Three Ways to Join A Family

19 August, 202318 August, 2023Marissa

I’ve started reading a new book that I’m really excited about. Misreading Scripture with Individualist Eyes: Patronage, Honor, and Shame in the Biblical World by E. Randolph Richards and Richard James aims to provide readers in Western cultures with cultural information that’s helpful when properly interpreting the Bible. There’s a lot of topic overlap with Relational Faith by Brent J. Schmidt, which I reviewed earlier this year, and I was eager to see how different authors approached the subject.

Misreading Scripture with Individualist Eyes is a follow-up to Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes: Removing Cultural Blinders to Better Understand the Bible by E. Randolph Richards and Brandon J. O’Brien. That’s one of my favorite non-fiction books and I’ve referenced it several times on this blog (most notably in reference to temples and to women’s roles in church). I heartily recommend Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes and though I’m only 30% finished with Misreading Scripture with Individualist Eyes I suspect it will become a new favorite as well.

The topic I want to share with you today comes from “Chapter 1. Kinship: Being in a Family.” In collectivist cultures, the family is incredibly important. There are three ways to join a family or kinship group: birth, adoption, and marriage. As I read this chapter, it struck me that God uses all three of those methods to describe how we enter into His family.

Image of a group of people holding hands in a circle overlaid with text from 1 Peter 2:17, NET version: “love the family of believers” — Image by Claudine Chaussé from Lightstock

“I” or “We”

I read a publication from a church once that went to great pains to explain when the Bible says God adopts us into His family, it doesn’t really mean adoption because we’re actually born into His family as His literal children. It’s been years, but I never forgot how irritated I was by that distinction. First, the Greek word does mean adoption, and if the Bible uses both birth and adoption to explain how we become God’s children, why wouldn’t we use both today? Second, I worried how someone who was adopted into their own human family think when reading that this church doesn’t think adoption means you’re really part of the family.

I share this to illustrate one of the ways that we can misinterpret things through a Western, individualist lens. We like things to be neat and separated; you can enter a family through birth or adoption, but not both. We also think of the individual as the basic unit of society rather than family (i.e. we conceptualize ourselves primarily as “I” rather than “we”). Our kinship groups are pretty lose, and no one is really surprised if you get married without intending to have kids or if you don’t have a relationship with your cousins, aunts, uncles, or even siblings and parents. If someone asks, “Who are you?” a Westerner is likely to respond by talking about their personality, achievements, interests, and work rather than by talking about their family and community.

Collectives are defined by the things they share with others, things such as shared blood, shared interests, shared history, shared land, and shared loyalty. They define their core identity as being part of a group, in distinction to other groups.

This is what we mean by collectivism. Collectivist people understand their identity from the group they are part of. It is about identity, which is why people in collective societies live their lives oriented toward their group.
Misreading Scripture with Individualist Eyes, Richards and James, p. 22

Richards and James are careful to point out that these are generalizations; not all collectivist or individualist cultures are identical. But these generalizations help Western individualists understand how different the Biblical culture was than what we’re familiar with today. If you’re one of my readers who lives in a collectivist culture, you probably have a much easier time relating to the collective aspects of Bible culture than a typical American or other Westerner.

Going back to my opening example, we shouldn’t think of the Bible’s explanation for how we become God’s children as something we need to put into one box or the other (i.e. birth vs. adoption). Biblical writers use being born as children and adopted as children to describe the process of becoming part of God’s family. They also use marriage symbolism. It’s not an either-or situation. It’s three analogies to help us understand more about what’ happening here.

Ways to Enter A Family

Suppose you were trying to describe the most beautiful sunset you’ve ever seen. You might give some literal descriptions–it was orange and pink with purple clouds, it was over a wheat field. But you might also decide the literal isn’t doing it justice and use similes, analogies, and metaphors–it was like a beautiful painting, it looked like cotton candy, it gave me the same feeling as when I look out over the ocean. Those metaphors are all very different. Paintings, cotton candy, and oceans are not the same thing. But we can use those different descriptions to describe the same sunset.

I think that’s part of what’s going on when Bible writers describe the way God makes us part of His family. Birth, adoption, and marriage are not equivalent to each other, but they all help us understand the same concept. God is bringing human beings into His family. We are becoming part of His kinship group.

In the biblical world, kinship terms were not tossed about … casually because kinship ordered society. Across the ancient Mediterranean world, one entered into a family, a clan, a tribe by birth, adoption, or marriage.
Misreading Scripture with Individualist Eyes, Richards and James, p. 34

That seems pretty obvious, but what struck me is that these three ways to enter a family are the three ways that God explains how we become His children. By describing the process of us entering God’s family in all three ways, God reinforces how much He wants us as part of His family. He shows that we’re going to become His family in every possible way, with all the rights and responsibilities accorded to those who are born, adopted, or marry into a family.

Image of a father and baby overlaid with text from 1 John 2:29; 4:7, WEB version: “If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him. ... Beloved, let’s love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves has been born of God, and knows God.” — Image by Lawrence Crayton from Pixabay

Birth

Birth was not just a matter of biology, though it included that. Birth was the way ancients received their identity. … When Jesus says to Nicodemus, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again” (Jn 3:3), he is saying something very profound. To see the kingdom of God, you need to belong to a new family.
Misreading Scripture with Individualist Eyes, Richards and James, p. 38

We receive a new identity when we become Christians. Just as we’re no longer of the world, our primary identity is no longer determined by anything physical (including our human biology). This is an essential step in becoming children of God. Jesus told Nicodemus, “I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born of water and spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all be born from above'” (John 3:5-7, NET). We must be baptized with both water and the spirit to become children of God. This rebirth into a new family is something the Father accomplished through Jesus Christ.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,that is, into an inheritance imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. It is reserved in heaven for you, who by God’s power are protected through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. …

You have been born anew, not from perishable but from imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.
1 Peter 1:3-5, 23, NET

There is great mercy involved in God birthing us into His family. He chose to give us new lives. We were buried with Jesus in baptism, dying to our old selves, and we come up from that water with new life (Rom. 6:1-4; Col. 2:12). As such, God expects that we will then walk in that newness of life, living as children who inherit His character traits. John talks about this frequently in his first epistle.

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been fathered by God, and everyone who loves the father loves the child fathered by him.By this we know that we love the children of God: whenever we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God: that we keep his commandments. And his commandments do not weigh us down, because everyone who has been fathered by God conquers the world. …

We know that everyone fathered by God does not sin, but God protects the one he has fathered, and the evil one cannot touch him.
1 John 5:1-4, 18, NET

When we are born of God (also translated “begotten” or “fathered”), we take on new identity. We become part of His family, we will eventually “be like Him,” and even today we strive to be righteous the way He is righteous (1 John 3:1-10). We keep God’s commandments because we love Him and we know that’s how we do things in this family.

Image of new parents with a baby overlaid with text from Romans 8:14-17, NABRE version: “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, ‘Abba, Father!’ The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ” — Image by Stephanie Pratt from Pixabay

Adoption

Modern Westerners usually adopt so that they (the family) can care for the (young) child. In the ancient biblical world, people adopted so that the adopted son could care for the family. … Families [without an heir] chose a man to adopt as a son because they deemed him worthy of caring for the family. … adoption for this purpose was commonly called “adoption to sonship.” …

Adoption in the biblical world carried very real implications for the kinship of those adopted and the families they joined. The adopted members were placed into the family, they inherited in the family, and these realities shaped their lives and the lives of the family’s descendants.
Misreading Scripture with Individualist Eyes, Richards and James, p. 39, 40, 41

God the Father already has a firstborn Son to inherit all things: Jesus Christ. We’re not adopted to be the heir, but we are adopted to share in the inheritance of our Elder Brother. Adoption describes a process of taking someone who was formerly outside a kinship group and making them part of the family. It’s a good analogy for our relationship with God, particularly for Gentiles. Jewish believers might have thought they already stood to inherit God’s promises and didn’t need adopted into His family (though Paul says that wasn’t true; every New Covenant believer is adopted), but for those without Israelite heritage the imagery of adoption likely brought extra tears of joy to their eyes.

But when the appropriate time had come, God sent out his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,to redeem those who were under the law, so that we may be adopted as sons with full rights.And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, who calls “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if you are a son, then you are also an heir through God.
Galatians 4:4-7, NET

For he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him in love.He did this by predestining us to adoption as his legal heirs through Jesus Christ, according to the pleasure of his will—to the praise of the glory of his grace that he has freely bestowed on us in his dearly loved Son.
Ephesians 1:4-6, NET

Can you imagine how much it would have meant to believers in Rome, Galatia, and Ephesus to read Paul’s letters and learn they’ve received “adoption to sonship” from God Himself? It should still hit us with the same force today. God did not owe us anything because of our birth or ancestry. He chooses us as His heirs, calling each of us to join His family and inherit alongside our elder brother Jesus. This is an incredible blessing, which comes with all the rights (and responsibilities) of being God’s children and legal heirs.

Image of a happy couple overlaid with text from Ephesians 5:31-32, NET version: “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This mystery is great—but I am actually speaking with reference to Christ and the church.” — Image by Mohamed Chermiti from Pixabay

Marriage

The Bible assumes that we understand that marriage forged kinship links between many more people than just the husband and wife. … Ancients made such decisions collectively. Parents and other relatives were deeply involved.
Misreading Scripture with Individualist Eyes, Richards and James, p. 42, 44

Individualists often balk at the idea of arranged marriages, but they were commonplace in the biblical world. And when we think about it, our future marriage with Jesus as Christians follows that same pattern. In a parable, Jesus tells us, “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son” (Matt. 22:2, NKJV). We have veto-power in this arrangement (i.e. we can say we don’t want to marry Jesus) but we don’t get to choose a different bridegroom. We need to trust that the Father knows what is best for us, just like Jesus trusts Him to select who will be part of the Bride.

The analogy of marriage to explain how we become part of God’s family adds another layer of meaning to what we’ve already learned from birth and adoption. In this analogy, the church is the Bride. This means we have specific roles and responsibilities in the family in addition to those of born and adopted children.

We’re to submit to our husband Jesus in everything (Eph. 5:22-33). We’re to make ourselves ready to be “a companion for him who corresponds to him” (Gen. 2:18, NET); “a helper comparable to him” (Gen. 2:18, WEB). We must be absolutely faithful to Him, as Paul pointed out when he said, “I am jealous for you with godly jealousy, because I promised you in marriage to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:2, NET).

Then I heard what sounded like the voice of a vast throng, like the roar of many waters and like loud crashes of thunder. They were shouting:
“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God, the All-Powerful, reigns!
Let us rejoice and exult
and give him glory,
because the wedding celebration of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
She was permitted to be dressed in bright, clean, fine linen” (for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints).
Then the angel said to me, “Write the following: Blessed are those who are invited to the banquet at the wedding celebration of the Lamb!” He also said to me, “These are the true words of God.”
Revelation 19:6-9, NET

The Father and Jesus are wholly committed to the project of “bringing many children to glory” (Heb. 2:10, WEB). Even right now, “we are God’s children” and in the future “we will be like him” (1 John 3:1-3, NET). Birth, adoption, and marriage analogies all help us understand how we become part of God’s family.

These analogies also teach us about our roles and responsibilities in God’s family. As God’s born children, we inherit His nature and spiritual DNA, and we ought to become more and more like Him the longer we live. As His adopted children, we inherit a place in His kinship group and become part of His covenants, as well as inheriting the responsibilities that go along with that. And as Jesus’s affianced bride, we’re making ourselves ready to work alongside Him into eternity. The vastness of what God offers us by birthing, adopting, and marrying us is astonishing. We ought to place a very high value on these gifts and live with a consciousness that we are part of God’s wonderful family.

If you would like to purchase Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes or Misreading Scripture with Individualist Eyes, you can click here to visit the Amazon store (please note these are affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a small commission if you click on the link and make a purchase).

Featured image by David Clark Photography from Lightstock

Song Recommendation: “Wedding Day” by Casting Crowns

Click here to learn more about these books or to order a copy.

Falling in Love With the God Who Plans to Marry Us

24 September, 202223 September, 2022Marissa

If you’re reading this blog post the weekend it was published, then Yom Teruah (Day of Trumpets, also called Rosh Hoshanna) is about to happen. This year, the first day of the seventh Hebrew month falls on Monday, Sept. 26. All around the world, people will blow shofars and gather to celebrate this day God calls holy to Him.

Last year, I wrote about the many different theories for what this day pictures. God simply calls it “a solemn rest for you, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation” (Lev. 23:24, WEB). There are several ideas about what this day pictures in the New Covenant now that Jesus has filled the Law up to its fullest extent (Matt 5:17-20; see Thayer’s definition of pleroo). I think the strongest argument links this day with Jesus’s return to claim His bride.

I’ve been thinking about love and marriage a lot lately. I recently started dating a man I’ve been friends with for years and I’m kind of in awe of how wonderful this relationship is; I thought we’d be good together but I hadn’t realized exactly how good. This giddy, happy, can’t-wait-to-see-him feeling is how we should feel as we wait for Jesus to come back to earth. We should be longing to see Him, eager to have our Bridegroom give us His new name (Rev. 3:12).

Promised in Marriage

I know the idea of being romantically in love with God and having Him in love with us makes some people uncomfortable. For some, thinking of Jesus as lover as well as Lord is a struggle; the in-love emotion seems a strange thing to try and balance with the respect due God. I suspect it’s a particularly weird analogy for men in the church, who are asked to picture themselves as a bride for their spiritual relationship to Christ while also modeling His role as Husband in their relationship with their own wives if they get married (Eph. 5:25-33). Still, church as bride and Jesus as Groom is one of the most common analogies for our relationship used in scripture, so it’s worthwhile to try and wrap our minds around it.

Usually at this point in a study about Jesus as our Bridegroom, I’d start talking about Jewish wedding traditions. Today, though, I want to focus just on how scripture talks about this relationship. For more on the Jewish background and historical context, check out my posts “The Bridegroom’s Pledge” and “The Bridegroom Cometh!“

I wish that you would be patient with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you are being patient with me! For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy, because I promised you in marriage to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. But I am afraid that just as the serpent deceived Eve by his treachery, your minds may be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
2 Corinthians 11:1-3, NET

There isn’t much room to argue with this verse. If we’re following Jesus, then we’re promised to Him in marriage. Our goal is to be pure for Him at that marriage; in other words, wholly faithful to Him now whatever our past was like. The “foolishness” Paul talks about here involves defending his apostolic mission from naysayers, moderate boasting about the mission God sent him on, and the shocking idea that his readers might listen to someone preaching “another Jesus” (2 Cor. 10-11). It isn’t foolish to think of Jesus as our future Husband. It’s foolish to let anything distract from our focus on being faithful to Him.

Image of a man reading a book, with text from Rev. 19:7-8, NET version: "“Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the All-Powerful, reigns! Let us rejoice and exult and give him glory, because the wedding celebration of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.” — Image by Creative Clicks Photography from Lightstock

The Marriage Covenant

If you followed along with my recent Isaiah study, you might remember that the topic of God’s marriage covenant with Israel came up in Isaiah 40-66. When God established His covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai (often called the Mosaic covenant), He was setting up a marriage relationship (see Is 54:5-8). They would be His people and He would be their God. When they stopped worshiping Him or brought foreign gods into their hearts, He took that as adultery. Ezekiel 16 summarizes this well.

“Yes, I swore to you, and entered into a covenant with you,” says the Lord Yahweh, “and you became mine. … You were exceedingly beautiful, and you prospered to royal estate. Your renown went out among the nations for your beauty; for it was perfect, through my majesty which I had put on you,” says the Lord Yahweh.

“But you trusted in your beauty, and played the prostitute because of your renown, and poured out your prostitution on everyone who passed by. … Moreover you have taken your sons and your daughters, whom you have borne to me, and you have sacrificed these to them to be devoured. …

“I will judge you, as women who break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will bring on you the blood of wrath and jealousy.” …

For the Lord Yahweh says: “I will also deal with you as you have done, who have despised the oath in breaking the covenant. Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you. … Then you will know that I am Yahweh; that you may remember, and be confounded, and never open your mouth any more, because of your shame, when I have forgiven you all that you have done,” says the Lord Yahweh.
Ezekiel 16:8, 13-15, 20, 38, 59-60, 62-63, WEB

“Love story” is my favorite metanarrative the Bible gives us to describe the big, important story God is creating. When we pull back and look at God’s plan as revealed in the whole Bible, we see a story of romance where God married a people who were then unfaithful to Him, and whom He died for in order to bring back to Him. You’re simply never going to find a better love story than that. Even the most beautifully romantic fairy tales are pale reflections of God’s love for His bride. He’s passionate about us and He wants us in a faithful, lasting covenant relationship with Him.

Image of a woman with rolling hills in the background, with text from Isaiah 54:5, NET version: “For your husband is the one who made you—
the Lord of Heaven’s Armies is his name. He is your Protector, the Holy One of Israel. He is called ‘God of the entire earth.’” — Image by PhotoGranary from Lightstock

Falling in Love With God

There’s a really interesting connection between love and obedience in the Bible. The greatest commandment is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:28-34, WEB). All the other commandments depend on loving God and loving your neighbor (Matt. 22:36-40). Love is the basis for our obedience; the foundation for following God’s other laws. It’s also a lot easier to enjoy being obedient if you’re in love with God and trust that His commands are good for us.

But what if you don’t feel “in-love” with God? Real love is as much an action as it is a feeling, so we can (and ought to) do the things that people who love God do regardless of how we feel. As much as I enjoy relating to God’s word academically, though, I also think it’s appropriate to get excited about God and our relationship with Him. There’s likely more than one way to do this, but one of the things that helps me connect with my love for God is reading about His love for me.

Image of a smiling woman worshipping with the blog's title text and the words "As wonderful as it is to be in love with God now, how much more wonderful will it be after He comes back for us, marries His church, and establishes His
kingdom here on earth?" — Image by Pearl from Lightstock

Yahweh appeared of old to me, saying,
“Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love.
Therefore I have drawn you with loving kindness.”
Jeremiah 31:3, WEB

“I will betroth you to me forever.
Yes, I will betroth you to me in righteousness, in justice, in loving kindness, and in compassion.
I will even betroth you to me in faithfulness;
and you shall know Yahweh.”
Hosea 2:19-20, WEB

God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, even though we were dead in offenses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you are saved!
Ephesians 2:4-5, NET

In just those three verses, we see God passionately declaring His love for His people, and one of those people reminding us of the “great love with which He loved us.” The reality of God’s love is awesome. We were dead and His love brought us back to life. We made mistakes and He still wants to keep us with Him forever. He treats us with loving kindness and calls His love faithful and everlasting.

We are recipients of God’s love now, which is an incredible thing. We’re still waiting, though, for a time when things will be even better. When Jesus returns, we’ll “be like Him” and we’ll get to “see him just as he is” (1 John 3:2, NET). Make no mistake, Jesus is present with us now. We don’t get to see Him, though. Our conversations don’t happen face-to-face. As wonderful as it is to be in love with Him now, how much more wonderful will it be after He comes back for us, marries us, and establishes His kingdom here on earth? That’s the sort of wonderful, exciting thing we can look forward to as we begin this fall holy day season.

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” He who hears, let him say, “Come!” He who is thirsty, let him come. He who desires, let him take the water of life freely. … He who testifies these things says, “Yes, I come quickly.”

Amen! Yes, come, Lord Jesus.
Revelation 22:17, 20, WEB

–

Featured image Jess Bailey from Pixabay

Song Recommendation: “Even So Come” by Chris Tomlin

“Almost A Bride” Book Review

11 August, 202011 August, 2020Marissa

I’m always excited to receive a new Jody Hedlund book to read and review before its release. I’ve read and enjoyed the first three books in her Bride Ships series: A Reluctant Bride, The Runaway Bride, and A Bride of Convenience. This final book, Almost A Bride, was a disappointment for me. There’s some really good character growth, but overall I didn’t enjoy this story nearly as much as I did the first books in the series or her other novels I’ve read. This might have something to do with my own personal experiences, and I’ll be sure to talk about that in this review so you can decide for yourself if I’ve judged the book too harshly.

Kate Millington has no trouble finding potential husbands. Staying engaged, however, is a problem. She arrives in the frontier mining town of Williamsville intending to marry her latest fiancé, only to panic and back out of their deal. He’s the fourth man she’s failed to marry — two back home, and now two more since she arrived in British Columbia on a bride ship. She longs for true love, but she’s also frightened of trusting any man with her heart.

Zeke Hart barely remembers Kate from their childhood. Back then, she was just the little sister of his best friend. He’s sure she couldn’t have good memories of him, considering how he left things back home. Falsely accused of a crime, he ran away to the new world and turned his back on God. Now a prosperous owner of a gold mine and one of the most powerful men in the area, he doesn’t see a need for faith. But meeting Kate again convinces him he has a powerful need for a wife. If only she wasn’t so hung-up on that whole issue of him not being a Christian.

In the background of Kate and Zeke’s personal struggles and ill-advised romance, there’s another threat building. A jealous ex-fiancé stabs Zeke. Someone sets an explosive charge in his mine, nearly killing him. He receives anonymous threats. Perhaps the question of whether or not they should be together isn’t the only thing these two need to worry about.

“A Bride of Conveience” Book Review

23 June, 202019 June, 2020Marissa

As a Jody Hedlund fan, I was thrilled to receive a copy of her newest book A Bride of Convenience to read and review before its release. This is the third book in her Bride Ships series. I’ve also reviewed the other two: A Reluctant Bride and The Runaway Bride.

Pastor Abe Merivale has no intentions of getting married during his five-year mission to spread the gospel in British Columbia. Not even to beautiful Zoe Hart, a former mill-worker among the women to arrive on the latest bride ship. But shortly after their meeting in a hospital, one of Abe’s parishioners shows up and extracts a promise that they’ll find a good home for the infant daughter he hasn’t been able to take care of since his native wife died. Zoe takes to the baby immediately, and Abe finds himself taken with Zoe almost as quickly.

After a series of impulsive decisions, the two find themselves agreeing to a marriage of convenience. Marrying Zoe gives Abe a way to sooth his recent heartache and fulfill his promise to care for the baby, and marrying Abe protects Zoe from a less-desirable match while making it possible for her to keep baby Violet. Abe’s Bishop doesn’t approve of the hasty marriage, though, nor of the half-breed child. Tension and attraction in Abe and Zoe’s relationship rise as they discover this marriage might not be so convenient after all. Read more →

“The Runaway Bride” Book Review

3 March, 202026 February, 2020Marissa

I’ve been a Jody Hedlund fan for some time now, and I was thrilled to receive a copy of her newest book The Runaway Bride to read and review before its release. This is the second book in her Bride Ships series. You can click here to read my review of the first book, A Reluctant Bride.

England in the 1860s was not a good place to find a husband. By the early part of the decade, there were about 600,000 more women than men living in the country. And when employment options are limited, especially for women of noble birth, and marriageable men are hard to come by a 25-year-old spinster doesn’t have many options. Especially when her stepmother wants her out of the house. That’s the situation Arabella Lawrence finds herself in when she agrees to marry her father’s employer. The man is old enough to be her grandfather, and he turns out to be anything but gentlemanly.

Fleeing what would certainly be an abusive marriage, she takes passage in one of the Columbia Mission Society’s bride ships bound for Vancouver Island and British Columbia, where men outnumber women approximately 10 to 1. Their need for respectable, Christian wives is Arabella’s chance at a new beginning. Upon arriving, she instantly attracts suitors with her compassion, charm, and fiery red hair. The most persistent are two very different men — Lieutenant Richard Drummond, a gentleman and naval officer, and Peter Kelly, the local baker. Read more →

The Romance Of Passover

20 April, 201919 April, 2019Marissa

Many Christians have a complicated relationship with the Song of Solomon, or Song of Songs as it’s also called. They skip it when reading through the whole Bible, ignore it in study, and struggle to explain what it’s doing in scripture. Even the idea that the Song is an allegory for the love between God and His people and/or Christ and the church (the dominant interpretation for thousands of years) has been largely abandoned by modern Bible scholars.

In Jewish tradition, the Song is associated with Passover (Pesach) and is read at this time of year. Some say this is just because the song references the spring season. But other rabbis describe this book as the “holy of holies” in the canon of scripture. They accept as a matter of fact that “Israel, in it’s covenant with God made on Mt. Sinai, was married to God” and the people owed Him their “absolute fidelity” (quotes from “Why Do We Sing the Song of Songs on Passover?” by Benjamin Edidin Scolnic).

This assumption explains why the prophets speak so often of Israel’s unfaithfulness to God as marital infidelity. In reference to Hosea, Gerson Cohen said this was “because his Israelite mind had been taught from childhood to think of the relationship between God and Israel in terms of marital fidelity, in terms of love” (quote from “The Song of Songs and the Jewish Religious Mentality”). The Song of Songs might be the most explicitly romantic book in the Bible, but it’s certainly not the only time romantic imagery is used to teach us something about the relationship between God and His people. The Apostle Paul (also a Jewish rabbi) even said after giving instruction to human husbands and wives that “this mystery is great, but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church” (Eph. 5:32, LEB).

Covenants and Romance

So what does all this have to do with Passover? For some writers, the Song actually functions as a midrash on Exodus — a commentary in the form of a poetic, figurative retelling of the Exodus story. With this interpretation, “the Song of Songs, according to the rabbis, is a text which describes the very events that Pesah celebrates and commemorates.” You can read more about this viewpoint in Scolnic’s paper (click here).

Even without turning to Jewish midrash, though, we can find connections between God’s romance of Israel and the Exodus story. Take, for example, one of my favorite passages from Hosea: Read more →