I notice another phrase in the Malachi 2:14-16 passage about marriage. This Scripture talks about the “wife of thy youth.” That’s a rather interesting phrase, especially in the light of society today.
The word youth is “na’uwr” and means “the state of juvenility, youthfulness.” That means they could have been married in their mid to late teens. That’s certainly a different concept than the average age for marriage in the United States which is nearly 30 years for men and nearly 28 years for women.
Although many couples may not meet the right one until they are older, there are some who meet when they are younger. I don’t think that should disqualify them from getting married if the parents believe that the one they have chosen is a godly young man or woman. The young man should have a good work ethic and be able to provide for his wife. The young couple should be ready for the responsibility of parenthood for that is part of being prepared for marriage.
I know many young couples who have married at 18 years of age. They have beautiful marriages. The young men are mature, providing well, and they are beginning their families with love and joy.
This maturity often depends on the way they were raised. Too many young people today are not raised for maturity. They are in a prolonged state of juvenility. When our children turn 13, we should be encouraging them and programming them into adulthood—to take responsibility, to work hard, and to prepare for marriage and parenthood. This training is even more important than the rest of their education.
Instead, many young people expect everything to be done for them. They have not been trained to work hard or to work for what they want. I don’t believe young people should be given everything they want. I believe that even while they are at home, they should seek extra jobs to earn money to pay for the extra things they need. This teaches them responsibility. Psalm 144:12 talks about our sons “grown up in their youth.”
This phrase in Malachi is not an isolated phrase.
Isaiah 54:4, 6 also speaks of the “wife of thy youth.”
Proverbs 2:17 speaks of the “husband of thy youth.”
Psalm 127:4 talks of the “children of the youth.” They not only married young but had their children young. Many young people waste the energetic and glorious years of their twenties, filling their lives with selfish pursuits that will be left behind, when their twenties are the greatest time to have their children.
I believe it is another ploy of the enemy to stop the “godly seed” coming into the world. Often it is more difficult to conceive with they marry later, and they miss the blessings of children God longs to give to them. We could even use a stronger word. They are often stolen from them by the enemy who deceives them into thinking that other things are more important than the eternal work of having children. And then sometimes it’s too late.
Before David went out to kill Goliath Saul called him a “youth” (1 Samuel 17:33). Most commentators say that David would have only been about 17 years when he killed Goliath. King Saul promised he would give his daughter to the man who killed Goliath so he must have married soon after.
King Solomon would have been no more than 20 years when he began to reign and began to make his kingdom the richest in the world at that time. Josephus puts his age at 14 years.
King Josiah became a king at eight years of age and was guided by the priest. However, when he was only 16 years of age “while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father” (2 Chronicles 34:3).
And did you know that the disciples were most probably all in their teenage years when Jesus called them? Peter would have been the oldest at 20 years and he was already married.
Let’s not settle for allowing our children to waste their adolescent teen years, but let’s prepare them for maturity and even for marriage if that should be God’s will for them.
Blessings from Nancy Campbell
Picture: Bowen and Kahoru Barrett. Bowen was 18 years when he married. They have a beautiful marriage and God has blessed them with a darling baby boy, Finn. And Bowen is a great provider.
Thoughts today from Malachi 2:14-16. We understood something of God’s heart yesterday when we read that God’s longs to see godly children come from our marriage.
It’s a pathetic way to live. Live by the truth of God’s Word. You will become stronger in your faith and grow in character when you pray when you don’t feel like it. When you praise the Lord instead of grumbling. And dear mother, when you keep going in the strength of the Lord when you feel you can’t keep going. 
God speaks another message to us in the Malachi 2:14-16 passage. Verse 14 asks the question: What does God want from your union? And then it tells us the answer.
I notice more words in this passage about marriage in Malachi 2: 14-16. Verse 14 says: “The LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth . . . “ Many times, we move along in our marriages without ever realizing how much God is involved. Yes, He is involved even if we don’t want Him to be.
Continuing today from my post on Friday, EVERY LITTLE DETAIL, we continue to talk about marriage. The Message translation of Malachi 2:15 says: “’I hate divorce,’ says the GOD of Israel. GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies says, ‘I hate the VIOLENT DISMEMBERING of the ‘one flesh’ of marriage.’ So watch yourselves. Don’t let your guard down. Don’t cheat.”
I would like to think that today is not only a day where families celebrate and honor their mothers, but where we see it as a day to celebrate motherhood itself. That means we celebrate every woman, every female, whether she is in the season of mothering with all her little ones around her or whether she is unmarried or not able to have children.
It’s good to remind ourselves how God looks upon marriage, isn’t it? The passage in Malachi 2:13-16 gives powerful words to every marriage: Verse 14 says: “. . . Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt TREACHEROUSLY: yet she is thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant..
Isn’t it a grief to see young people turn away from the Lord? Mothers sometimes ask me “How can I be sure that my children will continue to walk with the Lord?” Let me share a fact with you. It is the “unstable” who turn away. 2 Peter 2:14 talks about deceivers who go about “beguiling UNSTABLE souls.”
Did you know that God calls your home a “resting place”? Read Proverbs 24:15 and Jeremiah 50:6. How easy it is to get out of rest. Instead of allowing Christ to have His way in our lives, we take control. That’s the easiest way to get into a state of anxiety.
I have always loved the lines from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem, “A Psalm of Life.”
Never give up praying. Today at our Sunday service we will begin with a time of prayer. 1 Timothy 2:1-4 reminds us that when we come together the FIRST thing we should do is to pray for those in authority. We must be faithful to do this in our homes and in our churches. God wants His church to be a house of prayer, not just a house of sermons. I wonder why we’d rather listen to a sermon than go to a prayer meeting and pray. May the church of God and the families of God’s people be awakened to pray. 
NSP! Never Stop Praying! Never give up, no matter how bleak the situation. Do you have a loved one who is not walking with God? They can never get away from your prayers. Colossians 4:2 reminds us to “Continue in prayer.” The Greek word means to be devoted to prayer. To be persistent, to persevere, to continue steadfastly. 
I think one of the most important things we as mothers must have is a spirit of discernment. We must know the difference between good and evil. That seems a very basic statement, doesn’t it? You’d think everyone would know the difference between good and evil. But no. One of the biggest movements among Christendom today is the “spirit of tolerance.” Many Christians have been brainwashed that they are not allowed to judge anything or anyone. They must be tolerant to all and everyone.
Why was Mary blessed above all other women? Of course, she was the most privileged of all women to carry in her womb the Son of God, the Savior of the world, the King of king and Lod of lords.
Are you groveling or soaring? Colossians 3:2,3 Way’s translation says: “Let your thoughts dwell on things above, not grovel on the earth.” God does not want us to grovel in self-pity and depression. He wants us to gird up the loins of our minds (I Peter 1:13).
I want children (and grandchildren) who are growing into the likeness of Christ!
When we confess with our mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior of our lives, we are born again (Romans 10:9-10). We first meet Him as Savior, but as we walk with Him, we get to know Him in many other ways. Each one of His names reveals to us another aspect of His character.
“We taste with our eyes as well as our palate." Isn’t this true? It’s not enough to cook a nourishing meal; we must prepare the table to receive the meal. When a table is laid with a tablecloth and set beautifully, with a candle or "a touch of love" to make it look inviting, the food tastes even better.
Acts 7:20 (AMP) tells us that when Moses was born, he was "BEAUTIFUL in the sight of God." I also think of 2 Samuel 12:24 which tells us that when Solomon was born, "the Lord LOVED him." What incredible Scriptures that reveal the heart of God towards children.