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The Father's View of Marriage
Hebrews 13:4 tells us: “Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.”
Marriage is not only to be held in high honor by all, but its object in this passage is stating that “honor” is to be shown to marriage as an institution. It is not to be undervalued as though celibacy were purer. It should not be dishonored by any violation of the marriage contract. This means the “contract” established between a man and woman is a “covenant” sealed in heaven. When God joins in a union, no man or his laws can separate.
Matthew 19:6 says: "So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together let no man separate."
When mankind devalues the marriage institution, they subtly attack the “marriage of the Lamb.” For God, the Father, gave us the institution of marriage to demonstrate, by law and relationship, what is to come with His Son.
The History of Marriage
Marriage was instituted in the Garden of Eden when man was innocent (Gen. 2:18-24). Here we have its original contract, confirmed by our Lord, as the basis on which all laws and marital guidelines are to be framed (Matt. 19:4-5). It is evident that monogamy (one spouse until death) was the original design of marriage (Matt. 19:5; 1 Cor. 6:16). This design was violated very early on when man’s problems with lust began to overflow into God’s ordinances of marriage (Gen. 4:19; 6:2). We meet the occurrence of polygamy (two or more wives) and concubinage (a wife of secondary rank) in the patriarchal age (Gen. 16:1-4; 22:21-24). Polygamy was recognized in the Mosaic Law, made its way into legislation, and continued to be practiced through Jewish history until their captivity to Egypt, after which there is no instance of it on record.
Why is all this significant? The lust of our forefathers wanting a plurality of wives didn’t have the option of divorce because divorce didn’t exist. Therefore, they instituted polygamy and concubinage to fulfill their appetites for trying out different women. The leadership of that day “buckled” under the pressure of the men and legislated their lust. Polygamy and concubinage were the entrance, or gateway, for divorce. Shortly after the legislation of polygamy, divorce was instituted to keep God’s laws of monogamy. In the eyes of our forefathers, this became the new and legal way to fulfill the lust of their flesh.
The History of Divorce
If we don’t understand the history of divorce, we will not be able to embrace the words of Jesus when the “religious leaders” were testing Him with the laws of Moses.
Matthew 19:3 shows us: “Some Pharisees came to Jesus, testing Him and asking, ‘Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason at all?’" Jesus’ response was consistent with history. “And He answered and said, ‘Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE’, and said, ‘FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH? So, they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together let no man separate’” (Matt. 19:4-6).
The statement “let no man separate” is translated as “let no man’s law separate.” The other significant statement made here is “from the beginning.” Jesus was not caught by their reasons for satisfying their lust. He returned to His Father’s design of monogamy (one wife until death).
Satan’s Purpose for Divorce
Now the big question: Why would the enemy push so hard to legislate divorce? Another simple answer: Because if the enemy can break up the original design of “one woman + one man + one Father = one flesh,” he would then be able to ingrain into the hearts of man that just maybe, “One Father + One Son + One Spirit = One God” is a lie. Secondly, he would be able to convince the Bride of Christ that there is a possibility Christ would forsake (divorce) them. Divorce is the human tool used by the enemy to try to “break up” the Trinity in the hearts of man. Divorce needs to be viewed through the eyes of God first and secondly, through history. This is man’s futile attempt to legislate lust! God the Father ordained the institution of marriage to set in concrete (for mankind) the fundamental Truth of “One Father + One Son + One Spirit = One God.”
The Father’s View of Marriage
The charter of marriage is in Gen. 2:24, reproduced by our Lord with greater distinctness in Matt. 19:4-5. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are all separate individual beings, but are One. God the Father established the institution of marriage in the Garden to prepare the way for the original eternal design and union of Christ and the Church (Eph. 5:31; Mark 10:5-9; 1Cor. 6:16; 7:2). The point is this: A husband and wife, united in marriage, combine to form one perfect human being; the one is the complement and completer of the other. Therefore, Christ makes the Church a necessary appendage to Himself. He is the model from whom, as the blueprint, the Church is formed (Romans 6:5). He is her Head, as the husband is of the wife (1Cor. 11:3; 1Cor. 15:45). Death is the tool that severs the bridegroom and the bride, but death cannot separate Christ and His bride. Our death is what unites us to Him (Matt. 19:6; John 10:28-29; 13:1; Rom. 8:35-39).
“This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church” (Eph. 5:32).
Dr. Stephen Phinney
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