of man? We have a key advantage here. God has named Esau a “fornicator”. Can we find a record in The Scriptures where Esau committed fornication?
(Genesis 28:6-9). Was Isaac, Esau’s father, displeased with his eldest son? Over what was Isaac displeased with Esau?
p 6 When Esau saw that Isaac had
blessed Jacob, and sent him away to
Padanaram, to take him a wife from
thence; and that as he blessed him
he gave him a charge, saying, Thou
shalt not take a wife of the daughters
of Canaan;
c 7 And that Jacob obeyed his father and his
mother, and was gone to Padanaram;
c 8 And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan
pleased not Isaac his father;
p 9 Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and
took unto the wives which he had
Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael,
Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebajoth,
to be his wife.
Genesis chapter twenty-eight.
“The sister of Nebajoth”. Who is Nebajoth? Why does The Great I Am God of Moses mention Nebajoth, here, in the first Book of Moses called Genesis?! Who can tell me what the mention of Mahalath’s brother Nebajoth should mean to us?
(Genesis 25:17). Shall we go back a few chapters to Genesis 25?
17 And these are the years of the life
of Ishmael, an hundred and thirty and
seven years : and he gave up the ghost
and died; and was gathered unto his
people.
Genesis chapter twenty-five.
Why then would God say through Moses, in Genesis 28:9, “Then went Esau unto Ishmael”? Ishmael is dead. He is gathered unto his ancestors.
Verse 13. Shall we look back to Genesis 25:13? What do we learn about Nebajoth? Let me read this one.
13 And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam.
Genesis chapter twenty-five.
What is the birthright of the firstborn? Does he become family patriarch at the death of his father? Since Ishmael is gathered unto his fathers, Esau would necessarily have to petition Ishmael’s firstborn Nebajoth! Now the BIG QUESTION!
Why was Esau’s petition to Nebajoth the same as coming unto Ishmael? What is that supposed to mean to us?
Could it be that, at this time in History, Ishmael’s descendants had no adulteries at the breasts? What does that mean? (Hosea 2:2). Would God ever call some nursing infants adulteries?
2 Plead with your mother, plead:
for she is not my wife, neither am I
her husband : let her therefore put
away her whoredoms out of her
sight, and her adulteries from be-
tween her breasts;
Hosea chapter two.
The word “whoredoms” is translated from H2183 zanun, zaw-noon’, meaning fornications resulting in adulteries. Do Verses 4-5 explain that well?
c 4 And I will not have mercy upon
her children; for they be the child-
ren of whoredoms.
p 5 For their mother hath played the
harlot : she that conceived them
hath done shamefully: for she said,
I will go after my lovers, that give me
my bread and my water, my wool and
my flax, mine oil and my drink.
Hosea chapter two.
How irate is The God of our Fathers at the Sin of Israel: fornication! (Hosea 3:4-5). How long will God’s anger last against the House of Israel? Did the House of Israel go into the Assyrian Captivity near 721 B.C.?
c 4 For the children of Israel shall
abide many days without a king,
without a prince, and without a sacri-
fice, and without an image, and with-
out an ephod, and without teraphim :
p 5 Afterward shall the children of Is-
rael return, and seek the LORD their
God, and David their king; and shall
fear the LORD and his goodness in
the latter days.
Hosea chapter three.
When are “the latter days”? Are “the latter days” the time period between the 1st and 2nd Comings of our Lord Jesus Christ? Did the House of Israel’s husband die on that Hill called Calvary and Golgotha? Was the House of Israel widowed and freed from the law of her husband? Could she be espoused now to the firstborn Son of the Resurrection? Could she be restored to her former status as Sister to the House of Judah? Are the 2 Houses reunited as the Commonwealth of Israel on earth? Did that old Serpent, the Devil and Satan, that Dragon who recruited a third of the highest-ranking angels, almost all the ruling or archangels, as his unholy horde, become the instrument of his own doom at Calvary? Has he flown into a rage, and pursues the woman who gave birth to “the Son of man” relentlessly? But since the Commonwealth of Israel is scattered into every nation on earth one grenade cannot get them all! When Satan engineers World War III, if one country in the Isles refuses to be party to that War, will the Devil when he obtains with his “working ... all power, signs, and lying wonders”, will he fail to harness one geographical spot-on earth? [2 Thessalonians 2:9] Who will bring the present? {Isaiah 18:7]
(Hosea 1:10). Did the Prophet Hosea prophesy the day of the Commonwealth of Israel scattered into all the nations?
10 Yet the number of the children of
Israel shall be as the sand of the sea,
which cannot be measured or num-
bered; and it shall come to pass, that
in the place where it was said unto
them, Ye are not my people, there it
shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons
of the living God.
Hosea chapter one.
(1 Peter 2:9-10). Does the Prophet Peter confirm the fulfillment of Hosea’s Prophecy?
p 9 But ye are a chosen generation, a
royal priesthood, an holy nation, a
peculiar people; that ye should shew
forth the praises of him that hath call-
ed you out of darkness into his marvel-
lous light :
c 10 Which in time past were not a peo-
ple, but are now the people of God:
which had not obtained mercy, but
now have obtained mercy.
First Peter chapter one.
Can we see that The Judgment fallen upon The House of Israel for her whoredoms, or fornications, lasted over 7 Centuries?!! Do The Judgments of our God always fit the crime? Do the Consequences always fit the Choices? Are The Judgments of our God always administered in mercies and loving kindnesses?
(Matthew 24:37-39). What was the Sin of the world of Noah? Why, of all the descendants of Adam through Methuselah, did our God save but eight souls?
37 But as the days of Noe were, so
shall also the coming of the Son of
man be.
Matthew chapter twenty-four.
Are these the words of the Greatest Prophet in The Bible? Does Jesus say that the Days of his 2nd Coming will be like unto the days of Noah before The Flood? (Mark Matthew 24 and go to Luke 18:8).
8 I tell you he will avenge them
speedily. Nevertheless when the
Son of man cometh, shall he find
faith on the earth?
Luke chapter eighteen.
“So shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Does The Holy Spirit desire that we understand The Sin of “the days of Noe”? (Matthew 24:38-39).
c 38 For as in the days that were be-
fore the flood they were eating and
drinking, marrying and giving in
marriage, until the day that Noe
entered into the ark,
p 39 And knew not until the flood
came, and took them all away; so
shall also the coming of the Son of
man be.
Matthew chapter twenty four.
“So shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” This Phrase is repeated from Verse 37. (Look back to Verse 38). “Marrying and giving in marriage”!!! What was wrong with the marriages of “the days of Noe”? Will the marriages in the days of “the coming of the Son of man” be wrong like in “the days of Noe”?
(Genesis 6:9-10). Do we have the revelation in the words of God in these Verses?
c 9 These are the generations of Noah:
Noah was a just man and perfect in
his generations, and Noah walked with
God.
p 10 And Noah begat three sons, Shem,
Ham, and Japheth.
Is The God of the Bible, the God who authored these Words, a God of context? What does the 1st Phrase of Verse 9 say? “These are the generations of Noah”. Is this Phrase intended to introduce Noah’s generations? Is this about Noah’s progeny? Is this about Noah’s genealogy?
What does “perfect in his generations” mean? “Perfect” translates H8549 tamiym, taw-meem’; entire (literally, figuratively or morally); also (as noun) integrity, truth:- without blemish, complete, full, perfect, sound, without spot, undefiled, whole. (Genesis 9:18-19). Which of Noah’s sons constitute adulteries at the breast?
c 18 And the sons of Noah, that went
forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham,
and Japheth : and Ham is the father of
Canaan.
p 19 These are the three sons of Noah:
and of them was the whole earth over-
spread.
(Verse 22). Who can tell me if there are any fathers other than Shem, and Ham, and Japheth of whom “the whole earth” was overspread?!! Who can name me one other Patriarch?
22 And Ham, the father of Canaan,
saw [ ‘eth ] the nakedness of his fa-
ther, and told his two brethren with-
out.
(Verses 24-25). What did Noah have to say about this?!!
p 24 And Noah awoke from his wine,
and knew [ ‘eth ] what his younger
son had done unto him.
c 25 And he said, Cursed be Canaan;
a servant of servants shall he be unto
his brethren.
Genesis chapter nine.
[‘eth ] H853 is, in Verses 22 and 24, an untranslated Hebrew dipthong of the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet of 22 consonants, Aleph-Thav. It is the Hebrew counterpart of Alpha-Omega. H853 Aleph-Thav appears in Genesis 1:1, un-translated, and is translated in Genesis 4:1 as the preposition “from”. “Cursed” is the translation of H779 ‘arar, aw-rar’; execrate:- X bitterly curse.
Was Canaan cursed from birth?! Did all the Tribes of Canaan come from The Curse with which God cursed The Serpent?
Did Esau intermarry with the daughters of Canaan [Heth]? (Genesis 26:34-35). How did that impact Isaac and Rebekah?
p 34 And Esau was forty years old
when he took to wife [ ‘eth ] Judith
the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and
Bashemath the daughter of Elon the
Hittite:
c 35 Which were a grief of mind unto
Isaac and Rebekah.
Genesis chapter twenty six.
(Genesis 27:46). What would cause Rebekah to say she cared no more for life if Jacob took a wife of the tribes of Canaan?
46 And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am
weary of my life because of the dau-
ghters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife
of the daughters of Heth, such as
these which are of the daughters of
the land, what good shall my life do
me.
Genesis chapter twenty-seven.
(Genesis 34). When Dinah, sister to the 12 sons of Israel, went out to see the daughters of the land, Shechem, son of Hamor, ravished her. He asked his father to get Dinah for his wife from the Hebrews. Israel’s sons spoke deceitfully to them, saying giving their sister to an uncircumcized man would be a reproach to them! (Genesis 34:23). In persuading the men of the city to be circumcised, as the Hebrews were, Hamor and Shechem closed the deal with this thought:
23 Shall not their cattle and their sub-
stance and every beast of theirs be ours?
only let us consent unto them, and they
will dwell with us.
Genesis chapter thirty four.
Do the Canaanites genetically swallow us out of existence when we intermarry with them?! Do the Canaanites say we shall be theirs? Is that why God bans Israelites from making marriages with them? [Deuteronomy 7 & etc.] Were Esau’s marriages to the daughters of Heth unlawful? Is Esau a fornicator? Is there any shred of evidence that Esau had relations outside marriage? In Genesis 28 was Esau concerned with appearances? Is there any record Esau put away the unlawful wives?
(1 Corinthians 6:18). Do we see what is a stake here?
18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a
man doeth is without the body; but
he that committeth fornication sin-
neth against his own body.
First Corinthians chapter six.
Is this a matter of Eternal Importance? (Hebrews 13:4). If the Law of Seed in itself and the Law of Kind after Kind apply only to plants and animals, and if Adam is the father of all the Races (only one Race!), why then do fornication and adultery appear at the top of the lists of the Sins of the Flesh?!! Fellow Hebrews: we end where we began this Lesson in the Book of Hebrews.
4 Marriage is honourable in all, and
the bed undefiled: but whoremongers
and adulterers God will judge.
Hebrews chapter thirteen.
Bibliography
Hebrews 12:16
“lest there be any fornicator or profane person.”
1 Corinthians 5:11. “with such an one no not to eat.”
Hebrews 12:16. “as Esau”
Hebrews 12:17. “he found no place of repentance”
Genesis 27:32-38. “Esau lifted up his voice and wept.”
Deuteronomy 22:28-29. “because he hath humbled her”
Genesis 28:6-9. “Esau … took unto the wives which he had”
Genesis 25:17. “Ishmael … died.”
Genesis 25:13. “the firstborn of Ishmael Nebajoth.”
Hosea 2:2. “put away .. her adulteries from between her breasts.”
Hosea 2:4-5. “they be the children of whoredoms”
Hosea 3:4-5. “Afterward shall the children of Israel return.”
Hosea 1:10. “sons of the living God”
2 Peter 2:9-10. “but are now the people of God”
Matthew 24:37. “the days of Noe”
Luke 18:8. “shall he find faith on the earth?”
Matthew 24:38-39. “marrying and giving in marriage”
Genesis 6:9-10. “perfect in his generations”
Genesis 9:18-22. “of them was the whole earth overspread” “the father of Canaan”
Genesis 9:24-25. “Cursed be Canaan”
Genesis 26:34-35. “a grief of mind”
Genesis 27:46. “I am weary of my life”
Genesis 34:23. “shall .. be ours”
1 Corinthians 6:18. “sinneth against his own body”
Hebrews 13:4. “whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.”
