Page 16 - The Marriage Covenant
P. 16
There was the blood, containing the soul of the creature, and there were the two halves.
Yahweh was symbolically testifying that the soul of Abraham and the soul of God would
become as one. They would stand together to see the promise completed. Yahweh would
accomplish it, and Abraham would believe.
All blood covenants have this in common; they represent the union of
two souls into one.
In the introduction to this series, I mentioned that the physical consummation of the
marriage union contains all the elements of a blood covenant. Even as the male sex organ
is sanctified as the chosen instrument of God’s covenant with man, so the female sex organ
is chosen as the covenant organ between man and woman. Even as the flesh of man is torn,
resulting in a flow of blood, so the virgin hymen is torn as the woman has intercourse for
the first time with her husband, resulting in bleeding.
What is the object of the covenant thus enacted between the man and the woman? It
is to produce offspring in the image of the man, even as Yahweh’s covenant was to produce
offspring in the image of God. Both actions are the same, for man has been created in the
image and likeness of God. Male and female He created them.
Let us refer back to the words of the prophet Malachi to discern the intent of the
marriage union.
Malachi 2:14-15
Yahweh has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom
you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion and your wife by
covenant. But not one has done so who has a remnant of the Spirit. And what did
that one do while he was seeking a godly offspring?
The prophet is saying that the purpose of the marriage union is to seek a godly
offspring. Yet in the pursuit of a godly offspring, the men of Israel were acting treacherously
against their covenant wives. Their actions were ungodly. How then could they expect that
the fruit of their ungodliness would result in godly offspring. The prophet declares flatly,
“Not one who has done so has a remnant of the Spirit.” Is this not an indictment against
many in the church today who are acting with treachery toward their covenant wives?
We see then, that the focus of these blood covenants is the production of godly
offspring. Yahweh desires sons in His image and likeness. Similarly, those who are of the
faith and heart of Abraham seek for the same. Yahweh enters into covenant with man to
undertake for him, and man enters into a covenant with woman to undertake for her.
Examine the Scriptures and you will see that those women whom God esteemed as
godly all sought desperately to raise up offspring. Many accounts of barren women in great
travail are brought before our eyes in the Scriptures. Eve was grieved when Cain slew
righteous Abel. She therefore rejoiced when Yahweh gave her another son, Seth, who would
carry on a righteous lineage.
Sarah was barren until her old age, and rejoiced greatly when Yahweh opened her
womb. Her delight leaps forth from the pages of Scripture.
Genesis 21:6-7
And Sarah said, "God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with