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MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE (II)
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19
Mark 10:1-12

Deuteronomy 24:1-4

 

“What therefore
God hath joined together,

let not man put asunder.”

 

MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE (II)
 
Although divorce is allowed by God, certain regulations apply. Marriage must be taken seriously, and divorce should not be made easy. Note that Deuteronomy 24 does not provide a convenient escape from marriage. Consider the Mosaic regulations. Moses instructed that for a divorce to take effect: (1) It must go to the courts in the presence of witnesses where a legal bill for divorce must be drawn up and signed. This of course requires time. There should be no such thing as getting married today, and then divorced tomorrow. Neither can a person divorce his spouse verbally by simply saying “I divorce you” (Talak) three times. Quick divorces are forbidden. (2) A certificate of divorce must be served. The one who filed for divorce is required to put the document into the other party’s hand. (3) The person divorced must move out of the house; they are no longer to live together. There is a rupture in the family unit. (4) Once divorced and remarried, they can never be married to each other again. All these rules were imposed to discourage divorce, to encourage reconciliation, and to allow for time to heal relationships.
 
The Pharisees taught that a man can put away his wife for every cause. Against this Jesus said, “Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery” (Mark 10:11,12). Anyone who marries an adulterer or adulteress commits adultery as well. The marriage covenant is binding throughout life—“till death us do part.” Once married there should be no divorce. God hates divorce. As the Lord Jesus will never break His redemptive covenant to save us till the very end, so must we not break our marital covenant; we need to be faithful to our respective spouses till the very end. Remember the marriage vow, “as long as you both shall live!”
 
THOUGHT: What does “till death us do part” mean?

PRAYER: (Pray for faithfulness to your spouse.)

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