"So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him. Then he commanded him: "Do not marry a Canaanite woman. Go at once to Paddan Aram, to the house of your mother's father Bethuel. Take a wife for yourself there, from among the daughters of Laban, your mother's brother." (Genesis 1:2)
Why would Isaac make such a blanket statement about whom Jacob should not marry? Abraham did the same regarding Isaac, making his servant swear not to get a wife for Isaac among the Canaanites. Sure there must have been some nice Canaanites around, yet they were all disqualified from marrying these covenant children.
The reason is obvious. Abraham and Isaac knew that who one marries affects the blessing. Jacob was going to be the carrier of the blessing of Abraham and the contamination of the blessing was not an option. Marrying a Canaanite would have been disastrous for a couple of reasons:
1. Covenant: He would have become joined by covenant with an immoral people under the curse of God and who were facing pending destruction (Genesis 15:16).
2. Influence: the relationship that influences us the most is the marriage relationship. Marrying a Canaanite would have led Jacob to compromise by embracing the idolatrous practices of the Canaanites. His wife's family would have required him to practice idolatry, thus making his descendants do the same and thus jeopardizing the blessing. Solomon's heart was turned away by ungodly women (1 Kings 11:1-8).
3. Mingling: The curse and the blessing cannot mingle. When two people marry, they are bringing either curses or blessings from their family roots. Marrying a Canaanite would have contaminated the blessing on Jacob.
4. Agreement. Marriage partners should have agreeing goals. The goals of the hier of Abraham's blessing was different from that of an idolatrous Canaanite.
If you are unmarried and you are reading this, settle it once and for all, there are some people you cannot marry. It would be better to stay unmarried than going willfully into such marriages. This will have nothing to do with whether they are physically attractive or financially resourced or not. They could even be nice, courteous, progressive, charitable or ambitious. They could have everything on your list of wants, yet you must not marry them.
Scripture warns, "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? "(2 Cor 6:14-15).
This command covers not marrying someone who has not surrendered his life to Christ and whose life and practice do not converge with yours. It's not even all believers that you can marry. Some are worse than unbelievers. Your obedience to this command shows your level of commitment to God because who you are willing to marry is a pointer to your character. If you are willing to marry someone who despises your savior and Lord or is not committed to him, then it is obvious who you really are.
You are a child of God. Unsaved people are children of the devil(John 8:44), so marrying an unbeliever is making the devil your father- in- law. You are trying to join God and the devil in marriage. This applies to marrying someone of another religion too. Such an arrangement cannot work. You will experience sore troubles. How will you pray together? What will you teach your children? How will you fulfill your calling in God? Many people have diminished their destinies because of who they chose to marry. Many destinies have been destroyed by wrong marriages. Marriage is to assist you in fulfilling God's purpose, not just for the purpose of hooking up with someone you like or are attracted to. If you were to mary just based on strong attractions you will be married many times.
It's time for you straighten up and obey God. He has your interest at heart. Break that unblessed relationship in honor of God. Trust Him to lead you to another believer that you can walk with in agreement. You will be glad you did.
Decision of the Day
I understand that who I marry will affect my ability to walk in the plans of God. I choose today to end all ungodly relationships and to trust God to lead me to a person after His heart. God will honor my obedience and bless me for it.
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