Unconditional Covenant Marriage Not Biblical?

The idea of covenant marriage has become popular within Christian circles. Gary Chapman's book "Covenant Marriage" has a lot of good material that is beneficial to marriages. However, he seems to define a covenant relationship as unconditional. I'm not so sure that is the case.

The Marriage Metaphor

First, marriage is used as a metaphor for the covenant God has with Israel. However, the covenant that was established was similar to those established by kings with cities that they had conquered. In fact, God's covenant is similar to treaties made by Hittite kings. The king of the covenant would have a vested interest in keeping the covenant, not because he loved them but because if he lost the city, it would be a loss of his empire and may encourage other cities to revolt. That's what's so great about God's covenant with Israel, in that His relationship with them was unusual, because He really does love Israel.

Covenants are conditional

Covenants can be broken. If they can be broken, then there are conditions for breaking them. They are conditional. The Bible mentions numerous times that Israel broke God's covenant:

Hosea 6:7
Like Adam, they have broken the covenant--they were unfaithful to me there.

God even divorces Israel (the Northern Kingdom):

Jeremiah 3:8
I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of all her adulteries. Yet I saw that her unfaithful sister Judah had no fear; she also went out and committed adultery.

God revokes his covenant with the nations of the earth

Zechariah 10:11
Then I took my staff called Favor and broke it, revoking the covenant I had made with all the nations.

Why stick with a broken covenant?

So covenants can be broken, they are conditional, they can be ended. That's the great thing about God and His covenant with Israel. He maintains his side of the covenant even though it has been broken. He does not choose another people to be His people. This would have been considered unusual. Hosea is a great metaphor. Even though his wife was unfaithful, he did not choose another wife. Why does God stick with the Israelites even after they broke the covenant? Chapman might suggest that it is because of "steadfast" love. God certainly is loving but Scripture suggests a different reason:

Isaiah 48:11
“For My own sake, for My own sake, I will act; For how can My name be profaned? And My glory I will not give to another.

It's not because of the covenant that God sticks with them and it's not because of His love, but rather for His own name's sake.