I still got butterflies in my stomach with all the love stories I watched and made me wonder what bible love stories feel like and look like.
What can we get from them?
What can we learn from God about them?
And so here they go.
1. Isaac and Rebekah
Genesis 24:62-65
Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev.
He went out to the field one evening to meditate, and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching.
Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac.
She got down from her camel and asked the servant, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?”
“He is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself.
Genesis 24:67
Isaac brought her into the tent of her mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her;...
Love at first sight.
Although Isaac and Rebekah had not met each other before they got married they were able to love each other their entire lives because they chose to.
This may tell us that love is more than just a feeling, it is a commitment - A decision.
Their relationship shows us that marriage is deciding to love a person and that we can rely on God to keep us going and loving each other to the end even when differences and difficulties arise in the marriage.
2. Jacob and Leah
Genesis 28:1
So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him. Then he commanded him: "Do not marry a Canaanite woman"...
Genesis 29:23
Laban took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her.
One of the very important principles in entering into a relationship is that we should look for a spouse from among God’s people and that our parents' blessing must also be sought.
Their wisdom shouldn't be disregarded.
If we get involved with unbelievers, with someone who has a different faith from ours we will have to deal with the differences in beliefs and values.
Worse, we might even follow theirs and abandon the Lord.
1 King 11:2
"You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods." Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love.
1 King 11:4
As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God...
3. Hosea and Gomer
Hosea 1:1
When the Lord first began speaking to Israel through Hosea, he said to him, “Go and marry a prostitute, so that some of her children will be conceived in prostitution.
Hosea 3:1
The Lord said to me, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.”
If there's anything we can learn from Hosea and Gomer it is that we all marry imperfect people - a sinner.
God's love shines brightest through us when marriage is hardest.
We cannot stay in the marriage unless we truly love and fear the Lord.
Their love story displays what it means to be chosen, forgiven, and treasured by God.
Since every marriage is a union between two sinners, forgiveness will be a constant guest.
It should always be welcome when it is knocking and celebrated when it prevails.
4. Joseph and Mary
Matthew 1:18-19
Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.
Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
I think this is a picture of "when love and respect kiss each other".
Though Joseph might found himself as the offended party, he did not make a big deal out of it by getting the attention to himself.
He has no plan of disgracing Mary publicly nor looking for sympathy of people towards him.
His love is kind and while he might felt angry and disappointed, in his anger, he did not sin.
While these stories might not give that same feeling of excitement and romance to our bones - these for sure are kind to last because it is God who wrote them.
It is the picture of the gospel.
How Christ loves his bride, the church.
Ephesians 5:25
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her...
Furthermore, did you know that the Bible itself even began and ended in a wedding?
The picture of God giving Eve to Adam and Jesus Christ welcoming His bride, the church.
Genesis 2:18
The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
Genesis 2:24-25
That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.
Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.
Revelations 21:2-3
I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.
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