Comments on: Abraham Committed Adultery Got Divorced

By: Why Did Abraham Commit Adultery? | NowTHINK!AboutIt

Why Did Abraham Commit Adultery? | NowTHINK!AboutIt — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 10:15:12 +0000

[...] It also proves that divorce is sometimes the only acceptable option. Sending Hagar away was nothing if it wasn’t divorce and it was a God-sanctioned decision. You can read about that here. [...]

By: Peter

Peter — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 22:48:43 +0000

I probably shouldn’t have used the word “wrong” in the last comment. I think it’s better to describe polygamy as “less than God’s best”; therefore, I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone : )

By: Peter

Peter — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 15:28:59 +0000

“The best approach and the one God used was to begin putting regulations on many existing trends which otherwise would not have been allowed.”

Interesting idea. You could be right although I get a sense that God just laid out His righteous laws and the people had to deal with them whether they liked them or not.

On a side note, it seems that the dancing naked at the golden calf mentioned in the KJV may have been based on a faulty translation.

Now to answer your question : )
I do think polygamy was and is wrong in the sense that God has something better, but I do not think that it was or is sinful. The fact that He created just one woman for Adam and the fact that Paul cites monogamy as a qualification for elders leads me to believe that monogamy is best.

By: EnnisP

EnnisP — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 12:53:15 +0000

Thanks for responding. I appreciate the dialogue. If it doesn’t change minds it at least stimulates thinking and that is good.

OK, I will assume you have a different definition for adultery. But if David didn’t commit adultery we both agree that he did at least commit polygamy.

Question: Do you think that is wrong today and if so why wouldn’t it be wrong in David’s time?

In other words, if it is right at any time why wouldn’t it be right all the time?

I do talk about this on another post. If you have the time, please read.

By: Peter

Peter — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 10:44:44 +0000

Hi Ennis,
I believe God forbids sin; I don’t believe that He regulates it in His laws to be gracious.

I also think it’s a misinterpretation of Deuteronomy 17:17 to say that kings were not to have mutiple wives. I know the KJV says they were not to “multiply” wives. It also says in the previous verse that they were not to multiply horses. I highly doubt God was restricting kings to just one horse. Most translations say that kings were not to “acquire many” or “have a large number.”

If David, a man after God’s heart, committed adultery numerous times, it’s very hard for me to believe that God would just let it slide. Adultery is a big deal to God. As you know, He included it in the ten commandments that He personally handwrote and gave to Moses.

BTW, even though I think the case you make for calling polygamy (polygyny) adultery is flimsy, I really got a lot from your post about the massacre of the Midianites. (It was a Google search on “Midianites” that led me to your blog.) I plan to read more of your stuff.

I love what you and your wife are doing with your lives! Keep up the good work!