Go to Introduction

#1.2 GOD'S ORIGINAL PURPOSE FOR MARRIAGE

This bible study uses a Unicode Greek font and is printable.

Divorce and Remarriage Index || Search this website || Bible Studies Index

Introduction 1.2

In our modern society the whole sanctity of God's ordained marriage has come under attack. It has become commonplace for people now to live together without being married. Some countries have allowed what is known as Civil Partnerships, and some allow homosexual marriages with equal status to heterosexual marriages. In this section of the bible study on divorce and remarriage we will examine God's original purpose for marriage. Once God's purpose is understood, it will give a better understanding of why God is against divorce and remarriage.

#1.2 GOD'S PURPOSE FOR MARRIAGE

#1.21 It is not good for a man to be alone

GENESIS 2:18
18 And Yahweh God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.

Note: It is well known in the world today, that a human being welcomes other human beings with whom he can interact. In prison, solitary confinement, where this interaction temporarily ceases, is considered one of the most severe punishments. On his own, a single man would have no help to do the things which God had given him to do. He would lack the strength that comes with unity), and he would have no means of reproducing himself, although God could have done it another way. A man on his own would have no intimate relationship with his own kind, through which he could express and receive love, and which God could use to teach him about his relationship with God. So for these reasons, God saw fit that a man should not be alone on the earth, and created him a wife.

#1.22 The wife is a helper for the man

GENESIS 2:18,21-22
18 And Yahweh God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.
21 And Yahweh God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place:
22 And the rib, which Yahweh God had taken from man, he made a woman, and brought her to the man.

Note: The man was given the responsibility of being the provider (Genesis 3:17-19; 1 Timothy 5:8), while the wife bore children and looked after the home (Genesis 3:16; 1 Timothy 5:14). That seems to be the way that it has always been, and as there is far too much work in these things for one person to do by himself, God saw fit to make the man a suitable helper, which he did. Today, when each partner takes their proper role in the family, this makes a far better, more harmonious, working relationship, and is the way that God ordained it to be.

#1.23 In order to procreate mankind

GENESIS 1:28
28 And God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.

GENESIS 2:23-24
23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of man.
24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cling to his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

MATTHEW 19:5-6 (Jesus)
5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cling to his wife: and they two shall be one flesh?
6 Therefore they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, do not let man separate.

MARK 10:7-8 (Jesus)
7 For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and cling to his wife;
8 And they two shall be one flesh: so then they are no more two, but one flesh.

Note: The one flesh relationship, and the production of children, was prophesied by Adam back in the garden of Eden (Genesis 2:24). One of the main purposes of marriage is to have children legitimately, and obey God's command to "be fruitful and multiply" (Genesis 1:28).

#1.24 There is strength in unity

ECCLESIASTES 4:9-12 (Solomon)
9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor.
10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe unto him who is alone when he falls; for he does not have another to help him up.
11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?
12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Note: The above scripture shows that there is strength in unity with others, that one person cannot have by themselves. Other scriptures also confirm this:

(Genesis 11:6) "Behold, the people are one, ... now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do."
(Leviticus 26:8) "And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight."
(Deuteronomy 32:30) "How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, ..?"

For this reason there is strength in a good marriage relationship that is helpful to each partner, and although it is obvious that people can combine together in a purpose without being married, God has seen fit that this is the best way to raise a family.

#1.25 As a type, to teach Israel about their relationship with God

ISAIAH 54:5-6
5 For your maker is your husband; the Lord of Hosts is his name; and your Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.
6 For Yahweh has called you as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when you were refused, says your God.

JEREMIAH 3:20
20 Surely as a wife treacherously departs from her husband, so have you dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, says Yahweh.

JEREMIAH 31:31-32
31 Behold, the days come, says Yahweh, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they broke, although I was a husband unto them, says Yahweh:

Note: It seems evident that God regarded his relationship with Israel as a betrothal (or espousal) type marriage:

(Jeremiah 2:2) "Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus says Yahweh; I remember you, the kindness of your youth, the love of your betrothal, when you went after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown."
(Hosea 2:19-20) "And I will betroth you to me for ever: yes, I will betroth you to me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving-kindness, and in mercies.
I will even betroth you to me in faithfulness: and you shall know Yahweh."

Because a betrothal is a marriage in a legal sense, although not consummated, God could call himself a husband to Israel (Isaiah 54:5; Jeremiah 3:20; 31:32), and put them away when they were unfaithful to him (Isaiah 50:1; Jeremiah 3:8; 31:32; Hosea 1:9). However, this does not justify divorce of any lawfully married, "one flesh" relationship.

#1.26 As a type, to teach the church about it's relationship with Christ

EPHESIANS 5:25 (Paul)
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

EPHESIANS 5:31-32 (Paul)
31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

Note: For us today this is a very significant reason for a marriage relationship. Evidently the relationship between Christ and the church is also a betrothal type marriage, according to the apostle Paul:

(2 Corinthians 11:2) "I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ."

Jesus referred to himself as the bridegroom (Matthew 9:15; Mark 2:19-20; Luke 5:34-35), and John the Baptist also referred to Jesus as the bridegroom (John 3:29). It seems evident that the consummation of the marriage, and the marriage supper, are still future (Revelation 19:7-9), where Jesus is referred to as the Lamb, and the church as his wife (v7). Once the rapture comes, and we know Jesus as he knows us (1 Corinthians 13:12), which is equivalent to the consummation of the marriage, then there is no possibility of him divorcing us or putting us away after that, "so shall we ever be with the Lord." (1 Thessalonians 4:17). This confirms that divorce is not permitted for any reason after the consummation of a lawful marriage.

If you have benefited from reading this study, then please tell your friends about this website.
If you have a website of your own, then please consider linking to this website. See the Website Links page.
Please copy and paste this link into Facebook and Twitter to all of your friends who are interested in God's purpose for marriage.

Arrow pointing left  God Ordained marriage || Divorce Remarriage Index || Bible Studies Index || Marriage Permanence  Arrow pointing right

Top