Heavenly Marriage

Bible References on Marriage

Footnote on Divorce

Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery:

and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery (Matthew:19.9)

A few words about divorce are relevant to the subject of marriage today, since the U.S.A. has become the world’s leading divorce nation. Breakdown of the institution of marriage has weakened the Nation at its core. Revival to greatness demands that love-based marriage (God’s first institution) be restored to sacred primacy.

Permanent ties arranged by God are broken by divorce. Man has authority in divorce, to dismiss a woman failing to continue as his fit help. Sex with another man is considered irrefutable evidence of a wife’s change of mind and re-dedication of her body to serve another master. Such leads to a love-hate condition unacceptable to God (You cannot serve two masters: you will love one and hate the other; or hate one and love the other. Matthew:6.24.) There is always a loser. Husbands have accountability before God as “head” or “master” of the wife (1 Corinthians:11.3). Marrying a new husband-head, unless the first has died, permanently breaks original oneness, creating a sinful schism or reality brokenness, adulterating love. He that marries a marriage-rejecting woman furthers the permanent breakdown of eternal love and reality, and shares in the divorcee’s adulterous sin and sorrow. No man should think he can lure and steal another’s wife away from her husband without sure condemnation from God.

These earthly matters can be more easily understood if one contemplates our pending glorious resurrection unto heaven on earth. There will be no more marrying (Matthew:22.30). The population is set, the families are set, individuals are set. Furthermore, there will be no fear, sorrowed relationships, hurt feelings, or people to avoid because you have wronged them, or they have wronged you. You won’t know everybody, but discovery will bring no regrets. It is heaven brought to earth (Matthew:6.10), where the joy of the Lord pervades all relationships. Read about Jesus pre-forgiving his disciples for desertion by washing their soon-to-run-away feet, for an example of how God arranges unadulterated relationships in the life to come. By his design, there will never again be sorrows and tears for any of his children (Isaiah:25.8). So, lay up your treasures of experience in heavenly ways, that your heaven-on-earth inheritance be a great one (Matthew:6.19-21).

Tacit to Biblical divorce is that the woman does not divorce the man. She is the dependent. She is not given rights by God to “fire” her head. Were she given discretion in divorce, there would be many more divorces. Her mind and world revolves around home and family; his mind grapples with a big world, manageable only because he trusts God and seeks His advice often. Accordingly, the woman will be quicker to frustration in a time of trial, and quicker to divorce if she has discretion. Since modern law grants property rights to women of divorce, such division makes money unscrupulous outsiders will surely exploit. She is more vulnerable to ploys by outsiders to bring divorce and split the booty, or live off the windfall as a second husband. Some men engage prenuptial agreements to defend themselves and their marriage from this type of outside exploitation.

Under the present secular legal context, Christian husbands and wives might want to pre-agree that only the husband can call for divorce, and that only for fornication. Since secular society works the woman, but God does not, Christian couples might also pre-agree that the woman not work outside the home, putting her away from the husband much of the day and under another master. They might also agree that the man handles family finances, so she must go to him for her supply in support of family life. This retains his headship and manifests husband providence. In love, he’ll grant her every request, but the practice of asking keeps love in action, reminds her of his unfailing love. One other pre-agreement newlyweds might contemplate is that the wife not drive or have her own car. Such restraint will save the family transportation money. More importantly, the husband necessarily accompanies his dearly beloved everywhere she needs to go. This joined “look of love” will peacefully deter many opportunists who might lure women alone, and grant more precious contact time for lovers in a busy world.

#HeavenlyMarriage