Eternal Marriage

This week in my New Testament class, we discussed Matthew 21.  Specifically, we focused on the attacks by the Pharisees and Sadducees against Jesus.  In verses 23-30, we read of the specific confrontation.  The Sadducees come to Jesus trying to trick him by giving him a scenario.  They explain that there’s a husband and wife with no children and the husband dies, so the wife marries the brother.  This happens until all seven brothers have married this woman and subsequently dies.  They ask him in verse 28, “Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? For they all had her.”  They were trying to trap Jesus between the resurrection and eternal marriage.  On a side note, this proves that Jesus did teach about Eternal Marriage, because if he hadn’t why would they be bringing this up?  Jesus responds to their question by saying in verse 30, “For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.”  Jesus is teaching the sealing ordinance is something that takes place here, not in our next life – that’s why it’s so important to do temple work for those that have passed away.  This spurred the discussion that I want to focus on – the discussion that truly pertains to our situation.  We are blessed with the opportunity to be sealed with our companion for eternity.  This is something that is done in the holy temple, over an altar of God.  Brother Griffin explained that in Old Testament times, the alter was used to perform sacrifices.  The altar represented our Lord Jesus Christ.  It is not insignificant that the only thing separating a man and wife performing the sealing ordinance in the holy temple is an altar.  This altar represents Christ and is a beautiful lesson about how our marriages should be structured.  The only thing that should come between a man and wife is Christ.  Satan desperately wants to take the place of Christ in our marriages because we will try to separate us.  He understands the importance of the sealing ordinance, and he will do everything in his power to destroy it.  Satan will never feel the love of someone else, he will never know the joy of marriage.  For that reason, he is jealous and wants everyone to be miserable like he is.  Marriage is the most wonderful blessing in my life, but it is also extremely hard.  But, as we strive to keep Christ at the center of our marriages, we will have greater access to His power, and we will be empowered to overcome anything Satan throws at us.