Biblical Answer

Why did God allow divorce in the Old Testament?

The Old Testament does not explicitly endorse divorce, but rather makes provision for it in certain circumstances. In Deuteronomy 24:1-4, Moses sets up guidelines for divorce, but does not command it. Instead, he assumes that a divorce has taken place and provides instructions for the divorced individual. This suggests that divorce was a concession to human frailty, rather than an expression of God's will. Similarly, Jesus teaches that divorce was allowed in the Old Testament because of the hardness of human hearts (Matthew 19:8-9).

The concept of divorce in the Old Testament is also tied to the idea of human frailty and sin. God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16), but tolerates it because of the hardness of human hearts. This is seen in the fact that God also tolerated polygamy in the Old Testament, despite it being contrary to his ideal for marriage. In Deuteronomy 24:1-4, Moses assumes that a divorce has taken place, and provides instructions for the divorced individual, suggesting that divorce was a concession to human frailty rather than an expression of God's will.

The allowance of divorce in the Old Testament is not a command or an ideal, but rather a concession to human weakness. Jesus teaches that God instituted marriage so that the two should become one flesh, and that divorce is an exception to this ideal (Matthew 19:4-6). In the New Testament, Jesus teaches that divorce is not an option for Christians, even in cases where the spouse is an unbeliever (Matthew 5:31-32). Instead, Christians are to strive for lifelong marriage, and to follow God's ideal for marriage.