divorce

marriage

divorce and remarriage

once married always married

If divorced is it O.K. to marry again?

1. Deuteronomy 24:1-4 When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favor in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give [it] in her hand, and send her out of his house.

2. And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man's wife.

Grounds for divorce

   Moses only said, "because he hath found some uncleanness in her:

   Many have been taught that, based upon Matthew 5:32, and 19:9, except for fornication, there are no grounds for divorce. "Once married - always married." This belief is based, in part, upon the understanding that "fornication" has to do with unmarried people only. So, the conclusion is, if your new wife turned out not to be a virgin, you may, upon discovery, divorce her, otherwise there are no grounds for divorce.

   We generally think "fornication" has to do only with relations between unmarried couples. However, the word "fornication" is used very generally in the Scripture. 

1 Corinthians 5:1 It is reported commonly [that there is] fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.

Jude 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

    The definitions of the Hebrew and Greek words translated "fornication" in the Bible are quite different from the definition in the average dictionary. Here are the definitions from Strong's Concordance. They are words #4202 -#4205.

#4202 Pornea from 4203; to act the harlot (including adultery and incest). Figuratively - idolatry. Translated fornication.

#4203 Porneuo from 4204; To act the harlot, i.e., to indulge in unlawful lust (of either sex), or figuratively - to practice idolatry. Translated "commit fornication."

#4204 Porne; Feminine of 4205. A strumpet. Translated "harlotry" or "whore."

#4205 Pornos; To sell; a male prostitute, a debauchee, libertine. Translated "fornicator" and "whoremonger."

    Moses was deliberately vague since man's imagination when it comes to sin seems limitless. Had Christ answered the question, then, no matter what he said, the Pharisees could have said, "Then what about?" 

    The above listed activities are classified "fornication." Just as firing a gun at your neighbor kills, these acts destroy marriages separating what God hath joined together.

If A Divorce Is Necessary, Then What?

   Here is a Bible example. God divorces His wife Israel. 

Jeremiah 3:8 "And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a bill of divorcement;.."

   Marriage is a lawful contract. When God married Israel at Mt. Sinai, He did it according to law. Today, we call this marriage contract the Old Covenant. The prophets thereafter referred to Israel as God's wife. Israel's following after other gods was viewed in scripture as an adulterous violation of the marriage contract. The prophets were pointing out that, because of sin, Israel had "some uncleanness" in her.

   Exactly who did God divorce when he divorced 'Israel'? Obvious answer "The Jews". If  you believe that to be correct read this: (Notice there are four kings of four different countries.)

1. 2 Kings 16:1-10 In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah Ahaz the son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign.
2. Twenty years old [was] Ahaz when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem, and did not [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD his God, like David his father.
3. But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel.
4. And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.
5. Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to war: and they besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome [him].
6. At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria, and drave the Jews from Elath: and the Syrians came to Elath, and dwelt there unto this day.
7. So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, saying, I [am] thy servant and thy son: come up, and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which rise up against me.
8. And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house, and sent [it for] a present to the king of Assyria.
9. And the king of Assyria hearkened unto him: for the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it, and carried [the people of] it captive to Kir, and slew Rezin.
10. And king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and saw an altar that [was] at Damascus: and king Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the fashion of the altar, and the pattern of it, according to all the workmanship thereof.

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Question 61:  In 2 Kings 16:6 the Jews are art war with Israel.