The Genesis Of Marriage A Drama Displaying The Nature And Character Of God

A theological exploration of Genesis 2 which renews our vision of the purpose of marriage as the central drama within God's salvation plan. Marriage seems increasingly irrelevant to many people today. But is this a true understanding of marriage? Could it be that God may have expectations for marriage which are distinct from our own, and wholly unaffected by our feelings or debates? If God is the author and definer of marriage, then we must look to the Author to discern its meaning rather than ourselves. The Genesis of Marriage sets out a biblical theology of marriage, grounded in the Marriage Text of Genesis 2:18-25, and investigates how it fits in its own context of Genesis 1 - 3 and the whole of Scripture. Examining the Marriage Text exegetically and theologically, Shenk shows this as the climax and conclusion of the two creation accounts, and explores what this reveals about the nature and character of God. The doctrinal implications of this are then explored, answering such practical questions such as, 'What are the ethics of marriage?' and 'How do we approach the real-world concerns of separation, divorce, and remarriage?'. Shenk's exploration helps dispel our modern disillusionment with marriage, or at least our ideas and beliefs about marriage which may be at odds with God's, to reveal deep truth about the nature and character of God.

This book examines the whole of Scripture as the unfolding marriage covenant between God and his people. The book demonstrates that God's marriage to his people is the central theme of the Bible. Eighteenth-century Reformed pastor Jonathan Edwards captured that perspective when he observed: The creation of the world seems to have been especially for this end, that the eternal Son of God might obtain a spouse . . . to whom he might . . . pour forth all that immense fountain of . . . love and grace that was in his heart and that in this way God might be glorified. This book traces the divine marriage from God's promises to Abraham, to the betrothal covenant that includes the Ten Commandments, to Israel's breaking of the covenant as described by the prophets, to the new covenant in Christ, and finally to the consummation of the divine marriage covenant in Revelation at the wedding of the Lamb. God instituted the marriage of a man and a woman in Genesis 2 to be an image of God's divine marriage with his people. Therefore, it is not a coincidence that both the Gospel and marriage are under attack in our culture. Human marriage cannot be rightly understood apart from the Gospel and the Gospel cannot be fully understood apart from marriage. This book enables Christians, whether single or married, to appreciate in a much fuller way the depth and nature of God's love for his bride. Seeing how the divine marriage defines and shapes human marriage also presents a clearer understanding of the spiritual importance of human marriage, inspiring Christians to pursue marriages that more faithfully reflect God's design. This book proclaims Scripture's message of God's unrelenting, irrevocable love for his bride and invites the church to respond. Susan A. Cyre, MDiv, helped found Presbyterians for Faith, Family and Ministry in 1995 and served as its executive director until 2014. She edited its bimonthly publication, Theology Matters. She has authored numerous articles dealing with biblical truth and its intersection with cultural norms. She and her husband live in Virginia.

One Man One Woman takes an in-depth look at the marriage relationship of one man and one woman and how it reflects the beauty of Christs relationship with his church. One Man One Woman is a book about what was in Gods mind as he made the first man and the first woman and subsequently, how we can discover the closest relationship possible with both God and spouse. In this book, we explore how pornography, adultery, homosexuality, and judging one another breaks the oneness relationship and distracts us from focusing on what we should be focusing onthat is, spreading the Gospel and calling others to repentance and a turning away from sin. One Man One Woman is also about learning how to handle some of the many relationship challenges we face as imperfect beings living in an ever-corrupting world. While Christianity seemingly slumbers on, sexual identity is becoming a matter of subjective preference and choice rather than birthright and blessing. Traditional marriage is ever weakening under fire and conventional sex is taking a back seat to alternative sexual exploration. Consequently, divorce rates are accelerating, and Christian marriage values are succumbing into a minority view. But God had a plan in the beginning, and marriage was and still is an integral part of that plan. In the Gospel of John, Jesus uses an Eastern wedding custom when announcing he was leaving to prepare a place for you, thus signaling the beginning of the end, the impending wedding ceremony, and the imminent start of eternity with him. People, get readyJesus is returning soon!

When God created marriage, he did so with a much more significant intention than a relationship between two people. Through our relationship with God, we can better understand our marriages. And through our marriages, we can better understand God. Explore the design of marriage and the lessons it teaches about our relationship with God himself.

Have you been praying for a mate? Are you newly engaged? Have you recently embarked upon the journey of marriage with the love of your life? Marriage is a wonderful thing and it is without question a part of God’s plan for many. So what is this thing called marriage, and what are some of the foundational things you need to know as you anticipate growing old with your mate? In Seven Reasons Why God Created Marriage, Pastor James Ford, a seasoned marriage counselor, walks readers through the Bible and shows them seven purposes for which God created marriage.This exploration will reveal timeless truths upon which readers – whether engaged or newly married – can build a solid foundation and strengthen the pillars of their marriage, reaping the benefits God intended along the way.

This updated, second edition of Köstenberger and Jones's landmark work tackles the latest debates and cultural challenges to God's plan for marriage and the family and urges a return to a biblical foundation.

This book is the next volume in Levering's Engaging Doctrine series. The prior volume of the series examined the doctrine of creation. The present volume examines the purpose of creation: the marriage of God and humans. God created the cosmos for the purpose of the marriage of God and his people--and through his people, the marriage of God and the entire creation. Given that the central meaning or "prime analogate" of marriage is the marriage of God and humankind, the study of human marriage needs to be shaped by this eschatological goal and foregrounded as a dogmatic theme. After a first chapter defending and explaining the biblical witness to the marriage of God and his people, the book explores various themes: marriage as an image of God, original sin as the fall of the primordial marriage, the cross of Jesus Christ and marital self-sacrificial love, the procreative and unitive ends of marriage, marriage as a sacrament, and marriage's importance for social justice and for the upbuilding of the kingdom of God. Along the way, the book provides an introduction to the key biblical, patristic, medieval, modern, and contemporary thinkers and controversies regarding the doctrine of marriage.

In Divine Marriage from Eden to the End of Days, André Villeneuve explores the mystery of God’s love in the Bible and ancient Jewish tradition. Scripture portrays the covenant between God and his people as a divine-human marriage spanning through all of human history. For the ancient Jewish interpreters, God married humanity at the dawn of creation in the Garden of Eden; but the union was broken by human sin. The Lord restored the relationship when he betrothed Israel at Mount Sinai; yet the covenant was wounded again with the transgression of the golden calf. The nuptial bond was healed anew, commemorated, and reenacted through liturgical worship in Israel’s tabernacle and temple. This worship in God’s “nuptial chamber,” in turn, anticipated the ultimate fulfillment of the divine-human marriage in the messianic age at the end of history. The first part of the book explores the marriage through Israel’s biblical history in light of ancient Jewish exegesis. The second part unveils the marriage in the ancient interpretation of the Song of Songs and in wisdom literature. The third part reveals how the same symbolism is taken up in the New Testament and applied to the marriage between Christ and the Church.

By looking at the nightly news and simply observing for themselves the denigration of homes and communities across our country, many would agree that family foundations are cracking and shifting out of place. This has resulted in untold devastation within the home and our other social systems; therefore, many households and lives have simply given way and collapsed under the weight of a host of societal pressures. Many believe that a generation of social experimentation along with our cultures fixation at redefining virtually every foundational institution (especially the first human institutionmarriage) are responsible for placing the family and society on very shaky ground indeed, leaving a very dubious moral and economic legacy for successive generations. When cracks begin to appear upon the walls of a house, it may indicate a shifting or damaged foundation, which may indicate poor foundation work. As a result, builders typically reexamine the blueprintsthe masterplansto determine the manner and materials with which the house and foundations built in order to pinpoint and repair a weak or damaged foundation. It is the authors conviction that in many households within society, weak or faulty spiritual and moral foundations have been laid, resulting in the cultural cataclysm we witness throughout our land. In his book, The House that God Built: Gods Master Plan for Marriage and His Blueprint for Blessing, Book One of his Strong Foundation for Strong Families series, the author discusses the need for a RE-Vision, of marriage and the familybut not by redefining, replacing or removing these honorable foundations and pillars which have supported societies from the beginning of time. Rather, by employing the word RE-Vision, he calls for a refocusa fresh new look at Gods original design for the marriage and family. This plan is found in Gods Holy Word, specially, the first two chapters of the Book of Genesis because this, he feels, is where marriage, family and social systems began. Therefore, the book is a thorough exposition of the first chapters of Genesis which explore the motivations and the methods through which God Himself built His house (the heavens and the earth). This study provides keen spiritual and practical insights as to how we can build our homes according to Gods plans so as to receive His best blessings upon our homes and upon our communities.

In our global society, almost anyone can receive licensure for marriage with the simple words of "I do" without proving they understand what marriage entails. It also seems that almost anyone can redefine the marriage union as it suits them. If one were to search global history of the deliberate evolution of marriage, one would find cases of legally sanction immoral and debased practices under the guise of Holy Matrimony. Fluctuating statistical data depicts those in Christendom faring just as poorly in marriage as those in secular society. The Holy Bible is the only inspired instructional manual for marriage known to mankind. From it, I have outlined three basic marital designs: God's Design, the Hebraic Design, the Judeo-Christian Design, and the Secular Design. This book covers the differences in the four marriage designs and their impact on global society. Also, this book show God's plan and order for lovingly harmonious marriage and the power that is released as prescribed in His promises.