Should This Matter?

Malachi 2:11-16

For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away….     Malachi 2:16

 

Introduction: Divorce is a Problem in the Church – But, It Shouldn’t Be!

So, I am going to do it.  I am going to broach a sensitive topic within the church: DIVORCE.  Not only are divorce rates of the general public continuing to rise, but divorce rates among the so-called church are also rising.  It is not unusual to see many people who claim Christianity to be divorced and remarried.  I once visited a church that had a “divorced” Sunday school class.

I have a very vivid memory from when I was a young teen regarding church and divorce.  This memory has stuck with me.  Two members of our church who had been divorced for a long time, even since before coming to Christ, wanted to get married.  As a child, I didn’t think much of it.  The man was my father’s friend.  The same friend that my father had invited to church a few years prior who eventually came to know and love Jesus Christ.  From what I remember, he attempted to reconcile with his ex-wife, and she refused him.

I remember that during a service, when the upcoming wedding of these two individuals was announced, a man stood up in the congregation and yelled that this was not right, and the church should not be sanctioning this marriage.  He said that they were divorced and should not be remarrying.  He left the church with his family that moment and never came back.

I thought the guy was mean and unreasonable.  Why shouldn’t these two be happy?  Their divorces happened before they became Christians.  They tried to reconcile.  What’s the big deal?  Most in the church felt the same way as me.

I grew up with the understanding that divorce was greatly frowned upon by the church but never really saw Bible passages that said that.  But, as I grew older, I witnessed the slow migration toward divorce and remarriage becoming a more common phenomenon. Since divorce is rarely taught from the pulpit and many other Christians felt that it was a “grey area”, I wasn’t fully sure how to feel about it myself until I began to study the Bible in depth on my own.  I realized that the Bible does have something to say about divorce and the modern-day Christian church is either completely ignorant or purposely staying silent on the subject.

Malachi 2:11-16 addresses divorce quite plainly.  God hates divorce.  He loathes it.  Divorce goes against everything He designed.  The book of Malachi might be a little one at the end of the Old Testament, but it is very relevant to our lives today.  Israel struggled with the same sins that we do.  After returning from the 70 year-long captivity in Babylon, the people of Judah had finally rebuilt the temple and the city.  They began to settle into life again.  Unfortunately, they also settle back into many of the same sins that plagued their forefathers.

In chapter 2 of Malachi, we learn that the people of Judah were divorcing their Jewish wives and marrying women of the surrounding nations.  Astonishingly, these same men dared to go to the temple with their offerings and weep at the alter expecting God to bless them.  God told them he would not accept their offerings, and He explained why.

Let’s walk through each verse of this passage which clearly states that divorce is not ok.  We will cross-reference other passages to see the same teaching on divorce.  In the end, you will see that there is no excuse for the church’s misunderstanding or silence about divorce.

Bible: What Does GOD Have to Say about Divorce?

Malachi 2:11

Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the Lord which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god.

Before we begin our in-depth look at this passage, it is important to remember how the book of Malachi is set up. Malachi’s prophecies are organized into a debate type discussion between God and Israel.  God will lay out a statement to Israel.  Israel will respond to that statement with a question.  Then, God will answer their question.  Verse 11-13 is the statement to Israel that begins the discussion that we are examining here in this article.  Israel’s question is found in verse 14.  God’s answer to Israel’s question is in verses 14-16.

Here in verse 11, God immediately outlines the sin that Judah was guilty of and the seriousness of their transgression.

Sin: Marrying unbelieving women who were not Israelites.

Charges: 1) They are unfaithful and deceitful (dealt treacherously).  2) They are committing an abomination.  3) They are polluting God’s holiness.

In Deuteronomy 7, God specifically told the people NOT to intermarry with the people of the land of Canaan, and He provided the reason why: the people would turn away from God.

Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; they daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.

For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.

Deuteronomy 7:3-4

God also told Israel to destroy all the idols of the people of the land of Canaan.  Next, God reminds Israel that they are His “holy people” and are to be separate from the people of the land.

For thou are an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.

The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:

But because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you out of the house of the bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

Deuteronomy 7:6-8

So, instead of keeping themselves separate from the ungodly nations around them, the people of Judah were assimilating into Canaan’s society.  This action is direct violation of God’s command and undermines who Israel is meant to be: a holy nation that serves the one and only true God.

It is only a matter of time that compromises must be made in a marriage.  This is especially true with religion in marriage for “no man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.  Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24).  God is not compatible with any other religion, god, or ideology.  You will have to choose, and more often than not, we opt to compromise on God.

Paul explains it this way:

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?

And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?  For ye are the temple of the living god; as God hath. Said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; an di will receive you.

2 Corinthians 6:14-17

Why would any Christian want to be intimately connected to someone who is rebelling against God?  The two are not compatible.  Each side will have to compromise in some way.

Malachi 2:12-13

The Lord will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the Lord of hosts.

And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand.

Think about what these men were doing.  They were openly defying God’s law and then had the audacity to go and worship in the temple weeping and crying to receive God’s blessings.  God says, however, that these men will be “cut off” from the congregation of the Jews and their offerings to God will not be accepted.

This sounds familiar right?  We see so-called Christians unabashedly disobey God’s Word, show up to church, get emotional, and expect God to bless them.  These “Christians” are not His children.

Malachi 2:14

Yet ye say, Wherefore?  Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou has dealt treacherously: yet she is thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.

Malachi provides Israel’s response to God’s assertion in verses 11-13.  The response reveals how little understanding and care that the people had for God and His Word.  Israel’s response is a simple “What!?”

God’s answer introduces another level of the sin of the people.  Not only were the Judean men marrying foreign woman who worshipped other gods, but they were divorcing their Jewish wives to do it.  At this point on in the passage, God’s focus lands squarely on divorce.

God reminds the people that although they may forget who their first wife was, God does not forget.  He witnessed their union and sees the betrayal.  Proverbs provides corroboration on this point.

Let thy fountains be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.

Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.

And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?

For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord and he pondereth all his goings.

Proverbs 5:18-21

This passage is an enlightening passage on marriage and divorce.  First, God sees how we treat our spouse.  Secondly, God tells us to find our satisfaction in our spouse (the “wife of thy youth”), not another.  Listen, even if society has accepted divorce and no one thinks twice about it, divorce is still against God’s Word and design.

In Malachi 2:14, God outlines two ways in which divorce is a betrayal.  First, your spouse is your companion.  Interestingly, the Hebrew word ‘chabereth’ translated as ‘companion’ is only used this once in the whole scripture hinting at the exceptional relationship that spouses have with one another.  To betray a companion would normally be considered treacherous and deceitful.  How much more treacherous would it be to abandon our spouse?  Why do we tend to view it differently when we call it divorce?  Second, the relationship with your spouse is a covenant.  Spouses are bound together by so much more than a piece of paper with a government seal on it.  Spouses are united by a promise or a compact.

Malachi 2:15

And did not he make one?  Yet had he the residue of the spirit.  And wherefore one?  That he might seek a godly seed.  Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

According to Hebrew scholars, this verse is difficult to translate.  While the exact wordage in the translation could differ depending on the translator, the main point is consistent: God designed for man and wife to be with one another only.

Here are the two ways that I think about this verse:

1. God made man and woman one.  God united them so that they can produce children or generations who honor God (“godly seed”).  In the same manner, choose to be one with each other as well.
2. God made one woman for man. He could have made more than one woman, but he did not.  He made one woman for one man to ensure godly children or generations are produced. In the same manner, although you could have more wives, choose to have one.  Follow God’s plan.

There could be other ways to view this verse, but the ultimate message never varies.  God created marriage to be between one man and one woman for life, and this design is the best way to raise godly children.  To alter God’s plan is the “deal treacherously” against your spouse.

Malachi 2:16

For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the Lord of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit that ye deal not treacherously.

God cannot state His stance on divorce more plainly than He does in this verse.  He HATES it.  God even equates divorce with violence!

To cover one with a garment was considered a metaphor for protection in marriage to the ancient Jews.  There are two clear examples in Scripture.

God uses the concept in Ezekiel 16 to illustrate His “marriage” relationship with Israel.  In this passage, Israel is pictured as an abandoned child left in her own blood to die.  God sees Israel, takes her in, and cares for her. She grows into a beautiful woman and God marries her.  He washes her clean and anoints her with oil.  God provides everything for His wife adorning her with clothes and jewelry.  Sadly, the chapter ends with Israel becoming the adulterous woman who breaks the covenant with her husband (God) giving away everything that he gave her even to the point of killing His children.

Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest mine.

Ezekiel 16:8

The same action of covering is also used in Ruth 3.  Ruth, a Moabite widow who lives in poverty with her Jewish mother-in-law (Naomi), desires to marry Boaz, the rich near kinsman.  Boaz had already indicated his feelings for Ruth, so one night, Naomi instructs Ruth to go find Boaz and make known her desire to marry him.

And he said, Who art thou?  And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore they skirt over thine handmaid; for thou are a near kinsman.

Ruth 3:9

Regrettably, instead of covering their wives in protection, these men are committing violence and injustice against their wives.  Just because one legally can divorce their wife and marry another doesn’t mean one should.  We are to control ourselves and do what is right by God (a.k.a. “take heed to your spirit”).

Technically, divorce is allowed in the Law of Moses.

When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house. 

And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man’s wife.

Deuteronomy 24:1-2

 Is this a contradiction to God’s stance on divorce?  Jesus clarifies God’s position on divorce and the Law in two passages in Matthew.

In Matthew 5, Jesus is explaining the difference between God’s standard and man’s standards.  While man’s standard for righteousness is limited to actions that he can see, God’s standard for righteousness penetrates to the heart.  For example, the Law stated that a man should not kill in order to avoid judgement, however, God requires that a man should not even be angry with another person without cause in order to avoid judgement (Matthew 5:21-22).  One of the other examples that Jesus uses to prove His point is regarding the law of divorcement.

It hath been said, whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:

But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

Matthew 5:31-32.

The Law allowed divorcement, but that was man’s standard of righteousness (this will be further explained in Matthew 19 in a moment).  God’s standard, however, was that no one would divorce at all except for fornication.  Just because man allows it, doesn’t mean God allows it.

In Matthew 19, Jesus provides even more context when the Pharisees come before Jesus to tempt Him.  They ask Jesus to define what actions constitute “uncleanliness” in the Law’s permission of divorcement (Deuteronomy 24:1-2d).  Perhaps, the Pharisees remembered what He said back in Matthew 5:31-32 and hoped to catch Him contradicting the Law.  Jesus doesn’t hold back and clarifies how God views divorce.  Jesus said that God set the standard for marriage when He first made marriage.  He made one man and one woman who united to be “one flesh.”  The case of divorcement in the Law of Moses was man’s addition to the Law. Only in the case of fornication can divorce be allowed, and even then, neither spouse can remarry.  Why?  The act of marriage, in God’s eyes, isn’t defined by man’s rules.  Once a man and woman join together as “one flesh,” they are married and that marriage doesn’t stop because man says so.

The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,

And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?

Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh.  What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement and to put her away?

He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

And I say unto you, whosoever shall put away his wife except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

Matthew 19:3-9

Jesus corrects the notion of divorcement in the Law.  It was added by Moses because the people wanted to divorce each other.  Moses likely added this to the Law probably to give some protection to the wives who would otherwise be left unsupported.

God’s standard for marriage was not based on what man wanted or considered righteous, but on God’s initial design: male and female united for life to produce godly offspring (“one flesh”).  This sounds a lot like Malachi’s passage doesn’t it?

 

Conclusion: Divorce is Wrong

This passage in Malachi might have only contained seven verses, but it did hold a lot of information.  There is no question about how God feels about divorce after reading and studying this passage.  God created ONE man and ONE woman to become ONE flesh.  This relationship is a COVENANT, and Jesus reminds us this promise is for LIFE.   The government does not define marriage, God does.