In the beginning, God instituted marriage as the perfect solution to the problems of a lonely man who needed a companion and help meet to fulfil the Genesis 1:28 divine mandate to “… Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it.” Having proffered a perfect and permanent solution to the human need for companionship and support, God warned us against separation or divorce in Matthew 19:6 by saying:
“Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”

The Bible does not imply that the man and woman will become physically merged, but that through the marriage covenant they become spiritually bound as one – united in love, faith, Spirit and purpose. That is way marriage comes with grave implications for those who become unequally yoked with unbelievers, or those who get bound to the wrong partners. Such cases often lead to crises, instability and unfulfilled destiny. Nevertheless, God frowns at any form of separation or divorce; rather, He is particularly interested in upholding the sanctity of marriage. I pray for anyone going through a marital crisis: The Prince of peace will intervene in your marriage today, in the mighty name of Jesus.

God hates divorce and He states this clearly in Malachi 2:16. He further states in 1st Corinthians 7:10-11 that: “….Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she departs, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.” In God’s plan, only death can nullify the marriage covenant, as explained in Romans 7:2-3.

All Christians must thus ensure they uphold the sanctity of marriage through love, humanity and peaceful co-existence with each other (Ephesians 4:1-3).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Be fruitful in what though? The man claims a "divine mandate" was given but to what end? Why was man created to begin with? Was it not to be caretaker of what God created him for?
Has man been doing that? Has man been fruitful in that? Why the continued focus on the second part of the mandate when according to the mandate man must be fruitful and multiply comes after?

Man has definitely multiplied...the population of earth is almost 8 billion and growing, with more than half that number livingin poverty, many of them in this man's church. Yet he continues to preach this inane bit, in the name of God.