Teaching bibles view of sexual ethics could be hateful under new law

[rjs330]

For David had done what was right in the eyes of the LORD and had not failed to keep any of the LORD's commands all the days of his life - except in the case of Uriah the Hittite. 1 Kings 15:5

God says David kept all of his commandments all the days of his life, aside from having Uriah killed. So multiple wives and concubines is not a sin according to God. Or was God wrong?[/QUOTE]

You're violating the rules of proper hermeneutics and exigesis. The Bible has situations where at first it doesn't compute. Scripture is always interpreted by scripture. Adultery is forbidden. Therefore Kings cannot be interpreted that adultery is acceptable. David admitted sin on many occasions including the census. Therefore Kings cannot be interpreted to mean David committed no sin except Uriah.

The other thing of note is the phrase "except in the case of Uriah" is not found in the LXX. It was most likely something that was written by a transcriber in the margins. This would also make sense when you interpret scripture with scripture. David committed more sins than one. He admitted it. Yet in Psalms he is called blameless.

David paid for the sins of his life in many ways. But he would not pay for them eternally. He was not judged by God because of his heart. He was a sinful man who's sin was not held against him due to his heart which was actually towards God and not away from him. But that did not stop David from suffering in this life for his sinful acts.

There are enough scriptures supporting the idea that 1 man and 1 woman was God's original intent. As today, we are no different. God proclaims me faultless because if my heart towards Christ. Not because I am actually faultless. God n get says my sin is "okay". It's just forgiven and I am righteous.

Another important point is the Hebrew word soor is used here. It's not a reference to keeping commands. But a meaning of turning away. And as we see throughout David's life, while he did not keep all of God's commands he also did not turn away from them and still recognized when he failed. That's the point.

So God did not say it was okay to have concubines or many wives.

 

[SilverBear]

2 Samuel. Context is everything.

Nowhere does God commend additional wives. In fact it is specifically forbidden:

First Kings: 11: 1King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh—women of Moab, Ammon, Edom, and Sidon, as well as Hittite women. 2These women were from the nations about which the LORD had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, for surely they will turn your hearts after their gods.” Yet Solomon clung to these women in love. 3He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines—and his wives turned his heart away. 4For when Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and he was not wholeheartedly devoted to the LORD his God, as his father David had been. 5Solomon followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians and Milcoma the abomination of the Ammonites. 6So Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD; unlike his father David, he did not follow the LORD completely.

the context says foreign wives. Says nothing about multiple wives or concubines

David:
7Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8I gave your master’s house to you and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah, and if that was not enough, I would have given you even more. 9Why then have you despised the command of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You put Uriah the Hittite to the sword and took his wife as your own, for you have slain him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’ 11This is what the LORD says: ‘I will raise up adversity against you from your own house. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to another, and he will lie with them in broad daylight. 12You have acted in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’ ”

Note that David was given the wives of Saul along with his stuff. David followed the Lord in his heart; he was quick to repent when he did wrong. But he is not commended for taking additional wives.

because there is no law against multiple wives

2 Samuel 12: 7Nathan then said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘It is I who anointed you king over Israel and it is I who delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8‘I also gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your care, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added to you many more things like these! 9‘Why have you despised the word of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon. 10‘Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ 11“Thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you from your own household; I will even take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. 12‘Indeed you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and under the sun.’” 13Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” And Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has taken away your sin; you shall not die. 14“However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die.” 15So Nathan went to his house.

In the 2 Samuel 12 passage you reference, God reminds David that He already gave him everything and is basically asking him why would he commit adultery with another man's wife?

when God had already given him many wives and concubines

If God gave David wives/concubines as a reward for his loyalty, what kind of reward would it be for him to have to take care of a lot of women he didn't know and didn't care about? Well, they already belonged to the King, and men had to take care of women in those days; they couldn't provide for themselves. If Nathan is only saying, "Hey, you had ALL these women - why Uriah's wife, Bathsheba?" then why the mention of all the stuff too? God basically said that He had done everything for David. Now the Sword will never depart from David's house, and he has to take care of all these women! Note that his sons mentioned are only the sons of his own wives.

multiple wives

You simply cannot use this verse and this context to state authoritatively that God approves of polygamy.

That is exactly what these verses say

 

[SilverBear]

For David had done what was right in the eyes of the LORD and had not failed to keep any of the LORD's commands all the days of his life - except in the case of Uriah the Hittite. 1 Kings 15:5



You're violating the rules of proper hermeneutics and exigesis. The Bible has situations where at first it doesn't compute. Scripture is always interpreted by scripture. Adultery is forbidden. Therefore Kings cannot be interpreted that adultery is acceptable.

Obviously God doesn't consider polygamy or the taking of concubines adultery

 

[RestoreTheJoy]

when God had already given him many wives and concubines

multiple wives

That is exactly what these verses say

He had responsibility of SAUL's harem.

 

[rjs330]

Obviously God doesn't consider polygamy or the taking of concubines adultery

You have no evidence of that. God didn't kill everyone who did wrong. Sometimes he just allows us to suffer the consequences of our actions. That's the punishment we suffer here. Jesus told us God's plan for us was one man with one woman. Man walked away from the plan.