Day 45: March 12

Matthew 19:1-12

HIGHLIGHT
Matthew 19:3-9:  Some Pharisees came and try to trap him with this question: “should a man be allowed to divorce his wife for just any reason?” “Haven’t you read in the Scriptures?” Jesus replied “they record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female’ and He said ‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and his joined to his wife, and the two are united into one ‘Since they are no longer two, but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together’ Then why did Moses say in the law that a man could give his wife a written notice of divorce and sent her away” they asked.  Jesus replied, “Moses, permitted divorce only as a concession to your hard hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended. And I tell you this, whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery.
 
OBSERVATION
The Pharisees were trying to trap Jesus by having Him choose sides in a theological argument about divorce. The two schools of thought which represented two opposing views of divorce. One group supported divorce for almost any reason. This was the sin the prophet Malachi had preached against in Malachi 2:10 –17. The other group believed that divorce could be allowed, only for marital unfaithfulness. This conflict hinged on how each group interpreted Deuteronomy 24:1–4 which says if a man marries a woman and she doesn’t please him, he can divorce her if he writes a document of divorce.
 
APPLICATION
In His answer, Jesus focused on the real purpose for marriage rather than allowing Himself to get caught up in the loopholes for divorce. He pointed out that God intended marriage to be a permanent union.  Jesus gave strong reasons from Scripture for the importance of marriage (Matthew 19:4–6). God designed marriage for a man and woman to build a permanent, lifelong bond, and to raise godly children.  Although divorce was relatively easy in the Old Testament times, it is not what God originally intended. A couple should decide against divorce from the start and build their marriage on mutual commitment. Marriage is a beautiful union, when it honors God and when both people are committed to following His word, loving their spouse more than themselves and commit to stay together for a lifetime.

PRAYER
Dear Lord, help us to view marriage from Your perspective. I pray that Christian marriage is a picture to the world of Your commitment to us Your people. Help us to submit to one another, honor one another and love our spouse’s as we love ourselves.  We pray for the strength and vision to see our mates as gifts that will help us to live godly and sanctified lives.  I pray that we forgive and love the way we desire to be forgiven and loved. We thank You for our spouse’s, bless our marriages, In Jesus name Amen!!