Marriage and Tribulation

And why does Jesus talk about angels and marriage?


In ancient times people thought a time of tribulation was often a judgment against them that came in the form of a war or a natural disaster. When they saw the signs of tribulation coming they would act accordingly and those who were not married did not plan on getting married until the tribulation was over.

By not getting married they would make both the time during the tribulation and after easier. If one were to get married before, then one had the difficult task of providing for a family during hard times. They could lose their husband in battle or their wife could be raped and killed after the battle was lost. It became difficult for a woman to get married again after she had already been married and lost her virginity. So if she lost her husband somehow, life would then become incredibly difficult for her.

Paul is concerned about avoiding marriage during hard times so that things will be easier:

1 Corinthians 7:25-28
Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy. Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for you to remain as you are. Are you married? Do not seek a divorce. Are you unmarried? Do not look for a wife. But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.

I’m not sure what the crisis was that Paul was referring to but I don’t think he was referring to the tribulation that will occur when Jesus returns (although it may refer to that in a multi-dimensional way).

Jesus points out that the people in Noah’s time did not see the disaster coming or else they would have acted accordingly:

Luke 17:27
People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.

Marriage carried with it an additional burden since, if they were fulfilling their marriage duties, children would probably come soon after. Having children during tribulation is also difficult. This is why Jesus says things like:

Matthew 24:19-20
How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath.

Luke 23:29-30
For the time will come when you will say, 'Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!' Then
" 'they will say to the mountains, "Fall on us!"
and to the hills, "Cover us!"

After the bad times were over, God would assure His people that it was over and encouraged them to act accordingly and that it was okay to get married. See what God says after Jerusalem was destroyed and the people were exiled.

Jeremiah 29:4-6
This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: "Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease.

Also, after the flood, God says something similar to Noah:

Genesis 9:7
As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.

But notice that God also says this to Adam and Eve. This may imply that a judgment (against Lucifer) had happened just before God created them and would lend support to the Ruin-Reconstruction Theory, sometimes referred to as the Gap Theory.

Genesis 1:28
God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."

Jesus talks about marriage in what I think is one of the most misinterpreted verses in the Bible:

Matthew 22:30
At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.

People have used this verse to say that there will be no marriage in heaven or that angels do not marry. That may or may not be true but I don’t think that is what Jesus means to communicate. The full account in Luke makes things a little more clear.

Luke 20:27-33
Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. "Teacher," they said, "Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and have children for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. The second and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. Finally, the woman died too. Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?"

As Jesus often did, he answered the question by not answering the question. The Sadducees question had to do with what happens after marriage, after the resurrection.

Jesus’ answer is focused on before marriage, before the resurrection – during the Great Tribulation.

Luke 20:34-36
Jesus replied, "The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God's children, since they are children of the resurrection.

When tribulation is coming people should act accordingly as they would with any other coming tribulation – by not getting married.

But why does Jesus reference the angels? Not because they do not marry but because “they can no longer die”. We become immortal after the resurrection, just like the angels.

Faith, Hope and Love

Why do they “remain”?


I've written a newer post the better explains what is written below.

1 Corinthians 13:13
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

People love this verse because they like faith hope and love. They are great qualities no doubt but people often use this verse simply to expound faith, hope and love but it’s never integrated with the rest of what Paul says before it. Obviously Paul talks about love a few verses before but verse 13 is often treated as a short pithy verse that Paul just dropped at the end. But how does it fit within the context of the chapter? Why do they “remain”? What left if they remain? Were they ever in any danger of not remaining? Why does Paul talk about love until verse 8 then talk about other stuff until 13 and then come back to talking about love? And why does he bring up “faith” and “hope” all of a sudden?

The Greek word that’s translated into “remain” is “meno”. “Meno” can be translated “endure” and I think it is helpful to translate it that way in verse 13. Endurance is a theme continued from verse 7. Paul describes love as something that:

1 Corinthians 13:7
Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth (Greek is hupomeno) all things.

Not only can you see the “endure” connection but also love is tied in with “faith” (believeth all things) and “hope” (hopeth all things).

Paul talks about endurance because he is contrasting the things that endure (love, faith, hope) with things that do not endure (prophecies, tongues, knowledge):

1 Corinthians 13:8
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

Next time I will explore why Paul says some spiritual gifts will cease and when they should cease.

Was Jesus Poor?

Is there Biblical evidence for a poor Jesus?

I was thinking the other day about the gifts the wise men gave Jesus. They were expensive gifts! Some of that stuff cost an entire years salary! So I would assume that would have made Jesus financially secure for a little while at least. He was not wanting. Then I thought about Jesus being born in a manger - a picture of poverty it would seem but Jesus was born there not because they couldn't afford it but because there was no room at the inn. It is true that Jesus does say that the Son of Man has no place to lay his head but I'm not sure if that is a reference to poverty. Jesus' words were often cryptic and I think he had a deeper meaning. I came across a fairly good article on the issue of whether Jesus was poor that you can read here.

Stars and Fallen Angels

Are the tail swept stars symbolic of Satan’s fallen angels?

I was reading a question posed on Theoblogian and it brought to mind some thoughts I had on Revelation 12. Here are the verses in question:

Revelation 12:3-4a
Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads. His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth.

Many have thought that the stars that were swept away were the angels that fell with Satan. But I think that is not the case or at least there is a deeper understanding that’s missing. I believe the verses need to be viewed in light of the verses before it

Revelation 12:1-2
A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth.

The stars that were swept away were the ones mentioned in the verses before it. Twelve stars are mentioned, therefore, four stars were swept away because four is one-third of twelve. Naturally we would then want to know what the twelve stars represent. Most commentaries say either Israel or the Church. This would imply that one-third of Israel or the Church will be swept away. I’m not convinced that the twelve stars do represent Israel or the Church but it is interesting that one-third of the Jewish population was destroyed during the Holocaust. Perhaps the stars are symbolic of both Israel and angels in a multi-dimensional interpretation since stars are used to represent both in Scripture:

Genesis 15:5
He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be."

Genesis 37:9
Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. "Listen," he said, "I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me."

Job 38:7
while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?

Revelation 1:20
The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

The Word of God

Going beyond the Bible

It is important to realize that, in the Bible, the phrase “Word of God” may not be referring to the Bible. We have become accustomed to thinking that the Word of God is synonymous with the Bible and yet the Bible itself points out that it is more than that.

In a historical context, the word “word” in used in conjunction with the king. The “word of the king” was a decree, promise or a law – an expression of the king’s authority. In the Old Testament, God is often viewed as a king and so any expression of His authority would be His word. The word of the Lord came to Abraham in Genesis:

Genesis 15:4-5
Then the word of the LORD came to him: "This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir." He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be."

God made a promise to Abraham. Even today, when we make a promise to someone, we refer to it as giving them “our word”.

John refers to Jesus as the word of God that became flesh. Jesus is the expression of God’s authority in human form. John points out that the Word of God can be expressed through something other than words on paper. Jesus points out that the Word is more than just something to be read and studied:

John 5:37-40
And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

John 7:14-17
Not until halfway through the Feast did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. The Jews were amazed and asked, "How did this man get such learning without having studied?"
Jesus answered, "My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me. If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.

The Bible is the Word of God in written form, Jesus is the Word of God in human form but we too can speak the Word of God with the Holy Spirit in us.

2 Samuel 23:2
"The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me;
his word was on my tongue.

This is what Paul means when he refers to the “sword of the Spirit”.

Ephesians 6:17
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

This verse is usually used to refer to the Bible as the Word of God but Paul was referring to our ability to speak with authority by the Holy Spirit. The things of God are often multi-dimensional and the Word of God proves to be as well.

Sowing And Reaping In Your Life

How to use an often overlooked principle

How do you get the things you want in life? Hard work? God’s will? Is your destiny determined by God or are you in total control of it? I think both are involved and this is especially evident in the sowing and reaping principle that is in the world and in the Bible. The parable of the hidden talents makes it especially evident:

Matthew 25:14-30
"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'
"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'
"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
"Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'
"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

God gives you all that you have but you are responsible for sowing it, for using it, and for being faithful with it. It is a balance of God and man. What are you reaping in life? If those things are not good or are not the things you want for your life then take a look at what you are sowing. Perhaps your sowing and reaping strategy needs to change.

There are two ways to receive in the sowing and reaping process. You can see both of them in the parable of the hidden talents. The faithful servant reaped back what he sowed from the talents but also he received more from the Master for being faithful. But keep in mind that none of the talents became the servant’s, they always remained the master’s who entrusted them to the servant.

What kind of sower and reaper are you? It might be helpful to compare yourself to the 3 types below:

Sow Too Little:
These people do not sow what they have and therefore never reap what could be theirs. That is what happened the servant with the one talent in the parable. People who sow too little may be fearful, lazy, self-conscious, worried about not doing it right, or introverted which holds them back from sowing what they have.

Reap Too Much:
These people do not sow enough because they are always focused on reaping and they sow what they do not have. If you are continually reaping and never sowing, you won’t be fruitful for very long. People who reap too much may be arrogant, extroverted, desperate or greedy.

Balanced:
These people continually sow and reap. Being faithful with what they’ve been given but never going beyond what they’ve been entrusted with.

If you don’t know what God has given you to sow, take a look at what you are passionate about or ask God to reveal to you what He has given you to sow. Regardless, try something new, anything new. Do something different in your life. If you want things to change but always do the same things then you will keep reaping the same things in your life. Experimentation is often the key to revelation!

Track your sowing and reaping. Make a list at the end of each day of all the things you sowed and reaped that day. Everything that you did, list it as sowing. Everything that happened to you, list it as reaping. Give it some time and notice any patterns in your life. And if you start doing something new if your life, see if anything new starts happening to you as well. Invest for the long term. You may not reap what you sow right away or you may not reap anything significant. But keep sowing and keep reaping.

Good And Evil Switcharoo

Looking closer at some terms we take for granted.

Sometimes the things that we usually think of as strictly evil can be used in a good way and even attributed to God:

Hate

Romans 9:13
Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."

Jealousy

Exodus 34:14
Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

Anger

Ephesians 4:26a
Be angry, and yet do not sin.

Fear

Psalm 128:4
Thus is the man blessed who fears the LORD.

And vise versa:

Love

1 Timothy 6:10
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.

This is the same principle of the yeast in the bread. It’s not the bread that is unacceptable but the yeast in it. (Leviticus 2:11)