Comments/Questions from Readers

Question #14: You have presented your views well and has shown them to be biblically based. I understand the Fathers' allowing polygyny for the original purpose of replenishing the earth and later for the posterity of His chosen nation. However I can not help but wonder 'what would be Father's purpose for it today?' Surely, logically such an act, would serve only one 'ungodly' purpose in todays society, satisfying the lust of the male at the emotional expense of the female.

I believe the reason you are having a hard time seeing a practical application for polygyny today is because of the feminization of the family that has occurred in our culture. Let me explain where I think polygyny would have a valid use today.

Isaiah 4:1: "And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, "We shall eat our own food and wear our own clothes, only let us be called by your name, to take away our reproach."

In this passage, Isaiah speaks of a day where seven women are all desiring to marry the same man in order to take away "reproach". In our feminist culture, many people believe that having children is a curse, rather than a blessing. Look at our obsession with abstinence, birth control, abortion, etc. Many prefer few or no children rather than a large family, which is precisely opposite of what we see in Scripture. Having children was considered a blessing, but not having children, at least for the woman, was considered a reproach.

Women in Scripture weren't possessive of men and they weren't obsessed or jealous about "sex", but rather, they wanted to bear children. They understood that this was the function that they alone were made for. If a woman was childless, it was considered a reproach.

Gen. 30:23: "And she conceived, and bore a son, and said, "Elohim has taken away my reproach."

Read through the whole of Genesis chapter 30. Rachel envied Leah not for having sex, but for having children when she herself could not. Now consider some women today. They desire a Godly husband and want to have children. But there are no strong Godly Christian heads available. All the good ones are married. So today's woman either settles for no husband, or she resorts to looking to the world for a husband and gets what she can. A few lucky women get a good Christian man before someone else does. Competiveness among women increases, because only ONE "can have him". This concept of mandatory monogyny is anti-Scripture. It breeds jealousy and possessiveness among women.

According to Scripture, a woman can marry ANY man she desires, just as long as he is a Believer. She can see which men have a track record of being a good husband, a good father, a good provider. She doesn't have to choose from the leftovers: the immature, the ungodly, the unappreciative or the abusive. She has the whole world to choose from, and she wants to make a good choice because she only gets one.

Look in many of our churches today. What is the average ratio of young men to young women? Who are these young women supposed to marry if all the young men have been "taken"? I visit dozens of churches and the youth ratio is almost always more women than men. What answer does the Church have for these young women? Remain celibate? God will provide? God HAS provided! We need to look at His Word and see what answers God gives, even when they conflict with our cultural ideas.

Polygyny isn't a "lust" issue any more than monogyny is a "lust" issue. We don't complain about people who desire sexual relations in monogynous marriage, so why should we in the Church see polygynous marriage any differently? More needs are being met. Families are stronger in numbers. Finances, childcare, homeschooling, housework, free time...these do not come at the expense of women, they are a direct result of having more women sharing responsibilities as a family.

My wife could no doubt write a book about the advantages of polygyny from a wife's point of view, but perhaps she'll write an article on our site in the future.

 
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