Conjugial Love #27
27. MARRIAGES IN HEAVEN
People cannot accept as a matter of faith that marriages exist in heaven if they believe that a person is a soul or spirit after death, and hold to an idea of the soul or spirit as being like thin air or a puff of breath. Nor can they accept it if they believe that a person does not live again as a person until after the day of the Last Judgment.
In general, people cannot accept the existence of marriages in heaven if they know nothing about the spiritual world, the world in which angels and spirits live, consequently where the heavens and hells are. Moreover, because that world has till now remained unknown, and because it has not been known at all that the angels in heaven are people in perfect form, likewise that the spirits in hell are people in imperfect form, therefore nothing could be revealed respecting marriages in that world. Indeed, people would have said, "How can a soul be united with a soul, or a bit of breath with a bit of breath, as husbands and wives are united on earth?"
There would have been many other objections, too, which, the moment they were voiced, would have taken away and dispelled belief in the existence of marriages in the other world.
Now, however, many things have been revealed about that world, and what that world is like has been described. This I did in the book, Heaven and Hell, and also in The Apocalypse Revealed. Because of this, the existence of marriages there can be defended, even to the sight of reason, by the following arguments:
1. A person lives as a person after death.
2. A male is then still a male, and a female still a female.
3. Everyone's own love remains in him after death.
4. Especially does a love for the opposite sex remain, and in the case of people coming into heaven, namely, people who become spiritual on earth, conjugial love.
5. All of this has been fully attested by personal observation.
6. Consequently, marriages exist in heaven.
7. Spiritual marriage is meant by the Lord's words, that after the resurrection they are not given in marriage.
Development of these arguments now follows, taking them one by one:
Matthew 28
1
Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.
2
Behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from the sky, and came and rolled away the stone from the door, and sat on it.
3
His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow.
4
For fear of him, the guards shook, and became like dead men.
5
The angel answered the women, "Don't be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus, who has been crucified.
6
He is not here, for he has risen, just like he said. Come, see the place where the Lord was lying.
7
Go quickly and tell his disciples, 'He has risen from the dead, and behold, he goes before you into Galilee; there you will see him.' Behold, I have told you."
8
They departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring his disciples word.
9
As they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!" They came and took hold of his feet, and worshiped him.
10
Then Jesus said to them, "Don't be afraid. Go tell my brothers that they should Go into Galilee, and there they will see me."
11
Now while they were going, behold, some of the guards came into the city, and told the chief priests all the things that had happened.
12
When they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave a large amount of silver to the soldiers,
13
saying, "Say that his disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.
14
If this comes to the governor's ears, we will persuade him and make you free of worry."
15
So they took the money and did as they were told. This saying was spread abroad among the Jews, and continues until this day.
16
But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had sent them.
17
When they saw him, they bowed down to him, but some doubted.
18
Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.
19
Go, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20
teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
