Grace and the End of Marriage

One of the beautiful things about the Old Testament is the numerous pictures of things that pointed to events of the New Testament.

There are many examples that we can look at.

The sacrifices.

The feasts.

The clothing of the priests.

The Tabernacle/Temple

When you think about the sacrifices, once Jesus died and rose again, there was no need for the sacrifices any more.

They had fulfilled their purpose.

The picture had been replaced with the real thing, and so there was no more use for a picture.

Someday, marriage will face the same fate.

Marriage is a temporary institution designed to picture an eternal relationship.

Much like the pictures in the Old Testament. marriage will someday reach the end of its usefulness.

When we remain focused on the purpose of marriage, we can see why this must be the case.

Marriage is not primarily for procreation.

Marriage is not primarily for our pleasure.

Marriage is, primarily, a living drama depicting the gospel.

We live the gospel to our spouse.

We demonstrate the gospel to our children and the lost.

Marriage is a teaching and a witnessing tool.

It can be a source of pleasure, but it should not be our primary source.

It is God’s only sanctioned plan for procreation, but procreation is not necessary for a happy, successful marriage.

So what happens when there is no longer a need for sharing or teaching people about the gospel?

In heaven, everyone will have already received the gospel, so we won’t need to share it anymore.

King James Version (WordSearch Edition) Chapter 21

Revelation 21:27

27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

We will also have unprecedented knowledge of God, so there will be no training of a new generation.

King James Version (WordSearch Edition) Chapter 3

1 John 3:2

2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

This means that the primary function of marriage will no longer be needed.

Which leads us to the passage that we read a moment ago.

In Matthew 22, the Sadducees are trying to make Jesus look like a fool by asking him questions he can’t answer.

They concoct this hypothetical situation where a woman is married to seven different men, but never has any children.

This sounds weird, but it goes with a cultural issue of their day.

If a man died without producing any children, his brother, or next of kin, was supposed to marry his wife and produce a child to inherit the first husband’s possessions.

In the Sadducees’ story this had happened 7x times to the same woman.

Meaning, she had been married to seven brothers, with no children.

The point is that they are trying to disprove the resurrection using an absurd marriage situation.

If there is a life after death, who will be this woman’s husband when she is reunited with all her previous men.

This question is based off of a false assumption.

They are assuming that the conditions of this present life are guaranteed to continue in the after-life.

Jesus refutes their question by filling them, and us, in on a truth regarding what heaven and resurrection life is like.

Jesus knows that the Sadducees’ question is based on their rejection of the resurrection.

This view was contradictory to the testimony of scripture.

It was also a detraction from the power of God to say that He could not provide a life after death.

They felt like the idea of marriage in the after-life justified their unbelief in God’s word and power.

Imagine their surprise when Jesus tells them that there is no marriage in the resurrection.

Jesus tells them that in the resurrection people neither marry nor are given in marriage.

Instead, they are as the angels. (they are not angels)

This means the woman from this story would not be any of those men’s wife.

Jesus’ words show us the temporary nature of marriage.

There will be no use for it in the resurrection.

The gospel will have been fully realized, therefore the picture will be done away with.

This brings up an interesting problem/issue/comfort.

Some people view the marital status of the resurrection as a problem.

They love(d) their spouse and want more than anything to be reunited with them.

This, indeed, will happen for those that have received God’s free gift of salvation.

What will not happen, is a return to the marriage relationship that was enjoyed during this life.

Rather than a husband and wife relationship, they will enjoy a brother-sister relationship in God’s family.

For many, this is a problem, they don’t like it.

Some people view the marital status of the resurrection as a comfort.

Many of God’s children have lived their entire lives as single people.

They have endured the unmerited pity of other well-meaning believers.

Paul didn’t view singleness as a curse, but as a gift.

It allows the believer to focus their attention more fully on their relationship with God.

A single person can find comfort in the marital conditions of the resurrection because it shows that their condition is not abnormal, but inevitable for every believer.

The fact that marriage is temporary is an evidence of God’s grace on mankind.

For the married, they will not bear the responsibility of the marriage ministry forever.

For the single, the closeness with God that they have developed in life will be rewarded by a multiplied intimacy with God in heaven.

Final takeaways.

We should hold marriage in high regard.

It is a special ministry and message that every believing couple should understand.

We are demonstrating to our spouse and the world the grace, unconditional love, and at times mercy that God has shown us.

We do everything we can to preserve and protect our marriages.

We must not make a god out of marriage.

It is a temporary arrangement.

Human marriage will one day cease.

Of much greater importance is our relationship with God.

For those whose beloved spouse has passed on, consider this...

Who was it that created the marriage you enjoyed so much on earth?

Whose idea was it for a man and woman to leave their parents and cling to their spouse?

Who designed the pleasures of sex and complementary genders?

It was God.

If God was able to provide you with so much fulfillment and purpose and pleasure here on earth...

Where pride and greed and selfishness infiltrate every inch of our existence...

How capable is He to provide us with even greater fulfillment and purpose and pleasure when we get to heaven and are no more hindered by the curse of sin?

Marriage is temporary. But marriage was always meant to point to a greater relationship, our relationship with God. That relationship is forever!