Divorce And Remarriage

The New Testament is Yahweh restoring the House of Judah and Israel into one nation which was made possible by the death of Yeshua.

It was a marriage contract between Yahweh and Israel, who got married at Sinai.“Old Covenant” was a marriage covenant stated that Northern Israel “is not My wife, nor am I her Husband!” ​ (Hos 2:2a)

Yahweh could only divorce Israel if He had once been wed to her. In Jeremiah, Yahweh specifically stated that He gave the northern Kingdom of Israel a certificate of divorce and put her away.

Jeremiah 3:8 8I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of all her adulteries. Yet I saw that her unfaithful sister Judah had no fear; she also went out and committed adultery.

What does Scripture say God hates divorce?
Then Malachi 2:16 says, "For the Lord God of Israel says that He hates divorce.". God never intended for a married couple to divorce.

In the above scripture we see, when two people get married, a covenant is made and God is witness to that marriage covenant.

God’s Divorce and Remarriage  And The Restoration of Israel  Through the New Covenant
A Study of God’s Marriage to Israel under the First Covenant, at Sinai,

Their Divorce Due to Israel’s Adultery,  
And their Restoration Under the New Covenant Established by Yeshua/Jesus

God’s Divorce and Remarriage  And The Restoration of Israel  Through the New Covenant
A Study of God’s Marriage to Israel under the First Covenant, at Sinai,

Their Divorce Due to Israel’s Adultery,
 
And their Restoration Under the New Covenant Established by Yeshua/Jesus

By Douglas Hamp
Aug 2015

Then I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but went and played the harlot also. (Jer 3:8)

Later in Jeremiah, Yahweh stated that the covenant that He made with Israel was one where He became her husband:

…the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says Yahweh. (Jer 31:32)

The Wedding Vows
At their wedding on Mt Sinai, the groom and bride exchanged vows. Yahweh, the husband, expressed His love for His bride, Israel, when He vowed:

If you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. (Exod 19:5)

This vow of deep love was reiterated to Israel when they were about to enter the Promised Land:

Yahweh your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. Yahweh did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because Yahweh loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, Yahweh has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. (Deut 7:6-8) 

The Recording of the Vows
Their marriage was recorded in the “book of the covenant” (a mere four chapters), similar to a Ketubah (Jewish “marriage contract” of today).

Then he [Moses] took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. (Exod 24:7a)

It was a marriage contract, complete with prenuptial agreements – that is, terms and conditions of what was expected, and what would happen in case of infidelity. The terms and conditions were Yahweh’s ten words (commandments) which He gave for her good!

“And now, Israel, what does Yahweh your God require of you, but to fear YAHWEH your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of YAHWEH and His statutes which I command you today for your good? (Deut 10:12-13)

Israel then exuberantly responded with her marriage vow saying:  ‘All that YAHWEH has said we will do, and be obedient.’” (Exod 24:7b) All she needed to do was to love Him by remaining faithful to Him. Yahweh also promised that if they would be faithful then Israel would “be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.” (Exod 19:5)

Their marriage contract was cut and the vows (contract) were ratified with blood:

And Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, “This is the blood of the covenant which YAHWEH has made with you according to all these words.”  (Exod 24:8)

God’s Divorce

Unfortunately, Israel was unfaithful to her husband from the beginning, and then after some time, His wife (United Israel) was divided into two kingdoms: the Kingdom of Judah in the south which included the tribe of Benjamin (and part of Levi since they were landless); and the Kingdom of Israel in the north which included the remaining ten tribes.

Yahweh, in His patient love and sovereignty, waited while Israel (the northern kingdom) committed her adulteries time and again. Yahweh explained this in the book of Ezekiel, speaking of the two daughters of one mother who both practiced harlotry and defiled themselves.

They committed harlotry in their youth…Their names: Oholah the elder and Oholibah her sister; ​They were Mine, ​And they bore sons and daughters. ​As for their names, ​Samaria is Oholah, and Jerusalem is Oholibah. Oholah played the harlot even though she was Mine; ​And she lusted for her lovers, the neighboring Assyrians…Thus she committed her harlotry with them, ​All of them choice men of Assyria; ​And with all for whom she lusted, ​With all their idols, she defiled herself.” (Ezek 23:2- 4, 7, 9)

Ultimately, after 700 years of Northern Israel’s backsliding and adultery, Yahweh “put her away and gave her a certificate of divorce.” (Jer 3:8) This truth is also stated in 2Kings:

“Therefore YAHWEH was very angry with Israel, and removed them from His sight; there was none left but the tribe of Judah alone. (2Kgs 17:18)

Their divorce created a seemingly unsolvable dilemma because, according to His own Instructions in Deut 24:1-4, a husband cannot take back his wife who has been with another husband (who has also sent her away or died).

If the latter husband detests her and writes her a certificate of divorce [kritut כְּרִיתֻת֙], puts it in her hand, and sends her out [shlichah] וְשִׁלְּחָ֖הּ] of his house, or if the latter husband dies who took her as his wife, then her former husband [in this case Yahweh] who divorced her must not take her back to be his wife after she has been defiled; for that is an abomination before Yahweh… (Deut 24:3-4)

Consequently, there was no conceivable hope for northern Israel to return to a marriage covenant with Yahweh or for Judah and Israel to ever reunite. Reconciliation with her groom would, according to Yahweh’s own commandments, result in abomination and the land becoming defiled. Nevertheless, Yahweh passionately calls His wayward wife to return (repent) to him and presumably, He would have to find a way to work things out.

“They say, “If a man divorces his wife, ​And she goes from him ​And becomes another man’s, ​May he return to her again?’ ​Would not that land be greatly polluted? ​But you have played the harlot with many lovers; ​Yet return (repent) to Me,” says Yahweh. (Jer 3:1) Yahweh said also to me in the days of Josiah the king: “Have you seen what backsliding Israel has done?

She has gone up on every high mountain and under every green tree, and there played the harlot. (Jer 3:6) And I said, after she had done all these things, “Return to Me.’ But she did not return. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it. (Jer 3:7)

Then I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but went and played the harlot also. (Jer 3:8) And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah has not turned to Me with her whole heart, but in pretense,” says Yahweh. (Jer 3:10)

 Then YAHWEH said to me, “Backsliding Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah. (Jer 3:11) Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say: ​”Return, backsliding Israel,’ says Yahweh; ​

”I will not cause My anger to fall on you. ​For I am merciful,’ says Yahweh; ​”I will not remain angry forever. (Jer 3:12) Only acknowledge your iniquity, ​That you have transgressed against Yahweh your God, ​And have scattered your charms ​To alien deities under every green tree, ​And you have not obeyed My voice,’ says Yahweh. (Jer 3:13) “Return, O backsliding children,” says Yahweh; “for I am married to you. I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. (Jer 3:14)
bring you to Zion. (Jer 3:14)

The Divine Dilemma
How could Israel be brought back into a marriage covenant without Yahweh violating His own law?

“Then her former husband [Yahweh] who divorced her [Israel] must not take her [Israel] back to be his wife after she has been defiled; for that is an abomination before Yahweh.” (Deut 24:4a)

The only way the wife (Northern Kingdom Israel) could be released of her fate of having been put away [shlichah] וְשִׁלְּחָ֖הּ] [Hebrew word] and divorced [kritut כְּרִיתֻת֙]  [Hebrew word] by Yahweh was for Yahweh (her husband) to die which would annul and dissolve original marriage contract. Paul understood that when, using the law to explain, he reminded the Jews (who knew the law) that the law only has jurisdiction over a person until their death. When the person dies, any judgments, contracts, or obligations are then dissolved:

Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? (Rom 7:1)

Paul then explains how a woman is covenanted to her husband only as long as he lives. When he dies, she is free to remarry at will.

For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. (Rom 7:2)

Continuing with Deuteronomy 24:1-4 in mind, Paul explains how the wife is freed from the “law of the husband” (the marriage contract), which had kept her out of the covenant relationship with her former husband. It should be noted, that Paul is only speaking of the cancelling of the divorce status; he is not suggesting that the entire “Torah” (Laws given at Sinai) are repealed. (“Yahweh” and “Israel” have been inserted below in brackets to make the relationships clearer).

So then if, while her husband [Yahweh] lives, she [Israel] marries another man [Ba’al etc.] , she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man. (Rom 7:3)

Following that, Paul reaches crescendo with his exciting conclusion that through Yeshua/Jesus (the incarnate Word of Yahweh), the wife, Israel, can be married to a different man – which is none other than the Risen Yeshua – Wow!