Marriage

 

This is a tough one, and you're not going to like me much when you read this.
Our world today is a place where people decide marriage is whatever they want it to be. There's a lot of confusion, debate, rancor, pointing of fingers, quoting scripture, accusations and agendas. We think marriage is defined by the law of man, by a legislature, by the dictation of what the society thinks at any given moment, by what is new fashioned as opposed to old fashioned, tolerance versus intolerance. But the fact is, marriage is defined by our Father. The reason that society rejects the definition of marriage as given by God, is because the people of God reject the definition of marriage as given by God. We don't believe what our Father says about marriage, we don't understand it, we don't live it and we don't walk it. In many cases, instead of creating marriages, we, in the Body of Christ, create Frankensteins. Something that should have been a divine creation, has instead become a blasphemy. What was meant to be an image of Jesus Christ in the earth, has, instead, become an image of self. Of course we are very quick to tell others what marriage is, and is not, but unfortunately, we His people, for the most part, haven't got a clue. And the world is very much aware of this.
Do I know what marriage is as defined by God? I have a theory, but I can't say that I always walk in the understanding of my theory. Again, that makes me part of the problem, and not part of the solution, as the saying goes. But, for my own training, I will try to write down what is speeding through my spirit regarding marriage.
Marriage is a place where an individual goes to die. Are we having fun yet? Marriage is a place where I give up everything that I think and feel, everything that is to my own benefit, a place where I sell myself out. Let me look at some scriptures:
"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 a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And they were both naked, and were not ashamed."                  
                                                                                                     Gen. 2:23-25
Some very interesting things happen in these verses. First of all, Adam, who has been given the authority to name creation (Gen. 2:19-20), renames himself in these verses. In the passage above, The Hebrew word used for "Man", above is "iysh". Prior to this point, the Hebrew word "adam", had been used for man. "Adam" refers to a redness of color, to be rubbed red, to be red like wine and sparkle. This may refer to the soil from which he came. It may refer to a living being filled with blood. It may be because in the handling and forming of man, God rubbed him, or caressed him. It also means "handsome". It seems to deal with the outward appearance. But Adam renames himself "Iysh". This refers to an inward character or quality. The Hebrew word can mean "husband, servant, champion, great man, valor, leader, king". In gaining a wife, Adam has become more than he was. He has become different than he was. Physically, he lost part of himself in the creation of woman, but spiritually, he gained a kingship, a kingship received out of servanthood. He gained a purpose and a character that surpassed what he had been before. He goes on to say that a man leaves his father and mother. He walks away from his worldly identity, the thing that made him what he was, and he becomes a new identity. Adam has died. Iysh has been born. The event that changed him was marriage to Woman.
Who is "Woman"? In Hebrew, she is "Iyshshah". This means "woman, female, wife". But, as you may have guessed, there is a deeper meaning. The fabric of which she is made is bone and flesh from Adam. "Bone" means "essence, body parts, or limbs, vast, mighty, numerous, strong, make strong, make mighty". "Flesh" here means "kindred, relative, glad tidings, gladden with good news, preach, announce, salvation, beauty that comes from a face of joy and cheerfulness". The fabric of which she is made contains the essence of his strength, even that part of his spiritual strength, salvation, not only for herself, but for all mankind, the numerous generations to follow. And even as Adam separates from the character of the world, he joins himself to his strength, his joy, the good news of  salvation. The two become one flesh - "echad", becoming the same, alike. They both are naked, but unashamed. To be naked is to be uncovered. They are not covered by the clothing, possessions, outward identity of this world, but they are uncovered and open to the eyes of God. They do not, at this point, have to hide anything from Him, or from each other.
The principle of sacrifice in marriage is also seen with our Father, who considers Himself married to Israel, and will never divorce, or separate Himself from her.
"For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the LORD loves you...."                                                                                                                      Deut. 7:6-8
"For your Maker is your Husband, The LORD of Hosts is His name...."      Isa. 54:5 
"I spread My wing over you...swore an oath to you...entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine....I washed you in water, I anointed you with oil...I clothed you and covered you..."
                                                                                                            Ezek. 16:8-9
This marriage cost the Father. He gave up precious things for this marriage"
"I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place. Since you were precious in My sight, you have been honored, and I have loved you; Therefore I will give men for you. And people for your life."                                                                         Isa. 43:3-4

God had to sacrifice lives that He held dear for His love of Israel. Do we think this was an easy thing? Do we think it is easy for Him even now, as He sees the love of His wife has grown cold and distant from Him, even after He has given nations and peoples for her sake? But He has cleaved unto Israel.
Jesus, likewise, has taken unto Himself a bride, a wife. And He has made great sacrifice of Himself to achieve His marriage. Like Adam's "Woman", Jesus has filled His wife with the good news, He has made her numerous. He has called her beautiful, and a joy. He gave up everything of this earth to receive His bride unto Himself, and cleave unto her. And He has gained His Kingship, and He has become our Champion. He has made Himself "Husband". He has told us that this same marriage that He has made with His bride, is the same marriage we are to have with one another. The whole point of our marriages is to be a reflection of the truth of Christ's marriage to us. Formed with the same sacrifice. Committed to the same truth. Supernatural in nature, and in strength in Oneness. Changing our old identities into something new and holy. Changing us into a combined something so different from what we were as individuals, that we aren't even known by the same name anymore.
At His last supper here on earth, Jesus washed the feet of His disciples and told them to wash each others' feet in the same manner. He was about to give His blood for this union. Even so, his disciples were debating who among themselves was the greatest. Jesus told them they just didn't get it. No, we don't.

Our Father is marriage.

"Comfort Ye My People"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wZvpbBD75M