Hello All,
(This is just a general disclaimer that I must insert here at the beginning. I am but a lay person, like most of you. These weekly “thoughts” are but my own. Not the definitive word on any topic. Just my own conclusions derived from my own study and faith in our Father. The greatest hope I have for these weekly “thoughts” is to have them be a springboard for further study on your part. Not to be a weekly treatise to be blindly accepted. So, please read them with this intent, this motive in mind).
This week’s lesson from “The Adult Sabbath School Study Guide” is titled “Jerusalem Controversies”. This is another good dive into Christ’s lessons in the fast moving book of Mark. The stories and the lessons just keep on rolling. You hardly have time to catch you breath from one account before the next lesson is upon you. Therefore, as I often do in this weekly thought, I am taking one small lesson from the Quarterly and focusing upon it. Doing a “deep dive”.
This week’s thought parallels the thought from last week about divorce. In this Wednesday’s lesson, part of the Scripture reading for that day has Christ answering a question about marriage in the hereafter. Christ states that the Sadducees question is misplaced. “Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God? For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry not are given in marriage, but are like the angels in heaven” (Mark 12: 24-25). These firm words have caused so much distress over the millennia ever since Christ spoke them. It has led so many truly devout Christians to seek a monastic, celibate life in order to be “like the angels” (ibid). It has also led to much speculation among honest Christians… and much searching of the Scriptures that Christ rightfully claims we “do not know” (ibid). Let us look at this…
Let’s start by looking at another account of this interchange. “Jesus answered and said to them, ‘The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection’” (Luke 20:34-36). This helps us with understanding what Christ meant by this. The marriage unions we all know on this sinful earth between sinners, is not what is in heaven. What is it like in heaven with the angels? “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). “Beloved, now we are the children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2). We do not know what it is like with the angels in heaven. We just know that our current ideas about marriage will not be in heaven. It will not be “your desire will be for your husband and he shall rule over you” (Genesis 3:16). I suspect it will be more like Adam and Eve before their fall. Co-equal partners without the trappings of our sin-filled marriages on Earth (lust, pride, acceptance, dominance, etc.). Instead, what God has for us is so much better than our best ideas of marriage on this sin-filled earth! Wow! Great! I can hardly wait!
We need to address one more thing here. It is Christ’s comment about the Sadducees not knowing “the Scriptures nor the power of God” (op. cit.). In regards to marriage not being in heaven, the Scriptures say nothing overtly about this. The Scriptures give no concrete comments about this. Therefore, knowing the Scriptures is not just knowing what the Scriptures say or do not say about this or that idea. The Scriptures exist primarily to know God. They are not so much a means of knowing things, but of knowing Him. If we read the Scriptures to know how to live, we are “therefore mistaken” (op. cit.).
However, if we read to know God, then the usual questions we sinners ask are not relevant at all. Knowing Him who is love, and that we are His children, who are dearly loved and greatly enjoyed, changes all of our questions. In fact, we end up not really having any questions at all because we are so greatly love. We have no questions, except for one. “How, my Father, am I to love in this situation?” This question confronts us at every turn. A question for which we need an answer in order to bring love into every situation. And, it is answered most quickly by the Holy Spirit of God. All other questions are redundant and unnecessary. We can leave them all in our Father’s loving capable hands. We can leave any questions or anxiety we might have over marriage, too. Fear not, our God of love assures us there is nothing to “hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse who shall stand as a banner to the people. For the Gentiles shall seek Him and His resting place shall be glorious” (Isaiah 11: 9-10). Remember... “his banner over me was love” (Song of Solomon 2:4), because He is the banner.
With brotherly love,
Jim