The evidence of God’s divorce comes directly from the prophets Hosea and Jeremiah. The former declares,

Say to your brothers, ‘Ammi,’ and to your sisters, ‘Ruhamah.’

“Contend with your mother, contend, for she is not my wife, and I am not her husband; and let her put away her harlotry from her face and her adultery from between her breasts, or I will strip her naked and expose her as on the day when she was born. I will also make her like a wilderness, make her like desert land and slay her with thirst. Also, I will have no compassion on her children, because they are children of harlotry.” – Hos 2.1-4

Instone-Brewer explains that it is best to consider that God did not end nor seek to end His marriage to Israel until He was effectively forced to do so. He adds,

Hosea 2 makes it clear that Israel suffers divorce. The words that Yahweh speaks in verse 2, ‘she is not my wife and I am not her husband,’ are an ancient Near East divorce formula . . .

“This divorce is also referred to at Hos 9.15:

‘I began to hate them. Because of the wickedness of their deeds I will drive them out of my house. I will love them no more.’

The word ‘hate’ (shana) becomes a technical term for divorce when it is in a context such as this that also refers to ‘driving out of my house.’” – Divorce and Remarriage, pp 37-38

Through Jeremiah, God makes the same point very clearly:

Then the LORD said to me in the days of Josiah the king, ‘Have you seen what faithless Israel did? She went up on every high hill and under every green tree, and she was a harlot there. I thought, “After she has done all these things she will return to Me” – but she did not return, and her treacherous sister Judah saw it. And I saw that for all the adulteries of faithless Israel, I had sent her away and given her a writ of divorce, yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear; but she went and was a harlot also.’” – Jer 3.6-8

Jeremiah is warning Judah, the southern half of the divided kingdom, to avoid the same fate as Israel: divorce. The phrase “given her a writ of divorce” was another technical, legal term indicating that a divorce had indeed taken place. Again, Instone-Brewer clarifies:

This reference to a divorce certificate in v. 8 may be an allusion to the verbal divorce formula in Hos 2.2, which became a divorce certificate by the act of Hosea writing it down.

“Jeremiah is keenly aware that a divorce has taken place because he sees this as an impediment to their reconciliation. In 3.1 he summarizes the law of Deut 24.1-4, which states that a wife cannot remarry her first husband after she has married someone else. Although Israel has not actually married someone else in the meantime, Jeremiah says that she has done far worse because she has had many lovers.” – D&R, p 41

A problem obviously exists, the solution to which is outside the scope of this post. What is to be noted here is that both Hosea and Jeremiah have no doubts about the fact that God has divorced the northern kingdom of Israel.

God was divorced. And God will remarry.

This is what has happened in my reading of Ezek 6. As I mentioned in my last post, what started out to be a quick reading of the least well-known of the major prophets has stalled at chapter 16 and especially at chapter 6. Recalling one of my old soldiers – a Bible that has been set aside for a newer, crisper Bible that I just couldn’t live without – I began reading chapter 6 again and noticed that v. 9 was not only underlined but highlighted:

Then those of you who escape will remember Me among the nations to which they will be carried captive, how I have been hurt by their adulterous hearts which turned away from Me, and by their eyes which played the harlot after their idols; and they will loathe themselves in their own sight for the evils which they have committed, for all their abominations.”

This verse appears in a passage that describes the lengths to which God will go to make His people understand that He, and He alone, is God. But Yahweh also gives us a truth in this verse that He does not repeat in this chapter: He has been hurt. God has been hurt by the adulterous, idolatrous hearts of His people.

That is simply an unbelievable truth to me.

The concept that the Lord of the universe, the Creator of everything that is, the Sustainer of creation, and the Savior of the world can be affected by my – and your – behavior is incomprehensible for my little mind. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, all-everything; He is in need of nothing and is fully complete in Himself – and yet He has made Himself emotionally vulnerable to the behavior of His people. He who is can be hurt by me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it.” – Ps 139:6

The Hebrew word chosen by Yahweh through His prophet is shabar (I’m sure you will never forget this) and its definitions deepen the understanding of God’s “hurt”:

07665 rbv shabar shaw-bar’

a primitive root; TWOT-2321; v
AV-break 115, destroy 9, break in pieces 8, break down 4, hurt 3, torn 2, give birth 1, crush 1, quench 1, misc 6; 150

1) to break, break in pieces
1a) (Qal)

1a1) break, break in or down, rend violently, wreck, crush, quench
1a2) to break, rupture (fig)

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be broken, be maimed, be crippled, be wrecked
1b2) to be broken, be crushed (fig)

1c) (Piel) to shatter, break
1d) (Hiphil) to cause to break out, bring to the birth
1e) (Hophal) to be broken, be shattered

The stem in Ezek 6:9 is niphal, which yields a meaning of “broken, maimed, crippled, wrecked, or crushed.” Since we know that God cannot change (i.e., He is immutable – Mal 3:6), this must be a figurative use of shabar. Note the severity of the word: this is not some trivial emotional upset inflicted upon God but a deep wound to His heart. He is deeply and profoundly grieved by the unfaithfulness of His children.

I made the point in my earlier post but it bears repeating here: the essence of idolatry and unfaithfulness is not found in the tangible displays of our waywardness but in our hearts.

3 Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts and have put right before their faces the stumbling block of their iniquity. Should I be consulted by them at all?
4 “Therefore speak to them and tell them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Any man of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, puts right before his face the stumbling block of his iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I the LORD will be brought to give him an answer in the matter in view of the multitude of his idols,
5 in order to lay hold of the hearts of the house of Israel who are estranged from Me through all their idols.”‘

We may go to a prophet or pastor for help and guidance but, says Yahweh, it will be God Himself who will answer us. The answer may not come in the form of an audible voice (unlikely) or a specific verse or passage of Scripture (more likely), but in an act of judgment that opens our eyes to the pain we have cause our God and Savior.

We all have idols in our hearts. It may be a relationship with a husband or wife, the need for approval and recognition from our peers, a pursuit of career goals and success, the pride of knowing Scripture and understanding it better than most. None of these things are inherently evil; all of these things are intrinsically good: we make them evil when they become more important to us than our relationship with God. None of these things are necessarily in competition for our attention or desires: we make them so by elevating them to the position of goals rather than viewing them as responsibilities and privileges given to us by God.

We are quite adept at glossing over our idols or dressing them up and making them an acceptable totem of Christendom. Who is it that populates many of our elder and deacon boards? Is it not the financially successful? the knowledgeable? the up-and-comers? Again, such things are not wrong in and of themselves, but when such outward signs become more important than character and love of God we have baptized our idols and set them alongside the Person of God.

We wound God when we pursue and value such empty idols. He is a God who has made Himself vulnerable to us and has provided us with everything necessary to live a life of faithfulness to Him. Our adultery, our idolatry, our unfaithfulness pierce the heart of God and invite discipline from Him that will cure us of our wanderings.

It is a painful lesson for us to learn but one which He will faithfully teach us when necessary. But amazingly, it is also a painful instruction for God to endure. Such is the heart of Yahweh.

It’s not supposed to be an open-book test, so see how you do without help first. The answers are here.

Bible, Theology, and Apologetics Assessment Test

By: Jeff Miller , Th.M.

Old Testament
Multiple Choice

1. The man who wrestled with an angel at Peniel was:

a. Jacob
b. Joshua
c. Noah
d. Samuel

2. The life of Abraham is found in the book of:

a. Judges
b. Exodus
c. Genesis
d. 1 Kings

3. The man whose donkey spoke prophecy was:

a. Jacob
b. Balaam
c. Ephraim
d. Jephthah

4. The following item lists events out of chronological order. Which letter indicates the order in which the events actually occurred:

a. Isaac to be offered as a sacrifice by Abraham
b. Joseph is made a ruler in Egypt
c. Sodom destroyed
d. Jacob wrestles with the angel
e. “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good”

a. b,e,a,c,d
b. c,d,e,a,b
c. d,a,c,b,e
d. c,d,a,b,e
e. c,a,d,b,e

5. Which of the following is NOT a book in the Old Testament:

a. Obadiah
b. Hezekiah
c. Zephaniah
d. Ezra

6. “Have you but one blessing my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father.”

a. Cain
b. Jacob
c. Esau
d. Joseph
e. Isaac

Matching

7. ______ One of the twelve tribes of Israel.

8. ______ The fourth king of Israel.

9. ______ The man who did not experience normal death.

10. ______ King of Judah who came into power at the age of eight and about whom the Scriptures say, “He did right in the eyes of the Lord.”

11. ______ One of Eli’s two sons who was punished by death.

12. ______ The first judge of Israel, following the period of Joshua’s leadership.

a. Othniel
b. Phinehas
c. Samuel
d. Josiah
e. Rehoboam
f. Gad
g. Bartholomew
h. Matthias
i. Enoch

True/False

13. T F Ruth was the great grandmother of King David.

14. T F Habakkuk is classified as a minor prophet.

15. T F Manasseh is remembered as one of the good and faithful kings.

16. T F Gomer is the unfaithful wife of the prophet Joel.

17. T F The ten plagues against the Egyptians are recorded in the book of Exodus.

18. T F The first king of Israel was David.

19. T F The man who assumed leadership of Israel after Moses was Joshua.

20. T F The ten commandments are recorded in Exodus.

Arrange the persons or events in chronological order by placing an “a” before the earliest, then a “b,” etc.

21. _____ The giving of the law on Sinai.

22. _____ The building of the temple by Solomon.

23. _____ The call of Abraham.

24. _____ The Babylonian captivity.

25. _____ The Exodus from Egypt.

From which book: Write the Old Testament book from which the quotation comes. A book may be used more than once.

26. __________________ “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked …”

27. __________________ The Ten Commandments (name one of the two books).

28. __________________ “When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged.”

29. __________________ “Meaningless! Meaningless! Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”

30. __________________ “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.”

31. __________________ “Seventy sevens are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression.”

32. __________________ “There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up.”

33. __________________ “One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them.”

34. __________________ “See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before you.”

35. __________________ David’s sin with Bathsheba.

36. __________________ “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.”

37. __________________ “This whole country will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years.’”

38. __________________ “I charge you, do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.”

39. __________________ “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”

40. __________________ “For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and as the waters increased they lifted the ark high above the earth.”

New Testament
Multiple Choice

41. The Gospel with the most number of chapters is:

a. Matthew
b. Mark
c. Luke
d. John
e. None of these

42. The Gospel that is different from the other three is:

a. Matthew
b. Mark
c. Luke
d. John
e. None of these

43. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” is from:

a. Matthew
b. Mark
c. Luke
d. John
e. None of these

44. The Gospel written by a Gentile physician was:

a. Matthew
b. Mark
c. Luke
d. John
e. None of these

45. The Gospel containing the Upper Room Discourse, describing the role and function of the Holy Spirit is:

a. Matthew
b. Mark
c. Luke
d. John
e. None of these

46. The Gospel that emphasizes the miracles of Christ is:

a. Matthew
b. Mark
c. Luke
d. John
e. None of these

47. The Gospel that does not record the death and resurrection of Jesus is:

a. Matthew
b. Mark
c. Luke
d. John
e. None of these

48. The Great Commission is recorded in:

a. Matthew
b. Mark
c. Luke
d. John
e. None of these

49. The man who was dragged out of the city and left for dead, only to get up and go back into the same city was:

a. Paul
b. Stephen
c. Peter
d. John
e. Nicodemus

50. The first Christian martyr was:

a. Paul
b. Stephen
c. Peter
d. John
e. Nicodemus

51. The only one of the original 12 disciples that did not die prematurely was:

a. James
b. Thomas
c. Peter
d. John
e. Phillip

52. Those who were with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration were:

a. Moses, Elisha, John, Peter, James
b. Moses, Elijah, John, Peter, Matthew
c. Moses, Elisha, John, Peter, Matthew
d. Moses, Elijah, John, Peter, James
e. None of these

True/False

53. T F James was one of the “sons of thunder.”

54. T F Paul’s shipwreck occurred on the island of Patmos.

55. T F The Gospel of Luke records the famous “seven signs of Christ.”

56. T F Lydia was a seller of purple and dyes.

57. T F Titus is one of Paul’s Pastoral Epistles.

58. T F Jude is one of the Catholic Epistles.

59. T F Luke wrote the Book of Acts.

60. T F Peter wrote the Book of Revelation.

Arrange the events in chronological order by placing an “a” before the earliest, then a “b,” etc.

61. _____ Jesus appears to Paul.

62. _____ Jesus delivers the Sermon on the Mount.

63. _____ Pentecost.

64. _____ The ascension.

65. _____ Jesus is baptized by John.

66. _____ The Last Supper.

67. _____ Jesus appears to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus.

68. _____ The resurrection.

From which book: Write the New Testament book from which the quotation comes. A book may be used more than once.

69. __________________ “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

70. __________________ “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

71. __________________ “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my witnesses.”

72. __________________ “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

73. __________________ “I am the resurrection and the life.”

74. __________________ “Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus.”

75. __________________ “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness”

76. __________________ “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

77. __________________ “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place.”

78. __________________ “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”

79. __________________ “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God.”

80. __________________ “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit?”

Theology/Apologetics
Multiple Choice

81. The unchangeableness of God is called His:

a. Immutability
b. Aseity
c. Sovereignty
d. omnipotence

82. The notion of being born again is called:

a. regeneration
b. glorification
c. justification
d. sanctification

83. Descriptions of God in human terms are called:

a. humanisms
b. anthropomorphisms
c. images
d. God is not described in human terms in the Bible.

84. The doctrine of the Trinity teaches that God is:

a. 3 in essence and 1 in person
b. 1 in essence and 1 in person
c. 1 in essence and 3 in person
d. none of the above

85. The notion that God knows everything—past, present, and future—is called:

a. omnipresence
b. omniscience
c. omnipotence
d. omnitheater

86. The doctrine of sanctification teaches that in this life true believers:

a. cooperate with the work of the Holy Spirit
b. are not able to achieve perfection
c. make genuine progress in striving after perfection
d. All of the above

87. The science of properly interpreting the Scriptures is called:

a. homiletics
b. hermeneutics
c. heresy
d. hamartiology

88. The study of the end times and the second coming of Christ is called:

a. pneumatology
b. Christology
c. hamartiology
d. eschatology

89. The term describing God’s ability and right of being “in control” of the universe is:

a. Aseity
b. justification
c. sovereignty
d. watchmaker

90. The notion that God is all-powerful is called:

a. omnipresence
b. omniscience
c. omnipotence
d. omnitheater

91. The J-E-P-D theory is also called the:

a. Documentary hypothesis
b. Old Covenant
c. Dispensational Theology
d. Alphabet Soup

92. Which theory is not a known attempt to explain the resurrection:

a. “swoon” theory
b. “stolen body” theory
c. “wrong tomb” theory
d. all are attempted explanations

93. An apologist is someone who:

a. disagrees with the Bible
b. defends the Bible
c. misinterprets the Bible

94. The term referring to the first sin committed by Adam and Eve is:

a. The Fall
b. Original Sin
c. First Transgression
d. None of these

95. The original manuscripts of the Bible are called the:

a. autographa
b. pseudopigrapha
c. apocrypha
d. Dead Sea Scrolls

True/False

96. T F The Bible as it exists today is word-for-word identical to the Bible as it was originally written.

97. T F Form criticism is the science of examining manuscripts in order to determine the Bible’s original readings.

98. T F First Corinthians 15:3-5 is a chief passage dealing with the resurrection of Christ.

99. T F In the first century, the Apostles officially declared that the Bible would consist of the 66 books it now contains.

100. T F The Bible claims to be the Word of God.

End