Understanding Each Other

Male and Female Created He Them

Adam’s marriage was not the first! Long before Adam and Eve were created, God had decreed a marriage covenant with His Church, and the union between Adam and Eve was only a shadow of it. More importantly, God had given human beings a place upon earth as married people because they must resemble Him. Our Maker wanted to create people after His own image and likeness which could be expressed so well by marriage. Indeed, the marriage relationship between a man and woman is part of God’s image. Therefore, who ever does not respect marriage, does not respect that we are created after God’s likeness. Before creation God had given His Church as a bride to His Son so in order to portray that true marriage, God had created Adam and Eve as male and female. Their marriage was merely a shadow of the eternal marriage.

It is similar when speaking of the offerings and the tabernacle. When Christ died, the offerings and temple no longer needed to point to His blood as we read in Hebrews 8:5. It is the same with marriage; marriage is no longer needed when Christ has His bride. In the kingdom of God there will be no more earthly marriages because eternal marriage has replaced them according to Matthew 22:30. There are even more important things than our marriage! Paul refers to this when he writes, “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the Church” (Ephesians 5:31-32).

Image of God

We differ greatly from animals; God has made us resemble Him having created us after His own image and likeness which is really remarkable. Adam and Eve resembled something of God, and marriage is a small piece of God’s image. It is stated emphatically in the Bible that we as male and female are created after God’s image, “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him, male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:27).

Marriage was not just a thought of God as if He could have created us to live together outside of marriage. No, the marriage between male and female best expresses who God Himself is, and therefore all other forms of living together are conflicting with God’s Being. Marriage between one man and one woman is a holy institution of God.

Both Serving God

Together Adam and Eve served God, together they showed what a good marriage is, together they lived on the earth, together they received children. Their marriage showed holiness and righteousness, faithfulness and love toward God. Together as first people they loved God whole-heartedly and rejoiced in their Creator. So marriage was meant to be. Their marriage was only completed and only flowered because as man and woman together, they lived for God after His image.

Alas, marriage today is not what it was then, but it is still good to keep the ideal before our eyes. God has not forgotten how He has created us male and female and how He has meant marriage to be. God grants that by grace our marriage may be a faint shadow of the heavenly marriage. That is the essence, and soon Christ shall show His holy bride to the Father.

“And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (Revelation 21:2).

Rev. P. Van Ruitenberg
Chilliwack, B.C.

(To be continued)

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