From the beginning of the creation, God ‘made them male and female.’
Marriage is not a human institution, but really originated with God. In the very beginning of Creation, after creating the universe, plants, animals and everything else, He creates the crowning jewel of Creation: the first man, Adam, and the first woman, Eve. This was the first marriage.
And the Lord God said, “It is not good for man to be alone. I will make him a helper comparable to him.” So Adam gave names to all the cattle, to all the birds of heaven, and to all the wild animals of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him. Thus God brought a trance upon Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and filled up the flesh in its place. Then the Lord God built the rib He took from Adam into a woman, and brought her to him. So Adam said, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh.” Now the two were naked, both Adam and his wife, and were not ashamed. (Genesis 2:18, 20-25)
In fact, Jesus makes this stunning proclamation concerning marriage:
“But from the beginning of the creation, God ‘made them male and female.'” (Mark 10:6).
Jesus was focusing on keeping the marriage covenant unadulterated, whole, pure, intact, rather than the ugliness and devastation of divorce.
Now, what’s even more remarkable is that Paul reveals that marriage is a mystery of Jesus Christ and the Church. Jesus is the Bridegroom and the Church (all believers are pictured as one entity) represents the Bride of Christ.
Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. (Ephesians 5:22-33)
And in the very last book of the Bible, we see this wonderful picture of redemption and the restoration of all things as a marriage feast featuring Jesus, the Lamb, and His Bride.
Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.” (Revelation 19:7-9)
Marriage is therefore very important to God. It is a mechanism to show the special, intimate relationship between God and His people (all believers everywhere, of every ethnicity), as expressed below:
Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge. (Hebrews 13:4)
