Where are marriage vows found in the bible?

Marriage vows found in the bible become the morality compass for any long lasting committed relationship between a man an women who embrace the tenets associated with holy matrimony. Holy matrimony involves two distinct attributes that marriages need to hold close. According to Leviticus 26:12 and Hebrews 8:10, holiness requires a relationship with God. It requires that both the man and woman join together to be separate or set apart for God. The word matrimony is derived from the French word “matremoine” which comes directly from the Latin word “matrimonium” and means “wedlock” or “marriage.” Holy matrimony requires that a husband and wife join together to permanently become separate for God. There are several vows in the bible that support the concept associated with holy matrimony.

A vow is a promise made to God to perform or to abstain from performing a certain thing. The earliest mention of a vow is that of Jacob. (Genesis 28:18-22 ; 31:13 ). Jacob vowed, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s household, then the LORD will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.” The term vow is also mentioned in the book of Job. According to Job 22:27, “Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.”

One type of vow is a vow of devotion. Vows of devotion include:

  • A man might devote the sacred uses of possessions or persons, but not the first-born of either man or beast, which was devoted already. ( Leviticus 27:28 )
  • He may vow land. If he vows land, he might either redeem it or not. (Levi 25,27)
  • He may vow his animals. Animals fit for sacrifice if devoted, were not to be redeemed or changed. ( Leviticus 27:9 ; 10:33 )

Vows were entirely voluntary but once made were regarded as compulsory. ( Numbers 30:2 ; 23:21 ; Ecclesiastes 5:4 ). If the father or husband of their daughter or wife heard the vow they could disallow it and make it void. But, if they heard the vow without disallowance, it was to remained a vow to be honored ( Numbers 30:3-18 ). Vows that involved producing impure traffic were forbidden (Numbers 23:18).

A marriage vow in the bible is a scripture that indicates the devotion of the husband and wife towards God and each other. Marriage vows in the bible include:

  • Ephesians 5: 25-33 is a marriage vow in the bible with an emphasis on the behavior of the husband and wife.

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband

  • Colossians 3:18-19 is another marriage vow with an emphasis on the behaviot of the husband and wife.

Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.  Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

 

  • Matthew 19: 4-6 is a marriage vow in the bible with an emphasis on the husband.

“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

  • Gen 2:24 is another marriage vow in the bible with an emphasis on the behavior of the husband.

That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.  

People must be careful when making vows. According to Numbers 30:2, “If a man makes a vow to the LORD, or takes an oath to bind himself with a binding obligation, he shall not violate his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.” Vows are a serious matter to God. Even more serious are the marriage vows found in the bible.

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In Christ,

Dr. Derrick and Mrs. Sheila Campbell

PO Box 4707 Cherry Hill, NJ 08012 (856) 566-3267

www.advancedmarriagetraining.com

 

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