Issue 736 – Seven Brides – May 6, 2022
Back in the mid-1950s, there was a hit musical that could never be made today. It even received Academy Award nominations.
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers tells the story of a group of brothers who kidnap women to be their brides. They hole up in their mountain valley for the winter. By the time the townsfolk are finally able to reach them for rescue, the ladies have all fallen in love with their respective gentleman and are ready for marriage. It’s a tongue-in-cheek musical romp loosely based on an ancient Roman legend.
There is no similar story in the Bible, but there is one account of seven grooms for one bride.
There came to him [That is Jesus] some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, and they asked him a question, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife but no children, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died without children. And the second 31 and the third took her, and likewise all seven left no children and died. Afterward the woman also died. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had her as wife.” Luke 20:27-33
The Sadducees were not asking out of personal interest or theological curiosity. They were theological liberals who did not believe in the resurrection. These Sadducees were strictly hoping to trap Jesus into saying something they could use to discredit him.
The Lord’s reply set them back on their heels.
And Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him.” Then some of the scribes answered, “Teacher, you have spoken well.” For they no longer dared to ask him any question.
Luke 20:34-40
There is so much here that a pastor could get two or three sermons out of it with no problem. The nature of God, the veracity of Jesus’ claims, the Mosaic Law and the afterlife are all discussed in Jesus’ reply.
One of Jesus’ startling answers is that there will be no marriage in heaven. That is likely due to several reasons. Firstly woman was made to be a man’s helper and complete him. Secondly, marriage was designed for procreation. Thirdly, the Lord created the marriage bond to give humanity a taste of the relationship within the Godhead.
In glory, people will be complete, the persons of the trinity will be present, and there will be no need for procreation.
I confess that I have always struggled with this passage, primarily because sometimes I can’t separate myself from my feelings. Marriage to Kathy is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me outside of finding Jesus as my saviour. Why would I not want to be united with her in glory forever?
Yet, I also know that God is perfect in everything He says and does. He created me and knows me intimately. My Lord and Creator knows my desires and needs better than I know them myself.
Since I truly believe that I can trust the Father, I know that He will replace marriage will be better than marriage itself.
We will have sinless relationships with others, complete in who God made us to be. How marvellous is that?
It is just one more of the wonders of heaven to contemplate while we wait to be called home. I can hardly wait for the call, but I will trust Him in the interim.
Praise God for what He has done in us so far, what he will do and the wonder of glory to come.
Hallelu Yah (Praise God)
Be blessed.
Kevin.
Gleanings From The Word.
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (for the glory of God alone.)
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All contents are © 2001, 2022 K. F. “Kevin” Corbin and Gleanings From The Word.
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the English Standard Version (ESV). Spelling modified to Canadian English as required.
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