Command 33 : Honor Marriage | Day 228

Understand Marriage Analogies!

Throughout Scripture God uses analogies to illustrate spiritual truths. Marriage is one of the central analogies used to exemplify several divine relationships and basic points of doctrine.¹ For us to change marriage standards to fit our ideas of what is acceptable would be to alter the truth that God wants to teach through these visual lessons. If Scripture were intended to be adapted to fit culture, it would mean that culture would have more authority than the Bible; and since culture is determined by man's ideas, it would put man above God.

Divorce contradicts the truths that God uses marriage to illustrate.

Married couples have a unique opportunity and responsibility to be living epistles of God's truth by portraying these analogies in their marriages:

1. God's Relationship With Israel

God uses marriage as an illustration to describe His relationship with the nation of Israel. (See Jeremiah 3:14.) Israel became like an unfaithful wife and left Him. However, He is not going to marry another wife, but is continuing to pursue Israel and is waiting for her to return to Him. (See Hosea 2:14-20 and Romans 11:11.) At the same time, He is preparing a bride for His Son.

2. Christ's Relationship With the Church

The Church is the Bride of Christ. (See Revelation 21:9.) Jesus is currently preparing an eternal home for believers and will come again one day to take us to live with Him in heaven. Christ is committed to the Church and will never divorce her, even though there is much unfaithfulness within the Church. (See James 4:1-5.) Instead, Jesus is continually purifying His Bride so that she may be without spot or blemish. (See Ephesians 5:25-27.)

3. God's Redemption of Mankind

The entire plan of redemption parallels a Jewish wedding. God the Father sent His Son into the world to secure a bride and pay the "bride price" with His own blood. Christ then returned to heaven to prepare a place for believers. No one knows the day or the hour that Christ will come again; however, after He does, believers will spend all eternity with Him. (See I Thessalonians 4:14-17.)

4. The Believer's Relationship to the Law

A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives and is free to marry another only after her husband dies. Before we were saved, we were bound to the Law. At salvation, we became a part of Christ's spiritual body and, as such, retroactively participated in His death, burial, and resurrection. Therefore, we are released from the Law and free to enter into a new union with Christ. (See Romans 7:1-4.)

The "great mystery" of the one-flesh relationship in marriage is revealed in the relationship between Christ and the Church.

God has taken the most important relationship on this earth and used it to portray vital spiritual truths. Let's purpose to do all we can to be living testimonies of these truths so that the world can see an accurate representation of Christ and His work in the world.

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1. More information about these marriage analogies can be found in the book, Rebuilder’s Guide.