Polygamist of the Old Testament

[Ddavid from NC]

Was polygamy permitted in the OT or mercifully not dealt with by Jehovah?

[Ddavid from NC]

Was polygamy permitted in the OT or mercifully not dealt with by Jehovah?

It is obvious it was dealt with by God, because it was regulated in the law of Moses. In one place, we are told that a man was not to marry two sisters, and in another place, there were laws concerning the first born. God stated that a man was not to descriminate against his first born if he was not the son of his favorite wife. For instance, if a man had two wives, and had a son by his least favorite wife, and then later, he had a son by his favorite wife, the first born rights went to the real first born child. If it were really just being "mercifully not dealt with," there would be no reference to the practice in the law. God would have simply made the practice wrong, as he did with incest.

I am using the word "mercifully" to mean not exacting judgment against the practice because there were other galring issue to be dealt with first. Sorta like Paul's treatment of slavery...more pressing issues.

[Ddavid from NC]

Was polygamy permitted in the OT or mercifully not dealt with by Jehovah?

It is obvious it was dealt with by God, because it was regulated in the law of Moses. In one place, we are told that a man was not to marry two sisters, and in another place, there were laws concerning the first born. God stated that a man was not to descriminate against his first born if he was not the son of his favorite wife. For instance, if a man had two wives, and had a son by his least favorite wife, and then later, he had a son by his favorite wife, the first born rights went to the real first born child. If it were really just being "mercifully not dealt with," there would be no reference to the practice in the law. God would have simply made the practice wrong, as he did with incest.

I am using the word "mercifully" to mean not exacting judgment against the practice because there were other galring issue to be dealt with first. Sorta like Paul's treatment of slavery...more pressing issues.

OK, but if polygamy was sinful in the eyes of God, why not say so in the law of Moses? Incest continued for a period of time before the law was given. Then, God said it was wrong and prohibited the practice in the law. Then comes the issue of slavery. Slavery is never condemned in the Bible, but only regulated. If it were really a sin in the sight of God, why not say so in scripture? I think that people are just assuming these things are wrong, rather than considering the possibility that they are not sins at all.

According to your understanding then the requirement of a Bishop being the husband of one wife, meant he was not to participant in the permitted practice of polygamy?

[Guest shiloh357]

Ever notice that the people God holds up in the Bible as "blameless" were never polygamists? Everytime we find polygamy in the Bible we find trouble and heartache connected to it.

[Ddavid from NC]

Butero so your contention is that the patriarchs were acting in good faith that multiple wives was a moral lifestyle decision?

[Fraught]

i like the fact that when God revealed himself to the tribes of israel that he took them as they were. he dealt with them at their level. there is a very very big difference between social custom and sin. social customs are indeed so transitory as to be of little account in the eternal scheme of things. i think we can also realize that none of the things in the previous posts are nearly as big a problem when such things as lying, coveting, greed & selfishness, etc. have no part in them.

no, i am not supporting polygamy or slavery - just proclaiming that these things were a part of their life before they came to know the One True God and, apparently, were necessary at the time.

[Annad]

Was polygamy permitted in the OT or mercifully not dealt with by Jehovah?

Mark 10:11-12

And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.

And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.

I would like to ask those pro-polygamist, if marriage after a divorce is considered adultery, why then is marriage without divorce not considered adultery?

Anna

Edited March 15, 2008 by Annad

[Guest shiloh357]

Polygamy was never acceptable before the Lord. It is never held up in the Bible as acceptable. It was never part of God's original plan for marriage, and is nothing but a carnal invention and perversion of God's original plan.

In Deut 17:17, God commanded that the future kings of Israel not multiply wives to himself. It was to avoid the very trap that Solomon fell into. Polygamy was not practiced by the common man in Israel. Only the MOST wealthy, primarily kings, were polygamists.

Everywhere we find polygamy in the Bible, we find trouble, sin, and heartache.

The New Testament teaches monagamy as the only acceptable marriage arrangement before God.

[Ddavid from NC]

Polygamy was never acceptable before the Lord. It is never held up in the Bible as acceptable. It was never part of God's original plan for marriage, and is nothing but a carnal invention and perversion of God's original plan.

In Deut 17:17, God commanded that the future kings of Israel not multiply wives to himself. It was to avoid the very trap that Solomon fell into. Polygamy was not practiced by the common man in Israel. Only the MOST wealthy, primarily kings, were polygamists.

Everywhere we find polygamy in the Bible, we find trouble, sin, and heartache.

The New Testament teaches monagamy as the only acceptable marriage arrangement before God.

I agree with you Shiloh... Was God showing mercy to the patriarchs that were polygamist by not enacting judgment on them?

[Guest shiloh357]

I agree with you Shiloh... Was God showing mercy to the patriarchs that were polygamist by not enacting judgment on them?

Absolutely. I believe we can apply what was said in Acts 17:30 to this situation. God winked at their ignorance. He was not winking at polygamy, but only at the ignorance of men prior to the giving of His law at Sinai.