I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
Exodus 3:6
The deeper truth of Scripture is very rarely explicitly stated and deeply examined.
There are to be twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes. Exodus 28:21
Jacob – Father of the 12 Tribes of Israel
Jacob, Father of Israel married two sisters; Leah and Rachel. He fathered the 12 (sons) Tribes of Israel with these 2 sisters and their 2 maids; Zilpah & Bilhah.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob
It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. Ezekiel 48:31
King David & his son King Solomon
King David slept with another man’s wife; Bathsheba.
She was married to Uriah when she and King David committed adultery.
They later married as her husband Uriah was killed by order of David having the soldiers retreat from him in battle
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_David%27s_wives
Bathsheba was the mother of Solomon, who succeeded David as king, making her the Queen Mother and part of the favoured bloodline. This means their union was honoured above all his other wives.
King Solomon goes on to become the wisest human being that EVER lived.
“I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.” 1 Kings 3:12
And he (Solomon) had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. 1 King 11:3
So King David, King Solomon and Jacob are deeply honoured with Jesus born of their blood line they are esteemed great patriarchs of the Old Testament.
“I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches.
I am the ROOT and the OFFSPRING of David,
and the bright and morning star. “
Revelations 22:16
Why does God choose to deeply honour polygamous men and their offspring?
Why is it relevant to be mindful of the truth of who these men were today?
For this cause shall a man to leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.” Ephesians 5:31
Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. Hebrews 13:4
We have been told that we need to meet some ideal standard of celibacy or monogamy in matrimony with no other sexual relationship options deemed acceptable or loving or pleasing to God.
Yet, these men who were all “flawed” polygamous human beings were simultaneously deeply blessed, favoured and loved by God.
Is it possible we have not understood the whole truth about who God is?
Have we created unrealistic, impossible standards as part of religious doctrine that is not the whole truth of Scripture?
Isn’t it time that we knew and acknowledge the deeper impact of these truths?
Why would a loving God choose to forgive & honour these men but judge us for sexual relationships outside of marriage?
Would God make one rule for David, Solomon & Jacob and another for you?
All Scripture is useful for teaching. What is the lesson we are being asked to learn here through deeper understanding and reflection?
Can we always see the light in others if we “judge” or evaluate their external circumstances?
Whether we look at David, Solomon, Jacob or any other Bible character there are faults, flaws and failures in their lives. God nevertheless declares them righteous and uses them for His glory.
9 But they shall serve the LORD their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.
10 Fear not, O Jacob My servant,' declares the LORD, 'And do not be dismayed, O Israel; For behold, I will save you from afar And your offspring from the land of their captivity. And Jacob will return and will be quiet and at ease, And no one will make him afraid.…
Jeremiah 30:9-10
Maybe it’s time we use different criteria to see the true heart of every human being to realize the light within ourselves and others to share the Divine inherent goodness we all possess.
What impossible standards have been set that block us from living in the light of love and acceptance of all?
I don’t for a single moment know or pretend to understand the full splendour of our Heavenly Father but I do believe the bible and deeply reflect on the valuable lesson each and every character and story tells us.
‘My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees.
25 They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where your ancestors lived. They and their children and their children’s children will live there forever, and David my servant will be their prince forever.
26 I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and increase their numbers, and I will put my sanctuary among them forever.
27 My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people.
28 Then the nations will know that I the Lord make Israel holy, when my sanctuary is among them forever.’” Ezekiel 37: 24- 28
