MY LIFE: #60 Covenant Marriage
Dr. Stephen Phinney: When I met my lovely bride, I knew nothing about what marriage was and what it was for. All I knew was that I was “in love” with her. Ironically, I didn’t even understand that.
COVENANT MARRIAGE WITH YESHUA
Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
(Revelation 1:7-8)
In organic Christian theology, the believer’s relationship with Jesus Christ is not likened to a marriage, it is the Hebrew pictorial OF marriage.
THE HEBREW PICTORIAL
This pictorial is used to illustrate the deep, intimate, and covenantal relationship that believers have with Yeshua, Jesus Christ, as the Groom. As stated in Ephesians 5:25-27, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” This passage highlights the sacrificial love of Christ for the church (the body of believers) and sets a model for earthly marriages.
The pictorial of marriage also signifies the unity and oneness that believers share with Christ. Just as a husband and wife become one flesh in marriage, so too are believers united with Christ in & through the Holy Spirit. This spiritual union with Christ is a profound mystery and a beautiful picture of God’s love for His people, as well as Yeshua’s commitment to His Bride – the authentic indwelt believers. It underscores the commitment, faithfulness, and intimacy that characterize our relationship with our Husband, Yeshua. As believers, we are called to love, honor, and remain faithful to Christ, just as we would in a marital relationship. This spiritual “marriage” to Christ is a cornerstone of the real deal Christian faith, symbolizing the deep and enduring bond between the Savior and His Bride.
MY MARRIAGE TO JANE
When I met my lovely bride, I knew nothing about what marriage was and what it was for. All I knew was that I was “in love” with her. Ironically, I didn’t even know what love was at the time. So…Jane and I joked for years that I was “in lust” with her. While there was a great deal of truth to that joke and honesty, I was “in love” with the purity of her life and commitment to the Lord.
Being in love with Jane’s purity and Biblical soundness was the profound and enriching experience that Yeshua used to lead me into a loving relationship with Him as my eternal Groom. My type of love was not merely an emotion but a commitment to honor, respect, and cherish her in accordance with the principles outlined in the Bible, which I knew little about when I met her. Her purity reflected her dedication to living a life pleasing to God, and her Biblical soundness indicated her commitment to the truth of God’s Word. It didn’t take too long before this kind of love went beyond physical attraction and started to root in shared faith, mutual respect, and spiritual growth.
Today, it is a love that I value her for in Christ and the powerful doctrine of our oneness regarding both of our journeys with God in Christ. As Proverbs 31:30 states, “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” In loving Jane as a woman of purity and Biblical soundness, I came to realize I was honoring one of the highest Scriptural principles of wisdom offered to humanity. Today, my love for her reflects Christ’s love for the church, full of grace, selflessness, and enduring commitment.
MARRIAGE STARTS WITH THE FATHER
The Father makes it clear that He IS the beginning and the end. If we were able to find all the spoken and inspired words describing God in the Word, we still would not come close to describing the Father of heaven. It will take eternity for us to discover all the attributes of God. This is the primary reason why we should be so excited about going to the Father and spending eternity with Him. I have my order in for multiple interviews!
Think how boring it would be if we were told everything about a friend at the very first meeting. One of the key elements of finding intimacy is in the search for it. The more time we take to get to know a friend, spouse, child, or God, the richer and more intimate the relationship becomes. So much of mankind’s sinful flesh wants everything right now. God is a God of perfect timing, and it will be in His timing that we come to know Him completely. This is not something I fight and battle for any longer. I am learning to enjoy each moment of truth in the moment and portion that it is given to me.
Before beginning today’s reading, consider praying this prayer out loud. It will help you stay focused on the Truth and train you to pray doctrinal prayers (prayers filled with Scriptural Truth).
Starting with A Covenant Prayer
Dear Father, who is in heaven, and in the center of my heart. I ask on this day that you take my mind, will, and emotions and yield them to the Holy Spirit for discipline. I ask that You cause me to focus on You today and not on my circumstances. My flesh tends to be selfish and centered on my problems. I reject this selfish way of thinking and yield to You as my Father. I pray that You will use this lesson today to renew my mind and move me to act on all that Your inspired Word reveals to me. I pray that you will post angels at the door of my heart, keeping me centered on the way, truth, and life of your Son. As You reveal Your attributes and characteristics, I ask that I not view them as just words but that I become transformed as a result of hearing them. I thank you this day for hearing me, and I choose to pray in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Jesus, the son of the Father of heaven, made it quite clear that the heavenly Father keeps profound truths from the earthly and intelligent and gives His understanding of the Scriptures to the simple-minded. Why would this be? Well, it simply takes a child to understand the things of a child. The Hebrew language gives us 27 primary adjectives to help us understand the role of the heavenly Father.
To Know Our Husband is To Know the Father:
The Hebrew word picture for “father” is the strength or leader of a house. This Hebrew word includes that of a natural father. It also is used for the founder or the first ancestor, as well as an author or maker of all things. “Father” applies to the one who provides care, like a father to the needy, as well as a master or teacher. “Father” is also for the god that we choose to follow.
This word comes from two primary ancient pictures: 1) Alef--ox, strong or first, and 2) Bet-- house. The first letter of the Hebrew alphabet (beginning of the house) is Alef. This word also means the leader of a family or tribe. This is where the English-speaking descendants get the letter A. Aloof is a derivative of Alef; it means gentle or to tame an ox.
Bet is the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The ancient word picture of a tent, a house, or a family. The word Bet is also used as the number 2 in the Hebrew numeric system. The reason this is a significant factor is that Alef, the first strong leader, and Bet, house or family, clearly reveals the importance of a father embracing his strength (first priority) and applying his strength within his home (second priority).
Twenty-seven primary Hebrew words clearly describe the heavenly Father, as well as the role of an earthly father. Review the list and cut and paste the list for an insert for your Bible.
Review these words and their definitions:
Adviser: Authoritative leader who assists in guiding followers in finding their way
Ancestor: Parent who keeps family beliefs intact from generation to generation
Author: The one who writes the book or way for others to follow
Begetter: One who brings forth life by way of a seed
Benefactor: A patron, supporter, or backer of those who follow him
Bond: One who keeps a tribe together at all costs–-particularly between generations
Chief: A principled leader who is in command of a tribe
Counselor: Assists others in overcoming personal problems that block success
Creator: One who forms life or originates ideas for practical prosperity
Forefather: Father who leads his son(s) in the ways of true beliefs
Founder: A leader who establishes a tribe for future generations
Governor: A leader who is known and respected for overseeing community affairs
Grandfather: A father of their children’s children--one who is filled with wisdom
Guardian: A protector or guard who has a watchful eye over those in his tribe - family
Head: Authoritative and strong leader who leads by example and service
Inventor: Finds solutions by making use of available resources
Lord: One who owns people, places, or things with integrity and respect
Master: A leader who is responsible for assisting servants to master their gifts and talents
Organizer: A leader who brings order for a tribe or family unit to live by
Parent: Bringing up children with healthy and proper guidance
Patriarch: A known and respected forefather who has left a legacy for others to follow
Protector: A leader who puts into place “guards of protection” for those he loves
Respect: A leader who has earned his honor by tenderly caring for those around him
Ruler: A leader who establishes reasonable rules for daily living
Senior Male: A respected father who has honor and respect for those around him
Teacher: Educator, helper, or communicator of practical truths for daily living
Did you know that if your earthly father has/had 20 or more of these traits, your heart has already been prepared for a covenant legacy in Christ?
The view we carry in our hearts regarding the role and life of a father directly affects our view of God as a heavenly Father, Jesus as our Groom, as well as our earthly marriage. When we perceive God to be like our earthly father, we covertly accuse God of being filled with sin. Earthly fathers are to radiate the characteristics of the heavenly Father. Satan wants us to view God through the lives and behaviors of our fleshly fathers.
Coming up next is #61, “The Trinity of The Us.”
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Deep stuff as always, Dr. Phinney. Sometimes, even though I have known Papa God and His Son for a long time, I feel so small, just scratching the surface. Having never been formally married, marriage is mysterious and very very difficult. I am such a loner and a solitary and I doubt if I am marriage material. I do, however, profoundly love God and His Son and am so overwhelmed by the love They show to me, with all my struggles. Mercy!! It is truly profound and amazing and keeps me going on the narrow path. Thank you, again, Dr. Phinney! Wendy