Why Does God Hate Divorce? Part 1

NTRO: Our subject this morning is, "Why does God hate divorce?" Recently I read an article that talked about people wanting their freedom with regard to whether they chose to live together without marriage, or if they chose to leave one partner for another, or if they chose to be unfaithful to their partner. As I read that article a question struck me, and it was this: Why does God hate divorce? Or why is it wrong? Or put another way, why does God require marriage? I have studied all the major passages and pondered whether the Bible allows for divorce or not; but I have never asked this question: Why does God hate divorce? He plainly says He hates divorce. And I thought, Ok, God hates divorce. But why is that? That led me to wonder, why did God establish marriage in the first place? I think it is clear from Scripture that God loves marriage. He longs to see people marry. He wants the earth populated. He said, "Marriage is honorable in all and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge."