Marriage, Divorce, & Re-Marriage Bible Study
By Paul G. Burbidge, Evangelist Church Planter
Chegoggin Baptist Church; Yarmouth, NS, Canada
INSTITUTION OF MARRIAGE
Genesis 2:18-25
Vs.18—God initiates the provision of a help meet for Adam, for it is not good that he would be alone. “Help meet,” means proper helper; complimentary helper.
Vss.19-20—God forms from the ground every creature. Adam gives every creature a name. From this exercise Adam becomes aware that there is no proper helper for him. Dog may not be man’s best friend.
Vss.21-23—God takes from Adam to make woman. “Woman,” means out of man. There is much significance in the order of creation. 1Corinthians 11:1-16 tells us the following…
· The order in the universe is God, Christ, Man, and then woman.
· A man is to have short hair, head not covered, to demonstrate in his physical appearance that Christ is his head (Lord).
· A woman is to have long hair, head covered, to demonstrate in her physical appearance that man is her head, but man is not given the glory, for man is covered, but the glory is upon Christ.
· The woman is the glory of the man and made for the man.
· Women are not second class beings, for although the woman was made for the man, all are born of their mother.
Vs.24—The marriage union is by God between one man and one woman only. The marriage union begins a new autonomous home. The marriage relationship is the highest order of relationship between mankind. The marriage relationship is the highest order of relationship within mankind in that no other relationship supersedes it; but also, it of the highest order in that it is completely unique in being a one flesh relationship. Being one flesh includes the following…
· Spiritual unity: Job and his wife; Job 2:1-10, when Satan was permitted to afflict Job’s body his wife was turned against him. Pryor to this she was not part of the afflictions. Prayer not hindered; see 1Peter 3:7. Ephesians 5:25-29.
· Emotional unity: Proverbs 31:11; Ephesians 5:25-29; Genesis 2:25.
· Physical unity: One flesh has its obvious physical manifestation. Biologically there are chemicals shared in the one flesh union that biochemically engender bonding (oxytocin). Genesis 2:25.
· Intellectual unity: Ephesians 5:25-29.
· Labour/Service unity: Proverbs 31; Aquila and Priscilla—Acts 18:1-3, 26.
Vs.24—A man and a woman are joined by God. Marriage is more than just a civil union. Marriage is a holy union—holy matrimony. Jesus was very clear, “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.” (Matthew 19:4-6)
Marriage is a covenant relationship between a man and a woman, witnessed by God. Read Malachi 2:11-16. Verses 11-13 and 14-16 constitute two separate paragraphs. In vss. 11-13 God charges Judah with dealing “treacherously,” committing an “abomination,” profaning the “holiness of the LORD,” and marrying “the daughter of a strange god.” What are the consequences of these actions? God says that He will “cut off the man that doeth this…out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the LORD of hosts.” Very serious; such a man would be no longer counted amongst God’s people Israel and God would no longer accept this man at the worship of God at the Temple. In verse 13 God is clear that He does not want their ‘alligator tears’—“or receiveth it with good will at your hand.” Saying you are sorry and continuing to commit the sin exposes one’s hypocrisy.
What is going on here? The men of Judah had, in their youth, married Jewish women, but were now divorcing the wives of their youth and marrying Gentile women. This was a terrible offence against God.
In vss.14-16 we see the truth/doctrinal basis of God’s condemnation of these divorces and re-marriages. Not the following facts stated in the text [with New Testament cross references demonstrating that God has not changed His mind]:
· Vs.14—God Himself is a witness between a man and a woman that enter into a marriage covenant. [Mat. 19:6]
· Vs.14—Divorce is treachery. One who enters into a covenant relationship and then later breaks that covenant is a traitor. [Mat. 5:32; 19:9; Mk. 10:11-12]
· Vs.14—God does not recognize the divorce. The marriage vow is binding—till death do them part. That means that a divorced and remarried man would have two wives. [Mat. 5:31-32; Rom. 7:2]
· Vs.15—The marriage covenant union is purposed by God to raise godly children. [Eph. 6:4]
· Vs.16—God hates divorce. [1Cor. 7:27]
DIVORCE & RE-MARRIAGE
Divorce was allowed under the Law given to Israel by God—Deut. 24:1.
Why was it allowed? Mat. 19:7-8, “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.”
Is divorce allowed amongst the children of God today? Mat. 5:31-32, “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.”
Is re-marriage allowed amongst God children? Mat. 5:32, “…and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.” Lk. 16:18, “Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.” Not after divorce! See also 1Cor. 7:10-11. Yes, after death of a partner, Rom. 7:2; 1Cor. 7:8-9.
Why do professing Christians have such a hard time with this clear doctrine? Why is divorce all to prevalent amongst ‘Christians?’ It is for the same reason that Israel had such a hard time with marriage, hard hearts!
REGARDING PASTORS
Paul instructs that a pastor must be “the husband of one wife.” What does this mean…
· One wife, but no polygamy? Answer: Polygamy is a sin. A man meets this qualification if he has one wife only and ever.
· One wife at a time; re-marriage, death parting the original marriage partners? Answer: death is the only righteous dissolution of the marriage covenant and re-marriage is allowed thereafter.
· Is divorce allowed? Answer: No, this has been thoroughly answered above. Additionally, ask yourself this question: How many wives does a divorced and remarried man have? Hint, remember the note above on Malachi 2:14.
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