Crazy Ex-Wife

Imagine ladies, that you meet your husband somewhere publicly, and, as you embrace the love of your life, somehow, you notice his eyes are not closed, as yours are, in full enjoyment of the moment. Worse yet, you notice he seems distracted and distant. You can feel that he's not hugging and holding you the same way you are him. Even worse, you open your eyes and look in his face to find that his eyes are wandering and, moreover, wandering to someone else. Then, just when you think it can't get any worse, you notice that the “someone else” is his ex-wife.

Now, depending on how brave and brassy or shy and timid you are, you might confront him. You might question why he was looking at her while holding you. Depending on how fast he is on his feet, he might possibly respond with some paltry excuses about her merely being in his line of sight or that she looked at him first.

Then, depending how good he is at deception or how gullible you are, you might walk away from this incident feeling more or less secure. Also, it might be greatly dependent how good he is at lying or how good you are at lying to yourself.

Then, some while later, when you thought this little episode is a thing of the past, you stumble on the two of them, your husband and his “ex.” You see him looking, what can only be called, longingly into her eyes. Frozen in terror of what this appears to be, joined with hope that it is anything but, you stand, watching and listening to these two former lovers.

“You know, I haven't forgotten you or how beautiful you are. Yes, I'm married to someone else, but I remember you. I haven't forgotten you. I even have a plan so that you and I can be together one day. You, my new wife and myself. Yes, it'll just be the three of us. We'll be so happy together. I promise you! Just be patient. I know I put you away for her, but you will be with me again. I haven't forgotten my original promises to you. I'll keep them all!”
 

Your stomach becomes Gordian knot as he continues.
 

“And don't worry. She'll understand. I'm sure that, once I explain how important you were to me and how much I loved you and how I just can't abandon you or forget you or our vows, she'll understand. She's a very understanding person.”

About now, a million thoughts are rushing through your mind! Your head is swimming and your feeling woozy and dizzy. Among the numerous thoughts jumping into your consciousness are the many, many stories your husband told you about her. About all the fussing and the fighting. About how unfaithful she was! About all the men! About how she wasted all of his possessions! About the disrespect! About how crazy she is!
 

As you try to catch your breath and still your reeling mind, you see him slowly walk away from this melodrama. You turn your head in an attempt to prove, against hope, that the insanity you saw happen, did not actually happen. As you do, you note that the “ex” wags her head with a dark look of contempt in her eyes for her former, forlorn lover. You feel certain, though said lowly, you see the words form on her lips, “How pathetic.” Yes, it seems neither of them have changed their feelings for one another.
 

Now, this is the scene of lunacy I have painted for you. I'm sure you're thinking, there is no way any self-respecting wife would tolerate this! Yes, I would agree. Still, ever so sadly, this is the view of the average Baptist/Fundamentalist regarding the Bride of Christ and Israel.
 

Without delving too deeply in the fact that Baptists today neither can identify the Groom or Bride, most, in reality, believe in neither. If they did, they would realize that the entire Bible is a sermon about the wedding of the Bride and the Groom and that all the teaching about marriage in the Bible is by God's own design. You don't have to wonder which came first: it was the plan.
 

Still, many have a death grip on their own preconceived ideas. They hold onto, what can only be called, “Jew Worship.” Yes, they truly seem to worship the supposed recipients of the blessings of God rather than God Himself. They worship the creature rather than the Creator.
 

Now, very quickly, there is no problem with being a Jew. Also, there is no advantage.
 

Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
 

Matthew 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.  
 

I must've read that Scripture a hundred times over the years. One day it hit me. Jesus was taking Himself! He was trying to tell us, "I am a one woman man!"


Yet, to be a part of the crowd, to avoid the contempt of the like-minded and lock-stepped, many swallow horrid accusations against Jehovah that will not bear the weight of Scripture. Their stubbornness blinds their eyes and they ignorantly accuse the God of Heaven of no less than adultery!

Now, before you say, “Hold on a minute! I would never accuse God of anything like that!”


Wouldn’t you? Don’t you? Isn't that exactly what you are doing when you say that the Church is His Bride, but He is still in love with and pining for his first bride, Israel? Yes, she was His first love, the apple of his eye, but she was adulterous and backsliding. So, even though it broke His heart, he had to put her away. He was forced to divorce her.

I know saying that God is divorce' causes Fundamentalists to cover their ears and go, “la, la, la, la, la!” Prejudice causes the best of us to sometimes hide from the truth.
 

Jeremiah 3:8 And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.
 

Not to digress here, but when the Bible says, “God hates divorce,” it’s mostly because he has been through one himself. No pain like the pain you’re in!
 

Malachi 2:16 For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the Lord of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.
 

Oddly enough to me, many think that our God looks lustily at His former wife, Israel, and dreams of a time when He can be with her again. He thinks of all the promises He made to her and all of the promises she made to Him and sighs with remorse. He pines away for the old days, crying over the loss of his first love, a love that betrayed Him in every way. Yes, He did divorce her, finding Himself a new love that He swore to Himself would be delivered chaste and pure to Him.
 

Revelations 21: 11 Having the glory of God…
 

Genesis 22:16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:　

Was the law of Moses God's ultimate plan? Was salvation and the Church an afterthought? Perhaps, Plan B? Did God not see it coming? Was he caught unawares?
 

They talk as if it was always God’s intent that Israel should be His closest love and, after she fouled it up, He had to go off and find another way. I suppose these same people think that God intended man to live forever in the Garden of Eden and, after Adam fouled that up, God had to go off and find another way. Actually, entire “Christian” denominations as well as other religions are founded on these very concepts.
 

The Church was not an afterthought! It was always God’s design to employ Israel, the Law and the failure of both to bring about the Church age. Israel, like Adam, was never intended as a permanent solution, but as a means to an end. Does that lessen God’s love for Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? No, because they too rejoiced to see His day. It was never about the branches; it has always been about the Vine.
 

John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
 

John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.　
　

For God to have multiple brides, is contrary to the teaching of the Holy Scriptures. Yes, God allowed multiple wives and concubines but, if you follow the trail, it was always a headache for all concerned. Many men will think more than one wife is great! But remember, more than one wife means more than one mother-in-law. Like they say, two's company, but three's a crowd!
 

Still, God like Adam, is happy with one wife at a time. Amazingly, of course, God always gets good from our evil.
 

Genesis 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
 

Now, back to our adventuresome guy with the roaming eyes. He is a man who has everything he has ever longed for in the beauty, loyalty and fertility of his current glorious bride. Sadly, like some men, he thinks the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. He forgets the bad things from his earlier relationship and only remembers the lust that burned in his heart for a woman who, basically, hated him. He doesn’t think about the relationship. He only thinks about her physical splendor.

Yes, it’s true. All men are pigs!
 

Disgustingly, our little anthropomorphic egos assign attributes to God that should make our skins crawl. We think He is just like us, only bigger and stronger. You know, like Superman.

We muse, admit it or not, “After all, God does it!” We justify so much of what we believe by imputing our God with ideas and concepts that are more foreign to him than the surface of mars is to us.

Remember Esther? The woman who became queen because another, the first queen, was disobedient to her husband. You might almost defend the thought process of the former bride. She just didn’t want to be paraded before a bunch of desirous, disorderly, drunken men. On the surface, I’d agree with her point of view. I mean, what woman would want to be put in such an embarrassing situation. She was the ultimate trophy wife. Frankly, she did not care to be. Sadly, she did not realize her place in the chain of command.

Still, isn’t that what God wanted from Israel? He placed them in the best land of all, at the virtual center of the world where all mankind would have to travel through their borders. They thought He put them their so they could be spoiled and fattened and showered in His love. In actuality, it was not God’s intent that they should shut the gates to the city, locking the world away. I think he put them their to show them off to the world. He put them there that they might be a testimony to all the heathens encompassing them of the power and righteousness of God Almighty. God put them there to be missionaries!
 

Isaiah 56:7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.

This new Bride of God is, like Jerusalem, a “city of peace.” Even more so, it is a new “city of peace.” It is a city that has its gates open to all points of the compass. Unlike Hell, it fears no danger of being prevailed against because the Lamb is present and He is the light of that city. Only citizens are allowed in this city and they can only be naturalized, adopted, by the edict of the King of Kings! This city contains no murderers, drunkards or liars, simply because once they are allowed in this city, they are no longer any of those!
 

Revelation 21:25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.

Upon trying to explain this concept to a Fundamentalist friend of mine, his only argument was to decry, “What about the 'Tribulation?' God still has a plan for the Jews!” He even claimed desperately, “It's not a marriage like we have marriage.”

In exasperation, I asked, “Then what kind of marriage is it? God could've used any number of metaphors, but he chose marriage! But we say, it's not like 'our' marriage”?
 

What can you really say to a death grip religion like that? God on his throne can't move them! How can I?