MARRIAGE – FOUNDATION FOR FAMILY

“For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh” – Mark 10:7

The WORD of GOD presents MARRIAGE as the divinely-ordained FOUNDATION for FAMILY: “But from the beginning of the creation, God ‘made them MALE and FEMALE. For this reason, a MAN shall leave his father and mother and be joined to HIS WIFE, and the two shall become one flesh’; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate” (Mk.10: 6-9). This re-echoes Genesis 2:24, “Therefore a MAN shall leave his father and mother and be joined to HIS WIFE, and they shall become one flesh.”  The proper understanding of the Family institution requires a high view of Marriage as its foundation. Marriage has its basis and norm in God’s act of creation, and is the original form of human fellowship.

GOD, not Man, instituted and designed Marriage. According to the Scriptures, the FAMILY begins with a husband (male) and wife (female), living in a MARRIAGE union: “And the Lord God said, “It is NOT GOOD that MAN should be alone; I will make him a HELPER comparable to him” (Gen.2:18). In other words, “Aloneness” is NOT GOOD; Companionship in Marriage IS GOOD! God designed Marriage for our Good. Although “Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a HELPER comparable to him” (Gen.2:20). Therefore, woman was a creature of Need, to be cherished and valued by the Man as his treasured “NEED-MEETER.” Adam was probably not aware of his need until this moment!

The Making of the Woman involved a mysterious, divine, surgical operation. God put Adam to “a deep sleep” – a divine anesthesia, took one of his ribs, closed up the flesh in its place, carved this side rib into a woman, and brought her to Adam (Gen.2: 21-22). God made for the Male-Man (Adam), a HELP-MATE – a Fitting Helper of his own specie; one that’s “comparable to him.” This Female-Man (Eve) was called WOMAN by Adam himself, “because she was taken out of Man” (Gen.2:23b). The Woman is the MAN with a WOMB; uniquely designed for partnership and procreation. Eve was taken from Adam’s ribs, indicating: Closeness to his heart; her need for a covering; and her highly valuable but delicate nature.

The Mystery of Marriage is for two people of opposite sexes and varying backgrounds and experiences to be joined together and complement each other, one multiplying the value of the other. Marriage is Oneness deriving from Leaving and Cleaving (Gen.2:24; Mt.19:5; Mk. 10: 7-8). This is the genesis of FAMILY. Generally, children are purposed to be the natural consequence of this marital union: “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward” (Psa.127:3). However, even in the rare absence of children, the Husband and Wife constitute a Family in the eyes of God. Children are accompanying blessings in fulfilment of God’s commandment of Fruitfulness (Gen.1: 28).

Since the Fall of Man through disobedience, and banishment of the first couple from the order and serenity of Eden, the institutions of Marriage and Family have become susceptible to the devil’s attacks. From the beginning, Satan has been attacking: to destroy relationships, to counterfeit divine order; and inject occult influence, through deception, accusations, and slander (Gen.3:1-10). Ignorance and neglect are dangerous, regarding Satan’s attacks on marriages, homes, and families. The devil thrives on ignorance; hence our chief weapons are knowledge, wisdom and understanding (Pro.24:3-6). To overcome the invasion of worldly ideas about marriage and family, we need Wisdom and Understanding of God’s principles for Meaningful Marriages and Fulfilling Families.

When marriage occurs in line with Biblical Order – Leaving, Cleaving, and Oneness – a fresh pattern of life is established, and a new Family begins. To the Glory of God, TODAY marks 36 Years of unbroken, joyful, and fruitful manifestation of the Mystery of Marriage as Foundation of Family between my wife, companion, friend, help-meet, lover, partner, and I. The wine only gets sweeter!