Probably a bad idea for someone like me to write a blog about marriage, but I'll take that risk!
Marriage in God's eyes isn't just a contract between two people. It's a covenant between man, woman, and God. The couple is brought together by God and is accountable to Him. It's an image of His fidelity to us and our fidelity to him. So seriously does God take marriage, that being faithless to your wife or mistreating her has terrible consequences....
You cover the Lord's altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. But you say, "Why does he not?" Because the Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth. "For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless."
Malachi 2:13-16 (ESV)
Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.
1 Peter 3:7 (ESV)
It seems these actions anger God so much that he ignores the prayers of the men who do these things. It also affects the man's spiritual well-being. I do find it interesting that God aims all these consequences at the men. For the one or two people who read my blog, what are your thoughts on this?
I'll make this quick cuz I got to go to class, but you raise an interesting question. I can't give you an answer as to why God focuses on the man in the marriage, although it would make sense if surely the man is the head of the covenant just as Christ is the head of the church. Convicting as it is to men (married or single), it makes you wonder, what happens when women break the vows, when the wive divorces her husband? Does God treat her the same or is the man still responsible for the failed marriage??
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