First Quarter--2013--SDA SS LESSON 9--Marriage--A Gift From Eden

[Wally]

Lesson 9 *February 23-March 1

Marriage: A Gift From Eden

SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This week’s Study: Gen. 2:18-25, Mark 10:7-9, Eph. 5:22-25, Matt. 5:27-30,2 Cor. 3:18.

Memory Text: “And the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him’ “ (Genesis 2:18).

Think of the blessings of a happy marriage and a loving home.

How fortunate are those who have such an experience!

Unfortunately, for too many people, marriage has been an experience of mostly pain and anger rather than of joy and peace. This is not how it was intended or how it should be. The sad state of so many marriages is a powerful expression of the degradation that sin has brought to the human race.

“God celebrated the first marriage. Thus the institution has for its originator the Creator of the universe. ‘Marriage is honorable’ (Hebrews 13:4); it was one of the first gifts of God to man, and it is one of the two institutions that, after the Fall, Adam brought with him beyond the gates of Paradise. When the divine principles are recognized and obeyed in this relation, marriage is a blessing; it guards the purity and happiness of the race, it provides for man’s social needs, it elevates the physical, the intellectual, and the moral nature.”-Ellen G. White, Patriarch and Prophets, p. 46.

What a wonderful ideal. This week’s lesson looks at some of the principles behind it.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, March 2.

SUNDAY February 24

Lo Tov

Out of a primeval abyss God created our world through the supernatural power of His Word. All through the Creation account, everything was “good” until the work was completed, at which point everything the Lord had created was pronounced “very good” (Gen. 1:31).

In the midst of all this, however, one thing was lo tov, "not good.” Read Genesis 2:18. What was “not good,” and why? What are some of the implications of this text?

God had declared all aspects of the Creation “good” up to the time that He created Adam. At that point, Adam was the only human. Although he was made in the image of God, in his aloneness, he could not reflect the full image of God, who exists in relationship with other parts of the Godhead. The Godhead, of course, is composed of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Thus, Adam needed someone like himself with whom he could form a relationship of mutual love and cooperation, reflecting the loving relationship exemplified within the Godhead.

Read Genesis 2:19-21. After what act does God cause Adam to sleep and then, from his flesh, create a wife? How might the previous act be related to God’s creation of a wife for Adam?

Perhaps the key here is found in the last phrase of verse 20. As he named the animals, Adam must have noticed that they came in pairs, male and female, unlike himself, who was a singular creation. We can be sure that the Lord all along intended for Adam to have a wife. Perhaps the Lord intended to create a longing in Adam, the sense that something was missing in his own existence, which would make him that much more appreciative of the gift that the Lord was going to give him in a wife.

Consider the contrast between the “good” of the rest of the Creation, and the declaration of “not good” in regard to Adam’s solitude. What does this indicate about the value of relationships? What can you do to help to strengthen whatever valuable relationships you are now in?

MONDAY February 25

A Companion for Adam

Genesis 2:20, in which Adam names the animals, helps to reveal the great gap between humans and other earthly creatures. There was no animal that was comparable to Adam. Not even among the apes was there any creature like Adam, because Adam was not like an ape. This is an important point for us to remember because so many in our society promote the idea that humans are nothing more than advanced apes. We are not apes, and an ape was no more suitable as a companion for Adam than it would be for one of us.

Read Genesis 2:21, 22. What significance is found in the method by which God created a companion for Adam?

As God had personally crafted Adam’s body from the dust of the ground, so He personally crafted Eve’s body, using one of Adam’s ribs. God did not need Adam’s rib to create Eve; He could have created her as He had created Adam or even spoken her into existence.

But God had a reason for forming Eve out of one of Adam’s ribs. If the two had been created completely separately, it could indicate that by nature they were completely independent individuals. But the sharing of flesh in both persons indicates that the two were to be united and were intended to be “one flesh.”

After being created, Eve was brought to Adam to be his helper (vs. 18). She was made from Adam (vs. 22) and given to Adam (vs. 22). The process by which God created Eve showed clearly that God could provide any companion that Adam needed. This point became important later when Adam faced the temptation of whether to join Eve in the eating of the fruit or to trust God to take care of the situation. Adam had ample reason to believe that God could take care of him, and this made his sin the more grievous.

Read Genesis 2:23. What was Adam’s response to Eve?


Adam was so excited when he saw Eve that he sang out in poetry. This is the first poem in the Bible and reflects Adam’s regard for his wife and the closeness of their relationship. She was to be his equal, another aspect of Creation that was damaged by the Fall.

[Wally]

TUESDAY February 26

Ideal Marriage

Author William Faulkner once called marriage a “failure” and wrote that “the only way to get any peace out of it is . . . to keep the first one [wife] and stay as far away from her as much as you can, with the hope of some day outliving her.” What a sad commentary on the state of many marriages.

Read Mark 10:7-9. What texts did Jesus quote in this passage? What characteristics of a good marriage can be found in the words of Jesus here?

The benefits of leaving one’s parents in order to create a home with one’s spouse are so well known that they hardly need to be mentioned. Problems with in-laws are one of the leading causes of marital discord. One of the first steps to take when establishing a happy home is to respect the independence of the marriage partners by the establishment of a home separate from their parents when at all possible. In cases when it is not possible, the privacy and intimacy of marriage should still be respected.

Unity is another feature of a good marriage. Unity does not mean that the two partners should give up the use of their separate brains, but that they should be united in their purpose to do the very best for each other and for their union.

Jesus also emphasized the lasting nature of marriage. Marriage is not a casual relationship to be entered into or dismissed at will. It is a lifetime commitment. Those who are not prepared to commit themselves for life should postpone such a step until they are ready.

Read Ephesians 5:22-25. In what way do these verses reveal the principles of a good marriage?

It is the husband’s privilege to give himself to his wife in loving service, as Christ gave Himself for the church. In turn, the wife is to respect her husband and to cooperate in their work toward their mutual goals. Here is the solution to the discord that sin has brought into the marriage relationship. Self-sacrificing love will be met by loving respect and mutual happiness. Our homes can be a foretaste of heaven.

WEDNESDAY February 27

Protecting What’s Precious

One of the greatest examples of God’s love for humanity can be found in human sexuality. It is truly a wonderful gift from God. Yet, as with all the gifts that we have been given, it doesn’t come unconditionally. That is, it’s not something we can just do with as we please. God has set some rules. Indeed, He is very clear: sexual activity is to be between a husband and wife, male and female, and only in the context of marriage. Anything outside of that is sin.

Read Matthew 5:27-30. Look at how seriously Jesus takes the issues with which He is dealing here. What is, ultimately, at stake?

However much we like to focus (and rightly so) on all the grace and forgiveness that Jesus bestows upon sinners, we can’t forget the high standards of morality that He lived and preached. It’s hard to imagine how Jesus could have expressed more strongly the warning against sexual immorality as revealed in these few verses. Plucking out your eye? Cutting off your hand? If this is what it takes to be pure, then it’s worth it; otherwise you are in danger of losing your eternal life.

“If all who profess to obey the law of God were free from iniquity, my soul would be delivered; but they are not. Even some who profess to keep all the commandments of God are guilty of the sin of adultery. What can I say to arouse their benumbed sensibilities? Moral principle, strictly carried out, becomes the only safeguard of the soul.”-Ellen G. White, Counsels on Health, pp. 621, 622.

However strong Jesus’ warning is here, we must not forget the story about the woman caught in the act of adultery (John 8:1-11). How do we strike the right balance between the upholding of the standards that Jesus talked about in the above verses, while at the same time showing grace and compassion to those who fall, as revealed in this story?

[Wally]

THURSDAY February 28

Marriage as a Metaphor for the Church

It is well-known among students of the Bible that both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament marriage is used as a symbol of the relationship between God and His covenant people. That’s why, for example, on numerous occasions the Bible uses the image of an unfaithful woman to symbolize the apostasy and backsliding that was prevalent in ancient Israel. For instance, back in Exodus, the Lord said to His people that they should not enter into any kind of close relationship with the pagans around them because the pagans were a very perverse people who could lead Israel astray.

Read Exodus 34:15, 16. What image does the Lord use in this specific warning? How can this be understood in the context of God’s people as being “married” to Him? See Jer. 3:14.

At the same time, the image of the church as the bride of Christ points toward unity among believers and with Christ, especially when understood in the context of the biblical ideal for marriage: one man and one woman in a loving, self-sacrificing relationship.

Read Ephesians 5:28-32 and Revelation 19:5-9. What are these texts teaching?

In these texts, the relationship within the ideal marriage is compared with the relationship of God and His people. God invites His people to join with Him in an intimate relationship. This is an amazing picture of God’s interest in His people and His desire to bring us into His fellowship.

What choices can you make that will draw you closer to the Lord and closer to the ideal represented in the biblical concept of marriage? Why is it a matter of the choices that you, and you alone, can make?

FRIDAY March 1

Further Study: In many ways, a proper understanding of morality, especially sexual morality, is clearly tied to a proper understanding of our origins. For example: evolutionary philosophy does not provide an objective basis for any link between sexual activity and morality. Animals have many different types of “mating systems.” Some species are polygamous, many are promiscuous. A few species are mostly monogamous, but genetic studies have revealed that many species that appear to be monogamous are not actually so. In many species, a female may give birth to a group of offspring that are not all fathered by the same individual. Without the objective standard of morality given by the Creator, we would have no basis for the evaluation of sexual behavior as morally good or bad. The current push to approve homosexual partnerships illustrates this point. It is only in the light of Creation that marriage is properly understood.

“In both the Old and the New Testament, the marriage relation is employed to represent the tender and sacred union that exists between Christ and His people. To the mind of Jesus the gladness of the wedding festivities pointed forward to the rejoicing of that day when He shall bring home His bride to the Father’s house, and the redeemed with the Redeemer shall sit down to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”-Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 151.
Discussion Questions

    Darwinism denies anything like the biblical creation. What rules for sexual behavior, if any, does Darwinism provide, and how do they contrast with the biblical ideal?

    What are some biblical examples of good marriages and happy homes? Name some biblical examples of unhappy marriages and homes. What can we learn from both?

    Review the description of the virtuous wife in Proverbs 31:10-31. What should be the character of the husband of such a wife?

    In what ways can your local church be a place that can help to affirm and strengthen the ideals of marriage? What practical things can your church do in order to accomplish that goal?

[Richard Myers]

SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This week’s Study: Gen. 2:18-25, Mark 10:7-9, Eph. 5:22-25, Matt. 5:27-30,2 Cor. 3:18.

Memory Text: “And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.“ Genesis 2:18

Think of the blessings of a happy marriage and a loving home.

How fortunate are those who have such an experience!

Unfortunately, for too many people, marriage has been an experience of mostly pain and anger rather than of joy and peace. This is not how it was intended or how it should be. The sad state of so many marriages is a powerful expression of the degradation that sin has brought to the human race.

“God celebrated the first marriage. Thus the institution has for its originator the Creator of the universe. ‘Marriage is honorable’ (Hebrews 13:4); it was one of the first gifts of God to man, and it is one of the two institutions that, after the Fall, Adam brought with him beyond the gates of Paradise. When the divine principles are recognized and obeyed in this relation, marriage is a blessing; it guards the purity and happiness of the race, it provides for man’s social needs, it elevates the physical, the intellectual, and the moral nature.”-Ellen G. White, Patriarch and Prophets, p. 46.

Amen!!  For this to all be true, the marriage must have a three-fold binding. If Christ is not the center of the relationship, then there is little else on earth that can compare to the misery that will prevail in many cases. Think of the children that result from such marriages and all will understand that unless marriage is centered in God, then it ought not be considered.

What a wonderful ideal. This week’s lesson looks at some of the principles behind it.

[Richard Myers]

SUNDAY February 24

Lo Tov

Out of a primeval abyss God created our world through the supernatural power of His Word. All through the Creation account, everything was “good” until the work was completed, at which point everything the Lord had created was pronounced “very good” (Gen. 1:31).

In the midst of all this, however, one thing was lo tov, "not good.” Read Genesis 2:18.

  2:18   And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. 

 What was “not good,” and why? What are some of the implications of this text?

God had declared all aspects of the Creation “good” up to the time that He created Adam. At that point, Adam was the only human. Although he was made in the image of God, in his aloneness, he could not reflect the full image of God, who exists in relationship with other parts of the Godhead. The Godhead, of course, is composed of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Thus, Adam needed someone like himself with whom he could form a relationship of mutual love and cooperation, reflecting the loving relationship exemplified within the Godhead.

Read Genesis 2:19-21.

  2:19   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. 
  2:20   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. 
  2:21   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.

 After what act does God cause Adam to sleep and then, from his flesh, create a wife? How might the previous act be related to God’s creation of a wife for Adam?

Perhaps the key here is found in the last phrase of verse 20. As he named the animals, Adam must have noticed that they came in pairs, male and female, unlike himself, who was a singular creation. We can be sure that the Lord all along intended for Adam to have a wife. Perhaps the Lord intended to create a longing in Adam, the sense that something was missing in his own existence, which would make him that much more appreciative of the gift that the Lord was going to give him in a wife.

Perhaps so. Perhaps not. God does not have a wife, neither did Jesus. And in heaven there will be no marriage.  I bring this up because in today's world, it would be better if there were fewer marriages. When we read what Paul has to say about remaining single, it gives us good reason to consider that many will be much happier living for God, than having to take time to consider what it needed by a spouse and often children. Jesus is coming soon and there is great need of missionaries, full time, to take the last message of mercy to a world soon to perish.  This in no way brings any reproach upon marriage. The Biblical counsel expresses the truth that one does not have to get married to fulfill God's plan. To the contrary, one may be better able to do so by remaining single.  Paul wrote "So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better." 1 Cor. 7:38.

It was God's plan to populate the Earth when He created it. Today, at the end of Earth's history, this is not the plan.

Consider the contrast between the “good” of the rest of the Creation, and the declaration of “not good” in regard to Adam’s solitude. What does this indicate about the value of relationships? What can you do to help to strengthen whatever valuable relationships you are now in?

Adam was not alone. His life was much more full than most who live today. He had face to face communion with God. Again, this does not bring reproach upon marriage in any manner. It is a holy institution when it is centered in God. From that union is to come forth the leaders of the next generation.  But, as I have pointed out, we are at the end of time. There is no need to continue to populate the Earth. Jesus is coming to take us home very soon!!

[Richard Myers]

MONDAY February 25

A Companion for Adam

Genesis 2:20, in which Adam names the animals, helps to reveal the great gap between humans and other earthly creatures. There was no animal that was comparable to Adam. Not even among the apes was there any creature like Adam, because Adam was not like an ape. This is an important point for us to remember because so many in our society promote the idea that humans are nothing more than advanced apes. We are not apes, and an ape was no more suitable as a companion for Adam than it would be for one of us.

Read Genesis 2:21, 22.

  2:21   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; 
  2:22   And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 

What significance is found in the method by which God created a companion for Adam?

As God had personally crafted Adam’s body from the dust of the ground, so He personally crafted Eve’s body, using one of Adam’s ribs. God did not need Adam’s rib to create Eve; He could have created her as He had created Adam or even spoken her into existence.

But God had a reason for forming Eve out of one of Adam’s ribs. If the two had been created completely separately, it could indicate that by nature they were completely independent individuals. But the sharing of flesh in both persons indicates that the two were to be united and were intended to be “one flesh.”

After being created, Eve was brought to Adam to be his helper (vs. 18). She was made from Adam (vs. 22) and given to Adam (vs. 22). The process by which God created Eve showed clearly that God could provide any companion that Adam needed. This point became important later when Adam faced the temptation of whether to join Eve in the eating of the fruit or to trust God to take care of the situation. Adam had ample reason to believe that God could take care of him, and this made his sin the more grievous.

Yes, it was a great sin to want his wife more than he wanted God. There is a lesson here for us today that I have not heard discussed. When Adam and Eve were married, they became one flesh. There is a truth there that the world denies. But, ask any who have bonded with another in the marriage relationship how they feel when it is broken. Yes, I know that some are heartless and have their feelings seared so they could do as did the women in the siege of Jerusalem, eat their own children. But, unless one has been hardened in life, it is natural even in fallen nature to develop strong ties that when severed produce great suffering. Therefore, it was very hard for Adam to give up his wife. That is never an excuse to sin. I am just pointing out that marriage is very special and there is more to it than just signing a piece of paper. Today, society is so evil and immoral that marriage means very little. If one is unhappy, they just separate and that takes care of the difficulty, even at great expense to children. Such selfishness!

Read Genesis 2:23.

2:23   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. 

 What was Adam’s response to Eve?

Adam was so excited when he saw Eve that he sang out in poetry. This is the first poem in the Bible and reflects Adam’s regard for his wife and the closeness of their relationship. She was to be his equal, another aspect of Creation that was damaged by the Fall.

Yes, but even amongst church members that will be denied. The world wants to remove the "man" from woman and make her as a man.  We now have chair woman, chair person, police woman, and fire person. But, the world has not yet found a replacement for woman.

[Richard Myers]

TUESDAY February 26

Ideal Marriage

Author William Faulkner once called marriage a “failure” and wrote that “the only way to get any peace out of it is . . . to keep the first one wife and stay as far away from her as much as you can, with the hope of some day outliving her.” What a sad commentary on the state of many marriages.

Read Mark 10:7-9.

  10:7   For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; 
  10:8   And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. 
  10:9   What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. 

 What texts did Jesus quote in this passage? What characteristics of a good marriage can be found in the words of Jesus here?

The benefits of leaving one’s parents in order to create a home with one’s spouse are so well known that they hardly need to be mentioned. Problems with in-laws are one of the leading causes of marital discord. One of the first steps to take when establishing a happy home is to respect the independence of the marriage partners by the establishment of a home separate from their parents when at all possible. In cases when it is not possible, the privacy and intimacy of marriage should still be respected.

There is a sacred circle around the family. It is not just inlaws that endanger the marriage relationship, but close friends that inject themselves into matters in which they have no business. This is a principle that few follow and it results often in divorce and all of the woes that follow, especially for the children.
Unity is another feature of a good marriage. Unity does not mean that the two partners should give up the use of their separate brains, but that they should be united in their purpose to do the very best for each other and for their union.

Jesus also emphasized the lasting nature of marriage. Marriage is not a casual relationship to be entered into or dismissed at will. It is a lifetime commitment. Those who are not prepared to commit themselves for life should postpone such a step until they are ready.

That is like telling the unconverted that they must not make important decisions in life until they are converted. The unconverted will not be told what to do. They are going to go forward because they know best.

Read Ephesians 5:22-25.

  5:22   Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 
  5:23   For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 
  5:24   Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 
  5:25   Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 

In what way do these verses reveal the principles of a good marriage?

It is the husband’s privilege to give himself to his wife in loving service, as Christ gave Himself for the church. In turn, the wife is to respect her husband and to cooperate in their work toward their mutual goals. Here is the solution to the discord that sin has brought into the marriage relationship. Self-sacrificing love will be met by loving respect and mutual happiness. Our homes can be a foretaste of heaven.

Amen!  The problem always comes as the result of one thing, a lack of power to manifest self sacrificing love. It is not within the powers of fallen human nature to do so. Oh...we have power to do kind things for selfish reasons, but not self sacrificing things.  Ask a husband to mow the lawn and he may do so. But, ask a husband to mow the lawn when the world series is on will require a sacrifice too great. The lack of sacrifice is seen in many areas of life. Some have a lot of money, but are unwilling to give of their time. Some have a lot of time, but are unwilling to part with their money. When Jesus is in the heart, then there will be seen self sacrificing love. If Jesus is not in the heart, then the fruits of the Spirit are not in the life and misery will reign. In public there is one face, but in the home is seen the lack of love. Often, in marriage devoid of God, is seen nastiness.  God never intended there to be such things in a marriage, but neither did He intend for there to be any death.

[Richard Myers]

WEDNESDAY February 27

Protecting What’s Precious

One of the greatest examples of God’s love for humanity can be found in human sexuality. It is truly a wonderful gift from God. Yet, as with all the gifts that we have been given, it doesn’t come unconditionally. That is, it’s not something we can just do with as we please. God has set some rules. Indeed, He is very clear: sexual activity is to be between a husband and wife, male and female, and only in the context of marriage. Anything outside of that is sin.

Read Matthew 5:27-30.

  5:27   Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 
  5:28   But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. 
  5:29   And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast [it] from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not [that] thy whole body should be cast into hell. 
  5:30   And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast [it] from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not [that] thy whole body should be cast into hell. 

Look at how seriously Jesus takes the issues with which He is dealing here. What is, ultimately, at stake?

However much we like to focus (and rightly so) on all the grace and forgiveness that Jesus bestows upon sinners, we can’t forget the high standards of morality that He lived and preached. It’s hard to imagine how Jesus could have expressed more strongly the warning against sexual immorality as revealed in these few verses. Plucking out your eye? Cutting off your hand? If this is what it takes to be pure, then it’s worth it; otherwise you are in danger of losing your eternal life.

“If all who profess to obey the law of God were free from iniquity, my soul would be delivered; but they are not. Even some who profess to keep all the commandments of God are guilty of the sin of adultery. What can I say to arouse their benumbed sensibilities? Moral principle, strictly carried out, becomes the only safeguard of the soul.”-Ellen G. White, Counsels on Health, pp. 621, 622.

However strong Jesus’ warning is here, we must not forget the story about the woman caught in the act of adultery (John 8:1-11). How do we strike the right balance between the upholding of the standards that Jesus talked about in the above verses, while at the same time showing grace and compassion to those who fall, as revealed in this story?

All sin reveals a separation between man and God. But, some sins are more heinous than others. God has commanded that when one murders another, his life is to be forfeited. "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man." Genesis 9:6.   This does not apply to the thief, yet both are sins which unless repented of will bar one from the kingdom. I doubt we would be having this discussion about the murderer and church discipline. The subject of adultery is not only most serious, it is a problem in churches today. Like murder, it is one of the more heinous sins. Society does not think so, but God does. Why? Because as in the case of murder, He values what is being destroyed. In the case of murder, God values human life, so the punishment is to fit the crime. Same with adultery. God places a very high value on the institution of marriage. Society does not. When one breaks the seventh commandment, then there is to be discipline that reveals the most serious nature of the crime. If there is not  most serious discipline, then we will see what we do today in the churches, much adultery.

When a church remarries one who does not have grounds for remarriage, the church participates in an act of adultery. This is not infrequent. There is much Bible counsel regarding marriage that is rejected or ignored. The consequences are devastating to the church and all involved.

The question asked is how do we uphold the Bible and at the same time provide grace to the sinner?  I will ask a question that may help us find an answer. What shall we do when we find out that a church member has molested a young child? How is grace to be administered? How do we find "balance"?       

[Richard Myers]

THURSDAY February 28

Marriage as a Metaphor for the Church

It is well-known among students of the Bible that both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament marriage is used as a symbol of the relationship between God and His covenant people. That’s why, for example, on numerous occasions the Bible uses the image of an unfaithful woman to symbolize the apostasy and backsliding that was prevalent in ancient Israel. For instance, back in Exodus, the Lord said to His people that they should not enter into any kind of close relationship with the pagans around them because the pagans were a very perverse people who could lead Israel astray.

Read Exodus 34:15, 16.

 34:15   Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and [one] call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice; 
 34:16   And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods. 

What image does the Lord use in this specific warning? How can this be understood in the context of God’s people as being “married” to Him? See Jer. 3:14.

3:14   Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: 

At the same time, the image of the church as the bride of Christ points toward unity among believers and with Christ, especially when understood in the context of the biblical ideal for marriage: one man and one woman in a loving, self-sacrificing relationship.

Read Ephesians 5:28-32 and Revelation 19:5-9.

5:28   So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 
 5:29   For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 
 5:30   For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 
 5:31   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. 
 5:32   This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 
 5:33   Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. 

 19:5   And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. 
 19:6   And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. 
 19:7   Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 
 19:8   And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 
 19:9   And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed [are] they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. 

What are these texts teaching?

In these texts, the relationship within the ideal marriage is compared with the relationship of God and His people. God invites His people to join with Him in an intimate relationship. This is an amazing picture of God’s interest in His people and His desire to bring us into His fellowship.

Amen!  These texts are teaching much in relationship to how God looks upon marriage. We see that the relationship between God and the church members is the same as the relationship between a husband and wife. How so? Can someone share what this teaches us? Is it important today?

What choices can you make that will draw you closer to the Lord and closer to the ideal represented in the biblical concept of marriage? Why is it a matter of the choices that you, and you alone, can make?

Two choices come to mind immediately. We can give to God the ruler ship of our lives and we can follow the pattern that God has given for our the relationship between the husband and wife. How is that relationship to follow the pattern?

Who else can decide for the husband how he will treat his wife? Who else can decide if the wife will follow the pattern given, other than the wife. One may give lip service to Scripture, but God looks upon the heart.

[Richard Myers]

FRIDAY March 1

Further Study: In many ways, a proper understanding of morality, especially sexual morality, is clearly tied to a proper understanding of our origins. For example: evolutionary philosophy does not provide an objective basis for any link between sexual activity and morality. Animals have many different types of “mating systems.” Some species are polygamous, many are promiscuous. A few species are mostly monogamous, but genetic studies have revealed that many species that appear to be monogamous are not actually so. In many species, a female may give birth to a group of offspring that are not all fathered by the same individual. Without the objective standard of morality given by the Creator, we would have no basis for the evaluation of sexual behavior as morally good or bad. The current push to approve homosexual partnerships illustrates this point. It is only in the light of Creation that marriage is properly understood.

We can surely point to Scripture as a standard for sexual morality, but we do not need Scripture or an understanding of creation to rightly understand the problems with sexual immorality. We can reason from cause to effect and understand that we ought to have a Biblical standard for morality. Societies independent of a correct understanding have understood adultery is wrong. It is true that we see no evidence of moral standards in the world today, but it has not always been as bad as it is now.  The Bible tells us that just prior to the coming of Jesus, the world will be as it was at the time of Noah.

“In both the Old and the New Testament, the marriage relation is employed to represent the tender and sacred union that exists between Christ and His people. To the mind of Jesus the gladness of the wedding festivities pointed forward to the rejoicing of that day when He shall bring home His bride to the Father’s house, and the redeemed with the Redeemer shall sit down to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”-Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 151.

Discussion Questions

    Darwinism denies anything like the biblical creation. What rules for sexual behavior, if any, does Darwinism provide, and how do they contrast with the biblical ideal?

The survival of the fittest would support the condition of the world at the time of the great flood. If a man wanted another man's wife, he would take her if he was the fittest. That is surely contrary to the Bible standard, but would support Darwin's model.

    What are some biblical examples of good marriages and happy homes? Name some biblical examples of unhappy marriages and homes. What can we learn from both?

David sure had severe problems in his marriages and his home was always a mess. Looking at what happened to his children would cause us all to consider his mistakes to be serious ones we would not want to duplicate.  When things got difficult in the home of Job, his wife told him to curse God.    In difficult times, it would be good to have a spouse who loves God and remains faithful.

I am having difficulty remembering Scripture that highlights a good and happy marriage. As I consider the faithful men and women in Scripture, I cannot think of a marriage that was pointed to as happy. We see the principles put forward, but as I review in my mind, what I see are the difficulties in the marriage. Abraham putting his wife in danger when calling her his sister. Abraham taking a second wife. Isacc being deceived by his wife and son. Jacob having multiple wives. Adam being led into sin by his wife. Lot's family did not do well. His wife became salt. In re-thinking about Abraham, I like his example in another area. Yes, he erred in taking a second wife, denying God's plan. But, he considered his real wife and got rid of his second wife. He also had done a good job with Issac. He willingly would be offered as a sacrifice to God. And, his wife followed him in giving up their home and moving to a new land that they did  not know of. They had their difficulties, but they loved and respected each other. Sadly, the Bible tells us of their sin as well. It is for our good and God's glory to have done so.

When we get into the New Testament, the Bible is silent in regards to Paul's wife, as well as the wive of the apostles who were married. Very little is said about Peter's wife. There must be a story in the Bible illustrating a good and happy marriage, but it does not come to mind. 

Someone help us with an example if a happy home in the Bible. It must be there. Noah's wife and children all got on the ark.


    Review the description of the virtuous wife in Proverbs 31:10-31.

  31:10   Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price [is] far above rubies. 
  31:11   The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. 
  31:12   She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. 
  31:13   She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. 
  31:14   She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar. 
  31:15   She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. 
  31:16   She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. 
  31:17   She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. 
  31:18   She perceiveth that her merchandise [is] good: her candle goeth not out by night. 
  31:19   She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. 
  31:20   She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. 
  31:21   She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household [are] clothed with scarlet. 
  31:22   She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing [is] silk and purple. 
  31:23   Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. 
  31:24   She maketh fine linen, and selleth [it]; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. 
  31:25   Strength and honour [are] her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. 
  31:26   She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue [is] the law of kindness. 
  31:27   She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. 
  31:28   Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband [also], and he praiseth her. 
  31:29   Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. 
  31:30   Favour [is] deceitful, and beauty [is] vain: [but] a woman [that] feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. 
  31:31   Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates. 
 

What should be the character of the husband of such a wife?

It would surely be a shame for a man who did not have a godly character to want a woman with such a godly character. I frequently express this thought to those who are considering marriage. If you want a godly woman, then don't think such a woman would want a godly man? In other words, don't deceive yourself thinking you can find such a woman if your character is no in harmony with what you are looking for. Give your heart fully to Christ before you get married. Then, you will have spiritual discernment to find a wife who will bless you.

    In what ways can your local church be a place that can help to affirm and strengthen the ideals of marriage? What practical things can your church do in order to accomplish that goal?

The very best way that my church can strengthen the ideals of marriage is to reflect those ideals. Families ought to be living examples of what Bible morality does for a family. The church ought never support those who wish to separate for other than Bible reasons, adultery.  The church ought never remarry anyone without Biblical grounds for remarriage.  The church ought to educate on the Bible truths that lead to good marriages. The church must discipline those who violate the seventh commandment, otherwise, it is responsible for the continuing of the sin.

[Richard Myers]

Our lesson this week began by stating that marriage was one of the two institutions that, after the Fall, Adam brought with him beyond the gates of Paradise. The other was the Sabbath. Holy and undefiled were they both and ought to have remained so. But, marriage has been perverted. God would have the church uphold its sanctity. We have not done a very good job of it. Too many have divorced without cause and remarried. Often those who had no grounds for divorce treat a second marriage in the same manner they did the first, with little respect.

Among the Jews a man was permitted to put away his wife for the most trivial offenses, and the woman was then at liberty to marry again. This practice led to great wretchedness and sin. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus declared plainly that there could be no dissolution of the marriage tie except for unfaithfulness to the marriage vow. "Every one," He said, "that putteth away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, maketh her an adulteress: and whosoever shall marry her when she is put away committeth adultery." 

When the Pharisees afterward questioned Him concerning the lawfulness of divorce, Jesus pointed His hearers back to the marriage institution as ordained at creation. "Because of the hardness of your hearts," He said, Moses "suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so." He referred them to the blessed days of Eden when God pronounced all things "very good." Then marriage and the Sabbath had their origin, twin institutions for the glory of God in the benefit of humanity. Then, as the Creator joined the hands of the holy pair in wedlock, saying, A man shall "leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one," He enunciated the law of marriage for all the children of Adam to the close of time. That which the eternal Father Himself had pronounced good was the law of highest blessing and development for man. 

Jesus came to our world to rectify mistakes and to restore the moral image of God in man. Wrong sentiments in regard to marriage had found a place in the minds of the teachers of Israel. They were making of none effect the sacred institution of marriage. Man was becoming so hardhearted that he would for the most trivial excuse separate from his wife, or, if he chose, he would separate her from the children and send her away. This was considered a great disgrace and was often accompanied by the most acute suffering on the part of the discarded one. 

Christ came to correct these evils, and His first miracle was wrought on the occasion of the marriage. Thus He announced to the world that marriage when kept pure and undefiled is a sacred institution.....
 
Nothing but the violation of the marriage bed can either break or annul the marriage vow. We are living in perilous times, when there is no assurance in anything save in firm, unwavering faith in Jesus Christ. There is no heart that may not be estranged from God through the devices of Satan, if one does not watch unto prayer.....

Men are not at liberty to make a standard of law for themselves, to avoid God's law and please their own inclination. They must come to God's great moral standard of righteousness. . . . 

God gave only one cause why a wife should leave her husband, or the husband leave his wife, which was adultery. AH 342

It is because of the hardness of hearts and a lack of love and faith in God that His Word is not followed. Too many who profess to love God and want to enter heaven, will not walk in this light so plainly stated. It brings great reproach upon God, His Word, and His church. Marriage is to be holy. Marriage vows are vows before God and cannot be transgressed with impunity. One cannot break their marriage vow and be guiltless before God. If those who are contemplating separation will take their difficulties to Jesus, He will give you grace and wisdom to remain faithful to your vows that were made before God.

[Mimi]

I have been following the lesson and appreciate the concentration of spiritual gems scattered throughout. And especially good is the reference to Adventist Home. If ever a book on this very subject was written, outside of Scripture, which specifically marks what God wants for us, it is that book. It is inspired counsel of the highest order for the divine blueprint expressed for husbands and wives. It is upon that divine order that the human family succeeds or fails. Our marriages are doomed to failure when self reigns. Misery and heartache follows. Conversely, husbands and wives thrive when consecrated, reflecting the love of Jesus to their spouses. The sacredness of the institution of marriage cannot be overstated.

[Richard Myers]

Amen! The marriage centered in Christ will produce happiness and be a witness for Christ. The Biblical principle of that marriage is revealed in Ecclesiastes chapter 4, verse 12,  "a threefold cord is not quickly broken."  What a blessing when self dies and Christ reigns in a marriage. When family devotions are had in the morning and evening. When they are neglected, then the family will suffer.

[colporteur]

On Thursday's lesson the theme is "Marriage a metaphor for the church. "If the husband is a symbol for Christ then is the church the head of Christ or visa versa?  I hope this question is brought up in our  Sabbath schools today. If marriage is truly a symbol of Christ's relationship to His church then the symbol must match what it symbolizes. This should clinch the WO issue.

[Richard Myers]

You bring us back to the questions that were asked in Thursday's lesson, cp.

THURSDAY February 28

Marriage as a Metaphor for the Church

....In these texts, the relationship within the ideal marriage is compared with the relationship of God and His people. God invites His people to join with Him in an intimate relationship. This is an amazing picture of God’s interest in His people and His desire to bring us into His fellowship.

Amen!  These texts are teaching much in relationship to how God looks upon marriage. We see that the relationship between God and the church members is the same as the relationship between a husband and wife. How so? Can someone share what this teaches us? Is it important today?

What choices can you make that will draw you closer to the Lord and closer to the ideal represented in the biblical concept of marriage? Why is it a matter of the choices that you, and you alone, can make?

Two choices come to mind immediately. We can give to God the ruler ship of our lives and we can follow the pattern that God has given for our the relationship between the husband and wife. How is that relationship to follow the pattern?

Who else can decide for the husband how he will treat his wife? Who else can decide if the wife will follow the pattern given, other than the wife. One may give lip service to Scripture, but God looks upon the heart.

[Richard Myers]

For many of our readers, it is too late to add input for the Sabbath School lesson today. In Australia, the Sabbath School met yesterday, the Sabbath.    In California, it meets in an hour and a half. In Hawaii, there is still time to take a look at the lesson preparatory to sharing in Sabbath School.

In reviewing the subject of who is to be the leader in the home and church, I found something that was very disturbing. When I first read it, I was shocked, but was so busy that I forgot about it. There are some who believe that there is nothing in Scripture to indicate there is any order in the home or church. The way in which they came to this conclusion was to reinterpret Scripture using Greek and Hebrew to change the meaning revealed in the King James Bible. They have used modern translations to suit their purpose and have pointed us to the "experts" in theology who are well trained to understand this subject. In other words they have taken us away from our Bibles and told us that we need to look to the wisdom of man for our understanding of Scripture. That we are not capable of rightly understanding the issue of headship in the home and church.

While the role of the man in the home and church is very important, it is nothing when compared to this most dangerous heresy that attempts to give to the experts in Greek and Hebrew the high position reserved only for the Holy Spirit and God's Word. God is to be our teacher. His Word is not out of reach of the common man. No, the Bible interprets itself. God sends teachers, but the true teachers sent of God will not claim to be the expert interpreters of Scripture, but they will point all to Jesus Christ and the Bible. They will teach that like the faithful Bereans, they are to compare the teachings of man with Scripture. God sends teachers, but the Bible is to be our rule of faith. When the teacher sent of God has finished teaching we are to compare all that he taught with the Bible. And, he will tell us to do so.

This type of heresy, when the exalted minister takes to himself that which only belongs to God, is spreading like a cancer throughout professing Christian churches. Beware of the teacher that comes bearing the Greek and Hebrew. Some are of God, but most are not.

The Bible is not hard to understand in regards to the roles assigned to man and woman.

Genesis
  3:16   Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire [shall be] to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. 
  3:17   And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed [is] the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat [of] it all the days of thy life; 
  3:18   Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 
  3:19   In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou [art], and unto dust shalt thou return.

1 Timothy
  2:12   But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. 
  2:13   For Adam was first formed, then Eve. 
  2:14   And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. 
  2:15   Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety. 

Ephesians
  5:22   Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 
  5:23   For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 
  5:24   Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so [let] the wives [be] to their own husbands in every thing. 
  5:25   Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 
 

[Richard Myers]

Hope everyone had a blessed Sabbath!

Join us as we begin this new week's lesson on The Sabbath and the Environment

[colporteur]

It is interesting that while God created the animals together in pairs He did not do that with Adam and Eve. Adam was alone. Surely this was to reveal to Adam his need. Though I had not looked at it this way before it would seem that Eve was also alone for  moments or possibly even hours. I believe that Eve was created and  alive while Adam was yet asleep and for all practical purposes dead, in terms of any interaction with her. He was just a motionless body lying there. Is it possible that this was to reveal to Eve her need as well. After all, the Lord could have just as easily created Eve from Adam while he was wide awake.

It is interesting that Adam, head of the woman, experienced a wound to his side for the sake of or birth of the woman while Christ the head of the church suffered a wound to the side for the sake and the birth of the church/ the woman. Adam slept and the woman was formed while Christ slept (in the grave) and the NT church/woman came to life.

The NT church observed Jesus coming  out of the sleep of death at His resurrection.  Eve observed Adam rising out of a death-like sleep. She was a lone for a brief time while her husband slept just as the disciples  were alone as Jesus laid in the tomb.