The Weird Pictures of Marriage in the Old Testament

1. Weird Stories -
   a. Adam/Eve; Abraham/Sarah; Job; Isaac/Rebecca; Esau/Hittite Woman; Jacob/Rachel, etc etc
   b. The picture of a covenant - a sworn promise with a token - of unconditional love that even the best of men could not keep - because he best among men are men at best - Yet God does keep His Covenant

2. The Symbol behind the weird stories
   a. Ezekiel 16
   i Lover-redeemer - still love her even after her adultery
   ii God's covenant of Redemption is unilateral

b. Hosea
i. Paul saw Hosea's allegory fulfilled in the Gospel story
ii Marriage paints a picture of a love that goes beyond what the person deserves
iii The Book of Revelation - ends painting God's redemption as a wedding feast

c. Marriage is meant to picture the love of God for his people

i The Bible starts with a broken marriage in the garden, and ends
with a glorious wedding at a celestial and heavenly paradise - Jesus fixing what Adam broke!

3. The Application - Ephesians 5:17-31
   a Husbands love your wives, as Christ loved the church to the point of dying for her
   b Wives respect your husbands, in light of the love of Christ for His church
   c Marriage is about giving, forgiving, bearing and sharing as Jesus does for His own.

The marriage pictures in the bible are meant to highlight the infinite love of Christ which exceeds all knowledge