God Initiated A Divorce - Divorce Minister

This is what the Lord says: “Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce with which I sent her away? Or to which of my creditors did I sell you? Because of your sins you were sold; because of your transgressions your mother was sent away.”

-Isaiah 50:1, NIV

Much shame surrounds making the choice to divorce an unfaithful spouse. This is especially so–as I have heard–for those who are faithful Christian spouses entertaining the idea. A powerful message is sent against taking the step to divorce a spouse who has demonstrated hard-hearted, contempt towards God and his/her spouse by committing adultery. The marriage in many evangelical communities seems to be more important to retain than the exhortation to not commit adultery.

I quote today’s Scripture to make a non-pc point (for an evangelical, that is):

God himself initiated a divorce!

It says so here.

God says, “Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce with which I sent her away?”

And why did God divorce Israel? The answer is in the same verse: “‘because of your transgressions your mother was sent away.'” I suggest this likely is a reference to Israel turning to other gods–i.e. being unfaithful and thereby committing adultery with foreign deities.

God took such choices seriously.

And God refused to be treated with contempt.

He made it official.

Gave Israel a written certificate of divorce.

And sent her packing.

And to the pastors or scholars out there who point to how God welcomes back Israel, I will point them back to the plain words of this passage. A divorce took place according to God’s own words. And not only did a divorce take place, God chose to divorce Israel. 

Any reunification after this passage–and there is for some of Israel (a remnant)–speaks more to a situation of remarriage after divorce than to prohibiting divorce in the first place.

Scripture is clear: Reasons exist where divorce can be a godly choice. I teach on this blog that adultery is the clearest and most consistent justification for a godly divorce.

God cannot sin. He divorced. So, divorce must not always be sin.

God cannot sin. He chose to initiate divorce. So, initiating divorce must not always be sin.

It really is that simple.

Don’t buy the lies or cultural pressure that tells you otherwise.

Stand on the truth.

Stand on Scripture.

That’s a rock that cannot be moved.