HappyGrace Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 I'm thinking about David having more than one wife, but he was still favored in God's sight, and other things like that. I know God doesn't overlook it, but to a dc it could *seem* like it. I'm never quite sure what to say! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peek a Boo Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 I'm thinking about David having more than one wife, but he was still favored in God's sight, and other things like that. I know God doesn't overlook it, but to a dc it could *seem* like it. I'm never quite sure what to say! God knows the heart, even in the midst of our sins. His silence on an issue isn't to be assumed as approval. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Bay Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 I'm thinking about David having more than one wife, but he was still favored in God's sight, and other things like that. I know God doesn't overlook it, but to a dc it could *seem* like it. I'm never quite sure what to say! God's original intent was one man one woman, but in the Mosaic law, there are specific laws about taking another woman to wife. It also specifically instructs kings not to take too many of them (that's something that Solomon did, and look where it led!) Divorce is another one. There were very specific ordinances about divorce given in the Mosaic law, and the reason given by Jesus was for the hardness of their hearts. One of the best explanations I've heard for the law was that it wasn't God's primary will, but His secondary--He wanted people to walk with directly him, and that law wasn't given for a very, very long time, but people weren't doing this. Also, the Mosaic law is less harsh than the local laws of the land were. One of my favourite laws in light of this idea is the one for a jealous husband. If he suspected his wife had committed adultery but had no proof, she was to drink something--if she was guilty she was to swell up and die, but if she was innocent she'd be fine. I like it because that was an easy way to alleviate the jealousy--the law required proof before conviction. Peek a Boo is right, too--God looks on the heart. The only perfect man died, rose & ascended nearly 2K years ago. You also see Rahab commended for her actions in Joshua 2, and she lied in order to protect the spies by denying that they were still there and giving false directions in order for the men of Jericho to search in the wrong places. I've heard various explanations on this, and some say that it wsn't technically lying due to some cultural thing, but that one is now hazy to me as I read it some time ago. The same with the midwives in Egypt (some say they lied to cover, others say that they really did deliver without the midwives.) I handle each one specifically as they come up when my dc are young, and teach more on that when they're old enough to understand that people are not perfect. One of the biggest examples is Balaam, who managed to get revelation even though he was totally messed up, but that's not someone my dc hear about when they're little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phathui5 Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 The thing with polygamy back then is that it served as a social welfare system. There weren't many jobs women could hold, so you had to be married, even if that meant to a man who was already married. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamaof2andtwins Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 God never overlooks sin. Sins can be covered by believe in Christ and asking God to forgive our sins. I think we can start with that. People of the Bible were humans and since all have sinned we will see these people sinning. Karin, is right. God's original intent according to His word is one man and one wife. Jesus even expounds on this point. Even though we see polygamy in the Bible it never works out well. Jennie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LND1218 Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 God knows the heart, even in the midst of our sins. His silence on an issue isn't to be assumed as approval. And just because God's response isn't recorded doesn't mean there wasn't one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinning Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 Not sure if this helps, but…I think how I would explain it is that as parent, a Mom, I don’t always like what my kids do (i.e. drawing on the walls, breaking things, willfully fighting w/ a sibling) BUT I still love them no matter—and God loves us (and King David) no matter. That would be my first hard-and-fast lesson. Second, however, would be consequences will still play out in our choices (or sin)—it’s a natural and spiritual law. I will still discipline/punish my kids when something is done wrong, esp. willfully, but I still LOVE them. David did pay for his sins, no doubt about it. The plague he caused (because of the census), Bathsheba’s first child dying, and even the sibling dysfunction/rivalry between Amnon, Tabar, and Absalom (from the many wives) can all be related back to poor choices that King David made. David’s kids were kind of a mixed up bunch and it eventually led to eventual dissolution of the kingdom of Israel. I’m not sure King David would look back on his life and think that God let him get away with anything; I think David (and Israel) definitely ‘paid’ for his sins. I think a good read through the Psalms would also show things were not okay under David's rule. God still loved David, but David also reaped what he sowed. Maybe approach it in a way of making choices? All things are lawful for me, but not all things are expedient (1 Cor. 6:12) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mktyler Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 In Nathan's parable to David, he did not condemn the having of many sheep, but the taking of another man's sheep; in fact, it was the murder of Uriah that broke the law (Do Not Kill), not having many wives. It was perfectly acceptable to have more than one wife concurrently at that time. Look at the stories of Hannah, Samuel's mother; Abraham and Sarah; Jacob, Rachel and Leah--there is no condemnation of polygamy. David lost the good will of the Father when he committed the sin of murder; his and Bathsheba's first child died as a consequence. So David's sin was not overlooked, it was punished in a painful and poignant way. Also, the consequences of sin are not always temporal. Sin separates us from the Holy Spirit and thus an understanding of the Father's will for us. Many people sin and are never punished, but we are assured that all wrongs will be righted. All will stand before God to be judged of their thoughts, words, and deeds, and face the eternal consequences of their choices. Thankfully, if we repent, that is, have faith in the infinite atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we will be able to stand joyfully before our Father and hear Him say, "Well done, thou good and faithful aservant: thou hast been bfaithful over a few things, I will make thee cruler over many things: enter thou into the djoy of thy lord." (Matt. 25:21) Melissa Minnesota Reading Program Junkie dd(10) dd(6) ds(4) ds(1) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloridaLisa Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 I'm thinking about David having more than one wife, but he was still favored in God's sight, and other things like that. I know God doesn't overlook it, but to a dc it could *seem* like it. I'm never quite sure what to say! Great question. First, praise the Lord that we could still possibly be considered a "[wo]man after God's own heart" despite our terrible sin! That gives us hope that despite our shortfalls, we are still loved by God. Second, just because the Bible doesn't record God responding to or punishing every single incidence of recorded sin doesn't mean that there are no consequences. In the example of David's polygamy, for example, God had expressly forbid Israel's kings from having more than one wife. Though David was faithful in so many ways, this was apparently an area of weakness and sin for him. In the end, it was the undoing of his family. Some of his sons rose up against each other and even against David and seems to have fallen apart. Then, too, he set a horrible example for Solomon, who also engaged in polygamy *and* had a huge harem. But it led his heart away from God and into idolatry; he allowed multiple pagan worship sites to be erected in Israel and ultimately led Israel into worship of false idols. So, while God may not have come down and smote them on the spot of their sin, there were in fact awful consequences that even affected many others. HTH, Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cedarmom Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 We talked about the problems it led to. God forgave David, but his many wives caused problems in his kingdom and family. God gives us laws, not to punish us, but because he made us and knows what works best. He knew the heartache David's choices would create. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyGrace Posted February 16, 2009 Author Share Posted February 16, 2009 He said that God gives us laws/commands for our welfare, but also to show WHO HE IS-for instance, "no adultery" shows us the character attribute of God's faithfulness/loyalty, etc. That helped me. Plus I do understand more after reading this thread that there were consequences, down the line. And even in other Bible accounts, there may have been untold consequences. It's helpful to think that. I guess in many of the cases, we may just not have been shown what the consequences were. It's amazing the things that come up that you thought you knew but are clueless on when faced with questioning from little hearts! Thanks for the help on this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Bay Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 He said that God gives us laws/commands for our welfare, but also to show WHO HE IS-for instance, "no adultery" shows us the character attribute of God's faithfulness/loyalty, etc. That helped me. Plus I do understand more after reading this thread that there were consequences, down the line. . The reason we needed a saviour, one who paid the price for sin, is because we all sin. All of us. Those in the OT that were faithful looked to the coming Messiah. So, yes, there was a natural consequence, but God did set up rules regarding polygamy, not that He condoned it (he never said it was okay, just not to take your wife's sister to wife, etc.) Not one of us can earn salvation on our own, because the wages of sin is death. That's any sin, even stealing a toothpick, kwim? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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