Michael’s marriage to “foreign” wives Michael Joseph Jackson and his siblings were raised to marry those with a faith like theirs. Since Mother Katherine was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, she instructed her boys to marry Witness girls, and told her girls to marry Witness boys. Where did she get this idea from? You guessed it, the Bible. Here’s what it says about God’s servants marrying unbelievers: “And you must form no marriage alliance with them. Your daughter you must not give to his son, and his daughter you must not take for your son. For he will turn your son from following me, and they will certainly serve other gods; and Jehovah’s anger will indeed blaze against you, and he will certainly annihilate you in a hurry.” (De 7:3, 4, New World Translation) But what happened when the Children of Israel married foreign wives anyway?
Mixed Matrimony Under Moses: In the days of priest Ezra when God’s people defied His command not to marry worshippers of other gods, they confessed their sin and parted not only with their wives, but with the children that resulted from the unholy union.”We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel. Now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all these women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and of those who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law. Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it.” (Ezra 10:2-4, New International Version) Priest Ezra wholeheartedly agreed that they had been “unfaithful” to God.
“Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, ‘You have been unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt. Now make confession to the Lord, the God of your fathers, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives.’ The whole assembly responded with a loud voice: ‘You are right! We must do as you say. … Let everyone in our towns who has married a foreign woman come at a set time, along with the elders and judges of each town, until the fierce anger of our God in this matter is turned away from us.'” (Ezra 10:10-14, NIV) Indeed, any servant of God who opposes His law will ultimately experience “the fierce anger of our God.” So, “they promised by shaking hands to put their wives away, and that, they being guilty, there should be a ram of the flock for their guiltiness.” “These all had accepted foreign wives, and they proceeded to send away wives along with sons.” (Ezra 10:19, 44, NWT) Good for them. But these are Jews who were under the Mosaic Law. What about Christians?
Christ’s Disciples & Divorce: “Stop forming inappropriate relationships with unbelievers,” the inspired apostle Paul instructed Christians. (2 Co 6:14, GOD’S WORD TRANSLATION) Like faithful Jews before them, Christians were not to ‘inappropriately’ marry “unbelievers.”
However, unlike those Jews who sent foreign wives away because marriage to these could potentially contaminate the Davidic line that would produce the Christ, new Christians were not to divorce their unbelieving mates who had not yet converted:
“If a Christian man has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to continue living with him, he must not leave her. And if a Christian woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to continue living with her, he must not leave her. For the Christian wife brings holiness to her marriage, and the Christian husband brings holiness to his marriage. … But if the husband or wife who isn’t a believer insists on leaving, let them go. In such cases the Christian husband or wife is no longer bound to the other, for God has called you to live in peace. Don’t you wives realize that your husbands might be saved because of you? And don’t you husbands realize that your wives might be saved because of you?”–1 Co 7:12-16, New Living Translation.
When Michael married non-Witnesses he no longer identified himself as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. In any event, he still lovingly shared his heart with his wives. More background on the King of Pop. Peace and blessings to all. Amen.
