MEMORY VERSE: “And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.” – Malachi 2:15 (KJV)
BIBLE PASSAGE: Malachi 2:13-16
LESSON INTRODUCTION: Anyone considering divorce must have experienced months or years of struggle with their spouse. They are familiar with emotional distance, insecurity, fear, depression, anger, and perhaps betrayal. Life has become so difficult that divorce seems like the only path toward peace and happiness. Our High Priest empathises with believers in such state (Hebrews 4:15). However, God clearly explains His reasons for esteeming marriage so highly. He says it was He who “made them one” (Malachi 2:15). Marriage was God’s idea and any deviation from His design is detestable to Him. Marriage is not just a contract; it is a covenant. This is why God hates divorce and the consequences can be grievous.
LESSON OUTLINES:
- GOD HATES DIVORCE
- DIVORCE HAS GRAVE CONSEQUENCES
- GOD HATES DIVORCE
Marriage is a picture of the covenant God has with His people (1Cor.6:17) and He wants us to understand how serious it is. When a husband or wife chooses to violate the covenant of marriage, it mars and makes a mockery of the God-created concept of covenant relationship. (Rev.19:7-9; 2 Cor.11:2). God never intended divorce to be a part of human experience and it grieves Him when we harden our hearts and break a covenant that He created (Matt.19:4-8).
Malachi 2:15 gives us another reason God hates divorce. He says He is “seeking godly offspring.” God’s design for the family was that one man and one woman commit themselves to each other for life and rear children that will understand the concept of covenant as well. Children reared in a healthy, two-parent home have a far greater likelihood of establishing successful marriages themselves.
- DIVORCE HAS GRAVE CONSEQUENCES
There is a direct correlation between the way a man treats his wife and the effectiveness of his prayers. God does not listen to the pleas for blessing from those who have broken the covenant of marriage (I Pet 3:7).
Divorce is associated with many negative outcomes. Here are some;
- Divorce is a death of a union, and therefore the death of a dream, a promise and a family unit. Everyone involved -even a perpetrator- will feel grief and loss during a divorce. If there are children involved, they will experience severe grief over the loss of being with both parents together and living under the same roof.
- Divorce marks a pivotal moment in a person’s life, especially for children; life as they know it changes forever and they become different versions of themselves, adapting to new routines and new versions of their parents (who have also changed).
- Children of divorced parents are more likely to experience poverty, educational failure, early and risky sexual activities, non-marital childbirth, early marriage, cohabitation, marital discord and divorce.
- Following a divorce, parents and children often experience emotional and psychological problems, that can last for years, even for the rest of their lives. Anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, fear of abandonment, distrust, insecurity, lack of intimacy, confusion over sexuality and/or gender, guilt, faithlessness, loneliness, bitterness, and rebellion manifest themselves in children who have lived through divorce of their parents.
- Divorce matters can lead to a poor sense of judgment especially on marital issues, increase in crime, drug/alcohol addiction and even suicide attempt.
- The productivity of divorcees/divorced men may reduce at work and in their service to God.
- There is a chance of another divorce. Research shows that about 60% of divorcees/divorced men who remarry will divorce again. Realistically, most people carry the unresolved issues from their last failed marriage into the next marriage.
CONCLUSION: If God hates divorce, believers should do everything possible, including consulting with the Author of marriage – God, to make the marriage work.