The people of God have preserved the community and worship by God's powerful hand. An ever-present threat remains however...their own disobedience. One area in which Israel disobeys is intermarriage with other peoples. Their transgression is not about marrying people of another race or nationality however. They are marrying people devoted to another God. The people of God in Christ also are called to marry only those devoted to Christ, for the sake of the church and her worship.