Reformed Romantics: Marriage and OT Covenant Progression

If we are correct in our observation that the place and function of marriage and sexuality is related directly to God's character and rule, then we would expect to find that the coming of the Abrahamic covenant would impact on a theological view of human relationships. This is exactly what we find.

Genesis 4-11 continues in establishing the theological worldview of the first Jew, Abraham. These chapters are better read through Theological rather than Historical glasses (though I believe historical facts are contained there). A reader cannot help being struck by the rapid progress of humanity within God's creation, which is attested to in the genealogical lists. Far from being "space fillers", these lists show that the marriage and sexuality functioned exactly according to God's purpose even while the relationship between Human and Divine was ruptured. Humanity was fruitful and multiplied. However, this fruitfulness was about to be given a special dignity in a particular instance.

To a childless man of pensionable age in southern Iraq, God made promises of Land, Descendants, Nationhood, and Blessing. Of all the families in the world (who had no trouble in reproducing) God selected the most unlikely candidate for fathering a dynasty. It was done in order to show God's power and grace to the whole world and to repair the damage done by the first man in Eden. For Abraham and Sarah, marriage and children were no longer merely part of a creation mandate, but they were now to be the method of transmitting God's grace not only to their descendants but to the whole world. The sign of circumcision was not a random choice, but a deliberate red flag that Fertility was the hope for the future. Moreover, it symbolised the spiritual marriage between God and Israel, an image prominent in the Old Testament.

As the story of Genesis progresses the reader is made aware that not all activity within covenant-oriented marriages seems to advance God's cause. In fact, the actions presented are a mixture of Covenant Progressive and Covenant Subversive. Sarah bears Abraham a son (Progressive) but also directs her husband to adultery and allows herself to be a sexual plaything for foreign rulers (Subversive). Rebbecca bears two sons to Isaac (Progressive) but dishonours her husband by supporting the younger son to deceitfully gain the covenant blessing (Subversive). This will be a pattern repeated though the Old Testament, indicating that while marriage and childbearing will be the means of covenant progression it was never a perfect means. The system prospered only because God's faithfulness was stronger than the faithless families to whom he swore his covenant.