Occasionally, the Scriptures draw aside the curtain to let us know that larger issues are at stake. In his discussion of authority, Paul points to the watching angels (1 Corinthians 11:10). In his discussion of marriage as “one flesh,” Paul quotes Genesis 2:24 and says,
This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:32).
At our level, marriage is about husband and wife. At the divine level, the same marriage is really about Christ and the church (Revelation 19:7). That helps to explain why God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16). It is not just about human choices to break vows and hearts. It is about God’s choice, God’s higher purpose. It is about what “God has joined together” (Mark 10:9). Those who devalue marriage and its roles have no idea how they are trampling on divine purposes far higher and holier than themselves.
The same applies to all of God’s choices for us. God is not a God of confusion. He is the God of peace, decency and order (1 Corinthians 14:33, 40). The orderliness He brings to His family—the human family and the spiritual family—is more than practical efficiency. It is deeply rooted in the character of God Himself. It is an earthly reflection of eternal reality. Our struggles with roles reflect cosmic struggles in spiritual realms far greater than we imagine.
The final question for us is, “Will we make our own choices, or will we choose to accept God’s choices?”