In our Sunday morning Bible Study of 1 Corinthians we are currently in chapter 7 which addresses to some extent, divorce and remarriage. Divorce is a controversial topic among Christians today. Malachi 2:16 is an oft-quoted verse that tells how God feels about divorce. “‘I hate divorce,’ says the Lord God of Israel.” To better understand just what God hates we must read this verse in its context and that is the purpose of this coming Sunday’s lesson.
Malachi 2:10–16 is perhaps the Bible’s strongest indicator of God’s views on divorce. This passage begins the second of Malachi’s three prophetic lessons, ending in Malachi 3:6. The people of Israel are rebuilding Jerusalem and the temple, but under the control of a foreign nation. Rather than honoring God, and their own wives, it seems the men of Israel were divorcing Israelite women in order to marry pagans (Ezra 9:1–2; Nehemiah 13:23–27). This is described as an act of violence against the women. In no uncertain terms, the Lord, through Malachi, expresses His hatred for divorce. This Sunday we will dig into this passage from Malachi and see what we can learn about why God hates divorce.