so many wives

Today we read from 2 Chronicles 24:1-25:28 in the One Year Bible. We read that Joash pleased God throughout his life. We also read that the priest, named Jehoiada, gave Joash two wives. And Joash procreated with them both.

This seems odd to modern ears, doesn't it? Along with Solomon having wives and concubines in the 100's. How did these men have so many wives but still please God? And how did they have so many wives without running up an astronomical panty-hose bill? My college OT professor Bob Utley would say, "Puke!"

Well, that's where we don't want to use our modern, "enlightened" view of morality to judge the actions of someone who lived centuries ago. Did God create one man and one woman to be together in marriage? Absolutely. Did things go wonky and God dealt with humans in a way that moved them toward perfection while still understanding they're imperfect? Without a doubt.

So it's a good idea to realize that just because something is in the Bible doesn't mean we should do it. The Psalms talk about wanting to dash babies against rocks. Joshua was commanded to attack towns and kill everyone in them, including women and children. Those commands and that understanding of ethics and morals was for that time. Just like the death penalty, it was acceptable at the time because of the world they lived in.

But today, we don't dash children against the rocks. We believe killing everyone in a town is wrong. And we no longer need the death penalty. God relates to us on a different level today than He did then.

God, thanks for teaching society to behave more civilly. Please help us live up to it.