Page 64 - The Marriage Covenant

and convict men of sin before a holy God.

John 5:45
"Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you
is Moses, in whom you have set your hope.”

If we understand these things, then we can begin to understand why God at times
violates the commands of His own Law. The Law only revealed one aspect of Yahweh’s
character, His holiness, but it did not reveal His mercy. The Law demanded that the one
caught in adultery should be stoned, but Christ expressed forgiveness and mercy to the
adulteress, while admonishing her to sin no more.
Let us the consider the words of the Law that we have read in Deuteronomy chapter
24, verses 1-4. Yahweh said that a woman who had been sent away and joined to another
could not return to the first husband, for that was an abomination. Such a woman is defiled,
and according to the righteousness of God this is true. Yet there is mercy even for such an
one as this.
Yahweh revealed this when He sent Israel and Judah away with a writ of divorce. They
were joined to their lovers, and played the harlot with abandonment. Yet a time came when
Yahweh remembered His love for them, and He decided to express His mercy. He took them
back, which is something that was detestable to His righteousness. Yet mercy triumphs over
judgment! Hallelujah!

Jeremiah 3:8
"And I saw that for all the adulteries of faithless Israel, I had sent her away and
given her a writ of divorce...”

Yahweh has declared that the adulteries of Israel are as abominable to Him as the
adulteries of an unfaithful wife. He declares through Jeremiah:

Jeremiah 3:1
God says, "If a husband divorces his wife, and she goes from him, and belongs to
another man, will he still return to her? Will not that land be completely polluted?
But you are a harlot with many lovers; Yet you turn to Me," declares Yahweh.

What is Yahweh declaring? He is saying that Israel has acted just like one who has
been divorced due to her adulteries and has been joined to another. She is completely
polluted. He asks, “Will such a woman return to her first husband? Will not that land be
completely polluted?” The answers are rhetorical, “Yes, she is polluted. No, she has no right
to return to her first husband for she has defiled herself.”
Yet, the remarkable thing is that Yahweh allowed her to come back. Indeed, He even
sought after her to bring her back to Himself. Mercy triumphs over judgment!

Jeremiah 3:12-14
“Return, faithless Israel,” declares Yahweh; “I will not look upon you in
anger. For I am gracious,” declares Yahweh; “I will not be angry forever.
Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you have transgressed against Yahweh your
God and have scattered your favors to the strangers under every green tree, and you