Why Did God Bless Men Who Had More Than One Wife? What The Bible Says About Polygamy
By Bro David Petersen
Moses murdered an Egyptian. Does that mean that God condones murder?
Ex 2:11-12
1 And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren.
12 And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.
God also blessed men who were murderers including Moses, David and the Apostle Paul. Does this mean that God approves of murder? Certainly not!
Polygamy is the practice of being married to more than one spouse at the same time.
The first case of polygamy recorded in the Scriptures had to do with a descendant of the infamous Cain: Lamech, who “took unto him two wives” (Gen. 4:19). The manner in which the practice is introduced into the scripture (in obvious contrast to God's design in Gen. 2:24) reveals that it did not have the Lord's approval.
God gave his original design for marraige in Genesis 2:24 "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."
But after murdering his own brother Abel, Cain "went out from the presence of the Lord" and dwelt in the land of Nod. There his son Enoch built the first city. You can see right there what a downward spiral they are on! Then in the city, Enoch's grandson, Lamech, Cain's great-grandson was the first man to take two wives (Gen. 4:19). Thus the practice of polygamy was started by people who were separated from God and who did not have his approval.
Later in Old Testament history, polygamy was practiced to some extent; both David and Solomon, for example, were polygamists. Though the cohabitation of a man with several wives was tolerated under the Law of Moses, it was not the divine ideal, and it never brought genuine happiness to those who indulged. In most cases, polygamy accelerated even greater levels of unacceptable conduct . In fact polygamy brought great sorrow and heartache upon David and Solomon as well as Abraham. David's adultery with Bathsheba led to the murder of her husband and a lifetime of trouble within his own family (2 Sam 11). Solomon's wives turned away his heart after other gods (1 Kgs. 11:4).
Jesus later affirmed that the working model for marraige under the New Testament is "the two shall be one flesh" [not three, four or more]. Polygamy blows the “one flesh” model. Moreover, the Lord insisted that though the original marital standard had been relaxed during a period when the “hardness” of men’s hearts prevailed, under his forthcoming administration, the divinely-designed marriage arrangement would be restored to its initial format – one man for one woman (Matt. 19:5).
As we examine the scriptures, we find that every case of polygamy or concubinage amounted to a failure to follow God’s original model and plan. The fact of the matter was that while polygamy was contrary to God’s intention and ideal, nevertheless, because of what Christ called “the hardness of men’s hearts” (Matthew 19:8), it was tolerated–especially in the case of a political leader whose dynasty would fail if he produced no son by his first wife.
Under the Law, even though the heart of the people was hard, God still warned them not to "multiply wives," for such an action would turn their hearts from Him (Deut 17:17). In fact, that is exactly what multiple wives did for Solomon -- "his wives turned away his heart" (1 Kgs 11:3).Even under the Old Covenant God spoke of "the wife (not wives) of your youth," which was "your companion (not one of your companions) and your wife (not wives) by covenant" -- all in the singular (Mal 2:14-15).
Under the Law, before people had new hearts and were reconciled to God, He tolerated polygamy (Ex 21:10; 1 Sam 1:2; 2 Chron 24:3). But that was owing to the condition of the people, not the nature of His will, which was stated in the beginning, when man was yet in the Garden of Eden.
A number of men are said to have had multiple wives. The list includes Lamech, Abraham, Esau, Jacob, Ashur, Gideon, Elkanah, David, Solomon, Rehoboam, Abijah, Jehoram, Joash, Ahab, Jehoiachin, and Belshazzar. But after Christ was enthroned in glory, no such condition was ever mentioned among the saints. There is no example in the New Testament of a Christian man having more than one wife. Pastors were to be "the husband of one wife" (1 Tim 3:2). And the husband is the head of the wife (not wives), even as Christ is head of the church (Eph. 5:3).