Polygamy in the Bible
Colin Melbourne
© 06-08 Born-Again-Christian.info
The Christian View of Polygamy
A subscriber to our Christian newsletter sent in this Epistle question:
Q: I was very insulted every time I read the Old Testament and saw that God not only allowed multiple wives, but also servants to have children from one husband. Especially when fornication and adultery are sins. The Lord has reminded me that this was not what He intended from the beginning.
As a woman, I am sure that I am not the only one who has wondered on this subject. It would be nice if you help us to understand this a little more.
A: Yes, it also shocked me when I read how lenient God was with old Abraham, Jacob, David, and Solomon, but that's His grace. And we praise Him for it. I too was an adulterer before Jesus saved me.
You plainly understand that it was sin, God did not encourage, approve, or endorse their sinning by sleeping with another woman, whatever their intentions.
Notice carefully, the result was always a terrible mess.
Take Abraham for example:
We love him and thrill to read of his gigantic faith. I weep knowing that one day I will look Abraham in the eyes, and thank him for believing God for twenty years without a trace of movement from the Lord.
Imagine what would have happened if Abraham had wobbled in unbelief: But he didn't. You and I are Heaven-bound because of Abraham's faithfulness, Christ's Sacrifice, and God's Grace.
But with Hagar, he really missed it didn't he?
It wasn't even his idea. Sarah and Abraham tried to fulfil God's Word their way, instead of God's way. The result was Ishmael, the Arabs, and all the problems that has caused. I don't mean to slight Arabs, I love and respect them. I've lived in Arabia, and the majority are beautiful, kind, gracious people, still being blessed by God. But the Bible is clear, the origin of the Arab Semite line was Abraham's sin.
Read Jacob's story and you'll see a similar cascade of calamitous consequences following his adultery.
But the Champion polygamist was David's son. King Solomon was addicted to collecting wives, he had 700 of them from all nations, and 300 concubines. Each one so gorgeous it hurt to look away. His collection would make the Miss World and Miss Universe contestants look plain ugly.
Read his tragic story. The awful sequel to this sin was that the wisest man who ever lived was seduced into worshipping demons by his wives.
So blessed by God, he was allowed to build and dedicate the first Temple. Solomon prayed and the assembly saw the Fire of God fall on his offerings; nevertheless, he finished up bowing down to dumb idols and stocks of wood. Read how severely God judged him, and remember Solomon's sin.
Too late in life, he wrote:
I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a trap, and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner she will ensnare. Ecc. 7:26 NIV
There's another aspect to this polygamy business: God uses these unfaithful-faithful men as 'types' to teach us rich lessons about Israel and the Church, about the true vine and in-grafted branches. God is resolving the whole epic so beautifully that you wonder how He could have told it without those old boys going astray.
Also, in regard to multiple wives, consider the extra dimension of Christ marrying the Bride (The Church) in the next dispensation. One Husband marrying one wife made of two (Jews and Gentiles Eph. 2:11-22, Eph. 5:31-32) reconciled in Him. It's a heart-tingling prospect, and truly beyond me to understand, but I praise Him for the glimpse!
Polygamy is adultery and sin.
God created man and woman so that the two shall become man and wife. Not the three become man and wiveS. (See Gen. 2:24, Eph. 5:31)
That applies to all men, whether kings, prophets, or priests. It is so ingrained in human nature that even sinners find polygamy repulsive.
The Mormon cult are desperately trying to bury their shameful history, and the demonic teachings of Joseph Smith, on polygamy.
Polygamy is legal in much of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. They have major and minor wives. (Notice major and minor husbands are illegal.)
I met a chap who boasted of having twelve wives at the same time. As I witnessed to him, I got worried and asked the Lord, 'What do I say to this bloke if he gets saved? Pick one of the twelve and ditch the rest, or keep them all?'
What would you say?
Unequally yoked?
