In Reply to: question about polygamy posted by Acheick on March 13, 2006 at 12:05:08:
Though certain O.T. believers practiced polygamy (Gen. 25:6; 35:22; Judges 8:31; 2 Sam. 5:13; 1 Ki. 11:3; 2 Ch. 11:21), it has always been condemned by God.
(1) God ordained one-woman, one-man marriage in the beginning (Gen. 2:20-24).
(2) Polygamy originated with the son of rebellious Cain (Gen. 4:16-19).
(3) Concerning David and other O.T. saints who had plural wives:
(a) It resulted in much heartache and trouble (Gen. 16:1-6; 1 Sam. 1:2-8; 1 Ki. 11:1-8).
(b) God had forbidden kings to multiply wives (Deut. 17:14,17). David, Solomon, and other kings who had multiple wives were living contrary to God's Word.
(c) Most men of God even in the O.T. had only one wife. This is true for Adam (Gen. 2-4), Noah (Gen. 6:18), Isaac (Gen. 25:20-23), Joseph (Gen. 41:45), Moses (Exodus 2:21), Boaz (Ruth.. 4), Job (Job 1), Isaiah (Is. 8:3), and Hosea (Hosea 3:1-3).
(4) There is no New Testamentexample of a godly Christian having more than one wife.
(5) Those who have more than one wife today are forbidden to hold church leadership positions (1 Tim. 3:2,12; Titus 1:6).
This shows that God is against polygamy and did not actually approve it. The Law of Moses regulated polygamy without approving of it. Those who practiced this were disobeying God, even though some were godly men. David and Solmon are key examples. They multiplied wives to himself in spite of God's command against this, but his lust and multiple wives also brought him into terrible grief in his family and in the nation of Israel.
I hope this helps you understand this.
Cooper Abrams
http://bible-truth.org