Promise in the Prophets 125: God is our Husband

125. God is a Husband

Isaiah 54:5 For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of host is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.

In the Old Testament Yahweh takes Israel as His wife and marries her. Unfortunately, she was unfaithful to Him. In the New Testament the Lord is engaged to His Church; Jesus is committed to the believer; He will definitely marry us and make us His own intimate wife forever (“’til death do us part,” but there will be no more death). We are invited to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb in His Kingdom (and we will live happily ever after). 

The metaphor may be confusing: Are we married? Or are we engaged? When is the Wedding? Are we invited as spectators to the Wedding? Or are we the star, the Bride? Does Jesus marry all billions of us collectively, or are we individually wedded to Christ? God is our father and Jesus is our brother; how can each also be our Husband? What’s the role of the Holy Spirit? 

We may not understand the details, but the Truth is clear. The relationship we have with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is more intimate than any intimate human relationship we can experience. God uses metaphors to reveal spiritual things we could never understand with a limited brain. If God spoke in a straightforward manner to us about Himself, His love, and His relationship with us it would just sound like babble and gobbledygook. Figures of speech break down, but the husband-truth remains: the God of the whole earth, the Holy One, is our Redeemer and Husband. Take the promise and enjoy it: you cannot dream of nor imagine a greater love.