2
인자야 예루살렘으로 그 가증한 일을 알게 하여
호세아서 8
1
나팔을 네 입에 댈지어다 대적이 독수리처럼 여호와의 집에 덮치리니 이는 무리가 내 언약을 어기며 내 율법을 범함이로다
2
저희가 장차 내게 부르짖기를 나의 하나님이여 우리 이스라엘이 주를 아나이다 하리라
3
이스라엘이 이미 선을 싫어 버렸으니 대적이 저를 따를 것이라
4
저희가 왕들을 세웠으나 내게서 말미암지 아니하였고 저희가 방백들을 세웠으나 나의 모르는 바며 저희가 또 그 은,금으로 자기를 위하여 우상을 만들었나니 파멸을 이루리라
5
사마리아여 네 송아지는 버리웠느니라 내 노가 무리를 향하여 타오르나니 저희가 어느 때에야 능히 무죄하겠느냐
6
이것은 이스라엘에서 나고 공장이 만든 것이라 참 신이 아니니 사마리아의 송아지가 부숴뜨리우리라
7
저희가 바람을 심고 광풍을 거둘 것이라 심은 것이 줄기가 없으며 이삭은 열매를 맺히지 못할 것이요 설혹 맺힐지라도 이방 사람이 삼키리라
8
이스라엘은 이미 삼키웠은즉 이제 열국 가운데 있는 것이 기뻐하지 아니하는 그릇 같도다
9
저희가 홀로 처한 들나귀처럼 앗수르로 갔고 에브라임이 값 주고 연애하는 자들을 얻었도다
10
저희가 열방 사람에게 값을 주었을찌라도 이제 내가 저희를 모으리니 저희가 모든 방백의 임금의 지워준 짐을 인하여 쇠하기 시작하리라
11
에브라임이 죄를 위하여 제단을 많이 만들더니 그 제단이 저로 범죄케 하는 것이 되었도다
12
내가 저를 위하여 내 율법을 만가지로 기록하였으나 저희가 관계없는 것으로 여기도다
13
내게 드리는 제물로 말할찌라도 저희가 고기로 제사를 드리고 먹거니와 여호와는 그것을 기뻐하지 아니하고 이제 저희의 죄악을 기억하여 그 죄를 벌하리니 저희가 애굽으로 다시 가리라
14
이스라엘은 자기를 지은 자를 잊어버리고 전각들을 세웠으며 유다는 견고한 성읍을 많이 쌓았으나 내가 그 고을들에 불을 보내어 그 성들을 삼키게 하리라
What the Bible says about... Marriage and Spirituality
Napsal(a) New Christian Bible Study Staff, John Odhner
People who are truly in love know that marriage is one of the greatest blessings the Lord has given people. But, these days, there's a lot of confusion and doubt about marriage.
Let's take a look at what the Bible says about it, beginning at the very beginning. The very fact that the Lord has created us male and female (Genesis 1:27) seems to indicate that marriage is the intended condition for people.
In the Adam and Eve story, the Lord says, "It is not good that the man should be alone." (Genesis 2:18). Therefore, He creates Eve. It's a very ancient story that depicts marriage as part of His plan for people.
God's blessing on the first marriage makes this even more clear: "And God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply.'" (Genesis 1:28)
Not only does marriage have the Lord's blessing - it is also phrased as a commandment in this passage from the prophet Jeremiah: "Thus says the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel.... Take wives and beget sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters--that you may be increased there, and not diminished.'" (Jeremiah 29:6)
King Solomon said, "He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord." (Proverbs 18:22)
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus has a telling response to the Pharisees who are quizzing him about divorce:
Jesus answered, "Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female', and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate'." (Matthew 19:4-6)
In the text of the Bible, there are also frequent references to a marriage between the Lord and His Church, where the church is made up of the people who love the Lord and follow his commandments. This is a different sort of marriage than the one between husband and wife, but some of the same ideals of love and reciprocity and conjunction are presented.
"As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you." (Isaiah 62:5)
"Your Maker is your husband: The Lord of Hosts is His name." (Isaiah 54:5)
"'Turn, O backsliding children,' says the Lord, 'for I am married to you.'" (Jeremiah 3:14)
"Let us be glad and rejoice, and give glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready." (Revelation 19:7).
See also Jeremiah 31:32; Isaiah 49:18, 61:10; Jeremiah 2:32; Hosea 2:2, 2:19; Ezekiel 16; Matthew 22:2-9; 25:1-10; Luke 5:34; Revelation 21:2, 9; 22:17, etc.
From all this, it's pretty clear that there's strong support in the Bible for marriage.
That said, there are also some passages that have led people in other directions. In some of Paul's letters, there are some things which can be taken to mean that marriage is less chaste than celibacy. And, in answering a question from the Saduccees, Jesus says that in heaven, they neither marry nor are given in marriage. What did he mean by that? It has a deeper meaning than appears on the surface, but it's often been misinterpreted. We will dig into these issues in separate topics, or in an extension to this one... but, overall, the Bible's pretty clear that marriage is part of the Lord's design for us, and that our physical, earthly marriages represent a spiritual marriage, too.
