What is the marriage covenant?

Psa 25:14  The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant.

God the Father will show His covenant to those who fear [be in awe and reverence of] Him. The knowledge of the covenant is absolutely astounding. With this knowledge we come a step closer to end time events, which will rock the whole world.

The old covenant begins with God’s promise to Abraham, of national riches. One of the reasons God told Abraham to leave his family, may well have been because his father Terah was an idol worshiper.

Gen 11:31  And Terah took his son Abram and his grandson Lot, the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram’s wife, and they went out with them from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan; and they came to Haran and dwelt there.

Jos 24:2  And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘Your fathers, including Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, dwelt on the other side of the River in old times; and they served other gods.

Back to the promises to Abraham.

Gen 12:1  Now the LORD had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you.

Gen 12:2  I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.

Gen 12:7  Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” And there he built an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him.

Abraham and his innumerable descendants were promised the land forever. Abraham’s descendants would number as the dust of the earth.

Gen 13:14  And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are northward, southward, eastward, and westward;

Gen 13:15  for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever.

Gen 13:16  And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered.

Gen 15:5  Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”

God repeated the promise to Abraham several times.

Gen 15:18  On the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: “To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates

Gen 17:2  And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.”

Gen 17:4  “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations.

Gen 17:7  And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.

The covenant people were to be circumcised as a sign of the covenant.

Gen 17:9  And God said to Abraham: “As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations.

Gen 17:10  This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised;

Gen 17:11  and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.

God tested Abraham to the point of sacrificing his son, Isaac.

Gen 22:12  And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”

The covenant was now unconditional.

Gen 22:17  blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.

Gen 22:18  In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”

The covenant, given to Abraham, was passed to Isaac, then Jacob. Jacob’s twelve sons make up the nation of Israel, but the covenant promise was passed to Joseph’s two sons Ephraim and Manasseh. These two Nations are modern day Great Britain, America, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. The other eleven sons were given individual blessings. Gen. 49 v 1 to 24.

God promised that no diseases would come on the Israelites if they kept His Commandments. This promise was made at Marah, where the bitter water was made sweet. This day was the last day of Unleavened Bread.

Exo 15:26  and said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you.”

God the Father, offered the old covenant to all of Israel, on Mt. Horeb. The covenant promised incredible physical riches for obedience to God’s laws and statutes. These promises are given in Deut. 26 v 1 to 13.

The Israelites agreed to the terms of the covenant.

Exo 34:27  Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write these words, for according to the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.”

Exo 34:28  So he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water. And He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.

Exo 19:8  Then all the people answered together and said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do.” So Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD.

The Israelites were unable to keep the covenant, and in the future, will have to pay the penalty, as described in Lev. 26 v 14 to 39.

Jer 11:8  Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but everyone followed the dictates of his evil heart; therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but which they have not done.’

The breaking of the old covenant has brought physical Israel to the brink of destruction. Every evil is now rampant and accepted in our countries. Modern day Joseph [Great Britain and America, Australia etc.] have received the blessings promised to Abraham. They will suffer most, unless they turn to God, as per the words of the covenant.

Jer 30:7  Alas! For that day is great, So that none is like it; And it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, But he shall be saved out of it.

The New Testament confirms that the old covenant began with Abraham.

Gal 4:22  For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman.

Gal 4:23  But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise,

Gal 4:24  which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar

Gal 4:25  for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children

Present day Jerusalem is the result of breaking the old covenant. The Israelites were unable to keep it.

Heb 8:8  Because finding fault with them, He says: “BEHOLD, THE DAYS ARE COMING, SAYS THE LORD, WHEN I WILL MAKE A NEW COVENANT WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND WITH THE HOUSE OF JUDAH

There was no mercy given in breaking the old covenant.

Heb 10:28  Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

God knew, from the time of Noah, [and possibly from the time of Adam] that humans were incapable of obeying Him.

Gen 6:6  And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.

Gen 6:7  So the LORD said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.”

What a sad reflection on humanity; God knew they would not keep the old covenant, but it had to be given so the world would also know.

Heb 3:5  And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward,

God knows that most of modern-day Israel will not repent during the time of Jacob’s trouble, but it has to be brought on. Ever since Adam chose the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and brought death to mankind, God has had to implement a plan of salvation for all mankind.

The new covenant will be written on the hearts of Israel. God’s laws will be kept physically and spiritually.

Heb 8:10  FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS IN THEIR MIND AND WRITE THEM ON THEIR HEARTS; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.

Christ added mercy to the law, as the account of the woman taken in adultery shows. Jesus did not condemn her, but He said ‘sin no more’ John 8 v 3 to 11.

Jerusalem above is the future home of God’s people. Those who dwell in her will have eternal life, and will not be under the bondage of sin, but will be free.

Gal 4:26  but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.

Gal 4:28  Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise.

Jerusalem above is the goal of God’s people who are keeping the new covenant. God’s people are on earth, but their citizenship is in heaven.

Php 3:20  For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

We must have the attitude of Abraham who looked to a city whose builder and maker is God.

Heb 11:8  By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

Heb 11:9  By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise;

Heb 11:10  for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Compare the following scriptures with Gal. 4 v 26 quoted above.

Gen 37:9  Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.”

Gen 37:10  So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?”

Rev 12:1  Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars.

The woman is God’s chosen people, who keep the new covenant. They are on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. This woman is the church members who God has called for His purpose.

This woman [God’s church] is straining to bring forth the knowledge of Jesus Christ: the knowledge that Jesus is the Son of God from the beginning.

Rev 12:2  Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.

Paul likened his work to a woman in travail.

Gal 4:19  My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you,

Notice that the woman is in heaven, paining to be delivered. When Satan pursues the woman she is on earth. However, it is only those in the church who have been counted worthy to escape the coming persecution who go to the place prepared by God. The remainder of the church remain behind for their persecution.

Rev 12:6  Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.

God’s church with the Spirit of power, are the chosen ones, who keep the new covenant. Christ is building His church on the knowledge that Jesus Christ is the Son of God from the beginning. At the time of writing, this knowledge is given to very few, but eventually this knowledge will fill the world.

Mat 13:31  Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field,

Mat 13:32  which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”

As this knowledge becomes known a force of evil will rise up to counteract it.

Rev 12:3  And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads.

Rev 12:4  His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born.

THE MARRIAGE COVENANT.

The covenant, given to Israel during the exodus was a marriage covenant. Remember, there were physical promises for physical obedience. God the Father betrothed Himself to physical Israel. The following scriptures are some of the many that talk of a marriage covenant, and subsequent divorce; with the physical nation of Israel.

Jer 31:32  not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD.

Jer 3:20  Surely, as a wife treacherously departs from her husband, So have you dealt treacherously with Me, O house of Israel,” says the LORD.

Isa 54:5  For your Maker is your husband, The LORD of hosts is His name; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth.

Isa 54:6  For the LORD has called you Like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, Like a youthful wife when you were refused,” Says your God.

Jer 3:14  “Return, O backsliding children,” says the LORD; “for I am married to you. I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion.

Jer 3:8  Then I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but went and played the harlot also.

Hos 3:1  Then the LORD said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by a lover and is committing adultery, just like the love of the LORD for the children of Israel, who look to other gods and love the raisin cakes of the pagans.”

God uses the analogy of a marriage in His dealings with Israel. When Israel broke the covenant God divorced them. Elijah turns Israel’s heart to God and God’s heart to Israel. God remembers His covenant, and once again betroths them.

Notice that this is physical Israel, and it is forever.

Hos 2:19  “I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me In righteousness and justice, In lovingkindness and mercy;

Hos 2:20  I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, And you shall know the LORD.

The land belongs to Abraham’s seed forever.

Gen 13:15  for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever.

Abraham’s descendants are as the stars of heaven, and inherit the land forever.

Exo 32:13  Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven; and all this land that I have spoken of I give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.’ ”

There is well under a hundred generations from creation till now.

Psa 105:8  He remembers His covenant forever, The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations,

God’s Spirit will be given to physical Israel, from one generation to another forever.

Isa 59:20  “The Redeemer will come to Zion, And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,” Says the LORD.

Isa 59:21  “As for Me,” says the LORD, “this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants’ descendants,” says the LORD, “from this time and forevermore.”

Eze 11:19  Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh,

Eze 11:20  that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.

It seems that every person born, will get a hundred years to qualify for immortality.

Isa 65:20  “No more shall an infant from there live but a few days, Nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days; For the child shall die one hundred years old, But the sinner being one hundred years old shall be accursed.

God chose Israel and God loves Israel, and God’s covenant is with Israel. Israelites can be grafted out, and Gentiles can be grafted in. Salvation is dependent on repenting of sin, and choosing to obey God. In the kingdom of God Satan will not be able to affect people, and human beings will be able to see their spiritual teachers.

The bride of Christ.

The bride of Christ is the saints in the first resurrection.

Rev 19:7  Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”

1Co 15:23  But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.

The church, which has made itself ready is Christ’s bride. This knowledge helps give understanding to the following verses.

Rev 21:2  Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

The word ‘as’ can also mean ‘for’ the New Jerusalem is ‘prepared for a bride adorned for her husband.’

The angel offers to show the bride in verse 9: he does so in verse 27.

Rev 21:9  Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, “Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.”

Rev 21:27  But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

The knowledge of the covenant is absolutely breathtaking, and reveals the absolute magnitude of the great God. God the Father marries physical Israel. The Israelites have a hundred years to prove themselves. When they have proved faithful to God, they are then born as sons of God into immortality. God’s family began with the birth of Christ, who also has a bride. Christ’s bride is the church, who have made themselves ready. The God family will grow forever.

Rom 8:19  For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.

Rom 8:20  For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope;

Rom 8:21  because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

Let’s look at the next scripture with the true meaning.

Isa 9:7  Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

God the Father is in charge, He always has been and always will be. God sets up and brings down Nations, and places the basest of men over them. God the Father has been in control of events for all eternity, and has let us make our own choices throughout history.

These choices have led to the suffering of this world. God will allow these sufferings to be used to bring the whole world to repentance. Israel first, and then the Gentile Nations. God will have used the whole evil time of mankind’s history, from original man to the return of Christ to bring about the fulfillment of His covenant.

Adam had rejected the tree of life in Eden [the Paradise of God] and all mankind have been cut off from eternal life, except for the very few. The earth will once again be the Paradise of God, and the tree of life will be freely available.

As amazing as it seems, there will still be evil in the world. These people will be accursed [cast into the lake of fire] after a hundred years.

Isa 65:20  “No more shall an infant from there live but a few days, Nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days; For the child shall die one hundred years old, But the sinner being one hundred years old shall be accursed.

Sinners will not be allowed into the New Jerusalem.

Rev 21:27  But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

Circumcision will once again be a token of the covenant.

Eze 44:9  Thus says the Lord GOD: “No foreigner, uncircumcised in heart or uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter My sanctuary, including any foreigner who is among the children of Israel.

The earth will be Paradise, as the Garden of Eden was.

Amo 9:13  “Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “When the plowman shall overtake the reaper, And the treader of grapes him who sows seed; The mountains shall drip with sweet wine, And all the hills shall flow with it.

Joe 3:18  And it will come to pass in that day That the mountains shall drip with new wine, The hills shall flow with milk, And all the brooks of Judah shall be flooded with water; A fountain shall flow from the house of the LORD And water the Valley of Acacias.

Isa 35:1  The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, And the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose;

The overcomers will be born as sons of God, into immortality.

The knowledge of the covenant shows the unlimited magnificence of our Great Creator God.

There are no words in the English language, which can correctly describe God the Father.