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The Saducees were asking something similar of Jesus in Matthew 22. He rebuked them, it seems, because they altogether rejected the idea of the Resurrection and were just trying to trap him with words and flush him out as a heretic. He told them they don't even know what they're talking about. But beside the fact that they were being foolish of their own accord, the question was irrelevant because they were trying to insert a linear, human bond into a heavenly context, and so the question didn't even make sense. Marriage on earth is meant to be a picture of the marriage between Christ and the Church - it's not a perfect picture because earthly marriages can fail, whereas NOTHING can separate us from the love of God. But it's only a temporal illustration of an eternal reality.
Not much is written of what Jesus said on the subject of marriage directly. Matthew 19 is Jesus answering on the subject of divorce. He was, I think, talking about the picture of marriage in it's context - if you are married, you are married in the eyes of God - if that is the case, then you may not cast that connection aside.
Most of the scripture on the subject, (ie: 1 Cor 7) is written by Paul, and his position seems to be written from the perspective that a man and a woman are mostly married because of a propencity towards sin (aside from the obvious purpose of procreation, I ASSUME), and that your priorities are better set on higher goals. God said that it is not good for man to be alone... The picture of marriage is a good thing. Even Paul called it a good thing, but it's easy to look at it as the culmination of our lives,and as major as it is, that's not the case.
We put a special frame around a portrait of someone we love and put it in a special place - we don't like to be separated from it. But what about when the actual person is in your arms? The picture's good, but it's just a picture - you've graduated to the real thing. The short answer to what you want to do with the picture when the loved one shows up is basically... *shrug* "who cares - what's the first thing you'll do when you see them??"
What color is God's favorite pair of gym shorts?
(just playing...)
Not much is written of what Jesus said on the subject of marriage directly. Matthew 19 is Jesus answering on the subject of divorce. He was, I think, talking about the picture of marriage in it's context - if you are married, you are married in the eyes of God - if that is the case, then you may not cast that connection aside.
Most of the scripture on the subject, (ie: 1 Cor 7) is written by Paul, and his position seems to be written from the perspective that a man and a woman are mostly married because of a propencity towards sin (aside from the obvious purpose of procreation, I ASSUME), and that your priorities are better set on higher goals. God said that it is not good for man to be alone... The picture of marriage is a good thing. Even Paul called it a good thing, but it's easy to look at it as the culmination of our lives,and as major as it is, that's not the case.
We put a special frame around a portrait of someone we love and put it in a special place - we don't like to be separated from it. But what about when the actual person is in your arms? The picture's good, but it's just a picture - you've graduated to the real thing. The short answer to what you want to do with the picture when the loved one shows up is basically... *shrug* "who cares - what's the first thing you'll do when you see them??"
What color is God's favorite pair of gym shorts?
(just playing...)
Even though we won't be married in heaven, I'd still like my spouse to be there. I'm sure spouses would be recognisable, but in my opinion, we would have an infinitely intense spiritual relationship with every single other person in heaven, without a specific focus on relationships between two individuals.
Polarguy touched on this very well in Matthew 22 but I thought I'd list the specific quote Jesus made: (beginning in verse 29, to the Sadduccees) "You are deceived because you don't know the Scriptures or the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like the angels in heaven."
The Sadducees asked Jesus if a woman (hypothetically) had to marry a set of seven brothers because she had originally married the oldest, then went on the marry the rest because they all died in birth order (the custom of the day required that she marry the next brother down the line), whose wife would she be at the Resurrection (because the Sadducees said there was no resurrection and were trying to catch Jesus in a trap, as Polarguy said.) Because of this, I don't know what our relationships will be like in heaven as far as former marriages go, but...
One thing that's bothered me in my own faith is that God wants us to love Him above and beyond all or anyone else, with everything we have (and that's fine, He's God, after all! I'm not debating loving God with all our heart, soul, and strength), but what I do ask God is (because I'm greedy), why then, do I have to share Him with GAZILLIONS of other people? I mean, God loves everyone, past, present, and future. God loves the ex who did you wrong, lied about you, cheated on, and hit you. God loves the parent who abandoned you and left you alone to raise your children. God loves the parent who rejected you and told you that you'd never amount to anything. God loves the unrepentent child pornographer (who also happens to be a pastor...). God loves the worst of the worst. Not that my sins are somehow "better" than someone else, but I think you know what I'm saying... And amongst all this, you have to decide and KNOW that God also loves YOU... and that should be enough to satisfy us.
And I ask Him, why do we all (or most) seem to have this longing in our heart to be loved BEST and MOST by one person for the rest of our lives? Was it something in our hearts that became confused when man entered into sin? Or is it a part of God's nature (because we're made in His likeness) that is being expressed in our own longing for companionship during this lifetime? I don't know the answers but... poor God... I keep searching and seeking and asking questions and sometimes I think He's like, "Girl, give it a rest, already!"
(Yes, I know, that's my time to stand, be still, and know He is God.)
As for God's shorts... I personally like to think God has a sense of humor (look at some of His creations, after all, like myself.) I'm going with God's favorite shorts as having that big yellow smiley face on a pocket... with a halo.
The Sadducees asked Jesus if a woman (hypothetically) had to marry a set of seven brothers because she had originally married the oldest, then went on the marry the rest because they all died in birth order (the custom of the day required that she marry the next brother down the line), whose wife would she be at the Resurrection (because the Sadducees said there was no resurrection and were trying to catch Jesus in a trap, as Polarguy said.) Because of this, I don't know what our relationships will be like in heaven as far as former marriages go, but...
One thing that's bothered me in my own faith is that God wants us to love Him above and beyond all or anyone else, with everything we have (and that's fine, He's God, after all! I'm not debating loving God with all our heart, soul, and strength), but what I do ask God is (because I'm greedy), why then, do I have to share Him with GAZILLIONS of other people? I mean, God loves everyone, past, present, and future. God loves the ex who did you wrong, lied about you, cheated on, and hit you. God loves the parent who abandoned you and left you alone to raise your children. God loves the parent who rejected you and told you that you'd never amount to anything. God loves the unrepentent child pornographer (who also happens to be a pastor...). God loves the worst of the worst. Not that my sins are somehow "better" than someone else, but I think you know what I'm saying... And amongst all this, you have to decide and KNOW that God also loves YOU... and that should be enough to satisfy us.
And I ask Him, why do we all (or most) seem to have this longing in our heart to be loved BEST and MOST by one person for the rest of our lives? Was it something in our hearts that became confused when man entered into sin? Or is it a part of God's nature (because we're made in His likeness) that is being expressed in our own longing for companionship during this lifetime? I don't know the answers but... poor God... I keep searching and seeking and asking questions and sometimes I think He's like, "Girl, give it a rest, already!"
(Yes, I know, that's my time to stand, be still, and know He is God.)
As for God's shorts... I personally like to think God has a sense of humor (look at some of His creations, after all, like myself.
) I'm going with God's favorite shorts as having that big yellow smiley face on a pocket... with a halo.