God hates divorce!
Malachi 2:13-17
I remember her as it was yesterday, the woman who hated God, because when she was almost killed by her husband (a man that confessed to be a Christian) she was told to stay" for God hates divorce".
This was years ago I was newly ordained and not prepared for her statements that "God doesn´t care and how can God protect him?" those words just didn´t fit in with what Genesis1:26-28 says that man and woman was made to be united in marriage in Gods image, or Ephesians5:22-33 that marriage is a painting of the gospel portraying Christs patience, forgiveness and protection to His bride the church, and it still doesn´t sit right by me
In Malachi2:16 the Lord´s prophet does say that God hates divorce, but the context reveals a reality far from the one this woman and many others have been told. The full verse says for i hate divorce says the Lord, the God of Israel and him who covers his garment with wrong says the Lord of hosts, so take heed to your spirit that you do not deal treacherously here is an illhidden and stern warning, not to the victims but to the perpetrator!
This warning starts in verse 14 and goes on to verse 17, Malachi describes marriage as being a covenant with God as an active living part of it, because the Lord was not only a wittness to the union of man and woman in marriage, He made them to share the same spirit given with the breath of life Genesis2:7, so as unfaithfullness and violence becomes a treacherous act against the spirit of God.
So what Malachi says is not that leaving an abusive, neglecting or adultering spouse is the act that God hates.
In fact it should be argued that the one who abuses his spouse is in fact the one causing divorce, he is the one who covers his garment in violence/wrong and it is his actions the Lord Hates.
By: Mike Petersen
Lord give us the wisdom to see your heart, give us the courage to stand with those who are mistreated in truth.
And let the evildoers be exposed and held accountable according to your righteousness and justice.
