Malachi 2:10-16: Divorce: Part Two

INTRODUCTION

Last week we began to engage with the second problem that Malachi was addressing around marriage in Israel. The Israelites were divorcing their wives to marry idolaters. We have dealt with the issue of being unequally yoked, last week we looked at the nature of marriage, today we continue with a look at the biblical teaching on divorce. Knowing how many questions there are on this matter I have chosen to expand our investigation. At present there are three main views held in the Christian Church. There is the view of acceptable divorce on the grounds of adultery and desertion, but with no remarriage. The second view allows for divorce on the grounds of adultery and desertion, and the right to remarry for the innocent party of these situations. And the third position says that there are many grounds for divorce and nearly all can remarry. I find myself between the second and the third views, for I feel that the only grounds for divorce being adultery and desertion are inadequate, and that there are many other situations where a Christian can remarry, but there are cases where I would also refuse to marry certain people. In our study today we are not going to explore all three of the views and argue theirs various points, the complexity of the views would need several volumes to record. We are going to put forward a particular view, moving from Genesis to the NT.