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Isaiah 4:1-2 Rambling

Slumberfreeze

Slumberfreeze

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And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach. In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.

I’m just going to blurt my thoughts here. I believe ‘That Day” will be the Day the Lord returns, ushering in the millennial reign. Presupposing that; we have an interesting insight into the motives of women seeking to enter into polygynous marriages. Not because they lack the ability to feed and clothe themselves, but because their own names invite reproach, scorn, and shame, and they seek to replace their names with the name of a husband who has a suitable (more honorable) name because that shame they live in is unbearable.

WHY?
My own last name is fairly disreputable. My tribe’s sins are so great that they got all people with Caucasian features banned from China for the better part of a century. But I feel no real shame in bearing their name. What has it to do with me? It was all a very long time ago.

But what if the crime was unforgiveable, and recent? What if the names of every man who gathers at Armageddon to launch an assault upon the Almighty were not just public information, but easily obtained or publicized? And now people bearing their names must live under the world-spanning rule of the Lord of Glory?

Would that be motive enough for a group of women (remember they use the word ‘we’) to ambush a man, (Noam Cohen, say…) and jointly propose marriage at their own expense?

“Listen Mr. Cohen. We don’t mean you any harm, and we’ll let you go after you’ve heard us out. We can’t stand the way people look at us when our names come up on the screen at the bank. Everyone talks and whispers and stares and it’s driving us insane. Marry us! Allow us all to be Mrs. Cohens! We all have our own jobs and can support ourselves, and we’ll be ever so quiet. You’ll hardly know we are here. What do you say?”
 
There is historical precedent. Trading monetary wealth for a "better name" was quite common for nobility. Buying into a noble family or legitimizing a line was pretty common.

Still, in the modern world, I don't think that is necessarily a valid reason for polygyny. Here's my reasoning. First, the potential women in your scenario obviously care what the population at large think of them. They are willing to go to "extreme" lengths to get distance themselves form their family name. Would a person so concerned with what others think though enter into a "socially unacceptable" union to do so? If that was the only way to legitimately change their name, possibly. But it isn't. Something as simple as a legal name change (about $200 and six weeks of publicizing here) and a move to a new town effectively disassociates someone with anything in their past not actually illegal. And anything that would follow them (law violations, collection agencies, etc) would also follow them should they instead enter into a poly marriage as a way to escape.

Now, if you are meaning more in a subconscious sense, or as a new "identity", not just a way of distancing oneself from a family name, well, then that is more possible. If it is themselves they are trying to convince that they are someone new. Still, I don't believe poly would be the "go to" answer to that one.
 
Well… I guess I’m not considering the actual present modern culture. It is my presumption that this verse deals with a time immediately following the time of the man of sin, the seven year covenant, the abomination of desolation, the seven bowls of God’s Wrath, the return of Jesus Christ, and Satan being cast into the abyss. I posit that what we consider cultural norms right now will be… not relevant to the age of this verse.

I don’t figure that in the time of the fulfillment of this prophecy Polygyny will be seen as extreme. As far as the legality of it, it is certain to be quite legal, as all authority rests at this time on Jesus and I don’t see that He objects. The only thing I see as extreme is that 7 women will at the same time propose marriage to one man. Even a woman in a poly relationship would like to be recognized individually and thought of as distinct from her fellow wives. (or I am much mistaken).

But otherwise yes, I do mean they are seeking redemption of identity. Marriage spreads the authority of the man over the woman. These women are not seeking relief from prosecution or collection agencies, they are seeking asylum from the shame of the name they are currently called by.

My question is; what’s so bad about their names that they would be willing to enter into a poly marriage, suddenly and indistinct from one another? (Not much Beloved/Shulamite action going on there)
 
Ah, my mistake, I thought you were referring to the prophecy and inferring that the reason would be valid in the modern age as well.

I do believe as well that poly will be widely accepted, and even more that it will not be long. Not for a particularly spiritual reason mind you, but simply as a combination of the continued momentum of marriage equality movements and the increased public eye on "normal" poly families such as the Browns. Most secular people I know could already care less if someone lives poly. Ironically it is the Christian set, especially those that don't really study or have a close relationship with God, that have an issue.

I am unsure about the names thing myself. In the modern world, our names, our family identity, are far less important to most people than they were even a hundred years ago. So are we to expect a shift in that? Or perhaps it will be a bit farther in the future and the governments of the world will have decided to assign people categories or something, like any one of a bunch of genetics based sci fi movies. In that case it could be very much like the old practice of increasing your station in life by marrying up. Fairly tin foil hat that, but as long as we're ramblimg.
 
I am in agreement that poly is going to be 'not a thing' in the coming years, because society is dropping standards of all kinds swiftly. The last hold outs will be Christians, and I don't think they can expect much help from on high inasmuch as they are raising a standard which had it's genesis in the traditions of men.

I think we can expect a shift in culture, but I think it will be a dramatic, overnight one. I think Jesus will be imposing His own culture in very short order as He sits on David's throne and installs us (the returned saints) into our roles as divine government officials. When I consider that the Man who said "Not one jot or tittle will disappear from the law" will be absolute dictator of the planet, I recognize that some paradigms are going to be massively shifted. Remember also that He will require representitives from all nations to come to Jerusalem and keep the feast of Tabernacles year by year, under penalty of drought. The Old Rules will apply, world wide, with direct and specific consequences.

This doesn't preclude even more advanced technology. We already have face-recognition software and google glass. What if just looking at someone with the right eyeglasses would tell you immediately what their identity was and pertinent facts about them?
Like whether or not their former husband ever attempted Deicide?

So how will the world treat a woman whom is a widow of Armageddon, in an age where any who oppose the Supreme Dictator can bring a curse to the land? A social outcast whose husband tried to kill Jesus and destroy Israel, I should guess. Who wants to be seen with and befriend such a one? it would be in her best interests to find a man with an honorable name to redeem her. I am given to assume that in the Kingdom Age the concept of redemption will be deeply meaningful.

As far as genetics go... I'm hoping that genetic impurities will be destroyed at armageddon or at least hunted down and exterminated in short order. I don't see a place for spider-goats or nephilimic hybrids under the rule of Earth's rightful King and Creator.

This is pretty fun for me.
 
David's access has been revoked. I've warned him multiple times for this, and he's clearly ignored me entirely. I've put up with him until now because I think he means well. But this is a discussion forum, NOT a free advertising board, and that's all David seems to be about. Which is a great shame.
 
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