Day 270 - Malachi

ONE-YEAR JOURNEY OF THE BIBLE
Day 270 - Malachi (God Hates Divorce)
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        "...the LORD has been witness 
        Between you and the wife of your youth, 
        With whom you have dealt treacherously; 
        Yet she is your companion 
        And your wife by covenant. 
        But did He not make them one, 
        Having a remnant of the Spirit? 
        And why one? 
        He seeks godly offspring. 
        Therefore take heed to your spirit, 
        And let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth. 
        "For the LORD God of Israel says 
        That He hates divorce, 
        For it covers one's garment with violence," 
        Says the LORD of hosts."        (Malachi 2:14-16a)

God rebuked the priests of Israel who were divorcing their wives in order to marry younger women thus breaking the goal of marriage (she is your companion) and the bond of marriage (she is your wife by covenant).  Married couples today must not ignore a foundational truth about marriage from our Scripture text.

The Bible teaches that a man and a woman becomes united as one in marriage (Genesis 2:18-25).  God's purpose for this mystery of the marriage union is to raise godly offspring for Himself (Malachi 2:15).  It is totally repulsive to God for a married person to have more than one partner.  It is for this same reason that adultery breaks "the LORD's holy institution which He loves(Malachi 2:11)."  Consequently, Jesus said that adultery is the only legal grounds for divorce.

If someone does not have Biblical grounds for divorce, God regards them as still married and any subsequent relationship is considered adultery (Matthew 19:8-9). God's will and plan for married couples is to stay together for life.  In fact, "the LORD God of Israel says that He hates divorce (Malachi2:16)."

Couples with serious marital differences must work out a solution to their problems and seek counseling.  God tells all who are married to "take heed."  This means that both husband and wife must do everything in their power to save their marriage.  

One excellent godly resource that has a remarkable success rate of 85% helping heal marriages is  Focus on the Family’s National Institute of Marriage.  Below is the link to their website:

http://www.nationalmarriage.com/?utm_source=focusonthefamily&utm_medium=internal&utm_campaign=nim_broadcast_placement

Your marriage may be healthy but perhaps you may know of a couple whose marriage is on shaky ground.  Please forward this post to them or at least tell them about the National Institute of Marriage and pray that they will seek help to restore and save their marriage.