Marriage is used to describe the relationship between God and Israel in the OT and between Jesus Christ and the church in the NT. Contemplating marriage deepens understanding of God's love for his people; examining God's covenant love for his people similarly enriches an understanding of marriage.
God's marriage relationship with Israel
God's marriage covenant with Israel
Ezekiel 16:8–14 The covenant at Sinai was seen as a form of marriage. See also Jeremiah 31:32; Ezekiel 16:59–60
Then I passed by and saw you, and you were indeed old enough for love. So I spread My cloak over you and covered your nakedness. I pledged Myself to you, entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine, declares the Lord GOD. Then I bathed you with water, rinsed off your blood, and anointed you with oil. I clothed you in embroidered cloth and gave you sandals of fine leather. I wrapped you in fine linen and covered you with silk. I adorned you with jewelry, and I put bracelets on your wrists and a chain around your neck. I put a ring in your nose, earrings on your ears, and a beautiful crown upon your head. So you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was made of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth. You ate fine flour, honey, and oil. You became very beautiful and rose to be queen. Your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, for it was perfect in the splendor I bestowed on you, declares the Lord GOD.
God as Israel's husband
Isaiah 54:5 See also Hosea 2:7; Joel 1:8
For your husband is your Maker — the LORD of Hosts is His name— the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; He is called the God of all the earth.
Israel's early devotion
Jeremiah 2:2 See also Ezekiel 16:43; Hosea 2:15
“Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem that this is what the LORD says: ‘I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.
The breakdown of God's marriage to Israel
Israel's adultery
Jeremiah 3:20 See also Jeremiah 2:32; Ezekiel 16:32–34; Hosea 1:2, Hosea 9:1
But as a woman may betray her husband, so you have betrayed Me, O house of Israel,” declares the LORD.
Israel's alienation from God is likened to a divorce
Hosea 2:2 Israel's unfaithfulness led to a form of divorce between God and his people. This was sometimes identified with the exile. See also Isaiah 50:1; Jeremiah 3:6–10
Rebuke your mother, rebuke her, for she is not My wife, and I am not her husband. Let her remove the adultery from her face and the unfaithfulness from between her breasts.
The renewal of God's marriage to Israel
God calls his bride to return
Jeremiah 3:12–14; Hosea 3:1–3 See also Isaiah 54:6–8; Hosea 2:14
Go, proclaim this message toward the north: ‘Return, O faithless Israel,’ declares the LORD. ‘I will no longer look on you with anger, for I am merciful,’ declares the LORD. ‘I will not be angry forever. Only acknowledge your guilt, that you have rebelled against the LORD your God. You have scattered your favors to foreign gods under every green tree and have not obeyed My voice,’” declares the LORD. “Return, O faithless children,” declares the LORD, “for I am your master, and I will take you — one from a city and two from a family — and bring you to Zion.
Then the LORD said to me, “Go show love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love to offer raisin cakes to idols.” So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley. Then I said to her, “You must live with me for many days; you must not be promiscuous or belong to another, and I will do the same for you.”
The renewed relationship
Isaiah 62:4–5 See also Jeremiah 31:31–33; Ezekiel 16:62; Hosea 2:16, Hosea 2:19–20
No longer will you be called Forsaken, nor your land named Desolate; but you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the LORD will take delight in you, and your land will be His bride. For as a young man marries a young woman, so your sons will marry you; and as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so your God will rejoice over you.
Jesus Christ's marriage relationship with the church
Jesus Christ's love as a model for marriage
Jesus Christ is described as a bridegroom
John 3:29 John the Baptist describes Jesus Christ as the bridegroom and himself as the best man. See also Matthew 9:15 parallels Mark 2:19–20, Luke 5:34–35; Matthew 22:2, Matthew 25:1–13
The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom stands and listens for him, and is overjoyed to hear the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.
The church as Christ's bride
2 Corinthians 11:2; Revelation 19:7–9 See also Revelation 21:2, Revelation 21:9–10, Revelation 22:17
I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. For I promised you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.
Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him the glory. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. She was given clothing of fine linen, bright and pure.” For the fine linen she wears is the righteous acts of the saints. Then the angel told me to write, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.