When God Divorced

Numbers Chapter 5 gives us the record of God's prescription to the Israelites of how to test for adultery. God applies this same test to his Bride, and the Bible ends with the Great Divorce and a remarriage.

We have been working through He Shall Have Dominion by Ken Gentry in our Men's forum. A while back we discussed the 17th Chapter in the book, which was on the book of Revelation. At the beginning of the meeting the point was made that there are over 500 references or allusions to Old Testament texts in the book of Revelation alone. (For context I think the next closest one was Matthew with 200-250, and it drops off fairly quickly from there.)

Gentry argues that the book of Revelation is essentially a document of divorce with his bride - the nation of Israel. Before getting into his reasons for this statement, I think it deserves mention that one of the reasons we never think of the book in this manner is we do not understand the images used throughout the book. Doing the math, there is on average 6 references/allusions every 5 verses. No wonder Calvin never wrote a commentary on this book.

In chapter 6, we are introduced to the seven-sealed scroll. This is the official divorce paper. Gentry backs up this position by (1) saying the whole flow of the book is that of judgement on the harlot (earthly Jerusalem). After the judgement and death, comes a marriage Supper. This is Christ's pure virginal bride - the church (or heavenly Jerusalem). In chapters 21-22 John sees this new bride coming forth. God is not Mormon, and thankfully his is not a polygamist. There must have been a divorce.

Also, (2) this fits with imagery from Ezekiel 2 where Israel's judgement is written on a scroll, front and back. And, (3) it also fits with Paul talking about Hagar (earthly Jerusalem) and Sara (heavenly Jerusalem).

However, the greatest proof I think comes from Numbers 5. Notice that the test for adultery requires the bride in question to drink wormwood. God preserves her if she is innocent, or kills her by the poison if she is otherwise. In Chapter 8 of Revelation, the final seal of the Divorce papers is broken (after a brief period in which the Christians in the city of Jerusalem were able to escape from the city). With this seal opening, we see wormwood being sent to the earth, turning water to wormwood. "Many men died from the waters, because they were bitter." (vs. 11). The bride failed the test and died. Jerusalem, the temple, and the sacrifical system were destroyed - happened in history in the year 70 A.D.

Now, thinking in coventantal terms, this marriage between Christ and his bride is depicted in Exodus, when we saves her from Eygpt, writes up the coventantal document of marriage in the 10 commandments, and establishes their house and communication. In further support of viewing Revelation as recording the divorce of God and Israel, we see every aspect of this original wedding wiped out in the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. Their house was destroyed (the Temple), which was established in the tabernacle in ch. 26 of Exodus. The communication between them was destroyed in that the Jews no longer offer sacrifices. And, the document sealing the end of the covenant is presented on a scroll written on front and back.

Also, the converse of all those is also true today. The Lord dwells in our hearts; we communicate with the Lord directly through Jesus Christ; and his commands apply to us.

God's wife was guilty of adultery; and the consequences for that are death. Praise the Lord for his great mercy though, for in him we have not been left to fate with wormwood, but are joyously looking forward to the final cup of the passover at the marriage supper of the Lord.