If we are to answer this question in the context of God’s will, we must first understand what it is we mean when we say, the will of God. Does God’s will mean it was what he originally planned and desires, or is it to say, God allows it, doesn’t allow it, or doesn’t allow it with exceptions?
If one is to read over all that is said on the matter in Scripture, the apparent answer is that no, it wasn’t part of God’s will, however, in certain circumstances it is permissible. In order to effectively address this question, the answer will be broken up into two parts.
Let’s begin with the former – was divorce in God’s original plan and desire for humans? The answer to that is a clear no. In fact, Jesus clearly answer that question when he says, “Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.” (Mat 19:8, Mark 10:5-12 for parallel)
So let’s have a look at one argument against divorce being part of God’s plan. The key focus point for this section is this part of Jesus statement: “From the beginning it was not so.”This is the argument of original design.
Why is that statement so important? Because in the beginning, God laid everything out so that it was very good. And in his plan for very good, there was no room given to divorce. In fact, everything marriage is and should be is encapsulated in Genesis 2:24. Right at the very beginning, enshrined in human civilisation was the idea of a unity between a man and a woman that has a clear start point and no finish. There is much more depth to Genesis 2:24, but for sake of time and focus, we will look at this verse in the context of ‘is divorce God’s original plan’.
The term ‘one flesh’ destroys any idea that God ever intended for divorce to be an option. At what point does one ever look at one’s own body with such hatred that they want to cut it off? If it takes two to make one, then perhaps it can be reasoned that the one flesh is a fifty percent stake between the two. As such, if either of those two was to abandon the other, that should be considered as the ‘death of the one flesh’.
There is no indication of death being present in Creation. And we know that there will be no death, nor suffering, in the New Jerusalem. Therefore, would it make any sense for God to have the death of ‘one flesh’ anywhere in his original design? I think not.
Jesus’ statement before ‘from the beginning it was not so’, encapsulates yet another argument against divorce: authority.
The reason for Genesis 2:24 statement is an appeal of authority. It is to say, marriage is something designed by God, not man. The one who authorised this human institution was God – before man had any voice in it. It was God’s solution to man being alone.
Therefore, if God was the one who enacted the concept and dare we say, law of marriage, what gives any man the authority to either define marriage in opposition to God’s law or to deem himself with authority capable of dissolving what God considers a union?
Now some churches claim to have been given the authority to do just that. They practice man-made doctrines such as those of annulment. They take to themselves authority that they think Christ gave them in verses such as Mat 18:18 to then say they alone can determine when a marriage starts, and alone can end the marriage. This they say whilst claiming the Spirit will support all they do because they are the ‘church’.
However, this violates an important principle of understanding Scripture. Where does one ever find God’s representatives on earth having the power to make law? God’s representatives enforced heaven’s law. They didn’t make heaven’s law. Anyhow, such verses and their erroneous interpretations by various groups to justify their wicked conduct will have to be dealt with another time.
By God’s definition, marriage is when a man and woman cleave together to become one flesh (one unit). This unit is established as a covenant between the two (for Biblical proof, one need but look at how many places marriage is described in covenant and contractual terms). The recognition of this covenant is something done in heaven by God. If heaven was the one who recognised it, then the only way such a covenant can be dissolved legally, is for heaven to recognise it’s dissolution. That will be the subject to be addressed, for it is clear in the words of Christ that there are a few instances where heaven will recognise a lawful dissolution of the union of marriage.
Finally, let’s take one more argument. This argument is that of Christian character. If one wishes to encapsulate all that a Christian is called to be, then the idea of divorce as something that they should consider should certainly be very far away from their mind.
Consider this: the command of God to all Christians is for love, submission, and forgiveness (John 13:34, 1Pe 5:5, Col 3:13).
If a marriage is a union between two people striving to be more like Christ, then how in the world can you ever end with divorce?
If Christ is the measure to which all will be measured of who and what we ought to be, then how can we possible expect divorce to have been part of God’s plan? How can divorce be part of God’s plan when He pursued his bride-to-be despite her shortcomings? When he died for his church before they loved him? If we are to mirror that in our lives, how can you even come close to such an idea as divorce?
There is no doubt more that can be said to prove God’s disdain for divorce, but these three arguments should form a strong basis for the idea of God’s opposition to divorce.
1. God’s original plan was for unity not separation with no plan for separation
2. The authority that validates marriage is God. Therefore, only God can end a marriage. To end it otherwise, would be rebellion against his authority as well as sin against the person to whom one made the covenant.
3. The pursuit of Christian character will take one away from the possibility of divorce by nature of what a Christian is called to be in love, submission, and forgiveness.
If there is any questions left concerning God’s view on divorce, then perhaps we should let Him speak for Himself:
For JEHOVAH, the God of Israel, saith he hateth putting away. (divorce)
Malachi 2:16
If we remain true to the pattern of prayer that our Lord taught, then may the will of our God and Saviour be done on earth as it is done in Heaven.
Talking Bible 
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