No Marriage in Heaven?

Are you among most who, at one time, desired to get married?

As a young girl, I would dream of meeting that special someone, getting married and having a beautiful wedding equipped with beautiful bridesmaids, cute little flower girls, an adorable ring bearer, the whole nine yards. I daydreamed about getting to know my fantasy husband, sharing intimate times with him, and raising amazing children—you know, the perfect nuclear family.

Today, people have unique ways to highlight their wedding. Couples celebrate by soaring in hot-air balloons, jumping out of planes, and jumping over brooms, just a few unique ways they unite in marriage. They spare no expense and spend months, even years, planning.

And then we read this:

Jesus said, “Marriage is a major preoccupation here, but not there. Those who are included in the resurrection of the dead will no longer be concerned with marriage nor, of course, with death. They will have better things to think about if you can believe it. All ecstasies and intimacies then will be with God... (Luke 20:34-38 MSG)

WHAT? No marriage in heaven? It is unbelievable, inconceivable, unimaginable. How can heaven be heaven without marriage? Many hope for, long for, yearn for marriage. Some never give up by marrying three, four, five times, or more.

God says He is the bridegroom coming for His bride (Ephesians 5:25-27). He is coming back for a church to spend time with, to be intimate with, to be one with—not in a secular sense but in a godly unconditional loving sense with people totally focused on Him.

The secular view of love and marriage can become distorted, perverted, and self-centered. Secular marriage can become about freedom to have sex, an opportunity for greater economic status, selfish narcissistic desires, any number of atheistic reasons. God’s perspective on marriage differs greatly. God created marriage to prevent loneliness, for procreation, and to safeguard fleshly desires (Genesis 2:18, 9:7, 1 Corinthians 7:1-9).

In heaven, marriage will not be necessary. Loneliness will not exist. Jesus will be right there with us. There will be no need to procreate because we will live forever—our bloodline will never end, and we will be like angels laser-focused on God. Angels do not marry.

Nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. (Luke 20:36 NKJV)

Think about it, if you were in real danger and your married guardian angel had to leave and run home to check on his or her spouse—wouldn’t that be a bummer?

My marriage is wonderful. It is not without problems, struggles and frustrations, but I love my husband and I cherish the words we spoke to one another “until death do us part.” Assuredly, I know God will replace marriage with something so much better. And then it will be “until death brings us together” in eternity with Him and the church in eternal bliss.

But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9 NKJV)

God has prepared something so incredible for us in heaven that earthly desires severely pale to the wonderful things that we will experience in heaven.

Lord, I pray and thank You for knowing what is best for us and what will bring us joy and happiness. Thank You for the great plans you have for us that far exceed all of our greatest expectations. Thank You for the magnificent things that You have waiting for us that we cannot even envision.

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Scripture as noted is taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Scripture as noted is taken from the New King James Version^®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.