Tuesday, November 10 He must write out a certificate of divorce for her . . . and dismiss her from his house.​—Deut. 24:1.

[Áine]

Tuesday, November 10

He must write out a certificate of divorce for her . . . and dismiss her from his house.—Deut. 24:1.

 

An Israelite man could divorce his wife if “he found something indecent about her.” The Law did not describe what was meant by “indecent.” It must have been something shameful or serious, not some petty offense. (Deut. 23:14) Sadly, by Jesus’ day many Jews divorced “on every sort of grounds.” (Matt. 19:3) We would surely not want to adopt their attitude. The prophet Malachi revealed God’s view of divorce. That was at a time when it was common for a man treacherously to divorce ‘the wife of his youth,’ maybe to marry a younger, pagan woman. Regarding God’s view, Malachi wrote: “I hate divorce.” (Mal. 2:14-16) That was in line with what God’s Word says about the first marriage: “[A man] will stick to his wife, and they will become one flesh.” (Gen. 2:24) Jesus upheld his Father’s view of marriage, saying: “What God has yoked together, let no man put apart.”—Matt. 19:6. w18.12 11 ¶7-8

[bear_about]

The apostle Paul's words really sum this up in Hebrews 13:4... Marriage should be honorable. 

[carlos]

Although the Law didn't specify what "something indecent" meant, I like the reference to Deuteronomy 23:14:

 

Quote

For Jehovah your God is walking about within your camp to deliver you and to hand over your enemies to you, and your camp must be holy, so that he does not see anything indecent in you and turn away from accompanying you.

Here we find that "something indecent" had to do with "not being holy", and it referred to something so serious that would cause Jehovah to abandon his people.

[M.J.]

18 hours ago, Anniebea said:

 

[M.J.]

8 hours ago, carlos said:

Although the Law didn't specify what "something indecent" meant, I like the reference to Deuteronomy 23:14:

 

Here we find that "something indecent" had to do with "not being holy", and it referred to something so serious that would cause Jehovah to abandon his people.

This is always confusing to me. So first it appears as though doing something shameful or indecent is serious and allowed for divorce. Yet later, Jesus says, no, only adultery. And so the things that appeared to be serious reasons for divorce no longer apply...

 

So today, you have all these situations where a person does something serious/indecent/shameful, (caressing a woman's breast, sexual behavior over a Webcam with another live person, watching strippers at a strip club) and yet now these things no longer classify as serious/indecent/shameful enough to qualify for a divorce.... weird... because these things are not "petty"

 

This is where I find it hard to explain how Jehovah's standards don't change... when here it seems they have.... what qualified as indecent/shameful that justified a valid (not petty) divorce, no longer qualifies.

[boodles]

3 hours ago, M.J. said:

This is where I find it hard to explain how Jehovah's standards don't change...

That is the same with Jehovah allowing them more than one wife. His standard didn't change but he permitted it. 

 

Quote

w09 6/01 22

 

Why Was Polygamy Allowed?

Jesus showed that God set the standard for marriage when He told the first human pair: “A man will leave his father and his mother and will stick to his wife, and the two will be one flesh.” (Matthew 19:5)

 

Marriage was to be a lasting bond between two persons. However, by the time God organized the Israelites into a nation and gave them the Law, polygamy had become a common practice. Thus, though God did not originate or encourage polygamy, he provided laws to regulate it. When the Christian congregation was formed, God’s Word clearly prohibited polygamy.—1 Timothy 3:2.

 

Jehovah God tolerates certain things until his time to correct them. (Romans 9:22-24) Jesus showed that Jehovah had temporarily tolerated improper marriage customs as a “concession” made out of regard for Israel’s “hardheartedness.”—Matthew 19:8; Proverbs 4:18.

 

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/pc/r1/lp-e/1200274540/4/0

 

[New World Explorer]

4 hours ago, M.J. said:

This is where I find it hard to explain how Jehovah's standards don't change... when here it seems they have....

No they don't, but "our" understanding of things makes it "seemingly" as they do. 

What he permits for a season is within his jurisdiction. 

[carlos]

4 hours ago, M.J. said:

This is where I find it hard to explain how Jehovah's standards don't change... when here it seems they have.... what qualified as indecent/shameful that justified a valid (not petty) divorce, no longer qualifies.

Jehovah's standards haven't changed, but the way he applies them has adapted to circumstances. You don't ask the same from your 17-yo child than from your 8-yo one.

 

Jehovah created marriage as a permanent link and he has always wanted us to view it like that. But he created marriage as a permanent link between two perfect people, and yet we are imperfect. So he has taken that into account that, with imperfect people living in a depraved world, sometimes marriage as he intended is unfeasible or it becomes a terrible source of suffering instead of being a haven of affection and stability.

 

In ancient times he allowed the Israelites to divorce when their wife did something gross that could withdraw Jehovah's spirit from that household. In Christian times Jesus explained that the only valid reason to divorce someone with a right to remarry is adultery. Still, in situations where marriage becomes a physical or spiritual danger, or when it becomes an unbearable burden, he allows that Christian to separate, although they cannot remarry. It's really not that different. Christians know Jehovah much better than ancient Israelites did, we have a lot more Biblical knowledge, so Jehovah has higher expectations from us than he had with them. We are the 17-yo child.

[carlos]

When I see how polygamy was acceptable among ancient servants of Jehovah and yet how clearly we see it today, I can't help but wonder which other things that we do now we will see in the new world and say: "How dumb we were! How could we not realize this offended Jehovah?" and yet he tolerates them because we are not ready for that standard yet.