We continue, from part 1, part 2 and part 3, considering a ubiquitously promulgated common misconception based pop-cultural talking point of a myth is that there has been an evolution of marriage so that one cannot claim that marriage between one man and one woman is traditional, normal, family value based, right, true, God given, etc.
The graphic’s next assertion reads:
Man + Wives = Concubines
Abraham (2 concubines), Gideon (1), Nahor (1), Jacob (1), Eliphaz (1), Gideon (>1), Caleb (2), Manassah, (1), Solomon (300), Belshazzar (>1)
This is where we finally come to marriages which were not between one man and one woman—at least not exclusively.
What the above mentioned personages did is to violate YVHV’s design for marriage which has always been based upon the template, the example, in the Garden of Eden which, as we noted in part 2:
…the very foundation upon which the concept of marriage is based is that a (singular, one) man moves out of his parent’s home at the time that he is to be joined in marriage to his wife (singular, one) and only then are they to become one flesh.
This defines that marriage is between one man and one woman, that they are not to play house/shack up before marriage and that they are not to engage in sexual relations until after they are married which, of course, implies that children are to be born within wedlock.
It is important to note that within the Bible we find prescriptions and descriptions: the Bible describes polygamy but it prescribes monogamy.
Moreover, how someone could appeal to the Bible to support polygamy is certainly puzzling since it is made clear that polygamy leads only to trouble.
Whether it is Sarai (later “Sarah”) who “dealt harshly with” Hagar (Genesis ch. 16 & 21).
Or Elkanah’s wife Peninnah who “provoked” his other wife Hannah “severely, to make her miserable” (1st Samuel ch. 1).
The lesson is quite clear, in the beginning YHVH declared only man’s loneliness to be “not good.” He rectified it (apparently in Adam’s presence in order to teach him the importance of a male female relationship) by creating one woman to be with one man for life.
When it comes to the Kings of Israel, such as the above noted Solomon, they were specifically commanded not to have more than one wife (Deuteronomy 17:17).
That they did so means that they were specifically violating YHVH’s design for marriage, commandments and will. That each and every alternative marriage was not specifically condemned within the Bible means that YVHV expect us to get it: He establishes marriage to be based upon a one man and one woman model, those who violate it ran into trouble, kings were specifically told not to have more than one wife—get it?
As aforementioned in part 1:
…we actually find certain marriages that were arranged, as it where, by YVHV Himself and they are all one man and one woman: Adam and Eve, Isaac and Rebecca, etc.
Also, in Matthew 19:3-6 (and Mark 10:2-9):
Jesus points to the marriage model in the beginning which is “made them male and female…no longer two.” This discredits polygamy as it is one man and one woman, only two. It discredits same-sex marriage as it is one male and one female.
Next, we will consider “Rapist + His Victim.”