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Dwelling in Blest Accord (24)

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Dwelling in Blest Accord (24)

(Our Marriage Form)

8 minuten leestijd Arcering uitzetten

Just as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

The blessing of prosperity

After praying for the work of the Holy Spirit, there follows the prayer for God’s blessing: Wilt Thou also bless them as Thou hast blessed the believing fathers, Thy friends and faithful servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob … (lines 152-153).

Only the blessing of the Lord can make us truly happy. This is not a prayer for prosperity but for blessing. These can be two different things. If we may receive God’s blessing, then we have the Lord on our side for time and for eternity. Just like the world, we often think that the word blessing is the same as having the wind in your sails. We have to see the blessing, however, in the light of eternity. Then things will be quite different from what we imagined them to be. We need the light of God’s Spirit on our pathway in order for us to see what really will be to our welfare, the welfare of our soul and body, the welfare for time and eternity. That is the reason why prayer is made for the covenant blessing. The prayer is offered that two young people, standing at the beginning of their married life may become just as happy as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

The covenant of grace

The Lord has, as you know, made His covenant of grace with Abraham. This is the content of it: Abraham, I am thy God and the God of thy posterity. How clearly this manifests God’s sovereignty. After all, Abraham himself had never sought for God. However, in a sovereign way, the Lord shows that it is only because of the prophesied Messiah that His truth will stand forever and that He will never sever His covenant bonds. Reverently said, the Lord commits Himself to this covenant in order to show grace not only to Abraham personally but also to his descendants. God will magnify His promised grace even after Abraham has passed away. The covenant blessing to gather in lost sinners will not only be granted to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob but worldwide to both Jew and Gentile. The Lord’s pleasure will prosper by the hand of Christ. As long as the sun shall shine, God will confirm His name from generation to generation. The faithful and true Witness, the Lord Jesus Himself, will make that come to pass. According to God’s electing good pleasure, future generations will praise God’s greatness. God has promised this; He committed Himself to this covenant with a holy oath. That is why it is appropriate to sing Psalter 425 verse 5,

Jehovah’s truth will stand forever,
His covenant bonds He will not sever,

or Psalter 243 stanza 6,

His throne and race I will maintain
Forever, while the heavens remain,

when holy baptism is administered in the midst of the congregation.

Children of the covenant

During the confirmation of a marriage, there are more references to this covenant of grace. The prayer asks, Lord, may these children indeed become true children of the covenant? Wilt Thou cause these descendants to share in Thy covenant blessing? May they through the working of Thy regenerating Spirit become coheirs of Thy covenant? Wilt Thou also bless them as Thou hast blessed the believing fathers, Thy friends and faithful servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; in order that they, as coheirs of the covenant … (lines 152-154). The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is asked if His faithfulness may rest on children’s children so that they may also rejoice in God’s greatness. Oh, how unfathomable is God’s mercy in Christ toward generations to come. Does God Himself not say His mercy will be upon children’s children from everlasting?

Good pleasure

Is anything to hard for the Lord? Could anyone be too sinful, too far astray, too corrupt? Why did the Lord seek Abraham in total heathendom? Why did He show mercy to Isaac and allow Ishmael to walk after the imagination of his evil heart? Do you know why? Why did God love Jacob but bypass Esau? Because Jacob was better? Definitely not! It was solely because it pleased Him to glorify Himself in Jacob. He chose to show mercy … only for Jesus’ sake. Although obligated to none, He nevertheless decided to show His mercy; it is, therefore, still possible for these two kneeling young people. Because of this the Church of all ages asks, “If Thou wilt receive them in grace and incorporate them by Thy Holy Spirit into Thy Son Jesus Christ.” We are real heirs of God and coheirs with Christ only after we have been incorporated into Christ.

One does not earn an inheritance or have to work for it. One receives an inheritance because of the death of Someone who possessed much. You will understand who we mean by Someone—the Mediator between God and man who confirmed with His death and shedding of His blood the new and eternal testament, that covenant of grace and reconciliation when He said, “It is finished” (Form for the Administration of the Lord’s Supper). If we are legal heirs, then we truly share in the covenant blessings so richly enjoyed by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Because His name is LORD, the holy line from the past extends into the present. He is the Covenant Jehovah, the God who is the same yesterday, today, and for the future, the God who will show His faithfulness and goodness.

All things work together for good

At this time in the ceremony there is a prayer offered for the bridal couple that they, in the unknown future, may become as happy as Abraham. Does this mean that their life will be a bed of roses? Does this imply that their portion will be good health and prosperity? If we study the lives of these three mentioned patriarchs, we will immediately find the answer.

Abraham had to wait twenty-five years before being blessed with a child. No matter what he hoped or tried, his tent stayed empty. Like his contemporaries, Abraham tried to help the Lord by involving Hagar, but this brought nothing other than misery between his wives and his children.

Isaac’s married life had a beautiful beginning. His and Rebecca’s love for each other showed itself in their praying together continually. However, their marriage remained childless. For twenty years it was indescribably quiet in their tent. How incomprehensible God’s leadings were in their marriage. When Esau and Jacob were born, it was evident that each of the parents had his own favorite. How much grief this caused!

Further, what shall we say about Jacob’s family? He was driven by passion for Rachel. In the end, he had four wives. Was not that what everyone did? At one point Jacob was so ensnared by the cares of his marriages and family life that he was about to sink away. There was so much tension and grief. Can we describe his home as a blessed home? Certainly! Despite all of his personal and family guilt, the Lord granted His blessing by staying with him. He did not leave Jacob over to himself or leave him alone in all his foolishness. In His incomprehensible wisdom and leadings, He made all things work together for good. That is the blessing which is sought here. The Lord never said to the house of Jacob, “Seek ye Me in vain.”

Thou shalt guide me

The prayer asks, “Lord, wilt Thou take these two people by the hand and never let them go again? Wilt Thou also direct their lives in all things so that Thou mayest thereby be glorified and their souls saved?” You will only be truly happy if this is the case in your married life. Even though the way in which you are led may go through incomprehensible ways and deep waters, all will be well if the Lord is with you. Then you will not perish, not even when it becomes very dark. Read Psalm 23, and then you will understand what blessing really involves: “The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not want …”

This may, or should I say, this will go through the depths of Psalm 73, with all its questions about God’s actions and leadings in your life, but God will end it with, “Thou hast holden me by Thy right hand. Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel and afterward receive me to glory.”

We sincerely wish for you this blessing of the Lord. In the worst of plights, He will work great wonders. Because it remained so incomprehensibly quiet in the darkness of Golgotha for Abraham’s curse-bearing Son, He will, also today, hear this prayer for the blessing of Abraham.

(To be continued)

Rev. G.J. Van Aalst, Klaaswaal, the Netherlands

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