By the end of this blogpost, you will understand why there is a difference between plural marriage and polygamy. God allowed plural marriage for a very wise purpose. Unlike polygamy which is often for man's lust or for all other evil intentions of man, plural marriage was instituted for the needs of the women and children.

Should Babylonian Governments Be Involved?

The only involvement the government should have in this matter is to see that the law of God regarding marriage is strictly kept.  This would allow for plural marriage, which addresses the government's concern for the care of the wife and children in the case of divorce or death.

Example:

If for some reason a man is killed or dies — it does not matter how it happens — regardless, he is dead.  He has been a good husband and a truly just man.  His wife has been a faithful wife and deserves a good replacement for herself and for the one or more children that her husband left behind.  The unquestionable law of God says that the deceased man's brother should be responsible for her and her children's welfare (Deuteronomy 25 5-10).  There is no argument here.  The government is not responsible for this woman or her children.

So when a man dies, his oldest brother is first in line to take care of his wife and children.  If he is not capable of performing this responsibility, then it falls upon the next brother in line.  And if circumstances have it that there is no brother at all, or that there is no brother who is worthy (remember that a man or woman must be under the laws of God), then the priesthood authorities get involved, like in the situation of Ruth and Boaz.

This does not give a widow a different eternal husband because, even though her true husband is dead, she still belongs to him.  In fact, she is given to this new righteous man only for time for him to take care of her and her children.  There is no other way.

If the woman bolts and marries someone else, she is committing adultery.  How many women are committing adultery today?  Remember that this is the fair and just law of God.  If the woman instead involves the government for her welfare, the government owns her, and she is therefore married to the government.  The government then has taken this woman's free agency.  This is why the government simply cannot get involved in the matter.

Just imagine how her dead eternal husband must feel, seeing that she has taken his children from him and his loving relatives, and has thrown them to the dogs of Babylon!  Has she not then become a worthless woman?

You see here the true love of God.  He wants all of His Israelite children to have the best upbringing of any other people. It is the responsibility of this brother (or one chosen by revelation) to make room in his family for his fallen brother's wife and children.

This type of arrangement allows the woman and children to live under circumstances most resembling those that would have occurred if the dead brother were still alive, enabling this woman and children to be brought up in the right way.  There is no involvement of the government or outside influences to cause eventual mishandling of the matter.

Every Woman Can Be Married

There is another important reason for plural marriage, and that is to allow good women, who might not otherwise find a husband, be allowed to do so.

Example:

A woman comes into this world with a few blemishes (or is generally not attractive).  In Babylon, where the man proposes to the woman, she might not ever be selected. However, if she is of Israelitish blood, then she has a right to choose a righteous man by receiving a sign and witness from the Lord.  If she is sincere in this procedure — and the Spirit points to a man who is already married, or one who has children — then under the law of God that man is obliged to take her to wife (assuming of course that each are living God's commandments).

Then the man is living plural marriage and must cherish both of his wives and the resultant children.  In so doing, the man is also deterring the new wife from going to an unrighteous man of Babylon, and he is preventing her and the children from becoming part of the Babylonian system.  This arrangement has to be by God's laws, not man's, and there is nothing immoral about this arrangement.  If this is done in righteousness, there is no sin.  In fact, the man is doing a very good thing.

Today polygamist men in various sects, such as the Warren Jeffs group, raise children to be child brides.  Most of these men keep from the girls the true reason for plural marriage, and that revelation is necessary, which would actually prevent their enslavement by these evil men, for they are, in the most part, evil.

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