RECOVERING YOUR MARRIAGE - THE MARRIAGE COVENANT

TITLE: Recovering Your Marriage - The Marriage Covenant SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 5:22-32 Introduction - Pastor George * In our scripture Paul compares the marriage relationship to the relationship between Christ and His church. * Wives are to submit to their husbands as the Church submits to Christ. Ephesians 5:22, 24 * The headship of the husband to the wife is compared to the headship of Christ to the Church. Ephesians 5:23 * The husband is commanded to love his wife as Christ loved the Church. Ephesians 5:25 * The marriage process is then summed up as the mystery of Christ and the Church. Ephesians 5:31-32 * To understand the covenant of marriage, we need to understand this mystery. Pastor Julia * Around the time of Jesus, the Jewish law prescribes two stages of marriage: the betrothal and the consummation of the marriage. * The betrothal was binding and could only be undone by a divorce with proper grounds, such as the bride being found not to be a virgin. Matthew 1:18-19 Betrothal Process: * The prospective groom prepared a marriage contract (or covenant) which he presented to the intended bride and her father. * Jesus shed His blood to enter into a covenant with the church. Mathew 26:28 * Included in this was the "Bride Price". Jesus paid a price for the church. 1 Corinthians 6:20 Acceptance: * To see if the proposal was accepted, the young man would pour a cup of wine for his beloved and wait to see if she drank it. John 6:53-55 * This cup represents a blood covenant. If she drank the cup she would have accepted the proposal and they would be betrothed. The wedding chamber and the Chuppah: * Before leaving the young man would announce, "I am going to prepare a place for you", and "I will return for you when it is ready". Just like Jesus promised the church in John 14:2-3 * If asked the date of his wedding he would have to reply, "Only my father knows." Just like Jesus in Matthew 24:36 NKJV. ​ The Wedding: * When the wedding chamber was ready the bridegroom could collect his bride. He could do this at any time so the bride would make special arrangements. 1 Thessalonians 5:2 * When the groom and his friends got close to the bride's house they would give a shout and blow a shofar to let her know to be ready. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 Wedding Party/Rapture: * When the wedding party arrived at father's house the newly weds went into the wedding chamber for a seven day honeymoon and the groom's best friend stood outside waiting for the groom to tell him that the marriage had been consummated. * Then all the friends really started celebrating for the seven days that the couple was honeymooning. * When the couple emerged there would be much congratulation and the Marriage Supper could begin. Revelation 19:7-9 * Just as the Jewish bride remained hidden at the groom's father's house for seven days, similarly, the Church will remain "hidden" for a period of seven years, during the prophesied Tribulation period. * After the seven days, the Jewish bride left the bridal chamber unveiled; likewise, after seven years the Church will return to earth with Christ, in full view of all. Colossians 3:4.