As I ponder upon the subject of polygamy, I am aware that it is a question many sincere Christians ask themselves. There were several men who had more than one wife in the Bible. For instance, these are the facts about the practice of polygamy among the Israelites: Abraham, Jacob, David and Solomon have all been polygamous in different ages of their lives. As a result, some people think that God approves polygamy. However, when I carefully study the Scriptures, I see that God's original plan for marriage was different.
God created the first man and first woman. The Bible says, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). In Matthew 19:4-6 Jesus again taught that marriage is between one man and one woman, proving that God's plan for marriage was monogamous. This shows the perfect will of God about marriage.
In the Old Testament, God allowed for some having more than one wife but the Bible also records many difficulties arising from such marriages. Many polygamous families were jealous, competitive, conflictive and sorrowful. A family split occurred among Jacob's household and as Solomon became the father of numerous wives, their influence led him away from God (1 Kings 11:1-4). From these examples, I learn that not everything that is written in the Bible is God's best plan.
When I think of this issue I think God wants marriage to be based on faithful love, unity and commitment between one man and one woman. The New Testament also gives the qualification of being “the husband of one wife” (1 Timothy 3:2) to a church leader. This continues the trend of monogamous marriage among believers.
This in particular reminds me of God's wisdom which is always greater than our human thinking. Despite change in culture, His design is still the best. When I think about the plan of God, I am encouraged to trust God's plan because it brings peace, faithfulness and true love into the home. In prayer and through a genuine examination of the scriptures, I feel we can all gain a better understanding of God's purpose for marriage and be better able to honor Him in our relationship.