Page 81 - The Marriage Covenant

harvest. We have the pledge of that which is to come, but we have yet to enter into its
abundance.
This precious pledge we have received is further constrained by this sinful flesh. Oh,
to be delivered from this body of death. We are like a chick struggling to emerge from the
shell. We are like the newly formed butterfly seeking to break free of the cocoon. We can
taste the things to come, and we yearn to enter into the fulness, but the struggle continues.
We are not yet free.
An hour is coming when Christ will complete the work He has begun. At His next
appearing He will finish the salvation He started. He will deliver His overcomers from all
that is hindering them and holding them back.

Hebrews 9:28
Even so it is that Christ, having been offered to take upon Himself and bear as a
burden the sins of many once and once for all, will appear a second time, not to carry
any burden of sin nor to deal with sin, but to bring to full salvation those who are
[eagerly, constantly, and patiently] waiting for and expecting Him.
[Amplified Bible]

This will be the moment of our ecstatic and glorious union. It is no wonder that those
who stand with Christ on Mount Zion will sing a new song (Revelation 14:3). The praise will
not be able to be contained. The glories of the Son of God, revealed IN HIS PEOPLE must
be given voice.
Let us now make this very practical. This teaching series is presented to promote
understanding of God’s mind as it pertains to sexual purity, the marital union, divorce and
remarriage.
Seeing that we have been betrothed to Christ, and have received His pledge, should
we not be looking forward with great anticipation to that full spiritual union that lies ahead?
We should be like a virgin betrothed, waiting expectantly for the appearing of her
bridegroom.
Will the one who has been sealed with the Holy Spirit and who is promised to freely
receive everything that belongs to Christ, then pursue other lovers while they await the
return of the Bridegroom? Can we not all put aside the pursuit of all that competes for our
affection for this brief season of our lives? Can we not hold in our hearts a passion and
desire for Christ, during this season in which He has gone away to prepare a habitation for
us in which we might dwell together as one? It is this fervent love and longing for Christ
that Yahshua speaks of to the church of Ephesus.

Revelation 2:4
“But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”

Will not Christ reject all those who have been betrothed to Him as a pure virgin, when
He discovers their lack of chastity? The wait for His appearing may be long; the days may
seem wearisome, and the trials unending; yet, should not the delay make the anticipation
of His appearing all the more precious in our sight?
We must guard against weariness. Let us stir ourselves up by reminding ourselves of
that glorious union that has been promised to all who look with longing to His appearing.
People of God, if we are espoused to Christ, we must live in expectancy of His return