The Marriage Covenant

WOW! Have I really enjoyed my study with Denise Glenn. This past week we studied the role, commitment, covenant, and strength of the wife. As I studied this week about the marriage covenant, I came across some information in regards to the wedding ceremony and how many things that take place in an American wedding symbolize the marriage covenant. This is a little lengthy but hang in there IT IS GOOD!
When you said your marriage vows, you entered into a covenant agreement. A covenant is a binding agreement between parties that swear PERMANENT allegiance to the covenant relationship between them such as a covenant shared between a husband and wife. Each part of the wedding ceremony has significance.

The guests sign the register as witnesses of the covenant ceremony and to hold accountable to couple to be faithful to their marriage vows.

The ushers seat family and friends on opposite sides of the church to provide a convenant setting. Do you remember the story in Genesis 15:10-17 where Abram cut the animals in two pieces, spilled their blood, and God Himself "passed through" the pieces of flesh, so must a believer enter into a relationship with God, through the shed blood and torn flesh of Jesus, our covenant brother. Now let's apply this to our marriage covenant. When you walked down the aisle between the two covenanting families at your wedding, you were taking another step of covenant-cutting. It was for you the "aisle of blood-covenant". Just as the animals were in two pieces on either side of the aisle of blood for Abraham, your family and your husband's family were sitting opposite of each other to form an aisle. As you made your way down the aisle, you were leaving your old single life and entering into a new life. It was a walk that will forever change your life! When you arrived at the end of the aisle at your wedding, the two of you joined hands and made your way to the altar. On every altar, there is a sacrifice where something dies. Did you stop to think on your wedding day, "What or who dies on the marriage altar?" The answer to that question is, "the bride and the groom!" They are to die to singleness, self-centeredness, and selfishness. This is the purpose for coming to the altar. Don't you wish someone had told you what you were doing on your wedding day? I think if couples understood the concepts of covenant, altar, and sacrifice, we could avert many marriage problems and even divorces right where they start - the day of the wedding!

The parents are given special seating because they are participants of the covenant ceremony of their children. THey enter in the line of authority and leave in the line of counsel.

The groom enters first signifying that he is the covenant initiator and assumes greater responsibility for seeing it fulfilled. He also takes his vows first as he takes the leadership role in the establishment of the home.

The father escorts the bride down the aisle to express to his daughter his endorsement of the groom. He is also presenting to the groom his daughter in a white wedding gown as a pure bride.

When the father "gives the bride away", he is transferring responsibility for her well-being to the groom. The groom will provide for her spiritually, emotionally, and physically.

The right hand, usually the strongest, symbolizes strength. The couple clasps each other's right hands pledging to defend their partner as they each offer their strengths to the other.

The bride and groom make a binding oath before God and the witnesses as they take their vows. The best man and the maid of honor stand as the designated witnesses to the covenant.

During the wedding ceremony in many parts of the world, the couple also exchanges rings. This wedding ring is worn to identify that they are married. Do you remember when you got your engagement ring? Can you remember the thrill? You proudly displayed it to everyone who wanted to see it and some who didn't! That ring said, "I belong to this man and he belongs to me!"

The bride's veil has special meaning. She enters the covenant ceremony with her face veiled to represent her purity and modesty. After the groom has taken his vows of commitment to her, he lifts the veil that separates them and kisses the bride symbolizing their full access to one another.

Do you remember in the bible the story of the prodigal son? Well, the father sends for a ring and a robe to put on the son...this is a covenant of identification. The father was saying that this was and is his son. At the end of a wedding ceremony, the pastor turns to the congregation and announces the new name of the couple. At that moment, the wife takes her husband's last name and puts on her husband's identity. She is now identified by his family name. She now wears his "robe". This is the definite point in time for the beginning of the marriage. Your Heavenly bridegroom, JEsus Christ, has also wrapped you in a robe. If you are a believer, you are wrapped in the garment of His salvation. You are wearing the robe of righteousness. Like the prodigal son, God your Father, has forgiven you, exchanging your filthy rags for a family robe declaring you forgiven, redeemed and restored!

The cutting of the wedding cake is done by a couple holding the knife together and cutting the cake- symbolic of our covenant to love and support each other faithfully- as a covenant act of allegiance. The cutting of the cake by the bride and groom is symbolic of the cutting of flesh of their bodies to become one. They drink from a common cup to symbolize partaking of one life. By feeding the cake to one another, the couple is saying, "This represents my body. As you eat this, you are becoming me and as you feed me, I am becoming you>" But the bridal suite is where the actual covenant is cut. ***This part may not be suitable for some to read.*** When you entered into physical union with your husband, the two of you cut the covenant through the shedding of your blood. Your legs formed an "aisle" for your husband's body to pass through to cut the covenant. If you were not a virgin on your wedding night, confess your sin to our Heavenly Father and receive forgiveness, cleansing, and healing you need. Commit yourself fully to your marriage covenant today!

The celebration meal is another symbol of the two covenant parties becoming one. Often two covenanting families have a celebration meal the night before the wedding-the rehearsal dinner. Then during the reception after the ceremony, the ceremonial "meal" of cake is served to all the guests.

The two parties established a permanent reminder of the covenant between them. The permanent reminder of the union between you and your husband is tshe children you have borne. They are a constant testimony to the fact that two have become one.