MR AND MRS

Time with Jesus - Sunday, 18 March 2012

Hi all,

Marriage was and is God’s idea. He never makes mistakes. We make them all the time. Today’s Scriptures focus on the marriage relationship between God and His people.

The idea that “our Maker is our husband” is not strange. Before The Lord made Eve from Adam’s rib, there is a sense in which Adam was the closest thing to what we might describe as God’s marriage partner. If not, it was the closest relationship to marriage we see in antiquity. The Nation of Israel entered into covenant with God on Mt Sinai. It was a commitment to each other. They would be His people and He would be their God. To me that sounds suspiciously like a marriage. Isaiah expressed the relationship with God as follows; ⁵ For your Maker is your husband, the LORD of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called. Isaiah 54:5 ESV

I’ve heard it said that the entire Bible is the story of God going about finding a bride for His Son. This is perhaps an over-simplification. Nevertheless this “process” began in Genesis and culminates in the Book of Revelation. There we see the Heavenly Jerusalem coming down from God. It could well be the final dwelling for His Son Jesus with His heavenly bride – His people.

How this all fits together is beyond my understanding. But we don’t have to understand it. All we need to do is believe it and leave the details to God.

Over the years, men and women have married and been given in marriage since the early parts of Genesis. Various nations have developed customs associated with the wedding. Even today in South Africa, if we look at the standard wedding ceremony in Protestant churches, we find customs that go back for longer than we can guess. The bride is “given away” by her father (usually) to her husband. She wears a wedding ring or some other symbol stating she is now a married woman. I understand that little girls are brought up with a fantasy of being the perfect bride at a perfect wedding. Why not? On that day she has the right to take on the surname of her husband. Although this is no longer compulsory, most brides choose to do so anyway.

In today’s meditation I’ve taken some of the wedding customs we know so well and applied them to the marriage of the Lion of the tribe of Judah to His bride. Some of the similarities are from my own imagination. For instance I’ve equated the Name on the forehead of God’s people to be like a wedding ring. That name I've guessed is the name His bride will take when they are married. Be aware that I’m not seeking to provide some new doctrine. It’s only my imagination being applied to some of the symbolism. They may well be wrong. But they were fun exploring. I trust you’ll have as much fun meditating on these illustrations as I had composing them!

Blessings

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Mr and Mrs

Way back in antiquity, when man and wife were wed; There was a marriage custom which even now’s not dead. Because it was so serious; the two were seen as one! They came to an agreement which even now’s not gone. Because they were in covenant and they would procreate, They had to have a common name for husband and his mate. A married man was Mister, with surname at the end They called his partner Mistress. At least, that was the trend. This meant from that day onward, if he was Mister “Fred”. His wife would now be Mistress “Fred” from then till she was dead! This was the normal custom, back in the days of yore. The wife took on her husband’s name until - forevermore. She also started wearing a special wedding band. This said that she was married. “See here, it’s on my hand!” It seems the Lord has planned for us that He will do the same. On all His people’s forehead’s, He’s going to write His Name. I’m not sure of the “gender” His people will all share. It isn’t in the Bible, recorded anywhere. The Lord will be our Husband! A shepherd through and through. He’ll take care of His people, the way that shepherds do. He’s said that we will know Him. The secret will be out. His name upon our foreheads. That’s what it’s all about. It’s something like a wedding band that’s sealed upon the head. This says, “He is our Husband” and that we have been wed. The Holy Spirit did this, so we could all be sure, That marriage to the Master, forever will endure. The other implications are not so very clear. It should be quite sufficient that Jesus Christ is near. But as for procreation, It seems to make no sense. And other things we think about – my mind’s a little dense! But this I know for certain; we’ll gladly bear His Name. We’ll give Him our submission and things won’t be the same. We’ll live in New Jerusalem. A home that He’s designed. “The Lord God is our Righteousness”, is how its name’s defined. I’m sure we all will love it. We’ll think it’s paradise. To be with Him forever, is more than plain old “nice”. There is no honour higher than being Jesus’ bride! Married to our Maker and with Him to abide! Jim Strickland  Written Sunday 18th March 2012