Why is there no Marriage in Resurrection?

The Shadow of Marriage

The Institution (Genesis 2:18-25)

Genesis 2:18–25 (KJV)

(18) And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.

And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;

And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

And Adam 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.

Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

Adam’s need was not the only reason for God’s institution of marriage. In fact, Adam was not truly alone regarding companionship. He had God. So, what did Adam truly need? He needed a counterpart; “a person or thing that corresponds to or has the same function as another person or thing in a different place or situation.” Adam was not whole without Eve. This is how God chose to make Man and Woman: with an innate desire to be loved and to love.

Christians and theologians often quote Genesis 3:15 as the protoevangelium or the first mention of the Gospel. I no longer believe that is true. I think, here, in the institution of marriage we see the beginnings of the prepared redemption of man. Even before mankind sinned, God was preparing to deliver us and reveal to us His amazing grace. This is not unlike God. In fact, later in Scripture He will do the same thing in the life of David.

2 Samuel 11:1 (KJV)

(1) And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.

I think this is now one of the most apprehensive verses for any of the characters of Scripture. If you have been in church for any length of time you have heard the dreaded story of David and Bathsheba almost as many times as hearing the story of David and Goliath. This chapter eleven: full of adultery, deception, rebellion against the law of God, murder, and depravity. This revealed David to be just as any other carnal man, no matter how much his life would be a symbol of Christ’s and no matter how great his reign in Israel would be. Yet, God knew this was coming.

2 Samuel 7:11–18 (KJV)

(11) And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house.

And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.

He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.

I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:

But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.

And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.

According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.

Then went king David in, and sat before the LORD, and he said, Who am I, O Lord GOD? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?

Despite knowing of the sin that would occur by chapter eleven, here in chapter seven, God blesses David before he knew how much mercy he would need. Notice verse fourteen. If you are taking notes, please take specific note of that phrase, “I will be his father, and he shall be my son.” We will see it later. Before both Adam and David knew the grace, mercy, and reconciliation that they needed, God prepared.

In a similar way. God prepared marriage as a shadow or a mystery of a reality. Marriage in and of itself in not the point. The point, as it is often, is much deeper. Marriage is a type or shadow of a coming reality. Several times while He was on earth, Jesus used marriage in his parables, and I do not think it was an act of chance or convenience that His first miracle was in the institution of marriage.

I also do not think it is a mistake by the Devil that marriage and sexuality are attacked relentlessly. As I studied this topic I realized how close we are to the Day of the Lord. Here’s why: if marriage is to fall, a major pillar and symbol of the Gospel of Jesus Christ will have fallen. I believe the institution is the first symbol of the Gospel and the promised redemption of the people of God.

Explain was a symbol is using Hebrews 11:17–19 (KJV)

(17) By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

The Mystery

Paul knew this as well:

Ephesians 5:30-32 (KJV)

(30) For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

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.

When speaking of the roles of men and women in the institution of marriage, Paul refers to marriage as a mystery regarding Christ and His Bride, the universal Church. For this specific connotation of mystery, it is not a revealed secret, but a divine truth that can only be spiritually discerned.

Dr. Slattery in Rethinking Sexuality said the following, “When we typically read these verses, we focus on the respective roles of men and women in marriage. While that’s important, we have to grasp the bigger picture of what Paul was teaching: the covenant of marriage and its consummation of sexual one-flesh union mysteriously point to Christ’s love for His bride, the church.”

Colossians 1:23–28 (KJV)

(23) If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;

Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

The use of the word mystery is to describe a divine truth. Regarding marriage: if one does not have the context of the Gospel, they cannot see the future reality that it foreshadows. I believe marriage in all its aspects is a symbol or a type or figure (as the Bible puts it) of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the future Day of the Lord.

This should radically change how we view marriage and sexuality. Instead of simply viewing marriage as primarily a biological or physical practice, we must first see it as a Gospel practice. We can see this in the volatile desires we have ourselves when it comes to sex or love. There is such a desire and need ultimately to consummate a relationship. Even this is a foreshadowing of our relationship with Christ. That desire to be completed and whole is found in Adam before the Fall and is God-given.

Mention our view of anthropology

The Reality

The Question

One of the greatest evidences that marriage is a figure of redemption is because once redemption is both temporally and eternally fulfilled, marriage ends. Jesus said:

Matthew 22:29–30 (KJV)

(29)Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.

For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.

Once resurrected, we who were formally married on earth are no longer married in Heaven or the New Jerusalem.

Why? Why would God remove a blessing that He gave to the human race that allowed them joy and companionship?

I believe the reason is that a human marriage can only fulfill its purpose in a fallen world by preaching the Gospel and revealing to us the one true God.

Dr. Slattery in Rethinking Sexuality: “God created Christian marriage to mirror covenant love, which asks that we commit to loyal love, “in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, for better or worse, until death.” This kind of love is not a feeling but a promise. When you make a covenant with your spouse, you are committing to continue to choose love, even when it costs. In losing yourself, you find yourself. In giving your life, you build a new one . . . Why is sexuality important to God? Why does the Bible speak so strongly against sexual immorality and divorce? Because sexuality is a holy metaphor of a God who invites us into covenant with Himself.”

The Fulfillment

But if our marriage here on earth is simply a shadow of the reality, how is that reality fulfilled?

Read and exegete (Revelation 19:5-21:6)

Why is there no Marriage in Resurrection? Because in Christ’s temporal and eternal redemption it is fulfilled.