I was going to continue my daily study of Genesis, but after reading Genesis 30, I decided to pause.
First of all, I want to look back at the last few chapters of Genesis and emphasise the following:
Genesis 12: Abram told Sarai to say that she was Abram’s sister, “Say that you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.” This lie demonstrates a total disregard and disrespect for Sarai.
Genesis 16: Abram agreed with Sarai to have extra-marital sex with Hagar, Sarai’s servant, “she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her. Abram agreed to what Sarai said, but did she really mean it? How did Sarai feel when her husband made love to another woman? The clue is in verses 4 to 7a, “When she [Hagar] knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress [Sarai]. Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. Any extra-marital sex leads to unhappiness and strife. “Then Sarai mistreated Hagar, so she fled from her. The angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring in the desert. “ Sarai blamed Abram, then began to treat Hagar so badly that she fled to a spring in the desert. Yes, she was at a spring, but this was effectively a death sentence for Hagar and the young boy, Ishmael. This was a complete mess. But incredibly, Hagar went back to Abram and Sarai.
Genesis 20: Abraham obviously didn’t learn his lesson because “... Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” Then Abimelek king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her.” Where is Abraham’s integrity? He had none. Why won’t he stand up and be counted?
Genesis 21: Although Hagar showed courage by returning to Abraham and Sarah, things got worse for her. “The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son.” “the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the Desert of Beersheba.” Again, this was effectively a death sentence for Hagar and Ishmael. Yet, Abraham agreed and sent her away. What kind of man was Abraham, where was his spine?
Genesis 26: Even after giving birth to twins, Isaac treats Rebekah shamefully. Like Abraham and Sarah, “When the men of that place asked him [Isaac] about his wife, [Rebekah] he said, “She is my sister.” Like father like son, same lie, and no respect for his wife.
Genesis 30: Jacob and Laban are at it as well. “Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife [Rachel]. My time is completed.” “But when evening came, he [Laban] took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob.”
Lastly, in 1 Samuel 1, Elkanah is married to Hannah and Peninah. “Peninnah [had] sons and daughters… Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her to irritate her.” There is no love between Peninnah and Hannah; they are merely two women bound together in a marriage relationship with Elkanah. The absence of love is evident.
Globally, there are fifty eight countries where polygamy is legal. I don’t want to stamp my Western culture on the world; however, from the Bible verses above, we can see that there is no good marriage or relationship with more than two adults. A good marriage is hard enough to maintain without a third party. There is also no good marriage or good relationship where there is no honesty.
As of 2021, the average divorce rate in the UK is 42%. According to the American Psychological Association, approximately 40-50% of first marriages end in divorce. The divorce rate for second marriages is even higher, at approximately 60-67%.
I don’t know about you, but after reading Genesis chapter 30, I knew I couldn’t continue. These Bible characters repeatedly made the same mistake and did not respect one another. Surely God wants something better than this? The good news is that He does. Tomorrow, I will repost my article on what the Bible says about Marriage.
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Thank you, and God bless you.
Robert
Great Post as usual Brother Robert. While reading a couple of things came to mind. I see the sins of the father visited upon the children. The consequence of the corrupted marriage bed. Men when faced with a test of integrity utterly failed and it had disastrous results. And all of those things led me to this conclusion. Although the events all take place in the old testament during the time of the "law". The consequences today under "grace" are the same. The 613 laws of the old testament are all derived from the original 10 commandments and to follow all 613 were utterly impossible, I feel that was God's point, if I obey the original 10 my life is a lot less complicated and messy. Wish I had learned that 40 years ago. The reason I called out law and grace is because I have come across some in the Christian community who believe the law, or 10 commandments, no longer apply to us because we are under grace. To which I say, hogwash. Thanks for posting Brother Robert. Every time I read one of your posts God uses it to draw me nearer to him. God Bless.
Ishmael birthed the Arabic Muslim people. Could it be that his anger towards Abraham for being sent away started the hatred of Muslims towards Jews to this day?
God forgives but, actions still have consequences.