The New Purpose

Isaiah 62:5 As a young man marries a maiden, so will your sons marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.
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Ephesians 5:27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
 
IN creation’s perfection, God established a perfect, intimate relationship between a man and woman. Genesis 2:22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. 23 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” 24 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. 25 The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.
   This language points to our purpose as God’s created beings. As Eve is one flesh, bone of Adam’s bone, she is equal with Adam’s character. God intended marriage, which is two persons in one union, to be a spiritual, functional unity in the image of the Holy Trinity – three persons in one. Adam and Eve were to walk with integrity, serving God and keeping his commandments together. When a marriage fulfills this purpose, society prospers under God’s law, provision, grace and love. This holy, loving relationship is to be the foundation of mankind’s obedience to love God and love one another.
   Marriage also illustrates God’s purpose for his new creation. In several Bible passages, God defines himself as a husband to his people. Here is one: Isaiah 54:5 For your Maker is your husband – the Lord Almighty is his name – the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth. Do you hear the connection between Maker,  husband and Redeemer. A husband must be willing to form a God-loving family to help them know God’s character, so each family member can minister to the world. The husband and father must be willing to sacrifice his own will for the greater purpose. He must protect his family from harm. As a Christian, you are God’s bride. Through Jesus’ atoning death, you are perfectly, beautifully adorned for a glorious relationship with God because he has re-formed you out of himself into a new life. The Holy Spirit has baptized you to adorn you with God’s radiance, shining God’s intimate love into God’s broken world.
   The Lord God dresses you in his finest robes with his salvation. Now wear your royal wedding clothes on your heart. Be as a faithful bride to love your husband. Also know love’s benefits and purposes. Learn and live the New Testament’s many ways to love God and to love one another in the same ways you love yourself. May you strive with integrity to display to the world the deep, abiding love God has bestowed upon you.
   Revelation 19:7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Are you ready for Jesus?
 
Prayer: Lord God, I thank you for the beautiful, intimate image of marriage you give to our relationship with you. I pray for Christian marriages to honor and bless you. I pray for each of us as your church to be a faithful Bride of Christ. Amen.