Lesson 4:

This week we learned about God’s heart for marriage. It truly is to be a picture of our Lord’s covenant relationship with us.

In Matthew 5:31-32, Jesus said, “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.”

Once again the Pharisees and teachers of the law had twisted a passage from the law (Deut. 24:1-3) and given men license to divorce their wives for any reason as long as they issued the wife a certificate of divorce. The law actually required that there had to be something indecent about the woman in order for the man to do this. In Matthew 19:8-9 Jesus explained that the only reason God had even allowed for divorce at all was because of the hardness of men’s hearts. The passage goes on to reinforce what was said in Matthew 5, “anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.”

Laurie also pointed out that in 1 Corinthians 7:10-16, Paul talks about another biblical reason for divorce, which is when an unbeliever leaves a believer.

Laurie talked about God’s covenant love as pictured in the Old Testament book of Hosea. God actually told Hosea to go out and marry a prostitute named Gomer. Hosea’s forgiving and patient love for Gomer was to be a picture to the Israelites of God’s forgiving and patient love for Israel despite their unfaithfulness to Him. The way of God should be the way of His people. We are called to a high standard of love and forgiveness.

Marriage is
1. A divine union—God ordained and institued it
2. A complete union—heart, soul, spirit and body
3. A permanent union—what God has joined, let no one separate
4. A covenant union—we are to live for one another

We are to be our Husband’s Covenant Lover. In I Samuel 18, it describes the covenant that Jonathan made with David. It explains that Jonathan’s soul was knit to David’s, that Jonathan loved David as himself, that he gave David his robe, sword, bow and belt. We are likewise to commit ourselves to our husbands completely. See page 72 of the homework for more information on the marital significance of exchanging robes, belts, weapons, etc.

Philippians 2 talks about how Christ humbled himself, not considering equality with God something to be grasped. We are to be like Christ, not vying for position in our homes, but humbly and lovingly revering our husbands.

Lastly, we are to remember that it isn’t possible to live like this in the flesh, but we have all that we need in Him. After all, HE is our covenant partner! He is our advocate, friend, strong tower, all in all, sustainer, helper, rescue, deliverer, husband, father, beloved, and our hope!!!! See page 79 of the homework for scripture references for these.