Q. What are the Ideal Dynamics of Courtship in Plural Marriage?

A. Over the decades I have had this question fielded in all sorts of different ways and each time I have answered slightly differently because of the accumulated wisdom and experience of the years. There are many views in the Christian and Messianic polygamy communities so my purpose now will be to give an update as I have been thinking a lot about this.

There are only two lines of biblical evidence concerning how courtship was conducted in Israel and the Christian Community (Church) up to the end of the first century - thereafter various monogamy-only Greek and Roman traditions began to creep in that have themselves been substantially modified over the intervening 19 centuries. These two lines are:

• 1. The Melchizedek Patriarchal Period (from Adam to Moses); and
• 2. The Levitical or Mosaic Period (from Moses to the Apostle John).

I have covered the Melchizedek Patriarchal Period extensively in a recent article, Pre-Marriage Before Birth where we examine the custom prevalent in the marriage of Isaac and Rebekah, and of Jacob with his four wives. The Levitical or Mosaic practices are covered by most of the rest of this HEM website and the marriage websites of the parent ministry.

Given that the Mosaic system was temporary or schoolmaster system, it has been the policy of HEM to primarily look back to the pre-Mosaic system for the basic 'outline', as it were, and to 'fill in' the complete revelation with the New Covenant Melchizedek System, having an eye towards the Millennium and the resurrection, whilst learnnign from the legalities of the Mosaic. In tandem with the parent ministry we have ardently pursued a deeper understaning of what we call Divine Tavnith or Pattern so that we may know the eternal intend of the Creator, our Heavenly Father, Yahweh-Elohim. Taking our cue from the revelation of the apostles, we examine every human principle as an outworking of the relationship between God and Israel, and in its completed form, Christ and His allegorical Bride. Where Scripture does not directly speak on the subject, or only indirectly, we are of the persuasion that all can be deduced from the Heart of the Creator, our Heavenly Father, Yahweh-Elohim, through Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ).

Author: SBSK