Understanding what God hates

Malachi 2:10-16

“Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers?  Judah has been faithless, and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the Lord, which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god.  May the Lord cut off from the tents of Jacob any descendant of the man who does this, who brings an offering to the Lord of hosts!

 And this second thing you do. You cover the Lord's altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand.  But you say, “Why does he not?” Because the Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant.  Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth. “For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.”

 A word to all men who are married or have a desire to marry someday, God is very serious about marriage!  The people of Israel were failing to keep or honor the covenant made to each other, and especially to their wives.  God calls it faithless, an abomination, and it reminds me of a time in my life when I was guilty of this judgment, but God sent many roadblocks to keep me from a divorce. 

I’ve often said men are slow when it comes to the ways of a woman, but we are often just ignorant of the ways of God.  If I had read this, if I had a teachable spirit, I would have been in fear of allowing even thoughts like this to enter my mind.  But I did not read this nor did I have a teachable spirit at that time of my life, and it was only the prayers of a faithful wife and many of the men and ladies who were followers of Christ that interceded to block the plans of the thief, the destroyer of men.

Now shall we look at the facts as given to us by A Barna Group report from “2008 claims that overall the divorce rate in the U.S. is 33 percent, but they also note that evangelical Christians are at 26 percent and Catholics are 28 percent? But Protestants, in general, are listed as 34 percent, which would make that group the same as everyone else assuming a statistical margin of error.” 

As I searched for the statistical information in the U.S.A., it gave me a lot of information about how to get a quick divorce, like in Texas you can write a check for $299, and get it done, but then the lawyers would not like that, would they? 

But back to men who claim to have placed their faith in Jesus Christ, do you understand God hates devorce?   What is Gods desire for you?  You will find the answer in Micah 6:8, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”  But He has also told you to love your wife, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it. 

You will not obey His commandment unless you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, so do as instructed in 2 Corinthians 13:5, and examine yourself to see whether you are in the faith.  Test yourself.  If you pass the test, be quick to confess your sins and restore your marriage.  Seek out a man who loves Jesus and walks with Him and ask him to teach you the ways of God.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice