Is polygamy ok to God?
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Deuteronomy 17:14-20
When you enter the land which the Lord your God gives you, and you possess it and live in it, and you say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations who are around me,’ you shall surely set a king over you whom the Lord your God chooses, one from among your countrymen you shall set as king over yourselves; you may not put a foreigner over yourselves who is not your countryman.
Moreover, he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor shall he cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, since the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall never again return that way.’ He shall not multiply wives for himself, or else his heart will turn away; nor shall he greatly increase silver and gold for himself.
“Now it shall come about when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself a copy of this law on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. It shall be with him and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, by carefully observing all the words of this law and these statutes, that his heart may not be lifted up above his countrymen and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or the left, so that he and his sons may continue long in his kingdom in the midst of Israel.
~~~~~
Jesus said that Moses allowed the Israelites to give a writ of divorce because of their hard hearts. But does that mean it was okay?
It appears to me that God was not pleased for them to have multiple wives. God may have allowed it, but that doesn't mean it was His will.
Because God blesses us, it doesn't mean that He is pleased with everything we do which is what it sounds like you're saying.
I believe that it was sin because God told them not to do it.
It must not have been looked upon as seriously as adultery because David and Bathsheba lost their child for their sin.....God was gracious because according to the law, they both deserved to be stoned for their sin. God had mercy upon them.
David paid dearly for all those wives. There was so much sexual sin including a rape within his family, murder and conspiracies.
David was a man after God's heart and he received a lot of grace and mercy, but his consequences for his sin was great.
As far as polygamy being adultery, I don't know. I'd have to think on that, my first thought though is that it isn't. But again, I've never given this much consideration in the past.
How is today's western society better than the tribesman who has not committed adultery; and has taken good care of his three wives? Does the scripture teach we are only to have 1 horse?
Sadly the majority of western men have known more than 5 wives; I meant girlfriends, (Joh 5:18) and the ones they're with now are not their wives....
Believe me as a former fornicator/adulterer 5 is a very generous number to ascribe to today's European and Western Nations.
Because of the mass hypocrisy (Mat 7:5 & 15:7), I'd say western society is in no position to judge men with multiple wives. That being said though, "Go Repent! (I did)" that is what Jesus said. Likewise Paul also admonished "let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband."
But those of you who have not known the ills and destruction of fornication and adultery; continue in well-doing and holiness seeking first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness to come!
May the peace of God be with those made righteous through Jesus Christ The LORD. Amen.
Sadly the majority of western men have known more than 5 wives; I meant girlfriends, (Joh 5:18) and the ones they're with now are not their wives....
Believe me as a former fornicator/adulterer 5 is a very generous number to ascribe to today's European and Western Nations.
Because of the mass hypocrisy (Mat 7:5 & 15:7), I'd say western society is in no position to judge men with multiple wives. That being said though, "Go Repent! (I did)" that is what Jesus said. Likewise Paul also admonished "let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband."
But those of you who have not known the ills and destruction of fornication and adultery; continue in well-doing and holiness seeking first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness to come!
May the peace of God be with those made righteous through Jesus Christ The LORD. Amen.
G
I meant heavenly as in Christ marrying the Church. I know people get aggravated by we ladies and gentlemen who feel strongly that polygamy is a perversion. It's not only because it is very degrading to the women involved, but it also perverts the picture of what the relationship between Christ and His Church is.
Here's a chart that might help.
If David had obeyed God and only had one wife, he would never have killed Uriah, nor would he have taken Bathsheba to commit adultery with her.
You'll notice on the chart that Ahinoam was David's wife and was the mother of Amnon. Another one of David's wives was Maacah. She was the mother of Tamar and Absalom. Tamar was raped by her half brother Amnon. Absalom is also Amnon's half brother and kills him for raping his sister. He did this because David didn't act on the rape of Tamar. This all happened because David didn't obey God and chose to have multiple wives.
And then Absalom begins a four year coup against David. Absalom is then killed by Joab. When you see all of this going on, there's more to David's sin than just Bathsheba and Uriah.
It would probably help you more to understand what's happening if you go and read the account again. Sometimes we read the scriptures with rose colored glasses.
Or at least I did when it came to David because after all, he was a man after God's own heart. So I overlooked things in Davids life not realizing that I was doing it.
But I've read the bible a few times and when you continue to read it, you see things that you might not have seen on a previous read.
So there's a lot more to David's life than just Bathsheba and Uriah.
If David had obeyed God and only had one wife, he would never have killed Uriah, nor would he have taken Bathsheba to commit adultery with her.
You'll notice on the chart that Ahinoam was David's wife and was the mother of Amnon. Another one of David's wives was Maacah. She was the mother of Tamar and Absalom. Tamar was raped by her half brother Amnon. Absalom is also Amnon's half brother and kills him for raping his sister. He did this because David didn't act on the rape of Tamar. This all happened because David didn't obey God and chose to have multiple wives.
And then Absalom begins a four year coup against David. Absalom is then killed by Joab. When you see all of this going on, there's more to David's sin than just Bathsheba and Uriah.
It would probably help you more to understand what's happening if you go and read the account again. Sometimes we read the scriptures with rose colored glasses.
Or at least I did when it came to David because after all, he was a man after God's own heart. So I overlooked things in Davids life not realizing that I was doing it.
But I've read the bible a few times and when you continue to read it, you see things that you might not have seen on a previous read.
So there's a lot more to David's life than just Bathsheba and Uriah.
G
I can't rep you again. 
I just realized tonight why Michal might have despised David. David comes to the throne and DEMANDS Michal to be his wife (although he has a passel already) and the man she married, Phaltiel, the son of Laish walks after her, weeping all the way. I think it was a low thing for David to do. Later when he brings the ark, she despises him and calls him a clown for dancing. She is then left barren all her days. Michal was the daughter of Saul. If David only had her to wife, it would have kept Ner from rebelling, and saved bloodshed if she had sons, therefore, heirs by David. I always felt bad about Michal and thought she was a snob, but maybe she was broken hearted by being taken away from Phaltiel who did not want to lose her, and installed in a house with a man with multiple wives already.
I just realized tonight why Michal might have despised David. David comes to the throne and DEMANDS Michal to be his wife (although he has a passel already) and the man she married, Phaltiel, the son of Laish walks after her, weeping all the way. I think it was a low thing for David to do. Later when he brings the ark, she despises him and calls him a clown for dancing. She is then left barren all her days. Michal was the daughter of Saul. If David only had her to wife, it would have kept Ner from rebelling, and saved bloodshed if she had sons, therefore, heirs by David. I always felt bad about Michal and thought she was a snob, but maybe she was broken hearted by being taken away from Phaltiel who did not want to lose her, and installed in a house with a man with multiple wives already.
Z
She was his first wife. Saul had her remarried and later David got her back.. You 2 obviously haven't read David's account accurately
I can't rep you again. I just realized tonight why Michal might have despised David. David comes to the throne and DEMANDS Michal to be his wife (although he has a passel already) and the man she married, Phaltiel, the son of Laish walks after her, weeping all the way. I think it was a low thing for David to do. Later when he brings the ark, she despises him and calls him a clown for dancing. She is then left barren all her days. Michal was the daughter of Saul. If David only had her to wife, it would have kept Ner from rebelling, and saved bloodshed if she had sons, therefore, heirs by David. I always felt bad about Michal and thought she was a snob, but maybe she was broken hearted by being taken away from Phaltiel who did not want to lose her, and installed in a house with a man with multiple wives already.
I just realized tonight why Michal might have despised David. David comes to the throne and DEMANDS Michal to be his wife (although he has a passel already) and the man she married, Phaltiel, the son of Laish walks after her, weeping all the way. I think it was a low thing for David to do. Later when he brings the ark, she despises him and calls him a clown for dancing. She is then left barren all her days. Michal was the daughter of Saul. If David only had her to wife, it would have kept Ner from rebelling, and saved bloodshed if she had sons, therefore, heirs by David. I always felt bad about Michal and thought she was a snob, but maybe she was broken hearted by being taken away from Phaltiel who did not want to lose her, and installed in a house with a man with multiple wives already.
Context helps with this.
Then the Lord sent Nathan to David. And he came to him and said,“There were two men in one city, the one rich and the other poor.
“The rich man had a great many flocks and herds.
“But the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb
Which he bought and nourished;
And it grew up together with him and his children.
It would eat of his bread and drink of his cup and lie in his bosom,
And was like a daughter to him.
“Now a traveler came to the rich man,
And he was unwilling to take from his own flock or his own herd,
To prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him;
Rather he took the poor man’s ewe lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”
Then David’s anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, surely the man who has done this deserves to die. He must make restitution for the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and had no compassion.”
Nathan then said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘It is I who anointed you king over Israel and it is I who delivered you from the hand of Saul. I also gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your care, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added to you many more things like these! 2 Samuel 12:1-8
So was God giving Saul's wives to take as his wives or to care for them because that speaks of God's character who watches over to provide for Saul's household. Commentaries show that David never married any of Saul's wives.
Then the Lord sent Nathan to David. And he came to him and said,“There were two men in one city, the one rich and the other poor.
“The rich man had a great many flocks and herds.
“But the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb
Which he bought and nourished;
And it grew up together with him and his children.
It would eat of his bread and drink of his cup and lie in his bosom,
And was like a daughter to him.
“Now a traveler came to the rich man,
And he was unwilling to take from his own flock or his own herd,
To prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him;
Rather he took the poor man’s ewe lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”
Then David’s anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, surely the man who has done this deserves to die. He must make restitution for the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and had no compassion.”
Nathan then said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘It is I who anointed you king over Israel and it is I who delivered you from the hand of Saul. I also gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your care, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added to you many more things like these! 2 Samuel 12:1-8
So was God giving Saul's wives to take as his wives or to care for them because that speaks of God's character who watches over to provide for Saul's household. Commentaries show that David never married any of Saul's wives.
G
I just read it tonight. She WAS David's first wife, absolutely. Saul is dirty and gives her to another man named Phaltiel, the son of Laish. In the meantime, David marries five or six women. He hears Saul is killed and comes back to Jerusalem. He demands that Michal be returned to him. Phaltiel follows, walking and weeping all the way. David could have been gracious and merciful and divorced Michal and let her go with Phaltiel. It was mean not to, actually. Later, when he is dancing before the Ark, she basically tells him off (not right, but she might have been feeling bad about leaving Phaltiel). Since she told David off, she was barren all her days. I wonder if David maybe didn't sleep with her after that.
He could have not married other women and come back and demanded Michal. Phaltiel might have still wept over losing her, but maybe she would have been more inclined to care for David if she wasn't joining a harem. Then, she may not have been bitter and borne him sons. It would have saved a ton of heartache and bloodshed. No Amnon, Adonijah, Absalom, Tamar, Solomon, rebellion by the people loyal to Saul. Many lives were lost due to the unrest wihin David's own family.
Just sayin', all those women were not blessings. Sounds like a hell of a home.
He could have not married other women and come back and demanded Michal. Phaltiel might have still wept over losing her, but maybe she would have been more inclined to care for David if she wasn't joining a harem. Then, she may not have been bitter and borne him sons. It would have saved a ton of heartache and bloodshed. No Amnon, Adonijah, Absalom, Tamar, Solomon, rebellion by the people loyal to Saul. Many lives were lost due to the unrest wihin David's own family.
Just sayin', all those women were not blessings. Sounds like a hell of a home.