Intro: Old Testament Divorce
Consistent with the teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, God’s position on marriage and divorce has always been the same. Contrary to Old Testament divorce, From the very beginning, God ordained marriage as a sacred covenant between a man and a woman. When He created Adam and Eve, He established the foundation: “a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave unto his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). This wasn’t just a physical union but a lifelong, passionate relationship filled with love, faithfulness, and spiritual unity.
Before the flood, Scripture only mentions one man having more than one wife—Lamech, a descendant of Cain. He was a violent and proud man who defied God’s design. This deviation from monogamy was never part of God’s plan and only emphasized how far people had strayed.
The lineage leading to Jesus Christ showcases how central women were to God’s plan of redemption, not just men. Tamar, though wronged by Judah, became part of Jesus’ genealogy through her bold faith (Matthew 1:3). Rahab, a Canaanite woman and former prostitute, was grafted into Israel and bore Boaz (Matthew 1:5). Ruth, a Moabite widow, married Boaz and became King David’s great-grandmother. Bathsheba, though taken in scandal, gave birth to Solomon, through whom the Messiah would come.
Mary, the virgin mother of Jesus, exemplified the climax of this divine pattern. And Sarah, the wife of Abraham, is foundational—through her miraculous conception of Isaac in old age, the covenant line was preserved. God’s promises required the cooperation and faith of both male and female participants.
1. God’s Original Design Was One Man, One Woman, For Life
Marriage was not created by man but by God. It was meant to reflect His faithful love—an unbreakable union marked by devotion and passion. God’s design was monogamy, and any departure from that was a deviation, not a new standard.
2. Polygamy Was First Introduced by an Evil Man
Lamech, the first polygamist mentioned in the Bible, was known for murder and arrogance (Genesis 4:19, 23). The inclusion of this detail early in Scripture shows how polygamy arose out of rebellion, not divine instruction.
3. Women Were Vital in the Messianic Line
God’s redemptive plan unfolded not just through Abraham, Isaac, and David, but also through Sarah, Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Mary. Each woman shows that God’s promise depended on both male and female faithfulness. Neither Old Testament divorce, childbirths through other women, nor infertility would stop God’s plan for the line of David to go through the women Jesus plan for it to go through.
4. Old Testament Divorce Was a Concession, Not a Command
Old Testament divorce appears most clearly during the time of Moses. God allowed divorce, but not because He approved of it. Rather, it was a concession due to the hardness of people’s hearts (Matthew 19:8).
5. Moses Faced a Culture of Abuse and Hard Hearts
Men were divorcing their wives for trivial reasons. Women in that culture had little legal power or financial independence. When a man cast his wife away without formal release, she was left in a legal and social limbo—unmarried yet unable to remarry without committing adultery in the eyes of the community. She could not inherit property, had no stable means of support, and was often stigmatized or seen as damaged goods.
Without a certificate of divorce, a woman could not prove her freedom to marry again, leaving her vulnerable to poverty, exploitation, or worse. Some might be forced into slavery, prostitution, or begging just to survive. Others were shamefully reclaimed by the same husband who had discarded them, treated as property to be picked up or dropped at will. The issue of old testament divorce was not simply about legality—it was about protecting vulnerable women from being trapped in social ruin and ongoing abuse.
Moses, under God’s guidance, instituted the certificate of divorce (Deuteronomy 24:1-4) to provide protection, establish legal boundaries, and offer a measure of dignity and freedom for the woman—never to promote separation, but to restrain further abuse. The regulation of old testament divorce was a concession to human hardness, but it placed critical safeguards around an otherwise unchecked abuse of authority. Moses, under God’s guidance, instituted the certificate of divorce (Deuteronomy 24:1-4) to provide protection, not to encourage separation.
6. Sexual Immorality Was the Only Acceptable Grounds
From God’s perspective, the only acceptable reason for divorce was sexual immorality (Matthew 5:32). Yet even then, forgiveness was encouraged whenever possible. God’s goal was always reconciliation.
7. Jesus Never Divorces His Bride
Though humanity has often strayed, Jesus remains faithful. He never truly abandoned us, even when we gave Him reason to. From the beginning, He prepared a path of redemption, even reaching beyond Israel through figures like Melchizedek, who honored the Most High God.
Christian Marriage: A Reflection of God’s Covenant
The Apostle Paul draws the clearest parallel between Christian marriage and divine love: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25). Christian marriage is not just a legal contract or emotional bond—it is a sacred symbol of Jesus’ commitment to the Church.
God never abandoned us. He left the door open for repentance. Even now, Jesus offers Himself as the loving Bridegroom to all who will come. His love is strong beyond imagination, and He has the unending power to keep His promises and protect His bond with those who belong to Him.
A Call to Repentance and Redemption
If you’ve experienced the pain of broken relationships, or even walked away from God, know this: Jesus is still waiting with open arms. He calls you to repentance and invites you to join the Church, His beloved bride. Accept Him as your Lord and Savior. He will stick to you closer than any human relationship could ever hope to. His love is eternal, pure, and unbreakable.
Amen.
Prayer for Repentance
Heavenly Father,
I come before You in humility, acknowledging that I have sinned and fallen short of Your glory. I repent of my ways and ask for Your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus Christ is Your Son, that He died for my sins, and that He rose again so that I might have eternal life.
Lord Jesus, I accept You as my Savior and Lord. Cleanse me, renew me, and dwell within me through Your Holy Spirit. Lead me in righteousness and help me to walk in Your truth all the days of my life.
Thank You for loving me with an everlasting love. Thank You for never giving up on me. I now give You my life and trust You with all that I am.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.