Adam and Eve

God brought the woman to man (Genesis 1:22). And God said to man,“Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall joined to his wife1: and they shall become one flesh2” (Genesis 1:24).

After their union the serpent presented himself to Eve prompting her to eat of the forbidden fruit, “Now the serpent...said to the woman, 'Has God indeed said, you shall not eat of every tree of the garden?' And the woman said to the serpent, 'We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, You shall not eat of it, nether shall you touch it3, lest you die' (Genesis 3:1-3).

After Adam and Eve had eaten of the forbidden fruit (Gen. 3:6), their eyes were open (Gen. 3:7) to know good and evil (Gen. 3:22). God said to Eve, “I will multiply your sorrow and conception; in pain you shall bring forth children; your desire shall be to your husband, and he shall rule over you” (en. 3:16). And to Adam God said, “Because you have heeded to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat': cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil shall you eat of it all the days of your life...in the sweat of your face shall you eat bread, until you return to the ground...” (Gen. 3:17-19). “Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken” (Gen. 3:23).

Do you believe this marriage was succeeding? Adam had been given the responsibility to lead his family. The woman was to be his help mate4 (Gen. 1:18) only – to assist him, not take the lead. Adam was right there with Eve as she was talking to the serpent, because after she had eaten of the fruit, “She also gave to her husband 'with' her, [and] he ate” (Gen. 3:6). Please note that the word 'with' denotes that Adam was in her present when Satan tempted Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. Adam failed to guide and protect his wife by allowing her to eat the forbidden fruit and then eating it himself.

Look at the final results of disobedience to God:

• Eve had to bear children with pain.
  
  
• Adam having to grow food by the seat of his brow.
  
  
• Adam and Eve cast out of the Garden of Paradise.
  
  
• Later after Adam & Eve had two sons (Genesis 4:1,2), Cain and Abel made an offering to God. Because God accept the offering of God but God did not accept Cain's offering, Cain became jealous with anger toward Abel (Genesis 4:5) and murdered Abel (Gen. 4:8).
  
  

                                                            Isaac and Rebekah

Because Abraham was old and advanced in age (Genesis 24:1), he commanded his servant Eliezer (Gen. 15:2), “Please...I will make you swear by the Lord...you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites...but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac” (Genesis 24:2-4).

After Eliezer arrived in Mesopotamia, the city of Nabor, he asked God for a sign to indicate which woman God wanted Isaac to marry (Genesis 24: 10-24). God granted Eliezer his request (Gen. 24:15-20).

Later Rebekah's brother and mother (Gen. 24:55) asked her if she would go with Eliezer to marry Isaac, someone she has never met (Gen.24:58). Rebekah said, 'yes.' Rebekah married Isaac (Gen. 24:66).

Notes:

• Fathers selected a wife for their sons during biblical times.
  
  
• Abraham commission his servant Eliezer to go to his hometown to select a wife for Isaac from among his kinsmen.
  
  
• Eliezer, a God fearing man, asked God to select the right mate by providing him a sign. God chose Rebekah to be Isaac wife, not Isaac. There was not any dating.
  
  
• This marriage was designed by God.
  
  

                                                     Jacob Married Leah & Rachel

Isaac commanded Jacob, “You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan...Take yourself a wife from the daughters of Laban your mother's brother (Genesis 28:1-2).

After Jacob arrived in Haran, Rebekah's brother Laban home place, Rachel came with Laban's sheep to water their sheep at the well where Jacob had just arrived (Genesis 29:1-10). Rachel's arrival at the well (Gen.29:9) was similar to his mother Rebekah's arrival at the well when Abraham's servant Eliezer asked God for a sign for the selection of a mate for Isaac (Gen. 24:15-20).

“Jacob kissed Rachel and lifted up his voice and wept” (Gen. 29:11). Jacob believed that this was a sign from God that Rachel was God's choice for him for a mate.

Jacob served Laban for seven years (Gen. 29:28) as a substitute for bride price to marry Rachel. But Jacob was deceived on the wedding night; he awaken the next morning and realized he had married Leah, Rachel oldest sister (Gen. 29:23-25). Because of Jacob's love for Rachel, he agreed to serve for Laban another seven years (Gen.29:29).

• Note: Jacob believed that his meeting of Rachel at the well was a duplicate of his mother's meeting his father Isaac at the well. This was another marriage designed by God.
  

                                Ruth, Boaz and Naomi

A marriage ordained by God through the acts of Naomi:

• Elimelech with his wife Naomi and two sons moved to Moab because of a famine in Judah (Ruth 1:1-2).
  
  
• Naomi's husband Elimelech died (Ruth 1:3.
  
  
• Naomi's two sons married Moab women, Ruth and Orpah (Ruth 1:4).
  
  
• Naomi two sons died (Ruth 1:5), left two widows.
  
  
• Naomi returned to Judah in Bethlehem (Ruth 1:7,22) with Ruth who refused to leave Naomi (Ruth 1:16-17).
  
  
• Ruth found favor in Boaz's eyes. She asked him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner” (Ruth 2:10)? Then Boaz answered and said to her, “It has been fully reported to me, all that you have have done for your mother-in law since the death of your husband...The Lord repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the Lord of Israel...” (Ruth 2:11,12). Because of Ruth's dedicated, unselfish act toward Naomi, Boaz knew God would reward Ruth.
  
• Naomi felt she was responsible for the security of Ruth (Ruth 3:1). There-fore Naomi directed Ruth to “...go down to the threshing floor...notice the place where he lies...uncover his feet, and lie down; and he will tell you what you should do” (Ruth 3:2-4). And she [Ruth] said to her [Naomi], “All that you say to me I will do” (Ruth 3:5).
  
  
• After Ruth had done done all that Naomi had told her to do, Boaz said, “Blessed are you of the Lord, my daughter...do not fear. I will do for you all that you request, for all the people of my town know that you are a virtuous woman” (Ruth 3:10,11).
  
  
• Boaz redeems Ruth and marries her (Ruth 4:1-13).
  
  
• Ruth bears a son by Boaz called Obed (Ruth 4:13); Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David (Ruth 4:22). This genealogy leads to the birth of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:1-16).
  
  

Dating Summary: There is no such thing as dating during biblical times. Dating is a modern idea started by this worldly system.

1This relationship binds a man to his wife [not wives] closer than his parents.

2They are still two individuals, but they are now as one (Ephesians 5:31). This also means physical sexual relationship.

3The first lie told by mankind. God did not tell them not to touch it; Eve added this (See Gen.2:16,17).

4A help mate is not someone who is inferior or secondary. One of the attributes of God is one who help us (Psalms 33:20; 115:9,10,11).

·       The first requirement before selecting or choosing a mate for marriage is to ask yourself, 'Am I spiritually and financially ready for marriage?' Have I placed God first in my life - studying His Word and growing in spiritual knowledge and understanding (II Timothy 2:15 KJV)? How is my communication skill with Him, continuing steadfastly in prayer (Romans 12:12 NKJV)? Financially, don't get caught into the debt traps (Read Romans 13:8). Your marriage might be stuffed to death.

·         Spiritually compatibility is a mandatory requirement before selecting a mate. Which church to attend (Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal, etc.)? Which pastor-teacher? Which Bible doctrines you each accept or don't accept?

·         Is your prospective mate a Christian? For God says, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers...for you are the temple of God...” (II Cor. 6:14, 15).

·         Select a mate who loves God, one who doesn't put their mate or family before Him (Matt. 10:37). God comes first. If you or your believed soul mate put the other before God, the relationship is most likely to fail. Did you start your relationship in the attraction stage wrongly, physical (kissing with sex)? Marriage at this stage is disastrous. It isn't too late to begin anew.

·         Observe how their father and mother are being treated. Are they being honored as God commanded? See Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:2.

·        Looking at the outward appearance only, based upon how good looking the person is, isn't of God. God looks at the heart (I Samuel 16:7).

·         Is your prospective mate responsible? Irresponsible people can’t make marriage work – they blame others for their bad situations, not willing to accept responsibility for themselves.

·         Don't marry a person who is continually worried, fearful, too nervous, that is not normal ~ to escape an unhappy home life ~ for financial security ~ just because you love and want children, knowing that getting married is the only Godly way to accomplish this.

·         Does each of you have impersonal love? Impersonal love is love for all mankind, a commandment by God (Romans 13:9, 10). It must exist before you have personal love for your mate. Impersonal love is unconditional.

                                           SUMMARY

You must have a right relationship with God first before He brings you the right mate. Don't put the cart before the horse, marrying before you get a right relationship with God! It will not work; no other way will be successful. A successful, happy, and Godly marriage is designed to work according to certain biblical principles God has placed in motion.