The Importance of Being Married

Marriage is the absolutely most important theme found in both the Old and New Testaments. It is found in the first chapters of Genesis and the final chapters of Revelation. In this article I will examine why marriage is so important. Let's begin with the book of beginnings and see where the concept of marriage starts.

Genesis 1:26-31

Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth." Then God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you; and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to every thing that moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green plant for food"; and it was so. God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

In this passage we see that God created man in His image. Being created in God's image has two aspects. Immediately following the declaration that man is created in His image it is stated that this image contains both the concept of male and female and the concept of subjugation and rule. God then declares that these concepts are very good.

Man as male or man as female cannot, alone, bear the image of God. The image of God requires both male and female. I maintain that the image of God involves the two "opposite" sexes reconciling their differences in order to reflect the love that exists in God.

The concept of subjugation and rule is also inherent in the image of God. As the male rules over the female and as the female subjects herself to the male the love of God is reflected. Of course, this ruling is in the sense of caring for her as a king cares for his kingdom or as our heavenly King cares for us.

Since, as we have seen, marriage reflects the love of God it is important to bear in mind that the story of Genesis 2 is a reflection of God.

Genesis 2:18-24

Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him." Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him. So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. The LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man.

The man said,
"This is now bone of my bones,
And flesh of my flesh;
She shall be called Woman,
Because she was taken out of Man."

For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.

First, we see that it is not good for man to be alone. On the sixth day, when male and female were already created, everything was good. When we have just male we have "not good". This tells us that it is not good for man to be alone because man, alone, cannot reflect the image of God's love.

We also see that it is not good for God to be alone. He desires to have his own Eve to love and care for.

As we move on to the New Covenant we will see that God desires to "become one flesh" with His Eve, the church.

Ephesians 5:22-32

Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body.

FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND SHALL BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.

This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.

Just as Adam and Eve became members of one body, so also Christ and the church form one body. God nourishes and cherishes the church and the church subjects herself to the loving care of God.

Revelation 19:7,8

"Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready." It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

Finally, at the consummation of covenant history we see the joining together of the Lamb and His bride.

Revelation 21:2

And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.

The new covenant community, the new Jerusalem, is the bride of Christ.

Revelation 21:9

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, " Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.