The Spiritual Significance of Marriage
Introduction
Today we look at the spiritual significance of the many facets of marriage not only to our physical spouses but to our Husband, Christ, which Bride we are as a Body collectively. We know most of these teachings but it behoves us to think and ponder upon our spiritual and physical marriages as it is in our own days of the Lord.
Why do we need marriage? Are there spiritual lessons to be learned? Why was Adam given a woman instead of another man, which is the weaker vessel?
1Pe 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
Let us lay the foundation, starting at the beginning:
Gen 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;
Gen 2:22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
Gen 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.
Gen 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
Marriage is the mystery Paul speaks about:
Eph 5:32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
The spiritual meaning of “she was taken out of the man” reveals to us this hidden meaning of this verse:
Joh 16:27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.
Joh 17:8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.
God, the Father, created Christ and in that sense Christ came out from His Head, for the specific purpose of creating the physical universe and for the specific purpose of creating all men of all time, and becoming the Saviour of all. Think giving life.
Col 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Christ was “the firstborn of every creature BECAUSE by him were all things created that are in heaven and in earth…”
Rev 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
The spiritual meaning of “sleep” is made clear in the NT.
Joh 11:11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
Joh 11:12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
Joh 11:13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
Joh 11:14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
Being in “a deep sleep”, is a symbol of being dead. If we are given the understanding that the first Adam is a type of the last Adam, then we will know that the first Adam had to, “in a figure”, die before he could be given a wife who would, just like the last Adam, be given a wife who also must come “out of [Himself]”. Being dead is being in our natural state of unbelief and disobedience.
Rom 5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
Spiritually, we are collectively being the espoused “chaste virgin”, who is the Bride.
2Co 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
It is being accomplished only as Adam’s “deep sleep” typifies, “through death”.
Col 1:22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
Heb 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Christ brought Adam’s wife to him, what is the spiritual lesson?
Gen 2:22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
Who gave Christ His wife? It is clear that the Father is, was and will be giving Christ His wife, each in His own order.
Joh 17:6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
Joh 17:12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
The first Adam (a living soul), and Christ (quickening Spirit), the last Adam, both willingly died and die for their respective errant, sinful wives. As He is, so are we [1 John 4:17]:
1Ti 2:14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman [as the type of Christ’s called out ones] being deceived was in the transgression.
Joh 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
Joh 10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
Only the sons of Christ understand how integral Christ’s espoused wife is to His own purpose, death, resurrection, and inheritance.
Rom 4:25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
The word “for”, translated from the Greek word “dia”, which means “through”. Christ was delivered up to be crucified through our offenses, and was raised from the dead through our justification. The Bride is being given to Christ “through death”.
When looking at the spiritual meaning of flesh and bone, we ask where does Eve come from?
Gen 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.
Eve coming “out of Adam”, reveals that Christ Himself is the one out of whom Adam came. Christ IS the Word who said, “Let us make man in our image…”
Col 1:16 For by him [Christ] were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Scriptures teach that when God creates another, a second, for that which He created first, under those circumstances, that which is first, becomes the stronger, and becomes the Head of that which was created for the first and preeminent creation.
1Co 11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
Christ was created before the man, Adam was created before the woman, and the Father is He “of whom are all things” (1Co 8:6). This is the lesson of the institution of marriage. It is through death that the Bride become “bone of [His] bones, and flesh of [His] flesh”. The purpose of showing us that a married couple are to be “one flesh”, spiritually typifying the one spiritual mind of the one body of Christ and His Bride.
Gen 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
The earthy type is created in a “marred… made to be destroyed” condition, the spiritual anti-type is being made to be of an “immortal” condition, “a spiritual body” [1 Cor 15:44].
Ecc 3:18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.
Rom 8:20 For the creature was made [” marred… in the Potter’s hand”] subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Adam called her Eve because she is the mother of all living. She is the weaker vessel.
Gen 3:20 And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.
The wife is being made for the husband for the purpose of giving life to others by her husband. The headship of God over Christ, and Christ being the Head of the man, and the man being the head of the woman, is all ordained to be symbolized by a man having short hair and thereby having an “uncovered… head”. The same symbol of submission to God’s ways is also symbolized by a woman having her head covered by her long hair. Please study 1 Co 11:4-7.
What is the point being made?
1Co 11:8 For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. [and Christ for His Head]
1Co 11:9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. [As the man was created for Christ]
1Co 11:10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels [the messengers of Christ].1Co 11:11 Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.
1Co 11:12 For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.1Co 11:13 Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?
What does “uncovered” mean?
1Co 11:14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?
1Co 11:15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
This lesson reveals the submissive, fruitful function that Christ fulfils for His Head.
1Co 11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
Col 1:15 Who [Christ, whose “head… is God”] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Tit 3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
Christ is the Firstborn of every creature:
Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
We are being taught by the institution of marriage that there is no trinity. The invisible things are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made [Rom 1:20]. We sit at the Lord’s table in a prescribed manner.
1Co 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
1Co 11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
Christ is integral to His Head and we are integral to Christ:
1Co 11:12 For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.
The man is by the woman tells us that Christ is a woman to His Head. Marriage teaches us that we are the weaker vessel, the called-out bride of our Husband and reveals to us that Christ is the weaker vessel, in His relationship to His Head, by whom the Father has chosen to give life to all men. We are being saved by giving birth, not only to be married to Christ but giving Him children [a renewed mindset].
1Ti 2:15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.
Likened it unto getting married to Christ as being given faith as a gift, and bearing children is grace working through faith, in other words becoming doers of the true doctrine of Christ. So, faith comes by hearing [as a gift] and grace comes through trials. Our trials are to die to self.
Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
How do we find a wife [new mindset]?
Pro 18:22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.
Remember, it is a good thing finding a wife, we still have to walk the marriage out! Let us look at how not to find a wife:
“Falling in love” is nothing more than falling in lust because every man is drawn away by his own lust.
Jas 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Jas 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
We certainly need to be in love with our Husband, Christ, but never out of control, meaning not to give in to seducing spirits:
1Co 14:32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
1Co 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
So, godly love is something we are dragged to, through fiery trials, and that we do not just naturally fall into loving our spiritual husband Christ.
1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1Jn 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
1Jn 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
Twice in the life of Samson we are shown what our uncontrolled emotions will produce within our lives. The first was his Philistine wife and the second was his experience with the harlot Delilah. Here is Samson’s out-of-control, impatient, rebellious words to his parents [The Father and Christ], after “falling in love”. This is us spiritually in our seasons.
Jdg 14:2 And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.
Jdg 14:3 Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.
We are as blind as bats when we are under the law, having false doctrines in our heavens listening to men [lies], tickling the ears and having many idols of the heart whilst and after being married to Christ. We lose our first love.
Joh 9:39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
Joh 9:40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
Joh 9:41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.
Samson and the Pharisees are types of us when we place our trust in the old covenant and the law of the gentiles to the exclusion of Christ’s Words concerning whom we are to marry. Israel, a spiritual type of God’s called-out people, was commanded to marry only another Israelite, and they were specifically prohibited from marrying anyone who was of another way of thinking and that is foremost within and without.
Deu 7:1 When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou;
Deu 7:2 And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:
Deu 7:3 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.
These nations were driven out, and we receive faith as a gift. Now we are not to lose our first love but we do and then the miraculous work of Christ within us takes place, destroying that which just naturally submit to the “seven nations greater and mightier than [we are]”. Those seven nations, idols of the hearts, in our heavens, is what turn us away from our spouse, Christ. We have many mindsets, before through fiery trials, our minds are being renewed day by day.
2Co 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
Eph 4:23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
We are being forced to acknowledge our blindness, and die to self, before we are being delivered from the people [emotions] who are in the land of God’s people without the benefit of true circumcision. Going from hearing to doing is what is symbolized in this example. We have mixed multitudes within us that needs circumcision.
Jdg 16:30 And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.
Falling in love produces the works of the flesh, and is, was and will be in every case, the opposite of “listen[ing] diligently to the voice of the Lord. In every case “the voice of the Lord” was/is completely ignored by those who “fell in love”, and the voice of the “the tempter… the devil is being heard and obeyed.
David lay with [another man’s wife] because he “fell in love with her”. He was supposed to go forth to battle, but sent others and in type he took a break from diligently listening to the voice of the Lord” [2 Sa 11;1-5]. When we diligently listen to Christ, and keep his commandments, we are doing spiritual battle. We take a break, trust in our own vision and pay a terrible and humiliating price in our days.
Recap:
Christ teaches us “the manifold wisdom of God”, and how to strengthen our marriages and how to grow in Spirit “by the church”, and that His Body of called-out believers speak in His behalf:
Luk 10:16 He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.
Eph 3:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
We learn that there is no such thing as falling in love, we are dragged to love our mate through the trials of marriage, which teach us that we do not live to ourselves, nor do we die to ourselves. In much patience, we are being saved by grace through faith, a process until the end.
Joh 6:44 No man can come to me [Love our husband, Christ], except the Father which hath sent me draw [Greek – hello, meaning ‘drag’] him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
We learn that not everyone who says they are “in the Lord” is really in the Lord.
Mat 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
Although not discussed, we learn through the examples of Adam, Isaac, and Boaz in the OT Scriptures that God has all of our wives [mindsets] “written in His Book” before we are being born in our day of the Lord, and in His time, He brings our wives to us and renews us. Look with spiritual eyes within. This is also true for the physical.
Psa 139:16 Thine eyes did see mine unformed substance; And in thy book they were all written, Even the days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was none of them.
We saw through the examples of these three men that it is in our long suffering that we possess both our souls and our marriages:
Psa 27:14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
Luk 21:19 In your patience possess ye your souls.
We see verses of Scripture which forbid believers from marrying unbelievers who are not of the same mind. Be diligent and look within first, we are not being able to have two mindsets, because we will love the one and hate the other!
Amo 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?
1Co 6:15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.
1Co 6:16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
1Co 6:17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
An “unbeliever” includes not only a professing Christian who is not of the same “one mind” of Christ in the physical but foremost the ungodly thoughts we entertain.
2Co 11:4 For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.
Php 1:27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
In the examples of Samson and David, we learn that outward beauty alone [knowledge and tickling of the ears] provokes nothing more than the lust of our flesh [in our tongues and doings], leading us to disobedience and causing us to turn our knowledge of His sovereignty and His grace into a self-righteous, lascivious and permissive spirit.
Jud 1:4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
We do that by being disobedient to what we know, we should be doing.
Rom 2:24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.
Finally, we learn that those who marry an unbeliever before they come to know that marriage is “only in the Lord” are never to put away their spouse because that union is also a work of the same God who is working all things after the counsel of His own will for our good. What this says in hidden spiritual language is that the law is good in that it brings us to Christ [Galatians 4].
1Co 7:12 But to the rest [couples where one spouse is not a believer] speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.
1Co 7:13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
1Co 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
1Co 7:15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.
Lord willing, we will look at more shadows typifying our union with Christ, our Husband, and learn to pay attention to the things He says concerning how to preserve and strengthen the institution of marriage.
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