I'd say Adam & Eve most likely exemplify God's "design". However, let's consider all of God's "designs" for human relationships. Keep in mind that these "designs" are permitted by the Holy Law of God and that God's nature never changes.
Nuclear Family - Monogamous, like Adam & Eve.
Polygamous Marriage - A man having more than one wife was permitted by the Holy Law of God. God tremendously blessed many faithful and holy men who had more than one wife. Here are just a few examples of some men mentioned in Scripture who had many wives:
* Esau with 3 wives;
* Jacob: 2;
* Ashur: 2;
* Gideon: many;
* Elkanah: 2;
* David: many;
* Solomon had 700 wives of royal birth;
* Rehaboam: 3;
* Abijah: 14.
* Jehoram, Joash, Ahab, Jeholachin and Belshazzar also had multiple wives.
Levirate Marriage - The name of this type of marriage is derived from the Latin word "levir," which means "brother-in-law." This involved a woman who was widowed without having borne a son. She would be required to leave her home, marry her brother-in-law, live with him, and engage in sexual relations even if he were already married to one or more women. This was to ensure that a man's widows were properly cared for and their needs met.
Property Marriage [A man's right to a wife's female servant(s)] - Since slaves were considered property, the servants of a man's wife were considered acceptable partners if the wife agreed to surrender her property. Example: Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar.
Concubinage - A man was permitted to have legal "mistresses" in addition to his wife/wives as long as he respected their rights as outlined in God's Law to protect them from exploitation.
War Brides - Soldiers were permitted to take for themselves wives from female prisoners of war, again in addition to their current wife/wives, after allowing them time to grieve their losses. Female prisoners of war didn't fare well in ancient times. They were often subject to much abuse and exploitation rendering them prostitutes or slaves. To have a soldier take a woman in to wife was intended to provide female prisoners of war protection from such a society.
Punitive Marriage - If a man forced himself upon a woman or seduced her he was required to marry her in addition to his current wife/wives. This was to protect women from exploitation and applied punitive restitution on men to deter such behavior.
Servant Marriage - A master could arrange marriage between his servants. If the male servant gained his freedom he was to leave his wife and children in service to their master. This was to accommodate the needs of slaves and provide incentive to remain a servant.
Biblically the institution of marriage appears to have no set "design" by God. God appears to permit mankind to satisfy their needs as necessary, permitting freedom and fulfillment. The civil institution of marriage (in whatever form) exists to protect all parties from exploitation and sets legal rights of recourse for abuse.
Again, it goes back to loving God with all your heart and treating your neighbor as yourself. Upon this principle hangs the entire law and the prophets.
Just a few thoughts. God bless.
Wow that is a really good, thought provoking study Bro Chris, none of this stuff has ever occurred to me.
I would agree, however God tramendously blessed many in Scripture who were in one or more of these forms of marriage. If God didn't bless them but merely permitted it, I'd definately agree. But when God rains down blessings upon them... it makes one think that God's perspective is more focused on the well being of others than a specific "design".
Also consider this... both David and Solomon had many wives and even concubines. David and Solomon both wrote Scripture. Think for a moment... over the years that the Psalms were written it wouldn't be a suprise if the night before writing a passage David had been with a different wife (wives) or concubine than the evening before... and what he wrote is Sacred. Same with Solomon. If God is so disapproving and focused upon design... why would he bless such a thing and immortalize the man's inspired writings in our Bibles?
It should also be noted that polygamy was accepted among the Jews up until they were conqured by the Romans. It was Roman law that forbade multiple spouses not Jewish Law. This is why Paul wrote that a bishop should be the husband of one wife (essentially law abiding). Of course in Rome, as in America, the prevailing marital practice is "serial monogamy", meaning one man takes one wife at a time.
I'm not meaning to be contrary, I'm just sharing a few thoughts.
God bless.
God blessed where He promised to because He has an overall purpose that had to be accomplished.
Don't leave out the factthat in those lives, the primary reason for their shortcomings and failures are those very marriages you mention. Abraham's foolish move is still hurting the world today. David's lead to his never being able to build the temple. Solomon's lead him to fall into all sorts of sin. Samson's got him killed. On and on and on the story goes.
sure, God didn;t strike them down and they may have been blessed...but in the end they all paid for their sins. God did not approve of their "marriages". They sewed their own miserable harvests with their selfish actions.
Also, some mighty men have preached amazing messages on Sunday only to find out years down the road they were involved in adultery, porn and even molestations.
I guess since they were used in the pulpit though God must have approved of the sinful actions?
Never take God's mercy and permitting of sin as His approval of the sin.
Permitting doesn't equal approval. Just because God doesn't rain down judgment and punishment doesn't mean He smiles upon the activity. I don't approve of quite a few things my soon to be step son does, but that doesn't mean I smite him every time he does something I don't approve of.
Actually... the majority of the marriages listed were in obedience to the word of God.
So I would say they were more than just tolerated since they were doing so in obedience to His own word.
MOST GUYS are going to see this differently than the ladies.
Going into strip clubs to minister - that would have to be the exception to the rule for ladies. For guys... I cannot imagine that any guy could or should...
OK, but seriously. Really. Seriously! If God spoke to you and told you to go into strip clubs and minister to the girls there, would you obey Him? Never mind that there are other ways to reach them without going into the clubs. God said to go in! Never mind that others will doubt that God spoke to you. You know He did! So. Do you obey?
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Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
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