B i b l e   S t u d y

Lesson: What Does the Bible Say About Marriage?

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Marriage is the state of being united to a person in an intimate and close relationship in which the husband and wife must be best friends, love each other and share their lives together.

1. Does the Bible compare marriage to Christ and the Church? (Ephesians 5:22-33.) Is marriage a Living Symbol of Christ and the Church?

Note: Notice in verse 25 that the husband is to love his wife as Christ loves the Church and Jesus was willing to lay down His life for His friends, the Church and for all of mankind (John 15:13.) This is the kind of love that a husband is to have for his wife.

Notice in verse 33 the husband is admonished again to love his wife and the wife is to respect her husband.

2. Is marriage God’s idea? (Genesis 2:18-24.) A husband and wife should be best friends. Should each mate love each other at all times? (Proverbs 17:17). Should a mate stick closer than a brother? (Proverbs 18:24).Note: God made a woman, Eve, to be a helper for the man, Adam. Our mates should be our best friend, our helper, our loyal and faithful companion for life.

3. Since marriage is God’s idea, then we should keep God in our marriages. Who are the three entities in the threefold cord? (Ecclesiastes 4:12). Is Jesus our friend? (John 15:11-17).

Note: A marriage involves a husband and a wife which is a twofold cord, but when we involve God in our marriages, it becomes a three fold cord. Jesus is our friend and we can ask Him in prayer to be the third member of the threefold cord of our marriage union.

4. Is commitment essential to a successful marriage?

Note: Our wedding vows are a covenant with our spouse and God. When we said "I Do" we were not to be swearing falsely (Matthew 5:33-37.) We made our commitment with our spouse, not their face or figure. Our vows are our commitment to the end. Our commitment to our mate is essential for us to have a successful marriage.

5. The divorce rates, in our country, are above fifty percent. The odds are against us to succeed in our marriages. Why are the odds against us? Could it be due to godlessness in the Last Days? (2 Timothy 3:1-5). How can a Christian fight sexual immorality? (1 Corinthians 7:1-9).

6. Let’s look at a Biblical example of commitment from the life of Rebekah. Did she accept the marriage proposal from Abraham for his son Isaac? (Genesis 24:58-67).

Note: The marriage of Isaac and Rebekah was arranged by Abraham and she made her commitment sight unseen.

7. Marriage holds times of great joy and our physical marriage is a type of marriage to Jesus Christ. In the following prophecy is Jesus a type of a loving and a forgiving husband? (Isaiah 54:5-10). Did the apostle Paul admonish the Church to be chaste, innocent, pure and spotless in order to be the bride of Christ? (2 Corinthians 11:2). Will there be great joy and gladness in our marriage to Jesus Christ? (Revelation 19:7-9).

Note: Since our physical marriages picture Jesus and the Church, our marriages should have times of great joy also. A lot of our joy in marriage can come from the little things: Holding hands, saying "I love you," a phone call, get a baby sitter and go out on a date, or go to a restaurant for a dinner for two. Perhaps buying a small gift or a card for your spouse. Buying flowers or candy for your wife can brighten her day. Gentlemen, if you really want to please your wife, do the dishes or sweep the floor. In reality, marriage is a God-plane relationship, it involves the spiritual qualities of giving, sharing, loving, serving, forgiving and forgetting.

8. Romance is Important. Romance involves a love story or a love affair and the Bible records a beautiful love story between Jacob and Rachel. Romance usually begins by physical attraction. Was Rachel beautiful in appearance (Genesis 29:17). What happened when Jacob first met Rachel? (Genesis 29:10-11). Did Jacob kiss Rachel? As this love story unfolds, we find that Rachel’s father Laban negotiates with Jacob and Jacob decides to work for Laban for how many years for the hand of Rachel? (Genesis 29:15-30). What happened on their wedding night? What did Jacob do in order to marry Rachel? This is a story of real romance. Jacob was willing to work fourteen years for the woman of his dreams in whom he loved dearly.

There is another book in the Bible that is dedicated entirely to romance and that is the book of "The Song of Solomon." It is written like a play, in which the husband and wife could each read their parts.

We have to remember that romance doesn’t begin in the bedroom, it begins in the morning and lasts all day. It involves how you treat each other all day long. Be kind, be gentle and apply the fruits of God’s Holy Spirit with each other (Galatians 5:22-23) by expressing love, joy, peace, and patience.

9. What admonition did the writer of the book of Hebrews give about marriage? (Hebrews 13:4). Are we to keep ourselves pure? (1 Timothy 5:22). Will fornicators and adulterers be judged by God? (Ephesians 5:5). What does the apostle Paul tell us to flee? (1 Corinthians 6:18).

Note: The beds of our marriages are to be undefiled and we are to keep ourselves pure. The apostle Paul said that we must FLEE sexual immorality. To "flee" means to run away from danger or evil and to hurry toward a place of security.

10. God is in the process of creating a family in His image, but He needs our help. Does God tell man to be fruitful and multiply? (Genesis 1:26-28). Are we parents to teach our children the right way to live? (Proverbs 22:6). What is God’s goal for our children? Does He want godly offspring? (Malachi 2:14-15).

11. What does Mark record in Mark 10:9? Also notice what Jesus said in Matthew 19:3-9.

Note: God wants marriage to be permanent.

12. Does God hate divorce? (Malachi 2:14-16.)

13. What did the apostle Paul say that is the only thing that should dissolve a marriage? (Romans 7:2-3).

In Conclusion: Good marriages don’t just happen. Don’t take your marriage for granted. Marriage requires a lot of work and without work your marriage will deteriorate. A good marriage is like a beautiful rose bush, but the bush has thorns on it. We all have trials and tests within our marriages, but we have to put forth the effort to overcome them and love and cherish our mates. Loving your mate involves conversation and outgoing concern with giving, serving and sharing. Don’t forget to keep God in your personal life and in your marriage.


Scriptures



1.) Ephesians 5:22-33: "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. {23} For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. {24} Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. {25} Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, {26} that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, {27} that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. {28} So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. {29} For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. {30} For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. {31} "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." {32} This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. {33} Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband"

(John 15:13) ""Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends."

2.) Genesis 2:18-24: "And the LORD God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him." {19} Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. {20} So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him. {21} And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. {22} Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. {23} 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." {24} Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh."

Proverbs 17:17: "A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity."

Proverbs 18:24: "A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."

3. Ecclesiastes 4:12 : "Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken."

John 15:11-17: ""These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. {12} "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. {13} "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. {14} "You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. {15} "No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. {16} "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. {17} "These things I command you, that you love one another."

4. Matthew 5:33-37: ""Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.' {34} "But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; {35} "nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. {36} "Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. {37} "But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one."

5. 2 Timothy 3:1-5: "But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: {2} For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, {3} unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, {4} traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, {5} having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!"

1 Corinthians 7:1-9: " Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. {2} Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. {3} Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. {4} The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. {5} Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. {6} But I say this as a concession, not as a commandment. {7} For I wish that all men were even as I myself. But each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that. {8} But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I am; {9} but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion"

6. Genesis 24:58-60: "Then they called Rebekah and said to her, "Will you go with this man?" And she said, "I will go." {59} So they sent away Rebekah their sister and her nurse, and Abraham's servant and his men. {60} And they blessed Rebekah and said to her: "Our sister, may you become The mother of thousands of ten thousands; And may your descendants possess The gates of those who hate them"

Genesis 24:63-67: "And Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening; and he lifted his eyes and looked, and there, the camels were coming. {64} Then Rebekah lifted her eyes, and when she saw Isaac she dismounted from her camel; {65} for she had said to the servant, "Who is this man walking in the field to meet us?" The servant said, "It is my master." So she took a veil and covered herself. {66} And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. {67} Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent; and he took Rebekah and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother's death."

7. Isaiah 54:5-10: "For your Maker is your husband, The LORD of hosts is His name; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth. {6} For the LORD has called you Like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, Like a youthful wife when you were refused," Says your God. {7} "For a mere moment I have forsaken you, But with great mercies I will gather you. {8} With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment; But with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you," Says the LORD, your Redeemer. {9} "For this is like the waters of Noah to Me; For as I have sworn That the waters of Noah would no longer cover the earth, So have I sworn That I would not be angry with you, nor rebuke you. {10} For the mountains shall depart And the hills be removed, But My kindness shall not depart from you, Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed," Says the LORD, who has mercy on you."

2 Corinthians 11:2: "For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ"

Revelation 19:7-9 "Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready." {8} And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. {9} Then he said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!' " And he said to me, "These are the true sayings of God."

8. Genesis 29:17: "Leah's eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance."

Genesis 29:10-11: "And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother. {11} Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept"

Genesis 29:15-30: "Then Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what should your wages be?" {16} Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. {17} Leah's eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance. {18} Now Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, "I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter." {19} And Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me." {20} So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her. {21} Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her." {22} And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast. {23} Now it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. {24} And Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid. {25} So it came to pass in the morning, that behold, it was Leah. And he said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served you? Why then have you deceived me?" {26} And Laban said, "It must not be done so in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. {27} "Fulfill her week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you will serve with me still another seven years." {28} Then Jacob did so and fulfilled her week. So he gave him his daughter Rachel as wife also. {29} And Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as a maid. {30} Then Jacob also went in to Rachel, and he also loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with Laban still another seven years."

Galatians 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, {23} gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."

9. Hebrews 13:4: "Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge."

1 Timothy 5:22: "Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people's sins; keep yourself pure."

Ephesians 5:5: "For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God."

1 Corinthians 6:18: "Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body."

10. Genesis 1:26-28: "Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." {27} So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. {28} Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.""

Proverbs 22:6: "Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it"

Malachi 2:14-15: "Yet you say, "For what reason?" Because the LORD has been witness Between you and the wife of your youth, With whom you have dealt treacherously; Yet she is your companion And your wife by covenant. {15} But did He not make them one, Having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring."

11. Mark 10:9. "Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."

Matthew 19:3-9, "The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?" {4} And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,' {5} "and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? {6} So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate." {7} They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?" {8} He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. {9} "And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery"

12. Malachi 2:14-16, "Yet you say, "For what reason?" Because the LORD has been witness Between you and the wife of your youth, With whom you have dealt treacherously; Yet she is your companion And your wife by covenant. {15} But did He not make them one, Having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit, And let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth. {16} "For the LORD God of Israel says That He hates divorce, For it covers one's garment with violence," Says the LORD of hosts. "Therefore take heed to your spirit, That you do not deal treacherously".

13. Romans 7:2-3,"For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. {3} So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man."