| |
We do not know why, but Onan did not want to continue Er's family line. Did Er and Onan conflict with each other? Did Onan not like Tamar? Whatever the reason, Onan did not want to have to consummate the marriage with Tamar. Why did he start "making love" and then "destroyed [his seed] on the ground?" We do not know, but that is what he did. This is where the term "onanism" comes from. Today it is applied to masturbation, but the Bible says, " . . . when he went in to his brother's wife, he wasted his seed . . ." It appears they were "making love" and he stopped. Did something happen between them? Scripture does not say.
What was his sin? His sin was not about refusing to have children or exercising birth control. His sin was an evil attitude in his heart, "in order not to give offspring to his brother." So God took his life . . .
Conclusion: Onan is an example of disobedience - an evil man who did not want to fulfill God's command. There was also an earlier question related to birth control. |
|
