Every Marriage Has an End

Comfort after Marriage

2 min

In this world of sin which is subject to the curse, death is an ever-present reality. When a young, radiant bride is standing at the marriage altar beside her strong, manly bridegroom, it is difficult for her or her groom to think of the approach of death. But embedded in their youthful vows of union are the solemn words that serve as a sobering reminder of that inevitability: “till death do us part.” A day is coming, near or far, when the marriage bond will be severed by death.

There was a day when Abraham laid his wife Sarah in the grave. In the touching account of Abraham’s purchase of a burial plot, he “came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her” (Genesis 23:2). No matter how expected the death, how long the life, or how bright the hope of the resurrection, it remains a sad, sorrowful blow to the heart of a man or a woman when the closest bond on earth is severed by our last enemy.

To live as a widow or a widower is not easy, alone in this world without the one who has long been your close companion. For this reason, the Bible lays emphasis upon the care of widows in both the Old and New Testaments.

Sadly, in a fallen world, many marriages also end in divorce. According to Malachi 2:16, God says that He “hateth putting away.” Literally rendered into modern English, God is saying emphatically that He hates divorce. Like other evils, such as war, slavery, and domestic violence, divorce is a result of the fall of man into sin.

We should not be alarmed at this sober reality. Many of us have close friends or family members who have gone through a painful divorce. Rather than judging them or keeping them at a distance, we ought to extend to them the comfort and hope that the Bible offers, even as Paul urged comfort in II Corinthians 2:7 to be extended toward a man who had been previously living in immorality. Sins, even shameful ones, can be forgiven.

Paul was speaking to believers, among whom some were adulterers and fornicators, when he said, “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God” (I Corinthians 6:11). It is important to realize that every divorced believer is a recipient of God’s grace and in need of the comfort that flows from His gracious hand.

In future articles, we will look further at the practical details of how to offer comfort to those whose marriages have ended in death or divorce. For now, recognize that both of these calamities are results of sin and the fall. Every marriage is a marriage between two sinners and is a marriage that will end someday. May God give us the humility to recognize that sin has left its ugly stamp upon His beautiful institution of marriage and the courage to claim the grace that He offers.

This article is from our Matters of Life & Death teaching series.

Get these articles delivered to your inbox every week.

"*" indicates required fields

Tuesday - Attributes of God
Every Tuesday you'll get a teaching article that focuses on an attribute of God as seen in the Law, Prophets, Gospels, and Epistles.
Thursday: Biography
Every Thursday you'll get a short biographical sketch of a faithful person from history who serves as an inspiring example for us.
Saturday - Covenant Marriage
NEW! Every Saturday, you'll get an article that will delve into practical areas that affect every Christian marriage.

We’ll send you emails twice a week, on Tuesdays & Thursdays, with articles from our Matters of Life & Death teaching series. Occasionally, there may be a few updates on other events or resources that may be relevant to you.

From Our library

Recent Posts

Loading...