Under Old Testament Law, a divorced woman can marry another man. (Deuteronomy 24:1-4)
Even so, while this is true that a divorced woman can marry a man under Old Testament Law, a priest is commanded to not marry any divorced women ever because they are to be holy. (Leviticus 21:7)
and the Old Testament says that GOD HATES DIVORCE. (Malachi 2:16)
In the New Testament, Jesus speaks against divorce and relates it to adultery. (Matthew 19, Luke 16:18 and Mark 10:12)
Paul also speaks against separation and divorce. (1 Corinthians 7:10-11)
We should try to please God. Just because we can do something, does not mean that we should.
Divorce only came around because people's hearts were hard. JUST LIKE ABORTION. And just because something is legal does not mean we should do it.
WHO ARE WE TRYING TO PLEASE HERE?
REALLY?
“‘They must not marry women defiled by prostitution or divorced from their husbands, because priests are holy to their God." (Leviticus 21:7)
He must not marry a widow, a divorced woman, or a woman defiled by prostitution, but only a virgin from his own people, (Leviticus 21:14)
They must not marry widows or divorced women; they may marry only virgins of Israelite descent or widows of priests. (Ezekiel 44:22)
There are no commands in the Bible to marry divorced women other than Hosea the prophet being told to take to himself a promiscuous woman. (Hosea 1:2)
Anyway, it is not good to encourage divorce, and it is not good to encourage people to divorce and to marry after divorce.
In the Bible, God never commands men to marry divorced women.
God does command a man to marry virgin he violated (Exodus Deuteronomy) that was not pledged to be married.
God also commands that if a man died without children that his brother takes the widow of his brother to produce children for his dead brother as the brotherly thing to do to carry on the name of his brother.
No where ever in the Bible does God command a man to marry a divorced woman other than possibly Hosea. ItHosea's wife may have been a virgin when he married her. But she was fast to become promiscuous. The Bible does not say that Hosea's wife was divorced. Hosea did not divorce his promiscuous wife. Nor did David. Nor did David's wives divorce him. Do we want God to divorce us?
New Testament teaching is against divorce.
New Testament teaching is any man that marries a divorced woman commits adultery
and a woman who divorces her husband and marries another man commits adultery
and that a man who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery.
No one is righteous. No, not one.
But should we teach others that it is okay to divorce and marry again? when at the same time that Jesus confronts it as adultery.
In the Bible, God never commands men to marry divorced women.
God does command a man to marry virgin he violated (Exodus 22:16, Deuteronomy 22:28-29) that was not pledged to be married.
But where does God command men to marry divorced women?
God also commands that if a man died without children that his brother takes the widow of his brother to produce children for his dead brother as the brotherly thing to do to carry on the name of his brother.
But where does God command Christian men to marry divorced women?
No where ever in the Bible does God command a man to marry a divorced woman other than possibly Hosea.
Hosea's wife may have been a virgin when he married her. But she was fast to become promiscuous. The Bible does not say that Hosea's wife was divorced. Hosea did not divorce his promiscuous wife. Nor did David. Nor did David's wives divorce him. Do we want God to divorce us?
New Testament teaching is against divorce.
New Testament teaching is any man that marries a divorced woman commits adultery
and a woman who divorces her husband and marries another man commits adultery
and that a man who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery.
No one is righteous. No, not one.
But should we teach others that it is okay to divorce and marry again? when at the same time that Jesus confronts it as adultery.
One other possibility. One possibility where it may be okay to marry a divorced woman.
As a favor to one's brother who had no kids to produce offspring for your dead brother who had no kids, a man may assume his brother's widow who hadn't divorced him. Possibly then a divorced widowed woman who was not divorced from her last husband, and her last husband died without children, and a man takes his dead brother's wife to produce offspring for his dead brother who had no children. That could possible (for someone not a priest).
W&T on a different thread, you asked about my current beliefs on divorce and remarriage are now. I wanted to respond to you on that thread but I lost track of that thread so I’m going to respond here.
I’ll have to confess, for me this is a difficult topic—at least for now.
I’ve been wrong so much already on this topic and anymore I’m hesitant to say much until I’m more confident that I’m on the right path this time. So, at thai point, it’s back to the study.
There is a higher standard upon priests in the Law of Moses. They were not to marry any divorced women.
Divorce and marriage after divorce are frowned upon in the New Testament.
Of course, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" and "No one is righteous, not even one". The Law condemns us all. There is the Law. Then there is grace. There is the idea of our sins being forgiven and righteousness through faith. Still, knowing that the Bible preaches against divorce and preaches against marriage after divorce, are we then to preach for it? Are we to advocate for divorce and marriage after divorce WHEN CHRIST DOES THE OPPOSITE?
Still, I believe that Rahab left her life of sin and has a place of honor being in the genealogy of Jesus.
The Bible says that anyone who breaks the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of God. But whoever keeps them and teaches others to do the same will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:19)
We will not be called "Great" when we are not following the scriptures, and then we teach others to not follow the scriptures.
We call things okay that Christ never calls okay.
We say that it is okay to divorce and to marry after divorce when Jesus told us the opposite.
I do not know why people keep advocating for divorce and marriage after divorce when Jesus plainly speaks against divorce and plainly speaks against marriage after divorce.
It goes back to what Jesus said. "It is because your hearts are hard "
That is why Moses gave the command allowing for divorce.
And it is why we still have divorce now.
The hearts of people are hard. That is why we have divorce. Yet who wants to follow Jesus' teaching?
I've often wondered when "Moses gave the command allowing for divorce". Did that come from God or was it Moses speaking on his own?
And when Jesus said. "It is because your hearts are hard " Was Jesus affirming that allowing divorce was from God or not?
When I look at it logically I don't see God changing something that was originally not allowed. It just doesn't sit well with me that just because peoples hearts are hard that, that could or would justify God allowing divorce.
Back then consequences for adultery was death where as now it's a scriptural reason to allow divorce. Or is it?
Things do get twisted. I agree with you Handyman. Divorce was not of God. Jesus affirms that divorce is not of God.
Under Old Testament Law, people would be stoned to death for adultery just as you said.
Joseph knew he wasn't the dad. Joseph concerned for Mary did not want Mary who was found to be with child to be stoned to death or to be subjected to public disgrace, so he thought to divorce her quietly.
Maybe some men in the Old Testament thought to do the same (to quietly divorce an adulterous wife so that she would not be stoned). One might not care for the thought of a woman being stoned.
Those caught in adultery were to be stoned. Jesus did not stone anyone. Now there is a time of grace.
Maybe divorce came as another way to end marriage without the stoning. Did it come because too many women (wives) were being stoned for being caught in adultery? Or because other reasons than adultery? But Jesus disavows from divorce and does not relate divorce as being of God or any aspect of divorce as being of God. The Bible says that GOD HATES DIVORCE. So, if God hates divorce, then why would he command Moses to give a command for it when HE hates it?
I think people were being stoned to death for adultery.
I think that some women were not caught in adultery, but displeased their husband in ways other than adultery, so for other reasons a man did not want to stay married to her. Then divorce came along THROUGH Moses. Now things are all the more twisted. From twisted to more twisted. Women divorce men for any and every reason. Adultery does not have to be a reason. But the Bible gets twisted all the time on the matter of divorce and marriage after divorce and plainly Jesus spoke against divorce and plainly Jesus spoke against marriage after divorce, and he associate adultery with divorce. So, it is not something that Christians should do.
