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Ring of Truth provides 366 daily ‘proofs’ that the Bible is consistent throughout from Genesis to Revelation, and relevant for our lives today!
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Malachi 2:13-15
“Another thing you do: You flood the Lord’s altar with tears. You weep and wail because He no longer pays attention to your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. You ask, ‘Why?’ It is because the Lord is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your youth. Has not the Lord made them one? In flesh and spirit they are His. And why one? Because He was seeking Godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth.”
Marriage is sacred – it is not a contract; it is a covenant.
In a ‘contract’ you insert clauses that will come into being should the ending of the contract be necessary. A ‘covenant’ is a perpetual promise. A single lady of some wealth came to see me one day – I imagine she was contemplating marriage. “What do you think of pre-nuptial agreements?” she asked. “If you consider you need one, don’t get married.” I replied. You see, a pre-nuptial agreement establishes what happens if the marriage doesn’t work out. It pre-supposes disintegration. It is legalising the collapse of the marriage covenant before it even starts.
In the next verse God says, “I hate divorce.” Oh dear, we can’t say that today though, can we? That’s O.K. for Malachi but not for us. Moses issued a certificate of divorce so what is Malachi on about?
Jesus said that anyone who remarries, except for marital unfaithfulness, becomes an adulterer or adulteress (Matthew 5:32). Why? Because marriage is sacred for a variety of reasons:
Firstly, it is a human picture of the divine. The intimacy of a husband and his wife is the closest example of the intimacy of the Godhead. When a Christian husband and wife have sexual intercourse, there is the joining of mind, body, soul and spirit. Outside of ‘Christian’ marriage, it is mind, body and soul. Outside of marriage, it is just body and soul at best but normally just ‘flesh on flesh’. Perfect sex can only take place within a Christian marriage.
Secondly, it is a spiritual picture. When the husband and wife covenant together, it is like the covenant between God and us. Turning away from God is called idolatry – turning away from our spouse is called adultery. God ‘cannot’ break His covenants – Hallelujah – so neither should we.
Thirdly, marriage is a picture of Christ and the Church. Christ is the Head of the Church as the Husband is head of the wife (although she may be the neck that turns his head). The Church is also known as the Bride of Christ. One day Jesus will return for His Bride (the Church) and then the everlasting marriage will take place. Our marriages are to mirror that.
Fourthly, as our verse shows – “He was seeking Godly offspring.” History and experience have provided ample evidence of the tragic effects and traumas inflicted upon children through divorce or illegitimacy. Statistics on crime are frightening when related to those offspring. We could write a book on the devastating effects of divorce on families and society and yet ‘we’ still appear ‘happy’ to allow marriage to disintegrate.
Mind you, even today a high proportion of marriages last. Why? Because those involved are determined to make them work. Godly offspring come from godly parents. The enemy, Satan, has done all he can to destroy marriages, families and the father/son relationships – because to God they are all very precious.
There is still time for men to rise to the challenge and become the godly parents God intended. If you want to be married to a princess – treat your wife like one.
Never forget – Marriage is not where and when the real problems begin; divorce is. And remember, divorce starts ‘in the mind’.
Come on, folks – let’s show this world a better way. By loving and being totally committed to our spouse and by bringing up God-ordained godly offspring.
Please don’t “break faith” with your wife (or spouse).
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