Reviewing the relationship of God with Israel and
their subsequent history, can teach many valuable lessons on the subject
of divorce. Despite Israel having had a long history of unfaithfulness
to their Creator, it would not be true to say that God had cast off or
divorced His people Israel.
Israel’s unfaithfulness is likened to adultery.
For example we read:
“For they have committed adultery, and blood
is on their hands. They have committed adultery with their idols,
and even sacrificed their sons whom they bore to Me, passing them
through the fire, to devour them. "Moreover they have done this to
Me: They have defiled My sanctuary on the same day and profaned My
Sabbaths.” Ezekiel 23:37-38
Thus, rather than be faithful to their Creator,
Israel turned aside and worshipped other god’s. Yet despite this
unfaithfulness, many times God attempted to turn them back to Him again.
Through the prophet Isaiah He pleads with His people to have a change of
heart and return to Him:
“Come now, and let us reason together," Says
the LORD, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white
as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool. If
you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land”
Isaiah 1:18-19
Thus, despite their unfaithfulness and waywardness
God was willing to forgive and accept His people back, if only the y
would respond to His love. Now, a review of Israel’s history in the
scriptures shows that the Kings of Israel are described as sitting upon
the ‘throne of the LORD’ over Israel. Yet the Israel we see today is a
secular state, not a kingdom. The reason for this is given in Ezekiel
21:25-27:
"And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel,
whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end, Thus saith the
Lord GOD; Remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this shall not
be the same: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. I
will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more,
until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him." (KJV)
He whose right it is to sit upon the throne is of
course the Lord Jesus Christ who was identified at his conception as the
promised heir to David's throne. We read:
“He shall be great, and shall be called the
Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne
of his father David:” Luke 1:32
Thus in the sense that there is as yet no King
upon the throne of David and thus no king upon the ‘throne of the LORD’
over Israel Yahweh is separated from His people. He has put them away,
but not divorced from them in the sense of the covenant made with their
ancestors being annulled. They are still His people, His witnesses.
The covenant relationship
There is much in scripture in support of the concept that God has
separated from, but not divorced or put away His people. Covenants are
two sided contracts - as indeed a marriage covenant is. Israel broke
their side of the covenant, but none-the-less this still does not
support the idea of divorce and negate the concept of separation, albeit
a long term separation.
We must interpret the historical facts and current
situation by the principles of God revealed in scripture. Firstly, we
must be very wary of taking the analogy of marriage to far, bearing in
mind the analogy holds good for Israel as a people, but not of necessity
for every individual who is a Jew. One fundamental principle we do need
to remember is that God abhors divorce. Divorce is very clearly spoken
against in scripture both in the Old and New Testaments. However, should
a man disobey this command, the Law also stated that once a man had
divorced his wife he could not return to her and take her again as his
wife (Deut 24:4). It is unthinkable that God would against His own
principles and Law!
The lesson of Hosea
If Divine principles do not change, we may well
ask what relationship does God still have with His people. What do we
find in scripture? Well maybe the example of Hosea is a good one to
mention at this point. The prophet is told:
“Go, take to yourself an adulterous wife and
children of unfaithfulness, because the land is guilty of the vilest
adultery in departing from the LORD." So he married Gomer daughter
of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son”. Hosea 1:2-3
Now was Gomer an 'adulterous' wife before Hosea
married her? No, but in the foreknowledge of Yahweh, He knew what Gomer
would do. Just as God knew what Israel would do (see Deut 28) It is only
later after Gomer had born children to Hosea that she ran off and was
unfaithful to him. In response we read God told Hosea:
“Go, show your love to your wife again, though
she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the LORD
loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the
sacred raisin cakes." So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver
and about a homer and a lethek of barley.”
The life of Hosea is a living parable of the
relationship between Yahweh and His people. Yahweh will not tolerate
their rejection of Him, none-the-less He does intend to take them back,
just as Hosea purchased His wife back. The message throughout scripture
then, is one of a loving God using the symbology of marriage to describe
His relationship with Israel. That 'marriage bond', despite being
defiled by Israel's adultery that was committed by worshipping idols,
still exists.
Separation
Paul when speaking of marriage does not mention
divorce, but what he does mention is separation:
“To the married I give this command (not I,
but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she
does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her
husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife”. 1Corinthians
7:10-11
We must be clear that separation is not
encouraged. It is the result of a failure to live by the principles of
scripture and behave in a Christ like manner. But if separation does
occur neither the husband or the wife is at liberty to remarry. They
must remain single or else be reconciled.
So then, Israel were unclean because of
‘adultery’, but we must note what God says through Hosea. Hosea had
married a wife who became an adulteress, the relationship between Hosea
and his wife was to be a living parable of the relationship between God
and Israel. (Hosea 3)
Hosea was to buy back his wife, in the same manner
God will purchase the fauithful in Israel back through the blood of
Christ. Hosea's wife was to wait for him for 'many days'. So also Israel
will seek God after 'abiding many days'. Israel are not cast off or
divorced by God, but are rather put aside to await for 'many days' until
God in His own good time and pleasure, is gracious to accept them into
his presence once again.
Indeed Isaiah records that they are still his
people, still his witnesses in the earth. They are being restored, even
today, back into the land, proof God has not rejected nor divorced them.
See also what Paul has to say Romans 11:2, 5 &11 that Israel is not cast
off. They may be 'blind' as Paul goes on to say, but not rejected
forever, for as Paul writes:
“I say then, has God cast away His people?
Certainly not! .. ..Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your
sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of
the fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”
Romans 11:1, 28-29
If God has not divorced Israel despite their
unfaithfulness to Him, how can a man or woman break the marriage
covenant made before God by divorce?
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