I will start by declaring truth, unshackled from human tradition or opinion.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men” (John 1:1-4).

By the will of the Father, the Bible says of the Son, “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible… All things were created through Him and for Him” (Colossians 1:16).

I declare, “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for you created all things, and by your will they exist and were created” (Revelation 4:11).

That includes you, [Groom] and [Bride]. You were created according to His will by Him and for Him.

We know Him by various names… the Son, Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, the Messiah, the Christ, the Lamb of God, Jesus of Nazareth. The Creator. Who was manifested in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16b). And as we look forward to His return He is called… The Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

All these things are important because it is by Him and under His authority that the covenant of marriage was formed.

When the Creator made our first father, Adam, from the dust of the Earth and breathed life into him, creating him in His own image, the man was alone. As time passed the Creator said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make a helper comparable to him” (Genesis 2:18).

From the body of Adam, the Creator made our first mother, Eve. When the Creator presented her to Adam, the man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman because she was taken out of man” (Genesis 2:23). “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become on flesh” (Genesis 2:24). This is known to us as marriage.

This covenant of marriage and family, designed by the Creator, is the cornerstone of all human civilization. And fulfills the purpose of the Creator that all the desire within us for companionship, human intimacy, for someone to care about us, and for love is satisfied. In marriage, we walk in the ways of the Creator and fulfill His righteousness in the relationship between a man and woman. Additionally, the word tells us they “shall become one flesh.” This speaks to us that God wants godly offspring as the Prophet Malachi wrote (2:14-15). God blessed the union between man and woman and He said, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it…” (Genesis 1:28a).

And the Creator orders all things according to His purpose, which includes marriage. Husbands submit yourselves to Christ (Ephesians 5:23). “Husbands, love your wives just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church [those called out], not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So, husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself” (Ephesians 5:25-28).

Likewise, “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is the head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything” (Ephesians 5:22-24).

And here is a mystery, that the covenant of marriage is created for Christ as well. The Creator aligns His relationship to His own people at this level of intimacy, all those who belong to Him and will be saved from the wrath to come are His bride. We belong to Him. We are part of His body. “…he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him” (1 Corinthians 6:17). Jesus will never forsake us. We will be with the Creator forever (1 Thessalonians 4:17), we are the Bride of Christ. He is the one who is called “Faithful and True” (Revelation 19:11), the greatest example of a husband.

Amen.