By Michael D. Shoesmith
As I write this article France has become the latest casualty in the war on marriage. Not biblical marriage or traditional marriage... marriage!
But why is it so urgent to protect marriage as it has traditionally been defined? Why does it matter? And especially, why should anyone care? Why should God care?
Marriage is important because of who God is. He is not some cosmic killjoy in the heavens looking for ways to ruin our fun. He isn't a control freak limiting whom we 'love.' The marriage union is the manifestation of the image of God in the earth.
Genesis 1:26a ¶And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:Man was created in the 'image' and 'likeness' of God. Man is the physical three-dimensional manifestation of what God would look like in the natural realm. Adam was, in his original form, the representation of God's physical appearance in the earth. Notice, however, that it says let 'us' make man in 'our' image. There is a plurality described here. The Trinity, perhaps?
As the narrative progresses we see that God sought to bless Adam with a helper. So why didn't He simply create Eve in the same fashion? Adam already fully displayed the image of God. So God took a piece from Adam and fashioned for him a help mate.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.At this point we now require both Adam and Eve in order to represent the full image of God. Follow? Good. You have just encountered the very first marriage.
Genesis 1:27
And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.Marriage.
Genesis 2:22
Jesus confirmed this in his own definition of marriage when asked about divorce.
Mark 10:6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.Clearly we see Jesus giving us the very definition of marriage. He dates it all the way back to the beginning of creation. The marriage covenant represents the manifest image of God in the earth. Marriage is the physical 'one-flesh' union between one man and one woman. And Satan hates it. Jesus was essentially saying 'it wasn't Adam and Steve, it was Adam and Eve."
7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;
8 And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.
9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
Marriage was attacked by Satan before the judgment of God at the time of the great deluge. Jesus referenced the marriage covenant in his explanation of what the dynamics would look like in the time of the end of the age.
For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,What kind of marriage was he talking about? Why even mention it? Let's look at the picture painted by scripture. The account in Genesis tells us the mindset; the way things were at the time of the flood and the reason for it.
Matthew 24:38
And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.Notice the words 'every', 'only', and 'continually?' There isn't much room for opinion here. Clearly Jesus was pointing to marriage (and every other action) being performed in 'every', 'only', and 'continually' evil ways immediately prior to the flood of Noah. And clearly, with France joining the anti-marriage dynamics given us by Jesus, we are entering this time - the time immediately prior to the next judgment on the earth, the end of this age!
Genesis 6:5
Satan hates God. He attacks the image of God in the earth using liberalism, the sinful state of humanity. Look for more countries to embrace the anti-marriage dynamics Jesus said would prevail in the 'last days.' But fear not. Battles may be lost here and there but not the war. God is not surprised by any of this and, as those who have read the end of the Book know, the winner is clear. Spoiler Alert! The winner is NOT Satan!
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