Is There Marriage in Heaven?

Eternity 136 - Is There Marriage In Heaven?

Jesus really, really outclassed his opponents. Today we will study a great example of it, and learn a bit about life in Heaven.

(Matthew 22:23-33 NKJV) The same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, {24} saying: "Teacher, Moses said that if a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. {25} "Now there were with us seven brothers. The first died after he had married, and having no offspring, left his wife to his brother. {26} "Likewise the second also, and the third, even to the seventh. {27} "Last of all the woman died also. {28} "Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her." {29} Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. {30} "For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven. {31} "But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, {32} 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." {33} And when the multitudes heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.

(Luke 20:27-40 NKJV) Then some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, {28} saying: "Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man's brother dies, having a wife, and he dies without children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. {29} "Now there were seven brothers. And the first took a wife, and died without children. {30} "And the second took her as wife, and he died childless. {31} "Then the third took her, and in like manner the seven also; and they left no children, and died. {32} "Last of all the woman died also. {33} "Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife does she become? For all seven had her as wife." {34} And Jesus answered and said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. {35} "But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; {36} "nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. {37} "But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord 'the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' {38} "For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him." {39} Then some of the scribes answered and said, "Teacher, You have spoken well." {40} But after that they dared not question Him anymore.

Jesus's reply is both perfectly logical and utterly astounding. Moses lived four hundred years after Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, so when God says "I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" then that must mean that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were still living 400 years later and were in heaven with God, as resurrected beings, as God is God of the living, not of the dead. The Sadducees only accepted the first five books (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) and scoffed at anything supernatural. So Jesus uses their own key passage, perhaps the best-known passage in the Jewish bible, to completely demolish their view of the resurrection!

Jesus adds insult to injury by saying of the Sadducees: "Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God." Like many skeptical theologians they had no deep knowledge of the Scriptures and no experience of God's saving power. They were the barren politicians of a dying faith that was soon to pass away.

In Acts we learn a bit more about the Sadducees: "For Sadducees say that there is no resurrection; and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees confess both." (Acts 23:8) So they would not have enjoyed it when Jesus said of the righteous dead: "nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection" thus saying that angels existed, a spiritual world existed and that the righteous saints have a very high status "equal to the angels and are sons of God". However, like the angels they lack the ability of physical reproduction. This is essential for any eternal being because if reproduction was allowed and the population of heaven doubled say every fifty years, and no-one died, then after a million years the population would be 2 to the power 20,000 which is trillions of trillions of trillions of immortals. After a few billion years of that.... well you get the idea! (Does someone out there have a calculator?)

Christians who die in the Lord have three status' mentioned here: equal to the angels, sons of God and sons of the resurrection. In fact Hebrews says that angels are our servants (Hebrews 1:14) and 1 Corinthians 6:2.3 says that we will be their judges: (1 Corinthians 6:2-3 NKJV) Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? {3} Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?

The fact that we are over certain angelic and spiritual beings is clear from the fact that quite ordinary Christians can cast out demons. This was not done even by the prophets in the OT. Something has happened, a fundamental change in the heavenlies occurred with Christ's coming, His ministry, death, resurrection and ascension. The Church now consists of sons of God, glorious beings whose redemption will even set Nature free.
(Romans 8:16-21 NKJV) The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, {17} and if children, then heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. {18} For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. {19} For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. {20} For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; {21} because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

Not only is there a resurrection but "those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead," become beings so glorious that it will astonish us and liberate creation. We become immortals for as Jesus said "nor can they die anymore". They are counted worthy of continuous and permanent existence. If you shoot them they do not die, and cannot die. No disease touches them, no pain racks their bodies, they are glorious immortal beings, clothed with powerful resurrection bodies like those of angels. The saints are imperishable, incorruptible, immortal and eternal. (see I Cor 15:35-55)