Sabbath: Marriage: A Gift From Eden
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.
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A home which has no peace in it God does not belong there.A woman shuld respect her husband and husbands love your wives.
God gave us a gift of marriage and thus should be treasured till death do couples apart or Christ returns to take the redeemed to heaven. The devil is always trying to snatch this gift away from us. We have to work out our part to save our marriage. Pure marriage has never been based on riches, education, status or appearance.
I promise to preserve the sanctity and holiness of my marriage.
That's the home where God belongs; one that has no peace cause he alone can change it into a happy one. When the marriage and family are failing that's because God is lacking. Therefore He is the remedy!
Well said Amanda! That is just like how all sinners need Jesus and should be welcomed in church. We are all sinful. The Adventist church members struggle with sex addiction, homosexual tendencies, adultery, rape, child abuse, domestic violence, incarceration, alcoholism, legalism, and more in their marriages just like anyone else. The solution to all of this is Jesus! He alone can fix marriages from the inside out.
Thanks for lessons, married is good and the Bible explains about it , but some people like me made mistakes and bad decisions before, so still I am alone, but waiting if it is the will of God, my future husband. Pray for my wishes, please, and thanks, Happy Sabbath.
Hallo
Considering that Eve was created after Adam that makes her younger does that mean age is factor in marriage??
o
Me too amen. Do stay faithful to God and he will be faithful unto you. Be blessed
God needs to be the focal point in a marriage, if one or both connections to the centre have been broken, there are going to be problems..God has to be there from the begining through till the end. The Bible suggest to me that Adam and Eve each knew God before they met each other.
Kabaso,
There are always problems in marriage, because God isn't always the focal point. There aren't any humans that have yet perfected their focus. When one spouse is mostly unconditionally, loving and caring, that goes a long way to keeping the marriage going smoothly. Twenty-four years of marriage and I am still learning.
God created marriage. It is something I understand more and more as time goes by. My husband and I are hoping to be an example of a happy marriage. But only through God can we exemplify it. Now in this world people see unhappy couples and they feel like the world has a better solution. But it doesn't. I know God has the best plan.
Here is a thought that I would like to run by everyone: God made the relationship in Eden not the marriage. Marriage is technically a legal public declaration of an agreed upon relationship, a contract, and because it is in all cultures there are social restrictions imposed upon individuals outside of that relationship and attachments made inside of it. Therefore the relationship exists before and extends to the end of marriage if indeed it ever ends and is the thing on which marriage hangs.
The reason why I say that is twofold. First, I can't find any reference in the Bible concerning a wedding ritual for Adam and Eve. God simply brought Adam and Eve together which apparently was agreed upon by both and recognized by God, nothing more. Second is a statement of Jesus, "For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven" (Matt. 22:30 NKJV) which causes a lot problems for some people who can't see their marriage ending just because they are in Heaven. In fact, if the whole reason for God remaking the earth is to bring us back to the state of things before sin entered then we need to question what Jesus was referring to in that statement since He joined Adam and Eve together before sin - not after it. Besides if it wasn't good for man to be alone in Eden will it be any different in the New Earth?
To me, then, Jesus was referring to what marriages are in this world of sin where relationship problems exist on a daily basis and the necessity of a legal instrument becomes apparent. In Heaven those kinds of problems won't exist - no one is going to be interfering with known relationships. Relationships, whatever they will be, will be treated much different in Heaven; they will be respected.
True, there was no formal wedding spoken of as we might find throughout the world in many forms today, but Adam and Eve's union was blessed by God in telling them to be fruitful and multiply. Genesis 2:24 is as valid a "wedding" as the most formal ceremony we might attend today. We have no record of Abraham and Sarah having any formal ceremony either, but something brought them together as husband and wife, and with Jacob and his wedding(s) to the sisters we see the first record of a formal marriage taking place, after the example handed down for generations since Eden. No previous record of wedding ceremonies, but the women, beginning with Eve, were called wives, and the 7th commandment existed.
As for the new order of things when God makes all things new, the redeemed will be "as the angels", which have no such exclusive unions as we understand marriage to be. This takes faith to accept, but realize it is a higher state than we now have, even higher than Adam and Eve in their sinless state. We simply can't understand what things God has prepared for the redeemed. God is not going to restore what was lost, but will make "all things new". The former will be passed away. God Himself will dwell on this earth, with all the angels as well. Our union with God will be closer than before the fall, and one of "us" is to be crowned "King of Kings". Heaven will dwell on earth.
Don't forget Tyler, the question Jesus answered was about the one woman who had lawfully married 7 brothers, which the Sadducees thought would present a problem if there was to be a resurrection. But Jesus made it clear, there would be no problem with any such situation. I personally know a gentleman who had 3 different wives, and all were lawful. Which would be his in the new earth, assuming all are redeemed? Two of them had been formerly married as well. Another fellow member from a former congregation has had 3 husbands, two of which had previous wives, with each union according to the law.
No, there will be no problems when all things are made new. I also believe we will have closer relationships than we now enjoy even in marriage. We get a very faint glimpse of this with Jonathan and David.
I tend to agree with your unique insight about the nature of marriage and the nature of relationships that extend into the kingdom. After all, if I remember correctly, it was Sister White who wanted to be buried right next to James so that she could be resurrected and taken to Jesus together with him. That definitely seems to indicate to me that she understood that her relationship to James was going to be similar in closeness after the resurrection, as it was when they were married here on earth.
Yes Balam, Ellen wanted to see Jesus' coming together with her dearest and best earthly companion and friend. They were as one in their hope and will continue their close unity for eternity, but not as husband and wife. Yet their bond in the next life will be even closer than it could ever be in this present world.
Difficult for us to comprehend all this now, but soon we will know it.
Tyler
The pen of inspiration says that there will be no more marriages after this world has passed. We will not desire it either. But you have some good points that I will look into.
Leslie, the subject of marriage in relation to Heaven is not an easy one. My comment was really an attempt at defining what we mean by marriage.
The whole concept of marriage has been twisted up into a knot by sin. If we go with Hollywood's understanding of the institution then we are nothing but dogs that hold nothing sacred without any permanence. Everything is glandular and based on the feelings of the moment. Such concepts basically are a product of evolution that teaches that we are just a little more advanced animal and with that in mind man has given himself justification to act like the animals science says we evolved from. From what I have seen, marriages that are based on this rationale, quite often initiated because of a pregnancy, rarely last.
To the Pharisees of Christ's day marriage was a self-centered convenience to be discarded with the change of mood. To them like it is with so many Islamic based countries today the convenience usually resides with the males while the female has little or no choice in the matter. Such things end up as a one sided relationship where the spouse is little more than another machine in the house to be bought and sold and traded in on a newer model.
Even though I am single I have seen good marriages and I have seen really bad ones. The good marriages to me seem to last simply because husband and wife want it to last to the point that they are willing to overlook things that tend to break up other less committed marriages. Their marriage, from my standpoint of view, is based on a committed relationship rather than necessity and doesn't require a legal document to make it happen. It happens because they want it to happen in spite of obstacles.
So, I asked what is marriage, how do we define it? Is it nothing more than a legal contract or is there something much deeper, a relationship that transcends all barriers including time and space. Specifically we can also ask which of these was Jesus referring to in His statement concerning marriage in Heaven.
Tyler, to me, a "legal contract" is what most experience without true oneness. This lack of oneness might be for several reasons, but was a choice nonetheless. God holds us to this unwise choice once we make it fully lawful, and the Bible is clear on this point. (Yes, I still don't fully understand the situation in Ezra, but accept there was cause.)
Some will overlook the unequal aspects of a prospective partner in favor of what they find desirable, while others will simply grow apart as one takes the upward path and the other takes the downward. These unequal unions could only have been avoided by following God's leading, who knows the best for all who submit to Him, and He sees tomorrow.(Prov 3:5,6)
As I consider this theme of the afterlife, I wonder if God gave mankind marriage because of the inevitable fall that would come quickly? Our needs in this sinful world will not be the same in the purity of heaven. I can only imagine, but without complete understanding. God makes only good things and the future will be far "good-er" than the present or past. I trust God perfectly in this and expect that Adam will confirm it.
many say that the secular institution of the 1st ever marriage or union with rings, was a pagan event and to do with Saturn/molech worship? i am a 7th day Adventist but i believe that marriage and Sabbath were the only 2 things to be instituted before sin came into the world but i cant find any scriptural backing for this
Yes, indeed, God instituted marriage and the Sabbath in Eden. Marriage is not the ceremony, which differs from culture to culture, but the relationship in which a man and a woman promise each other faithfulness until death. When God presented Eve to Adam, He performed the first marriage. When Isaac took Rebekah into his tent, he married her. In Christ's time, a big marriage celebration marked the marriage of a man and a woman. Different times were marked with different customs.
While the Bible doesn't record explicitly that "God performed the first marriage in Eden," Christ referred back to "the beginning" when He referred to the intended state of marriage. See Matthew 19:4-6
Tyler,
I prefer your emphasis with the word relationship in contrast to marriage. The relationship of Adam and Eve was made in the image of the Godly relationship of God, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We have learned in the lesson that Adam was the only 'loner' after creation and god saw that it was 'not good'. Than God created Eve from the rib of Adam and they became one. Therefore, if this relationship was made to perfection in likeness to the trinity, I cannot conceive that that this relationship would be unravelled or made different at the resurrection. It would seen then that the purpose of this union would have leaned on a major purpose to procreate and populate the earth. If there was no sin after creation, it would be irrelevant to have a new heaven and a new earth because according to God, all the creation was 'good'. I believe that the only concept that needs a renewal after the resurrection is 'marriage', a relationship that has been modified and tainted with sinful human interests. I do not recall any instance where God had to redo, undo, or modify unless it were stained after sin. Therefore, the relationship of Adan and Eve to me appears to be eternal. However, who are we (I) to define the infinite wisdom of God? I accept by faith that whatever happens after the resurrection regarding relationships and marriage will be GOOD.
Marriage is a devine institute, it was designed by the Creator inorder to have happiness, God must be the centre. Joy came to the world when Jesus was born in a marriage. I believe that through happy marriages today, the gospel of salvation will reach the four corners of the earth.
true because of the blessing from God..
A successful marriage got to be. First marry God then you can have a successful earthly marriage
We should be happy,because God first blessed the marriage.
God is so good! I am so thankful for the beautiful picture of Love He demonstrates through happy, loving marriages! I am so thankful that He is the author of close unity and true Love. He has unity in Heaven and love. He is bringing us home to know just how beautiful His love can be! We only have small glimpses of the joy, happiness and the best of relationships here. In heaven and in the New Earth we will experience what we now only barely imagine of these relationship benefits.
Hallo Fernando! What is marriage? Then the principles of successful marriage.
The key to a happy home is prayer and principle. People should keep in prayer so that the devil wil not take control of your marriage. Nowadays, the devil is dealing with the marriage so that you wont have a happy home. Thank you for the lesson!!!
Most people acknowledge that God help them in attaining best suitors, How comes other marriages is full of conflict and monotonous frictions?
He never promised there'll be no conflict, He never promised there'll be no pain. "He only promised a heart filled with singing ..." He promised that He will be with you. So, when troubles come, I run to Him and reminded Him that my spouse is His choice and I need help to resolve the conflict, remove the pain, and the strength to forgive so that I can continue singing and smiling. He made us so He can fix the problems, and better yet, show us the way of escape.
Homes make up churches. If our families are glued up with the love of God, controlled and guided by heavenly principles, then we will stable, caring and growing churches. The converse is also true. Make God help us to spiritually invest more in our homes and the impacts will be felt far beyond (in our church, in the society etc)
Hallo brothers and sisters in christ..we all know that marriage started with our first parents at Eden, and you know well what happened. They walked lonely without knowing the whereabout his/her pal. So as we have been married with christ, let us walk hand in hand with Him so that we can be able to overcome the devil. Amen and be blessed as we read on.
Dear remnants,
Our views on marriage in recent times can not change this noble institution established by God right in the Garden of Eden. Scholars can argue their points that indeed there were no formal wedding recorded in the Bible. True! but they mustn't loose sight of the fact that God's intended purpose to bring man and woman together should remain the ultimate focuses when addressing issues relating to marriage. "I hate divorce," says the LORD God of Israel, "and I hate a man's covering himself with violence as well as with his garment," says the LORD Almighty. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith.Malachi 2:16.
If the word 'Divorce' exists in the Bibles, then I strongly believe that there seem to be some kind of contract [agreement] that might have taken place which might not be in the biblical canons.
The famous Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe said "If the center cannot hold" things fall apart. A "hand" that can balance the joy of marriage in our present world has been taken away. Man is using their limited scientific models to justify.
Dear Richard, as I see it divorce is man's devious path taken to skirt around God's will for man. I think Jesus' explanation in Matthew sums up the matter quite well. "They said to Him, 'Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?' He said to them, 'Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so'" (Matt. 19:7-8 NKJV).
This is really the point that I was attempting to make about Jesus' statement concerning the lack of marriage in Heaven as found in Matt 22:30. It is my contention that Jesus was talking about the way we conduct marriage in this sinful world as a matter of legality and not about what it was originally intended to be.
What about for the marriage that may have started without the presence of the Lord, can't the Lord make it blessed? I have a girlfriend and I love her so much but we have difficulties, I tell her that I love her and she says she can´t feel it. I try by all means but she can not see it. Whatever problem we have she want to end the relation, and just keeps in crying saying I don´t love her. for the third or fourth time we are not together. The other we got back but this one I don´t know. Back in the days when we broke up, I pray to the Lord asking to know if we are really meant for each other, Whenever I said Amen, my cell rung it was her. Now we are off again, am 27 and she is 26! what would you advise me to do? We are going to two years now!
Edjamason, first, even the devil can make a cell phone ring. We are not to look for some chance signal, but we are to trust in the Lord with all our heart, acknowledging Him in all we do, and then wait for His leading. (Prov 3:5,6, Psalm 37:4-7) God does not trifle with us, and when He parts the sea, no one can deny it has parted. But this parting depends on if we are truly following Him, and not our own inclinations. We can often find our own way through the sea if we are determined, and God will allow us that choice if we insist on it.
Place this matter before the Lord and ask that your understanding be conformed with His, asking His will be done, not yours. Submit fully to Him since we can easily be misled by our own desires and even convince ourselves they are worthy, but none can see the future except God. Be patient and trust that God will lead you if you follow the conditions stated in His word. You can never be misled if you trust fully in the Lord. Ask Him specifically to show you how.
Satan is working more on families so that to cause problems and separation because he knows that if he separates the family he has separated the church. Let us pray without getting tired for our families.
The originator of marriage is God and therefore God designed and has a purpose with everything. He initiated, so the only way to have a successful marriage we must include the Creator and the Originator. You can't have successful marriage if you are not a Christian.
@jared ogechi amen
I just want to say to those of you who, as myself who were married, and are now separated, we have to learn to accept the the Lord as our husband, because he said that he will be a husband to us. We often times got married for the wrong purpose and to the wrong person. But if we get married to the devil we will always have that devil to deal with.
I know that God almighty can change people, but if we ask God about someone and when He gave us the answer, we refuse to obey, and because of our selfish reasons ignored the answer, because our biological clock is ticking or because our friends are all married, or for some other reasons than for what God had for us, brethren we are going to be in big trouble.
If I had listened to the voice of God I maybe would be married now or would be free to marry. But I had to run and so it is not under the grounds of adultery I was separated. So I don't want to have anything between me and my saviour. So I am trying to make my mind up to stay single. Let me hear your views on this part. marriage was first performed by our creator, so is blessed and honored. But the way and the reasons we go about it, is some times the cause of unhappiness.
And it also some thing one has to work towards. even when God said this is your soul mate, it will take a lot of work. But with love and God's blessing many have spend their life time in marriage bliss, with their partners.
I recently witnessed an older couple, well into their 70's if not even older, who looked as if they were just beginning their courtship. No outward displays of passionate affection, but a closeness and quiet joy of sharing together something as simple and ordinary as a shopping trip in a grocery store. Yet they seemed as if they would not wish to be anywhere else but there, together.
Only they know the real feelings that exist, but it was obvious that genuine love existed between them. They must have found the "secret" to such a relationship.
Yes Jasmine, far too many run ahead of God with such a solemn decision and then must reap the results. But the promise of an eternity of perfect joy and peace waits for all who will trust in God who forgives every wrong. What God did for Adam and Eve He would do for any who will let Him. He knows which helper would be "meet"(perfectly fitting) for each of us. He is the perfect Father.
I do not claim to have had a perfect marriage, but ours has survived 43 years and Carmel is still my best friend. I think that in retrospect one of the things that has led to an "enjoyably surviving" marriage is that we have never expected one another to be perfect. I remember that very early in our marriage, when I was quite angry with Carmel over something she had done or said and was letting her know, she said that it was all right - she understood my anger and let me blow my top at her for a while. I ran out of steam shortly after and forgave her. That has been the pattern for both of us. Not that we get angry with one another all that often, but when we do, we give one another space without condemnation. Sooner or later we realize that we really do have a good thing going and the argument was not worth pursuing. And we choose not to remind one another of past faults.
There is a lot of claptrap written about perfect Christian marriages. Most of it is written by people who have read a lot and experienced little. In the real world, where real people marry one another, perfection is a goal, but flexibility, tolerance and understanding work well for those of us who are imperfect partners.
There is a reason for the admonition given in Eph 4:2,3. Yes, it's for the church, which is made up of many who are also married while living in a sinful world. Even if not taught to have this expectation, most will learn soon the need for such counsel which the Holy Spirit brings through Paul's letter to the Ephesians. I have to think that most who have been married, even if not that long, smile at the idea of "perfect" and "marriage" being used in the same sentence.
Notice how Paul's advice resembles the yoke Jesus invites us to share with Him. (Matthew 11:29)
Who claims who? I thought God in christ says behold i stand at the door, he who hears me will open the door and come in and dine with him. I strongly feel that its this home under trouble to seek God to live with them.
Thanks Victor for reminding us of the reality that God is the author of a truly peaceful home (not as the world authors it), Amanda for the interesting way you responded that God is the remedy for even our families' weaknesses and Kabaso the authenticity of the fact that God made us (Ps 100:3) and getting to know Him first (running to Him, Ps 34:8) will start the remedial process thus enabling us to know the true value of reconciliation in Him (2 Cor 5:18)!
I've seen family and friends that have beautiful marriages because God was the center of the home.The opposite is also a reality broken homes and families because Christ is not present.It is sad if you experience it alot of hurt and pain.
God knows what will happen tomorrow, why did He created Eve who was going to make Adam fall in sin?
God designed that marriage could be an experience full of happiness. The entry of sin marred what God has purposed to be good.
If at all marriage is a gift from God,why is there pain and fighting addition to mistrust?
Infact, life in a marriage setup where, husband an wife are always at war is a misery! the most comforting place in this wicked world is a partner who consoles amd comforts. Someone who takes youas you are, not because of some attatchements.
Marriage can be a small paradise if there is Love and peace at home! This was the intention of our creator that man should live in peace and harmony with each other, not where one dominates the other. We thank God for this timely reminder in these last days because some get into marriage with wanting to get or achieve spmething at the expense of the other.
It was God who presented Eve to Adam, she didn't just decide by herself.
I just wanted to add a remark that marriage remained one of the great wonders and miracles of God. The fact that two adults, with no other form of a relation, converge as one. In its most perfect form, the two become more affectionate and loving than those that are connected by blood relations. One of the uniqueness of this relationship lies in the fact that it continues to grow and bear fruit cementing the relationship the more. One needs to keep in mind the fact that the marriage institution also remains to be the greatest target of the Devil. My wife and I will be celebrating our 11th anniversary very soon. Year in and year out we're growing more into being like brother and sister and the Lord has continually blessed our marriage. As we studied this week's lesson we were just impressed by the holy Spirit to testify the goodness of the Lord and the fact that there is still something called a godly marriage.
A good marriage reflects eternity