Moorhead Airport Seeks Architectural and Engineering Design Services

City of Moorhead Menu Property Services Expand sub pages Property Services Animal Services Neighborhoods Building and Home Improvement Code Enforcement Floodplain Information Housing Invasive Species and Pests Lawns, Yards and Garden Maps My Property Property Valuation and Classification Report an Issue Resident Guide and Newsletters Trash and Recycling Utilities Wastewater and Stormwater Parks & Rec Expand sub pages Parks & Rec Art in Moorhead ATV Permits Register for a Program Environment and Sustainability Events Facilities and Rentals Get Involved Golf Hjemkomst Center League Schedules and Standings The Loop | Moorhead Public Library Parks and Trails Pools Recreational Programs Seniors Services Sponsorship and Advertising Opportunities Youth Scholarships Winter Activities Donate to the Community Fund Emergency Services Expand sub pages Emergency Services Emergency Alerts Fire Flood Safety Police Records Requests Recreational Fires Report a Crime Streets & Transit Expand sub pages Streets & Transit Airport Construction Projects Overweight and Over Dimension Restriction Permits Parking Pavement Management Program Report an Issue Road and Stormwater Permits Snow Removal Street and Traffic Controls Street Maintenance Transit Business & Development Expand sub pages Business & Development Advertising Opportunities Airport Available Land and Property Bids and Procurement Building and Home Improvement Business Licenses and Permits Call Before You Dig Construction Projects Downtown Moorhead Drainage Plan Review Interactive GIS Maps Liquor Server Training Planning and Zoning Rental Housing Spark Center for Entrepreneurship Start, Expand or Relocate a Business Stormwater Permits Utilities Studies and Reports Why Moorhead Government Expand sub pages Government Agendas and Minutes Awards and Recognition Bids and Procurement Boards and Commissions Budget and Finance Charter and City Code Citizens Government Academy City Administration Contact Us Elections Mayor and Council Members Job Opportunities Logo and Branding News and Notices Plans, Reports and Studies Policies Projects Public Data Request State Legislative Priorities Donate to the Community Fund How Do I... Expand Search Notice for Request for Qualifications for Professional Airport Architectural and Engineering Design Services - Moorhead Airport - Florence Klingensmith Field By City of Moorhead - June 05, 2026 RFP - Planning RFP - Professional Services Community Development Department: Community Development The City of Moorhead, Minnesota (the "City") seeks a request for qualifications for professional on-call airport architectural and engineering services for Moorhead Municipal Airport - Florence Klingensmith Field. Please review the Request for Proposal document for information. The timeline for this project is: Moorhead City Hall403 Center AveMoorhead, MN 56561-0779 SitemapPrivacy PolicyContact UsAccessibility NewsEventsProjectsMN Statute 471.701 Salary Data This website uses cookies to enhance usability and provide you with a more personal experience. By using this website, you agree to our use of cookies as explained in our Privacy Policy.

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Published May 1, 2026

Road Closure Alert: 5 St and Main Closed Wednesday, June 10

City of Moorhead Menu Property Services Expand sub pages Property Services Animal Services Neighborhoods Building and Home Improvement Code Enforcement Floodplain Information Housing Invasive Species and Pests Lawns, Yards and Garden Maps My Property Property Valuation and Classification Report an Issue Resident Guide and Newsletters Trash and Recycling Utilities Wastewater and Stormwater Parks & Rec Expand sub pages Parks & Rec Art in Moorhead ATV Permits Register for a Program Environment and Sustainability Events Facilities and Rentals Get Involved Golf Hjemkomst Center League Schedules and Standings The Loop | Moorhead Public Library Parks and Trails Pools Recreational Programs Seniors Services Sponsorship and Advertising Opportunities Youth Scholarships Winter Activities Donate to the Community Fund Emergency Services Expand sub pages Emergency Services Emergency Alerts Fire Flood Safety Police Records Requests Recreational Fires Report a Crime Streets & Transit Expand sub pages Streets & Transit Airport Construction Projects Overweight and Over Dimension Restriction Permits Parking Pavement Management Program Report an Issue Road and Stormwater Permits Snow Removal Street and Traffic Controls Street Maintenance Transit Business & Development Expand sub pages Business & Development Advertising Opportunities Airport Available Land and Property Bids and Procurement Building and Home Improvement Business Licenses and Permits Call Before You Dig Construction Projects Downtown Moorhead Drainage Plan Review Interactive GIS Maps Liquor Server Training Planning and Zoning Rental Housing Spark Center for Entrepreneurship Start, Expand or Relocate a Business Stormwater Permits Utilities Studies and Reports Why Moorhead Government Expand sub pages Government Agendas and Minutes Awards and Recognition Bids and Procurement Boards and Commissions Budget and Finance Charter and City Code Citizens Government Academy City Administration Contact Us Elections Mayor and Council Members Job Opportunities Logo and Branding News and Notices Plans, Reports and Studies Policies Projects Public Data Request State Legislative Priorities Donate to the Community Fund How Do I... Expand Search Traffic Alert: Road Closure on 5 St and Main on Wednesday, June 10 By City of Moorhead - June 06, 2026 General Engineering Service Alerts News Releases On Wednesday, June 10, BNSF will be conducting maintenance on the railroad crossing at 5 St between Main Ave and 5 St. This project will not involve any concrete work and is expected to reopen at the end of the day. Drivers are encouraged to use alternate routes when possible. Moorhead City Hall403 Center AveMoorhead, MN 56561-0779 SitemapPrivacy PolicyContact UsAccessibility NewsEventsProjectsMN Statute 471.701 Salary Data This website uses cookies to enhance usability and provide you with a more personal experience. By using this website, you agree to our use of cookies as explained in our Privacy Policy.

Moorhead City Council Meeting Scheduled for June 8, 2026

City of Moorhead Menu Property Services Expand sub pages Property Services Animal Services Neighborhoods Building and Home Improvement Code Enforcement Floodplain Information Housing Invasive Species and Pests Lawns, Yards and Garden Maps My Property Property Valuation and Classification Report an Issue Resident Guide and Newsletters Trash and Recycling Utilities Wastewater and Stormwater Parks & Rec Expand sub pages Parks & Rec Art in Moorhead ATV Permits Register for a Program Environment and Sustainability Events Facilities and Rentals Get Involved Golf Hjemkomst Center League Schedules and Standings The Loop | Moorhead Public Library Parks and Trails Pools Recreational Programs Seniors Services Sponsorship and Advertising Opportunities Youth Scholarships Winter Activities Donate to the Community Fund Emergency Services Expand sub pages Emergency Services Emergency Alerts Fire Flood Safety Police Records Requests Recreational Fires Report a Crime Streets & Transit Expand sub pages Streets & Transit Airport Construction Projects Overweight and Over Dimension Restriction Permits Parking Pavement Management Program Report an Issue Road and Stormwater Permits Snow Removal Street and Traffic Controls Street Maintenance Transit Business & Development Expand sub pages Business & Development Advertising Opportunities Airport Available Land and Property Bids and Procurement Building and Home Improvement Business Licenses and Permits Call Before You Dig Construction Projects Downtown Moorhead Drainage Plan Review Interactive GIS Maps Liquor Server Training Planning and Zoning Rental Housing Spark Center for Entrepreneurship Start, Expand or Relocate a Business Stormwater Permits Utilities Studies and Reports Why Moorhead Government Expand sub pages Government Agendas and Minutes Awards and Recognition Bids and Procurement Boards and Commissions Budget and Finance Charter and City Code Citizens Government Academy City Administration Contact Us Elections Mayor and Council Members Job Opportunities Logo and Branding News and Notices Plans, Reports and Studies Policies Projects Public Data Request State Legislative Priorities Donate to the Community Fund How Do I... Expand Search City Council Meeting - June 8, 2026 By City of Moorhead - June 04, 2026 General City Events The agenda packet is now available. City Council meetings will be live-streamed on our Youtube channel and on Moorhead Community Access Media (MCAM).  To participate and/or make a public comment in person, you must fill out a Request to Speak form, contact the City Clerk's Office, or call 218.299.5304 no later than noon the day of the meeting.  Please contact the City of Moorhead, City Clerk’s office (218.299.5304) if auxiliary aids or services are required (ten hours’ notice is required). Please note that some participants may be joining via interactive technology. Moorhead City Hall403 Center AveMoorhead, MN 56561-0779 SitemapPrivacy PolicyContact UsAccessibility NewsEventsProjectsMN Statute 471.701 Salary Data This website uses cookies to enhance usability and provide you with a more personal experience. By using this website, you agree to our use of cookies as explained in our Privacy Policy.

Moorhead Municipal Pool and New Splash Pad Open June 4

City of Moorhead Menu Property Services Expand sub pages Property Services Animal Services Neighborhoods Building and Home Improvement Code Enforcement Floodplain Information Housing Invasive Species and Pests Lawns, Yards and Garden Maps My Property Property Valuation and Classification Report an Issue Resident Guide and Newsletters Trash and Recycling Utilities Wastewater and Stormwater Parks & Rec Expand sub pages Parks & Rec Art in Moorhead ATV Permits Register for a Program Environment and Sustainability Events Facilities and Rentals Get Involved Golf Hjemkomst Center League Schedules and Standings The Loop | Moorhead Public Library Parks and Trails Pools Recreational Programs Seniors Services Sponsorship and Advertising Opportunities Youth Scholarships Winter Activities Donate to the Community Fund Emergency Services Expand sub pages Emergency Services Emergency Alerts Fire Flood Safety Police Records Requests Recreational Fires Report a Crime Streets & Transit Expand sub pages Streets & Transit Airport Construction Projects Overweight and Over Dimension Restriction Permits Parking Pavement Management Program Report an Issue Road and Stormwater Permits Snow Removal Street and Traffic Controls Street Maintenance Transit Business & Development Expand sub pages Business & Development Advertising Opportunities Airport Available Land and Property Bids and Procurement Building and Home Improvement Business Licenses and Permits Call Before You Dig Construction Projects Downtown Moorhead Drainage Plan Review Interactive GIS Maps Liquor Server Training Planning and Zoning Rental Housing Spark Center for Entrepreneurship Start, Expand or Relocate a Business Stormwater Permits Utilities Studies and Reports Why Moorhead Government Expand sub pages Government Agendas and Minutes Awards and Recognition Bids and Procurement Boards and Commissions Budget and Finance Charter and City Code Citizens Government Academy City Administration Contact Us Elections Mayor and Council Members Job Opportunities Logo and Branding News and Notices Plans, Reports and Studies Policies Projects Public Data Request State Legislative Priorities Donate to the Community Fund How Do I... Expand Search Moorhead Municipal Pool & New Splash Pad Open Today, June 4! By City of Moorhead - June 04, 2026 General City Events City News News Releases Parks and Recreation The City of Moorhead is excited to announce that the Moorhead Municipal Pool, including a brand-new splash pad, opens for the season today, Thursday, June 4, at 12:30 pm! As part of the Reimagine Romkey improvements, visitors will enjoy new amenities throughout the pool designed to create a more welcoming, accessible, and enjoyable experience for all ages. From expanded recreation features to added comfort and convenience, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. In partnership with Essentia Health, free towels will be available for swimmers while supplies last. Our updated aquatics facility includes a lap pool with slides, a climbing wall, and a diving board, a zero-depth wading pool, a party rental room, and a new splash pad located outside the pool fence, free for public use. A few reminders for a safe and fun visit: Pool hours are 12:30 – 4:30 pm and 6:30 – 8:30 pm. We hope to see you at the pool! Moorhead City Hall403 Center AveMoorhead, MN 56561-0779 SitemapPrivacy PolicyContact UsAccessibility NewsEventsProjectsMN Statute 471.701 Salary Data This website uses cookies to enhance usability and provide you with a more personal experience. By using this website, you agree to our use of cookies as explained in our Privacy Policy.

City Council Meeting - May 11, 2026

May 4–10 and May 11–15 and Oakport May 19, the City will collect furniture, household items, and appliances from single‑family homes on your regular garbage day starting at 5 am. Your Cleanup Day is your garbage day on the week you do NOT have recycling. Visit our Clean Up Days Page to Learn More. City of Moorhead Menu Property Services Expand sub pages Property Services Animal Services Neighborhoods Building and Home Improvement Code Enforcement Floodplain Information Housing Invasive Species and Pests Lawns, Yards and Garden Maps My Property Property Valuation and Classification Report an Issue Resident Guide and Newsletters Trash and Recycling Utilities Wastewater and Stormwater Parks & Rec Expand sub pages Parks & Rec Art in Moorhead ATV Permits Register for a Program Environment and Sustainability Events Facilities and Rentals Get Involved Golf Hjemkomst Center League Schedules and Standings The Loop | Moorhead Public Library Parks and Trails Pools Recreational Programs Seniors Services Sponsorship and Advertising Opportunities Youth Scholarships Winter Activities Donate to the Community Fund Emergency Services Expand sub pages Emergency Services Emergency Alerts Fire Flood Safety Police Records Requests Recreational Fires Report a Crime Streets & Transit Expand sub pages Streets & Transit Airport Construction Projects Overweight and Over Dimension Restriction Permits Parking Pavement Management Program Report an Issue Road and Stormwater Permits Snow Removal Street and Traffic Controls Street Maintenance Transit Business & Development Expand sub pages Business & Development Advertising Opportunities Airport Available Land and Property Bids and Procurement Building and Home Improvement Business Licenses and Permits Call Before You Dig Construction Projects Downtown Moorhead Drainage Plan Review Interactive GIS Maps Liquor Server Training Planning and Zoning Rental Housing Spark Center for Entrepreneurship Start, Expand or Relocate a Business Stormwater Permits Utilities Studies and Reports Why Moorhead Government Expand sub pages Government Agendas and Minutes Awards and Recognition Bids and Procurement Boards and Commissions Budget and Finance Charter and City Code Citizens Government Academy City Administration Contact Us Elections Mayor and Council Members Job Opportunities Logo and Branding News and Notices Plans, Reports and Studies Policies Projects Public Data Request State Legislative Priorities Donate to the Community Fund How Do I... Expand Search City Council Meeting - May 11, 2026 By City of Moorhead - May 07, 2026 General City Events The agenda packet is now available. City Council meetings will be live-streamed on our Youtube channel and on Moorhead Community Access Media (MCAM).  To participate and/or make a public comment in person, you must fill out a Request to Speak form, contact the City Clerk's Office, or call 218.299.5304 no later than noon the day of the meeting.  Please contact the City of Moorhead, City Clerk’s office (218.299.5304) if auxiliary aids or services are required (ten hours’ notice is required). Please note that some participants may be joining via interactive technology. Moorhead City Hall403 Center AveMoorhead, MN 56561-0779 SitemapPrivacy PolicyContact UsAccessibility NewsEventsProjectsMN Statute 471.701 Salary Data This website uses cookies to enhance usability and provide you with a more personal experience. By using this website, you agree to our use of cookies as explained in our Privacy Policy.

Telephone Assistance Programs Available to Residents

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Moorhead Police to Participate in Drug Take Back Day

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Moorhead Police to Participate in Drug Take Back Day

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Brookdale Baptist Church Sermon: Woe to the Proud

Habakkuk 2:5-20Nimrod, Jezebel, Nebuchadnezzar, and Herod. Genghis Khan, Cleopatra, Louis XIV, and Nero. Adolf Hitler, Bernie Madoff, Harvey Weinstein, and Ghislaine Maxwell. What do all these people have in common? Some of them were government leaders while others were not, but they all exhibited a flagrant, obvious arrogance seen by how they abused and took advantage of other people for selfish reasons.While we don’t normally encounter or live directly under the power of well-known public villains like these, you’ve probably had experiences with similar people in a more personal, less public way. The school bully, abusive spouse, manipulative relative, controlling boss or supervisor, sarcastic, name-calling coworker, intimidating landlord or businessperson, unjust judge, and so on.Like Habakkuk, we easily wonder how God can permit self-centered people like this to enter our lives and prosper in the world. In Hab 1:1–2:4, we learn that God’s plan is bigger and better than we can comprehend. So, rather than try to figure out what God is doing and why he is doing it that way, we should live by faith. Since he is eternal, faithful, all-powerful, holy, and unchangeable, we should wait patiently for him, trusting completely in him from beginning to end, no matter what arrogant, ungodly people may do in our lives.But even when are trusting fulling in our faithful God, it helps to know what God thinks about arrogant people. In 2:5-20, he gives us his divine perspective on arrogant, ungodly people. He warns them of serious judgment and destruction, describing five behavioral traits and patterns of these kinds of people. Then he calls all people, whether abusers or abused, oppressors or oppressed, to turn from their idols to him in reverent worship.Knowing what God thinks about arrogant people and will do to arrogant people is helpful for us in two ways. This knowledge helps us deepen our trust in him when arrogant people are causing us difficulty and pain. But it also helps us identify any arrogance in our own hearts so we can turn from it to trust in God with greater honesty and humility.In summary, from this part of Habakkuk’s message, we see that proud people think too highly of themselves and too little of others. They reveal their arrogance by treating other people poorly in order to benefit themselves. And they do this because they do not trust in God. From this we see that arrogance grows where trust in God is missing, and it always shows in how we treat other people. Pride mistreats others because it refuses to trust God. When we stop trusting God, we start using people.God warns of judgment for arrogant people.At this point in the book, Habakkuk has asked God two questions. First, why did it seem God was overlooking the corruption and injustice of his neighbors and fellow citizens in Judah. Second, why would he use an arguably more wicked nation like Babylon to judge Judah for their sins?But now Habakkuk is done asking questions and makes a confident, dogmatic statement, instead – that God will judge every arrogant person severely. By severely, I don’t mean God will punish them in an excessively harsh, rash, and reactive way but that he will judge them in a decisive and just way that matches the severity of their sin. Pride will not go unpunished, even if it seems to roam free without consequence now today.In Hab 2:5-20, a key word appears 5 times, the word “woe.” This word appears 53 times in the OT. Seventy-seven percent (more than three quarters) of the time it means a “cry of doom” (Kenneth Barker) and announces deeply frightening, horrifying circumstances that will happen due to a person’s persistent, unrepentant sin.These painful consequences are normally announced in a graphic, intense, and public way. This is intentional to encourage stubborn, unpersuadable people to repent, letting them know in clear terms that if they refuse to repent, their only possible and certain future is death, judgment, and destruction. These “woes” do not describe a mere wish for proud people to be punished but rather a statement of certain judgment that will definitely occur.Habakkuk introduces here a series of not just one or two woes but five. And he previews what he is about to say in a brief phrase in 2:4, then a long verse in 2:5. In this preview, we see that God is calling out the sin of arrogance and pride. He describes it as a restless, greedy desire that cannot be satisfied; it abuses and exploits all kinds of people for selfish reasons. He compares the appetite of pride to death and the grave, which continues to seize more people every day yet is never filled.When pride is a dominant desire in a person’s heart, they behave like a drunken person – inconsiderate of others and overconfident in themselves. Such people are difficult and frightening people to be around today because their behavior is so harmful to others. But in the end, the very people whom they bullied will be witnesses against them at the future judgment of God. They will then be able to taunt the arrogant people who tortured them.The five woes of Habakkuk against proud people are offered this way – as mocking taunts, songs which essentially make fun of the bullies. In the traditional folk tale, The Three Little Pigs, as animated by Disney, the pigs mock the big bad wolf with a song: “Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf, the big bad wolf, the big bad wolf? Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf? Tra-la-la-la-lah-la-la-lah?” They do this as he hunts them, blows their houses down, to terrorize and eat them.Here in Habakkuk 2:5-20, God gives this kind of song with five verses. While it’s primarily directed not at the big bad wolf, but at the Babylonian kings and armies which would soon invade and terrorize Judah, it’s vague enough that it could also be sung about any arrogant people today or in history. In summary, though, Hab 2 teaches us those who trust in God will live, but those who are proud and refuse to trust in him will be destroyed.Let’s look at the five verses of this mocking song against arrogant people and see five ways a proud and arrogant heart reveals itself through a person’s behavior. From these five behaviors, we see that proud people think too highly of themselves and too little of others. They reveal their arrogance by treating other people poorly to benefit themselves. And they do this because they don’t trust in God. Arrogance grows where trust in God is missing. Pride mistreats others because it refuses to trust God.Woe to anyone who takes advantage of other people.2:6-8 says arrogance and pride often reveals itself through the kind of behavior that takes advantage of other people. We call this exploiting, extorting, manipulating, or victimizing. God mentions a specific way of doing this here that involved increasing personal resources and wealth through a practice called “taking pledges,” or as Habakkuk says, “loading up many pledges.”In the ancient world, “taking pledges” referred to seizing collateral from a person who owed a debt. In the case of the Babylonians (or any other arrogant people who take advantage of others), this often involved taking basic items which are essential to life, like clothing, food, house, or livestock. These pledges were supposed to function as temporary guarantee, not a permanent confiscation, and God’s law placed strict limits on how and when pledges could be taken.The problem in this case was that the Babylonians would use debt as a weapon. They stripped already vulnerable, weakened people of what little they had left, forcing them into ongoing debt and keeping what was necessary for daily survival and dignity as mandatory collateral. This wasn’t a neutral business practice; it was predatory exploitation designed to keep people beholden or dependent on them. It revealed an arrogant heart that treated human beings like milk cows, squeezing all the milk they could from them with no regard for their personal dignity, health, or survival or the survival of their young calves.In this verse, we see that Babylon would set off a domino train of events which would not end until they had at last been taken advantage of by others, just as they were taking advantage of other nations and people. As Paul says in Gal 6:7, “You reap what you sow.”The emphasis here on “suddenly” reflects the poetic justice in God’s justice and plans. Babylon would rise to power quickly and but they would fall from power quickly, too. Babylon was the world superpower from approx. 612 BC to 538 BC, so only abt. 75 years, or one person’s lifetime. Compared to Assyria before them (abt. 300 yrs., or 4 lifetimes) and Persia after them (abt. 200 yrs., or 2.5 lifetimes), they would be a short-lived empire. (The United States is currently at somewhere between Assyria and Persia in age, btw.)Anyway, this is what arrogant people do. They see people not as neighbors to love and serve but as assets to be used and abused. They use whatever advantage, position, or power they have to enrich themselves by draining others, showing little concern for the dignity, wellbeing, or survival of the people that they hurt.Woe to anyone who indulges himself at others’ expense.2:9-11 expands on the first verse of this taunting song by calling out how arrogant people not only take advantage of other people as a matter of business, but they do it to enrich and indulge themselves. They take the material gains they accumulate by extortion to make their own lives bigger and better than before.The phrase “covets evil gain” here is interesting. In Hebrew, it is “cuts off an evil cut.” It describes how a tailor may cut some fabric for a customer but cuts it shorter than requested while charging a higher price so he could cheat the customer and end up with more money and more fabric for himself.This phrase is used broadly to describe raising your profit margin and inventory by cheating and swindling people. Here it refers to how Babylon – esp. it’s rulers and leaders – would embellish and enlarge not only their empire and kingdom but also their individual, private houses and dwellings to be more impressive and safe for themselves.They would be like a bald eagle building its nest far above other birds by stealing twigs and sticks from the nests of those birds less powerful than themselves. This taunt speaks of giving “shameful counsel to their house,” “cutting off many peoples,” and “sinning against your own soul.” While the Babylonians (or arrogant people) thought they were building strong, fortified houses and buildings by cutting up lumber and stones they had claimed from the people they conquered and their tortured labors, it was actually their own homes and families’ futures which were being cut off.The taunt claims that even the stone and wood they used to build their houses would cry out as witnesses against them. In other words, even if they destroyed every single enemy, their own grand houses and buildings would be permanent witnesses and reminders of the people they abused and took advantage of to build them.So, arrogant people take advantage of other people and indulge themselves at others’ expense. They also …Woe to anyone who advances himself through violence and crime.2:12-14 speaks of building towns and cities through violence (“bloodshed”) and crime (“iniquity”). “Through violence” refers to cities built through the efforts and labors of people who are poorly treated and die to achieve the goal. The word “iniquity” (“crime”) refers to social, property, and commercial sins – seizing private property, shaming people unjustly, using underhanded business policies and financial practices to get what they want, even threatening people through mafia-style tactics. They built their towns and cities on the blood, sweat, and tears of bullied and enslaved people.Those who build houses and projects on the backs of bloodshed and through crime and violence only labor in the end, only do so as an elaborate preparation for the massive bonfire of God’s judgment. What seems to be an impressive building project and scheme is nothing more, in God’s eternal sight, as a simply gathering kindling wood for the fires of divine destruction. All the grandiose building projects of the world which occur through unjust, violent, and corrupt means – whether large-scale government building projects or else the building projects of wealthy and corrupt financiers – are ultimately “in vain” (or useless and wasted).“The Lord of Hosts” emphasizes God as the supreme commander of all forces in existence, seen and unseen. “Hosts” refers not only to earthly armies but to the vast angelic forces and even the stars themselves, all of which serve at God’s command.A clear and dramatic illustration of this appears in 2 Kings 6, when Elisha’s servant feared the large enemy army surrounding them, and God opened his eyes to see the hills filled with horses and chariots of fire, with the countless unseen angelic armies of the Lord standing ready to act on behalf of his people.Throughout the OT, this title reminds God’s people that no empire, nation, or ruler acts outside of God’s authority. When Habakkuk speaks of the Lord of Hosts, he is declaring that the God who sees arrogant oppression also commands unlimited power to judge it decisively. The bullies, enemies, and oppressive people which seem overwhelming to us are surrounded by forces far greater than any human power on our behalf.Here, Habakkuk points out that the purpose of God’s judgment and punishment would be not only to punish arrogant people but to ensure that the whole world would know the Lord in a real, personal, unmistakable way, either as Savior or Judge.The entire story of the Exodus, for instance, centered on the fact that Pharaoh did not know God (Exod 5:2), but God wanted to introduce himself to Israel (Exod 6:6) and to Pharaoh and the Egyptians (Exod 7:5) (Kenneth Barker).A clear knowledge of the greatness and justice of God will be so universal it will be as common and obvious as the lakes, rivers, seas, and oceans that cover the world. The arrogance of corrupt and unjust people, along with all their grand but unjust accomplishments and projects, will be burned and washed away and will be nothing more than a means for all people to be introduced to the power and judgment of God.Proud people take advantage of other people, they do so to indulge themselves, and they do so through violence and crime. But there is a fourth way that arrogance reveals itself.Woe to anyone who abuses and shames other people for pleasure.The fourth verse of this taunt song, 2:15-17, emphasizes drunkenness and abuse as behaviors of arrogant people. This is especially appropriate because the OT shows that Babylon was a nation known for its wild drinking parties (Dan 5). Somehow or another, they also forced the people they conquered to join them in drunkenness. When they were drunk, they mocked and abused them in shameful ways as they did the sort of things that drunk people do (see v. 15).Ironically, God announced that they would have the same thing happen to them in the end. Since they had intoxicated others and shamed them, then would be intoxicated and shamed themselves in the end.In Scripture, a cup of wine, held out and poured out by a king, represented judgment, and the right hand represented power. 2:16 says this would happen to Babylon and arrogant people like them.Babylon had destroyed the forests of Lebanon and deprived animals in those dense, lush woodlands of their natural habitat. What had once been a lush forest of majestic cedars and thriving wildlife had been exploited and mismanaged to build corrupt opulent building projects. Worse yet, they had done the same thing to the cities and people in them, too – not just the forests and the animals. So, here we see that arrogant people not only abuse other people, but they abuse and mismanage God’s creation – both plant and animal life – for their own selfish purposes, too. God judges this behavior, too.For this reason, God said they would be drunk and exposed to the world. And this is exactly what happened. At the end of their brief, 75-year existence as an empire, the Syria army sprung a surprise attack on their capital city. Ironically, they attacked and overthrew the city while King Belshazzar and all his government officials were participating in a drunken party. That night, the Syrian empire killed him and brought the Babylonian empire to a sudden end.So, proud people take advantage of other people, they do so to indulge themselves, they abuse and shame other people for their pleasure, and they do so through violence and crime. But there is a fifth and final way that arrogance reveals itself – they trust in idols.Woe to anyone who trusts in idols.In this fifth and final woe, God places the ‘woe’ in the middle of the taunt rather than the beginning. Doing this “jumps right into” the topic and shows a special sense of urgency and seriousness about this particular sin. He has already introduced this problem earlier, too, in Hab 1:11, when God pointed out how the Babylonians would worship their nets for the fish that they caught and the people they conquered.But here, God points out the emptiness, futility, and uselessness of trusting in idols – or manmade things. If a human being makes something, they are automatically superior to that thing, whether an idol or anything else (like a fishing net, etc.). So, to worship an idol or manmade thing is ridiculous. It is no more than a block of wood overlayed with a mineral like gold or silver. It cannot talk, it cannot breath – it has no life or existence at all. So, the woe here – the doom and destruction to speak of – is in the idol itself. It is nothing, does nothing, and will be good for nothing in the end when God’s judgment comes.As human beings, we are trusting beings. We are created by God to trust in him. But we choose, for sinful reasons, to trust in all sorts of other wrong things. We trust in riches (Job 31:24; Prov 11:28), important people (Ps 146:3; cf. Jer 17:5-8), military fortifications (Dt 28:52; Jer 5:17), beauty (Ezk 16:15), and personal abilities (Prov 3:5; 28:26). We even trust in evil (Isa 30:12).But as Paul says in Rom 1:25, when we trust in created things rather than the God who created everything, we trade the truth for a lie.Who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever.And it is for this reason, that arrogant people who refuse to turn to and trust in God must resort to all the abusive, dishonest, and even violent means God mentions here in Hab 2:5-20, because people who trust in idols get no help, from the idols or from God.So, we see that proud people think too highly of themselves and too little of others. They reveal their arrogance by treating other people poorly in order to benefit themselves. And they do this because they do not trust in God. From this we see that arrogance grows where trust in God is missing, and it always shows in how we treat other people. Pride mistreats others because it refuses to trust God. When we stop trusting God, we start using people.God calls for reverent worship from all people.Habakkuk closes this five-part series of warnings of coming doom and destruction on arrogant people with a surprising shift in tone and focus. After exposing the arrogance, cruelty, and idolatry of proud people, God gives a universal command not only to Babylon, but also to Judah and to all people everywhere to respond to God with reverent worship.When he says, “keep silence,” he is calling not only for verbal quietness but for an inner heart attitude of humble submission before God. After all the loud and grandiose activity and bluster of arrogant people, God now calls every voice to fall silent in his presence.The Hebrew word hasah translated “be silent,” literally means to “hush.” It is the same word used in other serious calls to show reverent respect before God (Zeph 1:7; Zech 2:13). It describes proper response of finite, sinful beings like us before the infinite, holy creator God. It should be an awe-filled stillness.Ironically, in the previous verses, idols themselves are silent, not because of reverence, but because they are lifeless. They cannot speak, act, rescue, or save. In Hab 2:19, idol worshippers cry out to blocks of wood and stone, commanding them to wake up and do things, but nothing happens.Here in v.20, the contrast is obvious. God calls arrogant, proud people to be silent, not because he is powerless, but because he is fully alive and reigning. We are to become silent like idols, not because God is mute, but because we no longer need to speak, shout, scheme, or manipulate when we have God. We can quietly trust him instead of engage in clamorous, loud, raucous chanting, yelling, and so on as when worshiping idols.The reason all the earth must fall silent is that “the LORD is in his holy temple.” This does not only refer to the Temple building in Jerusalem, but to God’s heavenly throne room, of which the earthly temple was only a small copy. As Psa 11:4 declares, “The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD’s throne is in heaven.”Habakkuk draws our attention away from dumb, man-made idols to the self-existent, eternal, holy, sovereign God who rules the universe. This God was eternal before creation (1:12), remains unchanging through history (3:6), and is altogether holy in his character and actions (1:12; 3:3). From this heavenly temple, he reigns over every nation, empire, and person.Because the Lord alone is living, eternal, and sovereign, the appropriate response is universal and unavoidable: “let all the earth keep silence before him.”No nation is exempt. No person can tell him what to do or manipulate him. He is sovereign over all things, and no idol can rival him. God will be exalted among the nations and in all the earth—just as Psalm 46:10 proclaims:Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!So, we see that proud people think too highly of themselves and too little of others. They reveal their arrogance by treating other people poorly in order to benefit themselves. And they do this because they do not trust in God. From this we see that arrogance grows where trust in God is missing, and it always shows in how we treat other people. Pride mistreats others because it refuses to trust God. When we stop trusting God, we start using people.As we close, this passage can turn the spotlight onto our own hearts. The five woes are not just a description of “other people out there.” They are a mirror that can reveal subtle (or not so subtle) forms of arrogance that can creep into our own behavior each day.When someone engages in pornography, they are participating in the abuse of people made in God’s image. When we make cutting, sarcastic remarks, especially under the guise of humor, we publicly shame others to feel superior. When we exaggerate numbers, hide mistakes, or cut corners at work, we cheat people for personal gain. When we mistreat employees, customers, classmates, or family members, we are exploiting people rather than loving them.Arrogance and pride doesn’t only reveal itself in the lives of the famous, powerful, and rich. It often appears in our own personal lives. Habakkuk calls us to ask hard questions: Where am I using people instead of trusting God? Where am I protecting myself, advancing myself, or indulging myself at someone else’s expense?At the same time, this message comforts those who are suffering under people who live this way. Some of us are affected daily by manipulative coworkers, domineering supervisors, abusive spouses, dishonest business partners, or cruel family members.Habakkuk reminds us that God sees every act of exploitation and abuse, every shaming word, every ounce of violence and injustice, and none of it escapes his judgment. He says “woe” to these people in no uncertain terms. He is not like a useless idol which is no help at all. He is the creator God who will act with the full powers of his divine nature.The proud may flourish for a time, but they do not escape accountability. God’s justice is not rushed, but it is sure. That frees us from the exhausting and destructive burden of revenge, fear, or despair. We can remain silent, not because injustice doesn’t matter, but because God reigns. We can entrust our pain, our defense, and our future to him, confident that the Judge of all the earth will do right (Gen 18:25). Woe to the proud but comfort and salvation to his people who trust in him.Today, we began by naming some notorious figures in history who are known for their arrogance and pride. But Habakkuk has shown us that the danger of pride is not only out there in world governments or public villains, but in any heart that trusts in idols, refuses to trust in God, and who then abuses and uses people for selfish advantage and gain.The same pride that fueled Jezebel or Babylon, Cleopatra or Bernie Madoff can appear in our own lives, workplaces, homes, and churches whenever we exalt ourselves at the expense of others. When we do this, we reveal that we are worshiping idols of our own making rather than God.That’s why God’s final word to Habakkuk is not merely “woe” but an invitation to repent and to worship: “The LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him” (Hab 2:20). The answer to pride is not louder arguments, tighter control, or greater self‑justification, but humble, quiet, obedient, and reverent trust in the living God. When we acknowledge his sovereignty, rest in his justice, and trust in his grace, we are freed from arrogance and fear. Woe to the proud, but comfort, safety, and hope to all who bow in humble worship before the Lord.Discussion QuestionsIn Habakkuk 2:5-20, the word “woe” appears five times. What does "woe" mean. What tone or effect does this create in the passage, and how does the sermon explain the meaning and purpose of these “woes”?The sermon identifies five patterns of behavior that reveal pride. As you read Habakkuk 2:6-20, what similarities or progression do you notice among these five warnings?According to both the passage and the sermon, why does God consistently connect pride with the mistreatment of other people rather than treating pride as a private, internal sin?Habakkuk contrasts proud people with those who “live by faith” (Hab 2:4). How does the sermon explain the relationship between trusting God and how a person treats others?The sermon says the five woes are meant to function like a mirror, not just a description of “public villains.” Which of the five warnings seems most subtle or easiest to overlook in everyday life? Why?The sermon summarizes pride this way: “When we stop trusting God, we start using people.” Where are you most tempted to protect, advance, or indulge yourself at someone else’s expense? What might trusting God look like in that situation?For those who are living under arrogant, manipulative, or abusive people, how does Habakkuk 2:5-20, especially God’s promise of judgment, provide comfort and hope rather than fear or despair?Habakkuk ends with a call for all the earth to be silent before the Lord (2:20). What does reverent silence and humble trust look like in practical terms for your life, and how can our group or our church cultivate this together?

Brookdale Baptist Church Sermon: Disloyalty in Marriage

Malachi 2:10-16In the 50s and 60s, my father bought packs of baseball cards at the general store. In those days, they came with a stick of gum inside. He would chew the gum, then put the baseball cards on his bicycle spokes to make his bike sound like it had a motor. Today, those baseball cards would be worth thousands, hundreds of thousands, even millions of dollars if he had taken good care of them, but because he used them on his bicycle wheels instead, he “devalued” them. That’s what we are doing with marriage in America today.In the 1950s, 20-22 was the median age for getting married. In 2025, the median age has risen by 10 years to 30-32. What’s more, statistics show that there are fewer marriages in the U.S. on a per-person average than at any previous point. Why might this be the case? While a variety of answers may be given as contributing causes, one answer must certainly be made clear: we disparage marriage. We treat it like something with low value.According to a website called “WhattoGetMy.com,” there are five good reasons to marry:For relational reasons – to provide love that helps each other survive a difficult world.For financial reasons – to save money, especially by reducing taxes.For psychological reasons – to gain a sense of acceptance and confidence.For legal reasons – to provide better protection of property in case of a divorce.For professional reasons – married men earn more than single men.The article goes on to point out that married people tend to experience better health, too.But if these are the main reasons to marry, then marriage is no more important than going to Disneyland, taking on a hobby, investing in the stock market, or going on a diet. It’s good to do because it’s fun, beneficial, and improves your quality of life.But marriage is far more important and valuable than this. It is a sacred, serious, special covenant before God. It is so special that more often than not you should want to do it, and it is so serious that you should do whatever you can to maintain that covenant for life, even at great personal cost.In Malachi 2:10-16, God confronts and corrects a wrong view of marriage by his own people. He reminds them of two primary purposes for marriage, and between these two purposes he points out two ways they were violating these purposes. Let’s take a look.For God’s people, marriage pictures God’s covenant with his people. (v. 10)In 2:10, God asks three questions of his people. The first two questions reminded them about some important, obvious facts. The third question, then, draws attention to some wrong behavior which contradicted these facts. In other words, the first two questions point out what the people claimed to believe and know about God, then the third points out how their behavior contradicted the beliefs they claimed to hold.This sequence is based on the premise that what you say you believe may not be what you actually believe. What you actually believe is revealed not by verbal statements but by the way you choose to live.My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. (1 Jn 3:18)Frank Harrison, the CEO of Coca-Cola seemed to understand this when he said, “The only words that matter are the ones backed by action.”People contradict their stated beliefs with their actual behavior in all sorts of ways.We talk about good health but drink soda and eat junk food frequently.We say sleep matters but watch television shows late into the night.We claim to value friendship but do very little to make new friends.We tell others to save but don’t cut costs, track spending, or save money ourselves.According to what God said through Malachi, a major way people contradict their stated beliefs by their actions is in marriage. They claim to believe in God but then contradict that belief by how they behave towards marriage. In fact, our behavior towards marriage should be motivated more than anything else by theology, our belief about God.For instance, the people of Israel claimed to believe two things about God: that he was their divine, supernatural Father and that he had created them as a special nation (2:10).On your first reading of this verse, you might think Malachi is referring to God as the Father and Creator of all people, which he is. But that universal truth is not what Malachi has in view. He is referring to God’s special relationship with the people whom he had entered a covenant thousands of years before. He became their Father when he made a promise to form a special nation from Abraham’s descendants, then rescued them from Egypt and created them into a special nation of his own at Mount Sinai through Moses.The prophet Isaiah speaks about Israel as the special people of God in the same way:Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him. (Isa 43:7)And it was because of this special relationship they had with God as their Father and Creator as a people that they were called to behave towards marriage in a serious way.Today, we who follow Christ by faith are not the nation of Israel, we are also a special people created by God through faith in Christ. The NT makes this very clear.If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Cor 5:17)We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Eph. 2:10)Since we are also a created by God to be his special people through Christ, we have clear expectations from him for our behavior towards marriage. Our behavior towards marriage is God’s special way of revealing his faithfulness and the truth of the gospel.“Just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her.” (Eph 5:24-25)More than anything else, a Christian marriage is supposed to be a living illustration of the gospel, a visible picture of God’s relationship with his people today. And we should prepare for marriage, pursue marriage, enter marriage, and persevere in marriage with this primary motivation and purpose guiding our hearts.In Malachi’s day, the problem was that God’s people were not treating marriage as a theological choice or as a covenant that revealed important things about their God. And though any marriage breakdowns are a sad situation for sure, breakdowns in the marriage of a person who claims to follow Christ is doubly heartbreaking because it expresses wrong messages about God and the gospel.In 2:10-16, God uses some strong and tragic language to describe certain kinds of breakdowns in the marriages of his people. He says that we degrade, desecrate, and devalue (“profane”) the experience of marriage. He also describes these failures not as accidents or mistakes but to betrayal and treason (“treachery”). He uses “treachery” five times in seven verses and “profane” twice, which shows how strongly he feels about this.To “profane” is to treat something valuable like trash, as when my father used valuable baseball cards as flaps on his bicycle wheels. Other examples of treating something in a profane way would be using an antique heirloom dining table as a workbench, wearing a suit or expensive dress on a camping trip, or hosting a paintball battle inside your house.“Treason” (or “treachery”) is an even more tragic word. According to LegalClarity.com:Treason is one of the most serious crimes under U.S. law, carrying severe legal consequences. Defined in 18 U.S.C. 2381, it applies to acts that betray the United States, such as waging war against the country or aiding its enemies.When we fail to treat marriage with the devotion, honor, and respect that God asks of his special, created people, we don’t just “make a mistake” or “mess up” a little, we help the enemy spread a wrong view about God and we betray one another, too.God also uses the language “committing an abomination” (v. 11) to describe certain failures in marriage. An “abomination” is a detestable, repulsive thing, which is heartbreaking not only because it is wrong but because marriage, of all things, is something God values in a special way. It is “the Lord’s holy thing which he loves” (2:11).So, how did God’s people, Israel, devalue marriage? Malachi points out two ways.We violate this picture if we knowingly marry an unbelieving spouse. (vv. 11-12)Mal 2:11 says God’s people ruined God’s purpose for marriage by marrying people who worshipped other gods. He goes on to clarify that he is speaking of people who do this knowingly (“being awake and aware,” v. 12). This excludes people who marry someone who seems to follow Christ only to reveal sometime after marriage that they do not.The problem here is not that the people of Israel were marrying people from other ethnic backgrounds and cultures. God is not opposed to such marriages. In fact, numerous such marriages occurred in Scripture with God’s blessing. The problem here is not differences of background or culture but differences of faith.God describes how such people, after they married unbelieving spouses, would continue to go through the motions of worshiping God, coming to the Temple to offer prayers and sacrifices, acting as if everything were okay. “They bring an offering to the Lord of hosts” (v. 12) and they “cover the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping and crying” (v. 13).Since God had created them to be a special people who belonged to him and would reflect and reveal his goodness and nature to the world for their salvation and God’s glory, then they were only to marry people who shared their faith in God. (Notice that parents do have a degree of responsibility in who they will accept or allow their child to marry.)“You shall not give your daughter to their son, nor take their daughter for your son. For they will turn your sons away from following Me, to serve other gods; so the anger of the Lord will be aroused against you and destroy you suddenly.” (Dt 7:3-4)To marry a spouse who worshiped another god is, in God’s view, an act of treason – like partnering with the enemy of God. It turns people, including the spouse, away from God not towards him, which is the very opposite effect of what marriage is intended to do.But God’s people were not only marrying people who did not believe in God, they were divorcing their spouses to do so.We violate this picture if we abandon our spouse for selfish reasons. (vv. 13-15)God brings attention to a second way his people violated the purpose of marriage. Not only were they marrying spouses who worshipped other gods, but some were divorcing their wives to marry unbelieving ones. Some, for instance, had married while young and captives in Persia. Now that they returned to Jerusalem, they met other women they liked better, so they divorced their former wives to marry unbelieving ones they liked more.Here it is important to clarify something. Notice how I said, “if we abandon our spouse for selfish reasons.” I did not simply say, “if we divorce our spouse.” To be sure, every divorce is heartbreaking. Just ask anyone who has been wrongfully divorced or who has been abandoned, abused, or been the victim of adultery and filed for a divorce as a result. There is nothing easy about it. But not all divorces are equal. Some divorce is allowed by God, though heartbreaking for sure, as the offended party will always agree, while other divorces are forbidden by God. It is these second kinds of divorces – not all divorce – that God is confronting here in Malachi 2:10-16.In God’s covenant with Israel, he gave an allowance for divorce (Dt 24:1). This provision permitted divorce for things ranging from immorality to serious nondisclosures. Such disclosures could include finding out after marriage that your spouse worshiped another god. Even the NT teaching of Christ and the apostle Paul permitted divorce for egregious violations of the marriage covenant. Such egregious violations include abandonment, abuse, and adultery (though even then, divorce should not be a hasty or quick option, and forgiveness and restoration should always be an option).The problem here in Mal 2:15-16, though, is not that divorce had occurred but why occurred. People, esp. men, were divorcing their spouses for invalid, selfish reasons. This would be like our “no fault” divorces today in which we simply declare “incompatibility” and walk away.Now, here’s where I need you to put on your “thinking caps.” Mal 2:16 is notably difficult to translate. Many translations translate it to say that “God hates divorce” (Mal 2:16). But there is another very possible way to translate this verse, one that connects the “he” back to the men who were divorcing their wives (2:15).This translation would read something like this: “For the Lord God of Israel says that he [the treacherous husband] hates, divorces, then covers his garment with violence” (2:16).If this is correct, then this statement explains what Mal 2:15 means to “deal treacherously” with your wife. It means to “hate, scorn, or decrease in status” your spouse in your mind and heart. If you let attitudes, feelings, and thoughts like this linger unresolved, then you will become more susceptible to actually acting on those thoughts and feelings and divorcing your spouse outright – not because he/she violated your marriage covenant in an egregious way but because you developed a bad attitude towards them and stopped cherishing and valuing them as you covenanted to do at your wedding.So, God gives the following warning: “Therefore, take heed to your spirit” (2:16). This warning sounds strikingly similar to the same warning Peter gave to Christian husbands:“Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them.” (Col 3:19)So, God is speaking here about selfish, sinful divorce, the kind that abandons your spouse for reasons of a personal and selfish nature. He is calling his people who marry to keep a devoted, loving attitude towards your spouse through all the challenges that come your way in all stages of married life.If you think long enough, you can find all sorts of ways to qualify your spouse’s blind spots, flaws, and sins abuse and neglect. If you think hard enough, you can permit small offenses to grow into egregious offenses in your mind, especially if they happen repeatedly over time. Shallow, selfish reasons for divorce are many today:Loss of romantic excitement: “I’m not in love anymore.”BoredomIncompatibility: as a catch-all for ordinary differences and challengesDisappointment and unrealistic expectationsBitterness and resentmentFinancial frustration or difficultiesMidlife crisisConflict avoidance: choosing to escape over the hard work of relationshipFamily or social pressure: letting outside opinions govern marriage commitmentCareer or lifestyle priorities: viewing your spouse as an obstacle to personal plansThen along comes another more attractive person or the possibility of independence, so you rationalize your bitterness and dissatisfaction and label it in a way that justifies a divorce, in your mind, and you find people – even people who call themselves marriage professionals, spiritual leaders, or friends – to affirm your desires. This is the sort of divorce that God calls an abomination, profane, and treason.When God’s people abandon their marriages for reasons like this, they bring into question whether they believe in God at all. Because genuine faith in God understands that God is lovingly devoted to our salvation and should view marriage as a primary means of reflecting that belief in a real-life way. If you believe that God is committed to you in faithful covenant love, then why would you violate that picture by treating your marriage in a cheap and treasonous way and damage this picture of the gospel?A key point I need to point out here is that Mal 2:12-13 ties back to the previous section (Mal 1:6–2:9). That section emphasizes the problem of God’s priests, the spiritual leaders of God’s people, accepting and affirming disobedient and hypocritical worship. In these verses, God repeats some of the same language to indicate that a key part of the problem here is not only that God’s people were marrying unbelieving spouses and divorcing their spouses to do so, but they were being accepted and affirmed by the priests in doing so.I point this out to say that today, pastors must take this warning to heart and every follower of Christ in the church must expect them to do so. It is not a pastor’s obligation to accept and affirm, or to perform the wedding of a church member of their child simply because they claim to love their fiancé. As much as a pastor may want to be nice and supportive, hoping for the best, it is a pastoral duty to teach God’s people to choose spouses well.A Christian pastor (Doug Wilson) offers this clear, simple biblical advice for who to marry:a ChristianDo not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? (2 Cor 6:14)To this I would add one that is biblically, properly baptized (Mt 28:19). If a person has not obeyed Christ by declaring their faith openly through baptism, then what guarantee do you have of their covenant faithfulness not only to you but to Christ if they have not followed his first command?a Christian who would not be disobeying God by marrying youWhoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery. (Lk 16:18)In other words, a person who is not entering into marriage with you while leaving a past history of unresolved sinful choices towards others.a Christian of sterling characterCharm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised. (Prov 31:30)a Christian whose personality gels well with yoursCan two walk together, unless they are agreed? (Amos 3:3)a Christian whom you find romantically attractive (Prov 5:19)As a loving deer and a graceful doe, let her breasts satisfy you at all times; and always be enraptured with her love.If we would follow this basic advice in choosing a spouse, we would do well. Unfortunately, many professing believers let circumstances and feelings guide their choice of a spouse rather than being led by clear, biblical wisdom. So, as a pastor, I urge those who are unmarried today to only covenant in marriage with such a person.Finally, we must look at one more primary purpose and reason for marriage. Not only does the marriage of a believer reflect God’s covenant with his people, but …God’s people must build loyal marriages to produce godly children. (v.15-16)Did He not make them one, having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth. (Mal 2:15)Here God gives a second primary reason for marriage, and this should be a primary reason for why any follower of Christ should prepare for marriage, pursue marriage, enter marriage, and persevere in marriage – to produce godly offspring.Commentators Richard Taylor and Ray Clendenen make an insightful observation:"Too often do contemporary married couples think of children as an option; they regard their own personal happiness or fulfillment as the primary goal in marriage. This was never to be the case according to the biblical revelation. The first divine command given to the first human couple was to “be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it” (Gen 1:28)."This is why followers of Christ must marry followers of Christ – so that they can give birth to more people who they can teach and train to follow Christ. And it is why married believers must be faithful to their spouse – so that their children can see a close-up, living picture of how God is faithful to his people.This past week, my wife and I and our three oldest children were watching an episode of a BBC police mystery series set in Great Britain post-WWII. Though it was a fascinating episode in other respects, it featured a clear and obvious message distinct to that episode. That message was this – that it was old-fashioned and wrong for people to expect women to marry, give birth, and raise children. While this is a nice thing to do for those who want to, it should not be expected as the norm.But here’s the problem – the Bible, from beginning to end – does expect this to be the norm. The Bible expects men and women to work together to produce and raise children who will follow God by faith. From Moses in Genesis 1 (“be fruitful and multiply”) to Paul in Titus 2:4, which says:[Older women should] admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. (Tit 2:4-5)… Scripture is very clear. Though women can certainly work hard and earn an income, this should never be done at the expense of their primary duty, which is caring for the home and caring for the children born into her family.Let’s make an honest observation here. Today, it’s difficult for believers to accept this instruction wholeheartedly without feeling a little bit embarrassed or culturally out-of-touch. But that’s even more reason to be discerning when choosing your spouse. If it’s hard to find a Christian spouse who believes this way, it will be even more difficult to expect an unbelieving spouse to think this way because the spirit of our age outside of Christ represents the total opposite of this perspective.And in connection with this, how can you expect to raise not only children but godly children if you marry a spouse who is not serious about obeying Christ’s commands? If you are serious about having and raising godly children, why would you consider marrying anyone who is not serious about that very same thing and showing it by taking Christ’s commands seriously for themselves already, before marriage?Now, before we close, we need to make one more observation, or rather application. What about those of us who aren’t yet married, or those who are married but can’t give birth to children for various reasons ordained by God, or those who have a limited number of children, or those who can no longer have children and are well past those years? Perhaps there are other exceptions, too. If we say that a primary reason for marriage is producing godly children, then doesn’t that exclude everyone else who can’t have children? To this I will offer the following outstanding observation, also from Taylor and Clendenen:" Although couples can no longer be assured of bearing children (as the theme of barrenness in Genesis makes clear), they are still to “seek” them [children] and can reproduce themselves in other ways if necessary, through adoption and/or spiritual discipleship." (Taylor and Clendenen)If you marry or are married and are able to have children, you should definitely do you part to give God that opportunity to produce children according to his ordinary, God-designed ways. But if in doing this, you find that you are unable to have children, while you can continue to pray for and pursue this, you should prayerfully explore other ways which are also ordained by God. Adoption is one such avenue and discipleship is another. In fact, discipleship is a way of multiplying godly offspring for Christ that should always be a priority for any believer, married or unmarried.But those who are married are specially equipped to disciple other people to follow Christ. If you are not raising children and you are also not involved with discipling other people to follow Christ, then you are likely falling short of God’s intended purpose in marriage. Consider the shining example of the married couple, Aquila and Priscilla, for instance.[Apollos] began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. (Acts 18:26)Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia to Christ. (Rom 16:3-5)Here was a married couple who have no children named in Scripture yet devoted themselves to discipling other people to follow Christ. It is for this reason that you should prepare for marriage, pursue marriage, enter marriage, and persevere in marriage – that you would be able to produce a godly offspring, whether through childbearing, adoption, or discipleship. And discipleship is for everyone, especially those who are married.As we close, I want to acknowledge that people hearing a message like this come  from varied backgrounds. Some of you may look back on choices you have made about marriage with deep regret. You may see clearly now that you sinned, that you were sinned against, or that your story includes choices you cannot undo. But hear this clearly: there is grace for you in Christ today. There is forgiveness for every sin at the cross.If you believe on Christ, you belong to Christ, and you do not have to live imprisoned by shame or defined forever by your worst decisions. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn 1:9). So come honestly to him, confess your failure, receive his mercy, and walk forward in the cleansing and restoring grace that only Christ can give. Whatever your marriage situation is today, there is grace for you to put to practice God’s purposes for marriage – which are picturing his covenant with his people and producing godly children.Today, we are reminded by Malachi 2 that marriage is not a cheap, shallow experience merely for personal enjoyment but a sacred covenant most of all meant to display God’s faithful love and to help produce godly offspring. For that reason, we must not profane marriage by treating it lightly, and we must not deal treacherously with one another through unfaithfulness, selfishness, or disobedience to God’s design for marriage.Whether you are preparing for marriage, seeking marriage, entering into marriage, or persevering in marriage, the call is the same: take heed to your spirit, honor God’s covenant purposes for marriage, and let your life say what your lips profess, that the Lord is faithful, holy, and worthy of wholehearted obedience. You reveal your actual beliefs about God by how you behave towards marriage.

Brookdale Baptist Church Sermon: The Goodness of Marriage

IntroductionWhy get married?The United States has a marriage crisis. I think most of us have a sense that something is wrong when it comes to marriage. Let alone the record high divorce rates, people are not getting married.This crisis of marriage is one of the most telling symptoms of our societal problems, and it causes a crisis of family.1949: Highest marriage rate at 78.8%2022: Lowest marriage rate at 46.8%And on top of that people are taking longer and longer to get married: In 2024, the average age for a first marriage was 30.2 years for men and 28.6 for women. The youngest median ages of marriage were in 1956, when it was 22.5 for men and 20.1 for women.Why this sharp decline? Don’t we have the most progressive view of marriage we’ve ever had as culture? Don’t we have the most freedom to marry whoever we want? I believe the reason we despise marriage is because we do not understand its goodness. God is the one who gave us marriage, and so his teachings about it are what defines it.For the past 75 years, we have witnessed the emptiness of a perspective that can only explain marriage from nature. If our society is made up of matter and social constructs, then this is what we get. However, we know that marriage is good, not because it’s conducive to human evolution, but because God says it is. So, we must recognize that God deserves our attention because:God blesses man through marriage.I have good news for every man in here: Based on what we understand of human genetics, Adam as the first man and our first ancestor, was the ideal human being physically. He had the most pure genes (not talking about Levi’s) of any man ever. And even Adam spent some time with unwanted singleness.Seriously though, God wants to teach us about marriage by showing us Adam’s life before marriage. He says that it is was not good. Good is one of those words that has a really broad range of meanings. When God says that it is not "good," he is talking about good in the same sense as when we say, "It is good to see you." This is right. This what we need. This is beneficial to us.The reason it is important we understand how and why marriage is good is because understanding this helps us understand its purpose.How was marriage better for Adam? Was it because it made him happy? Was it because it made him complete? Was it because he became emotionally or sexually fulfilled? If you had to answer why it wasn’t good for Adam to be alone, what would you say? Here is the Bible's answer in context: I will make him a helper fit for him.He needs someone that helps him. Not to be the best version of himself. Not to fulfill his dreams or accomplish everything he wants to. To do what God told him to do. To bring God’s order to the whole world by tending the garden and filling the earth with their descendants.So what would make your marriage, hypothetical or not, a good marriage? If it helps you to be the person God has created and saved you to be and to do the things he has created and saved you to do. This is what we mean when we say, marriage is a blessing. It is good to help us be who God made us to be and to do what God made us to do. Because marriage is a blessing, we should act accordingly:Anyone who desires the blessing of marriage should pursue it.Now, notice that this point could apply to anyone who wants this kind of marriage that God has given us regardless of whether they are married right now or not.To my friends who are married and love their spouses, but do not have a happy marriage in the way they want right now: Because Jesus died on the cross and rose again, even though you may not deserve it, God can help you have a good marriage. One that brings glory to him in personal christlikness, serving God together, and a godly marital relationship.To my single friends who may want to be married: God has given us longings for marital intimacy. These are good things. For right now, God has given you a special burden. Do not give up. Thrive in the place in which God has placed you. Don’t waste singleness. When we understand why and how marriage is good, there is no shame in desiring a good marriage.I want to present two points of application from this conclusion we have made. First, to married people:Husbands are to be the head of their home. Men are to lead the household but their leadership is to be one of responsibility. They are also commanded to love their wives and be understanding toward them.Wives are to submit to their husbands and love their families by taking a special nurturing role in the home.These kinds of biblical principles are not popular, but that’s not because they’re weird. If the Bible is true, feminism and passive husbands are weird. Disordered and dysfunctional homes are weird. These things are true, good, and beautiful because God made marriage and he made the world.Romans 12:1–2 tells us: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."A blessed marriage is not (normally) a white-knuckled, grit your teeth and bare it, kind of enterprise. God gave us deep longings for marriage so that when those desires are fulfilled according to his design, it is all the sweeter.Now to my friends who are single but want to be married. We live in such a strange and anxious time. I think, in part, we are anxious about marriage because we make too much and too little of it at the same time:Too much because we make it ultimate, rather than God being ultimate.Too little because we make it about us, and therefore, small in scale, purpose, and significance.But, friends, if getting married is not just a matter of getting what we want, but of fulfilling God’s design and callings, then marriage is worth pursuing. Prioritize biblical signs of Christian maturity:Look for someone who is committed to their church and in ministry.Men, find someone who can help with the callings God has given you.Ladies, look for a man who is intentionally pursuing godly endeavors which you could support.Find someone you enjoy being with and are attracted to, but work through expectations corrupted by the world.To conclude, I want to look at one more passage to understand the nature of marriage: Ephesians 5:31–32 says, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.”Marriage becomes glorious as we follow God’s Pattern.The goodness of marriage, as we follow God’s design, points us to the goodness of the union of Christ and the church. Your marriage can be glorious because the husband can be the loving, sacrificial head of the wife like Jesus is for the church. Marriage is not just an earthly, human relationship.Today is Mother’s Day. Why are homes so dysfunctional? Why are divorce rates through the roof? Why does it seem as though our society is so chaotic? Because people do not understand the goodness of marriage only makes sense as a good gift from a good God.ConclusionLoren Krytzer was a former carpenter and struggling amputee. When his grandmother passed, his siblings took most of her possessions but they left behind an old Navajo blanket. One day, Loren saw that a Navajo blanket was sold for $500k on an auction while watching TV. He wondered if he could get some money for his.After being turned down by multiple dealers, he talked to an auction appraiser who told him he would get $200k. As word spread, the starting price at auction was $150k. It was topped by a $500k bid, then $1 million, and ended at $1.5 million. Loren’s life was changed forever because he finally understood the true value of something.May we value God’s glory infinitely more than a blanket and live as though marriage is truly good.Discussion QuestionsThe sermon ended with the story of a man who had no idea his old Navajo blanket was worth $1.5 million. What is something in your own life—whether it was an old object, a piece of advice, or a relationship—that you completely underestimated the value of at first?What are the alternative perspectives on the goodness of marriage of the world and the flesh?How could these be so deceptive for you?God gave Adam a "helper" not so Adam could fulfill his personal dreams, but so they could do what God called them to do. Describe the kind of person who works toward a marriage focused on God’s callings.What choices does this person make to cultivate this personal priority?How do we make “too much” of marriage? How about “too little” of it?What is the answer to both extremes?What are some practical steps we can take to gain confidence that biblical teachings on marriage roles are not weird but normal?