Multiplying Wives

"But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the Lord hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way. Neither shall he multiply wives to himself that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and Gold." (Deut 17:16, 17)

I am convinced that many people in our churches need to learn more clearly the subject of the filling of the Holy Spirit. We presume that it is enough for people to be present and pleasant for healthy church life. Not so. People are being deprived of rich, abundant living that is exciting and fully satisfying, because they are not instructed, led, and challenged in the Biblical teaching of Spirit-filled living. The Finished Work is the work of Christ that established the "legal" ground for our privileged abundant living. The Holy Spirit is present to unfold, empower, and make real this privilege.

Why then does the evangelical church in our present culture allow for other spirits to flourish? Why is the Laodicean church boasting in its wealth when Christ calls it miserable, wretched, and blind?

Anything short of Spirit-filled living will multiply wives, gold, and horses. In Deuteronomy 17:16-17, kings were told not to multiply these things to themselves. These correlate to three lust patterns of human nature -- horizontal relationships (wives) at the expense of knowing God, material wealth (gold), and power (horses). 

As pastors/preachers, we are vulnerable to trends, thoughts, notions that emerge from unguarded, un-fervent, unfocused, passive hearts. But, we are also capable of fervency. "He maketh his angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire." (Psalm 104:4)


We are capable of being examples, for God has called and equipped us. God's people were told to make no covenant with the seven nations occupying Canaan; instead, they were told to destroy them with no negotiation and no compromise (Deuteronomy 7:1, 2).

The kings of Israel can easily fall and so can pastors. On the other hand, read the Psalms of David and Proverbs, chapters 1 - 8. There is no question -- fervency, diligence, interest, addicting focus, joy, gladness, and the constant discovery of the Person of God was the experience and life of the psalmist. 

We will settle for nothing less. Nor will we allow our people to be misled into multiplying wives, into attaching themselves to things that draw away their hearts. Life is too precious, our calling and purpose is too important. We cannot live carelessly. Hours in prayer, deliberate control of heart and mind, and constant praise at the Cross - these we can multiply to ourselves. He fills us.

Recommended reading: Lewis Sperry Chafer - Volume 6, Pneumatology
E.M. Bounds, The Compete Works of E.M. Bounds on Prayer