IN THE BEGINNING IT WAS NOT SO
Matt 19:3-9
Jere 18:11-17
Each time I think of the level of violence and evil that has been unleashed these days, all I can think about are the teachings of ancient prophet Jeremiah as he sought to speak to the children of Judah in vain to depart from their evil ways and their waywardness that earned him the name, the weeping prophet. One of the institutions that has received the greatest bashing of all is the institution of marriage, and the church is keeping utterly silent.
I read a piece in the newspaper recently as the United States Supreme Court is just about to enter judgment in a landmark case on same sex marriage. As it stands it is almost obvious what direction the case will go as the press try to whip up mass support for same sex marriage. Nine Supreme Court justices will be giving a ruling in June on the legality of a recent California ballot initiative that limits marriage to couples of opposite sex. Another panel will also look at the provision of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act which limits the definition of marriage to opposite sex couples. A few years ago it would have been unthinkable that such matter would even be considered or giving a hearing. But today the issue of gay rights have been taken to the level of a civil right issue and an action in protection of the fundamental human rights of the people in a situation where the standard of morality is no longer determined by the church and the word of God.
Today, more states in the United States of America are approving gay marriages on a daily basis. The Anglican Church has even approved the appointment of gays as priests and even Bishops, and are very much on the path of supporting gay marriages. More nations in the world are approving gay marriages, including a recent vote supporting it by the UK parliament. My greatest opposition of Obama are based on the fact that his election has been hinged on his support for gay marriages and stem cell research. Five years of Obama as the President of the US has seen the greatest advancement of the cause of gay rights like never before in history. Hilary Clinton is poised to succeed him as President of the US in a campaign that will see the Clinton's work together with the Obama Baracks. Hilary has also endorsed gay marriages.
According to a CNN poll, 58% of Americans presently support gay marriages. I do not know if this is true. But I know that CNN is one of those corporate concerns that have been fighting the cause of gay rights. Another poll says that 80% of Americans under the age of 30 years are in support of gay marriage. What the young people accept in America will sooner or later be adopted by Nigerian youth. Even some conservative Republicans in America are now openly endorsing gay marriages. The institution of marriage is under severe siege.
In the past the main attack of the institution was polygamy which is still in existence especially in less developed Africa. Today in more advanced nations you are beginning to hear of things like open marriages where you can just step out and have an adulterous affair as long as you tell your spouse. There are also things like husband and wife swapping, where two couples share each other. Then, you have celebrities like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie who until recently refused to get married and did what they called civil partner. If you understand the media hype between Brangelina you will appreciate the effect of these two couples rejecting marriage as the best example of a union between a man and a woman. Between the two of them they presently have six children out of which they adopted three and gave birth to three. Their first child whom they incidentally named Shiloh was followed by unprecedented publicity that they had to go to Namibia to have him. The press dubbed him the most anticipated birth of a child since Jesus Christ and People magazine paid $7.5 million for the right to publish the first photos of the child in Europe and America.
All these are contraptions of the devil put together challenge the institution of marriage and make it appear pointless to marry. Why?
It is not an accident that God started creation with a marriage. The book of Malachi which is the last book in the Old Testament speaks on the importance of the restoration of the institution of marriage. A major aspect of the ministry of Jesus Christ speaks about the great importance of marriage which is well emphasized in the teachings of Peter and Paul. Finally, this dispensation shall be terminated with the marriage supper of the lamb and the second coming of Jesus. Rev 19:9. The marriage covenant is likened to the covenant between Christ and the church which is the basis for our blessing and the authority which we possess.
Eph 5:22-32. The marriage constitute the only means through which the power of God is divested to the people and multiplied upon the lives of the people of God. The devil knows this and that is why he would do anything to prevent us from deriving the full benefit of matrimony. In Gen 14, four kings led by Amraphel the king of Shinar attacked five nations including Sodom, Gomorrah and Bela defeated them and took all their goods away. Verse 12 says they also took Lot who dwelt in Sodom, and that was their biggest error. Verse 14 says that when Abram hard that they took Lot, he armed his trained servants, born in his house, 318 of them and pursued them unto Dan. We know how the story ends and how he defeated these nations of warriors and brought back all the goods as well as his brother, Lot. These were trained servants and not warriors, and they were all part of his household. He trained them under strict regimen governed by the word of God and it made them very effective servants in the house and also able to excel in warfare.
In Gen 18 we know how God visited Abraham and in verse 17 The Lord said, shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do, seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed through him. Verse 19 says for I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him and they shall keep the way of The Lord to do judgment and justice that The Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
In this phrase lies the foundation of the Abrahamic system which caused him to achieve the kind of remarkable to success that he was able to. The scripture captures the essence of this concept in Ps 127:1-5
This level of blessing and anointing can only be possible if our marriages are framed in the manner in which God originally instituted it. That is why we have titled this year's family month, Made in Heaven. Marriage is not the idea of man, it was instituted by God and the incidents and conditions of a true marriage can only be defined by God. That was why Christ referred us to the beginning and said, in the beginning it was not so. The true essence of marriage is first captured in Gen 1:26-28. Tis shows that the first man was conceived with the female residing in him, and it was only her that would be able to be his help meet of all creation. So when God saw that man was alone, it was hoped that man would do the normal thing of bringing forth the woman out of himself. But when he failed God first caused all the animals to pass by him while he named them, and it was said that he found none that was meet for himself. So God caused man to go into a deep sleep and pulled out the woman from him, and when he saw her he said, this is now the bone of my bones and the flesh of my flesh, and called her woman, Isha, because she was taken out of Ish. The only person that had the capacity both spiritually and physically to be a help meet for him or to complete him is a person who was originally part of him. This shows that in the beginning that was the original plan. Then the principle is established in verse 24, therefore shall a man leave his father and mother and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and they were not ashamed.
That is how it was in the beginning and that is what it should be till the end. That is where the anointing is, and that is the foundation of a solid society. This scripture establishes some spiritual truths which I want to reiterate.
Every woman has a husband and every man has a wife if you so desire. Unless you choose not to marry.
When you get to the age of marriage, get married. Too many of us are acting God and trying to be very choosy on who we shall marry and from what tribe.
Once God is involved in your home, you are married to the perfect spouse, even if you married in disobedience.
Fornication and adultery is a death sentence on yourself. Premarital sex inclusive. That is why it attracts a death sentence under the law of Moses.
Polygamy and all other contraptions which people call marriage is a spiritual illegality. It is unacceptable for a believer to initiate any such relationship. But if you are already involved in it before becoming a believer, you really need the help and direction of God and the church should be prayerful for such people, and not condemn them. Especially the women and children in such situation.
Marriage is only acceptable by God if it is between a male and a female. Never between a man and a man or a woman and a woman.
Procreation is only acceptable when it comes as a result of a meeting between a man and a woman.
