This is a complex question. What about this teaching that brothers must marry their brother’s widow? This is the concept of the kinsman redeemer. “If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother shall take her and marry her and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her. The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.” Deuteronomy 25:5, 6, NIV. We see this being lived out in the case of Ruth. We also know from the book of Ruth that a brother or close relative did not have to obey this command. Boaz was not the closest kinsman redeemer. Boaz redeemed Ruth because the closest kinsman redeemer refused to carry out his obligations to his relative. As a matter of fact, the law of the kinsman redeemer was rarely fulfilled. “However, if a man does not want to marry his brother’s wife, she shall go to the elders at the town gate and say, “My husband’s brother refuses to carry on his brother’s name in Israel. He will not fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to me.” Then the elders of his town shall summon him and talk to him. If he persists in saying, “I do not want to marry her,” his brother’s widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals, spit in his face and say, “This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother’s family line.” That man’s line shall be known in Israel as The Family of the Unsandalled.” Deuteronomy 25:7-10, NIV.
The Sadducees must have spent some mental energy to come up with this one. In reality, they are making fun of the doctrine of the resurrection. The Sadducees are using a tactic from logic known as arguing from absurdity. Basically, the tactic is to take whatever proposition one is arguing against and follow it even to an extreme situation to see if the proposition still makes sense. Jesus came from heaven and being God he knows how things will be at the resurrection of the dead. Jesus answers from his knowledge.
His answer goes straight to the heart with 4 essential truths about the afterlife:
1. There is a difference between this age and the next (vs. 34). We cannot view eternity through the lens of our limited experience. The Sadducees assume that people will marry in heaven because they do so on earth. Not so, according to Jesus. Their premise is wrong. How do we feel about no marriage in heaven? Is this good or upsetting? Had a friend Edna who wanted to be with her husband in heaven and this teaching of Jesus upset her. What is the purpose of marriage? ““For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery--but I am talking about Christ and the church.” Ephesians 5:31, 32, NIV. Marital relations we have on earth are to be signposts of the relationship between Christ and his church. Our marital relationship on this earth is to teach us and point us to our relationship with God. Once we reach heaven the need for signposts is unnecessary because the real thing is already here. Our marriage on this old earth is a shadow of the true marriage that will exist between Christ and his church in the new heaven and earth. Our marriage here can never replace the joy and pleasure that we will experience in heaven. Our marriage here only prepares us for our marriage there. Our union with Christ will be so completely satisfying and fill our every need and desire that even the best of marriages on this earth can never fulfill those desires and meet those expectations that will be fulfilled over there. Have a great marriage on earth, that should not depress us, but excite us! If our marriage is great now how much greater will it be in heaven along with the other relationships we will have there (like with our children- vs. 36). Greater things are yet to come. If struggling in a marriage, think about the marriage that we will have in heaven with Christ. God is going to replace what we understand of marriage with something far greater than any of us can comprehend. But will my spouse be with me in that mansion? Maybe but no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has conceived all that God has prepared for those who love him (1 Corinthians 2:9)
2. There will be a resurrection (vs. 35). The dead will be raised whether or not the Sadducees believe in it. Someday we will all stand before the Creator. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due to him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10, NIV. Christ spoke much of the resurrection. Just in Luke we find that believers have their names written in heaven (Luke 10:20). They should not fear those who kill the body (12:4), for Christians will be raised from the dead to participate in the kingdom of God (13:29) and to enjoy their heavenly treasure (Luke 12:33- treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted).
3. There will be no death beyond this life (vs. 36). “When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”” 1 Corinthians 15:54, NIV. No death in heaven. Freedom from death means freedom from pain, from darkness, from deformity and disease. In heaven we will have freedom from the curse of sin. "They’ll be no graves on the hillside of glory- I’ve lost dear loved ones, and I know you have too. And though we know the answers, that’s God’s Word says is true. We’re still full of questions and we’re still caught off guard, when we drive to the graveside, and our loves ones let down. But they’ll be no graves on the hillside of glory. They’ll be no pain on the streets paved with gold. They’ll be no tears, in our eyes in that throne room. They’ll be no graves on the hillsides of home." Notice that we will be like the angels at the resurrection. Angels are spirit beings and therefore they are from another order of beings separate from human beings. The world we live in now is the natural world. This natural world is marked by marriage, much in this world depends on marriage, but there is coming a day when this world will be no more. Will we be genderless when the resurrection happens? Cannot say with certainty but at the beginning God made them male and female so that they would be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:27-28). The way of this world that marriage produces offspring will be no more. Have many in our day who place much emphasis on gender or I want to be a different gender from how I was born. In the spiritual world this has little meaning. “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Colossians 3:2, NIV.
4. The Scriptures provide the proof (vs. 37-38). Jesus goes into the first 5 books of the OT, the only ones the Sadducees accept- and gives proof of life after death. God addresses Moses at the burning bush in this way “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” Exodus 3:6, NIV. These ancestors were dead at the time God was speaking to Moses. God could have said, "I was the God of Abraham..." -sounds strange but true if no resurrection. When God spoke to Moses- Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were with God and God still had a relationship with them even though they were dead. They were alive to God- vs. 38. God knows where every soul is and no soul is unaccounted for. "I’m on my way to that fair land, where the soul (of man) never dies. Where there will be no parting hand, where the soul (of man) never dies. Dear friends, there’ll be no sad farewell; there’ll be no tear dimmed eyes. Where all is peace and joy and love and the soul of man never dies."
Great, but the question for all of us is, Where am I going to spend eternity? With God in that fair land or another place where the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched (Mark 9:48)
