Does God hate divorce? Most Christian Believers would offer a resounding "Yes" and quote Malachi 2:16 as proof of God's sentiment on the subject. But does God really hate divorce?
Before I go any further, please let me testify here that I personally do not condone for any selfish cause. I do believe, however, that it is absolutely necessary in situations of abuse and suffering. I myself have been divorced and can attest to the fact that it is not pleasant for anyone. I am writing this article in order to bring truth and peace to those fellow Believers who have been compelled to divorce out of necessity or those whose spouses have divorced them, leaving them no choice in the matter.
So, once again I ask, Does God hate divorce? Let's take a closer look at Malachi 2:16 and other Bible passages to see what Scripture has to say on the topic.
Malachi
2:16 is often translated as God saying, “…I hate divorce.” However, this is how
the verse actually reads, as translated from the Hebrew into English in the King
James version of the Bible:
“For the Lord, the God of
Israel, saith that he hateth putting away….”
"Divorce"
and "putting away" are not the same thing. The Hebrew word for
divorce is “kerithuth,” (Strong’s 3748) which the Hebrew describes as “the cutting
of a matrimonial bond.” “Putting away” is from the word “shalach” in Hebrew
(Strong’s 7971). Here are the Hebrew words translated into English that
describe this word, “shalach:” to send, to send away, to let loose, to send
off, to send forth, to dismiss, to give over, to cast out, to set free, to let
go.
According
to the Bible, a man who wanted a divorce had to do two things: 1) provide her
with a legal, written bill of divorcement; and then 2) put her away. (See
Deuteronomy 24:1-4 and Mark 10:4.)
Jesus
spoke to the multitude in Matthew 5:31 and said (according to the King James Version of the Bible in this passage, which accurately translates the original Hebrew into English), “It hath been said,
Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him giver her a writing of divorcement….
Both
Malachi 2 and Matthew 5 are referring to the “putting away” of wives without legal bills of divorcement. The
“putting away” of wives means throwing them out of the house and causing legally
married women to be alone, unsupported financially, and unable to be married to
anyone else, because they are still legally bound to the husbands who threw
them out. God hates this. God hates the “putting away” of a wife from her
husband’s home; He does not hate divorce. “Putting away” is a separation without
divorce. Separation without legal divorce is what God hates.
Why would
God hate separation and not divorce? Because, when a married woman is thrown
out to fend for herself, she cannot legally remarry anyone else. If she does
remarry anyone else, she commits polygamy by marrying more than one husband.
She therefore commits adultery and causes her new husband to commit adultery,
as well.
This is
why Jesus said in Matthew 5:32, “But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put
away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit
adultery: and whosever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.” I'm assuming that Jesus doesn't love divorce for the sake of divorce, but it is allowed and even necessary, according to the Torah law. What Jesus clearly did not like was the putting away of spouses (primarily women, of course) without a writ of divorcement, which left them alone, helpless, unsupported financially, and unable to legally remarry without committing adultery.
This should bring tremendous freedom and peace to all divorced Christians who later remarried. Hundreds of Christians have been told that they are adulterers and have lived with the heavy guilt of a sin they can never escape and many have been shamed into being barred from involvement in any church leadership position. Some have even been completely shunned by their church family and banned from ever being allowed to return to the congregation. But are remarried divorcees adulterers? The answer is No. If you were legally divorced before you remarried, then the Bible clearly states that you are not an adulterer.
So, don't go out and get a divorce just for the selfish sake of getting a divorce. However, if you are divorced and remarried and have had to suffer any guilt and shame, get rid of those lies from the enemy right now and let the truth set you free.
I want to give a special thanks to Pastor Tim Tyler of Christ Community Church in Roseville, Michigan for his teachings on the pertinent truth of this topic and for freeing the spirits, souls and minds of hundreds of divorced Christians who no longer need to live in bondage to this particular lie of the enemy.
