Love of Biblical Proportions

Valentine’s Day is approaching. With love on our minds, why not explore some powerhouse love stories in the Bible? Let’s start at the beginning. Literally! Adam and Eve. They are identified as husband and wife in Genesis 2. Did they even know what love was? Surely God planted the “love” seed in their hearts. “Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper as his complement.’” We all know what happened in the garden.

Adam and Eve remained together following their sinful act. I wonder now why Adam didn’t leave Eve to be on her own? Love maybe? Well, she was his helpmate. Curses were doled out, and they were removed from the perfect garden. Adam and Eve found solace in each other’s arms. Two sons, eventually three, were born after Cain killed his brother, Abel. No love there!

Procreation was an important component of Adam and Eve’s relationship. After all, God created a whole world that needed to be populated!

Next, we see Abraham and Sarah. Abraham had two other wives, but Sarah was his first and primary wife. She possessed the legal rights. Sarah’s slave, Hagar, was a secondary wife as was Keturah, who was a concubine at one time. From the time we read in Genesis about Abram (renamed Abraham), we also read about his wife, Sarai (renamed Sarah). Sarai and Abram had the same father, Terah, making them half-siblings — strange but not uncommon in those days. With setbacks and complications along the way, God used their love relationship in a miraculous way to fulfill His promise for land, abundant descendants, and blessings for all nations. This is known as the Abrahamic Covenant. The marriage of Abraham and Sarah played a significant role in God’s plan.

Let’s look at a more romantic story, although it is riddled with deceit: Isaac and Rebekah. Once again, we see a familial connection. Rebekah was Isaac’s second cousin. Isaac’s father wanted to keep his son’s marriage in the family. He sent his servant to his homeland to bring back a bride for his son. Rebekah appeared at just the right time at the well. She was beautiful, obedient, submissive, kind to animals, and eager to fulfill God’s will. With her brother’s permission, Rebekah obliged the servant’s request to return with him and be presented to Isaac. The Bible says Isaac loved Rebekah. They were married when Isaac was 40 years old. It took twenty years for Rebekah to become pregnant. Isaac’s prayer for Rebekah was answered in the form of twin boys. Poor Rebekah endured fighting of her twins practically from the time of conception. Conflict between the two opposites extended through their lifetimes. The birth of two nations from Esau and Jacob fulfilled God’s prophecy.

A “love at first sight” Sugar Daddy story is seen with Jacob and Rachel. Their almost 50-year age difference did not detract from their love filled with devotion, faith, and lots of patience. But it got complicated real fast. For one thing, we return to the scene from where Rebekah originated — the place she sent her son, Jacob, to escape his brother’s wrath after a deceptive encounter with their father. Jacob met his cousin Rachel on Day 1 at . . . another well. He kissed her right then and there, but marriage didn’t come for another 14 years! That’s because Jacob unknowingly married Rachel’s sister! Huh? (I told you it was complicated.) Jacob, with his two jealous sister wives and their two maidservants, ended up fathering the twelve tribes of Israel. Jacob openly favored his son, Joseph, Rachel’s oldest son. No surprise there. God blessed Jacob and the entire world when Jesus came from one of the twelve tribes, the tribe of Judah.     

Here’s a wild one for you: Hosea and Gomer. Maybe it was sheer obedience to God’s command; maybe it was a demonstration of love; maybe it was both. Nonetheless, Hosea married Gomer, a promiscuous woman. God told Hosea to have “children of promiscuity.” He did. Three of them. Hosea’s marriage was an illustration of Israel’s spiritual adultery of worshipping other gods. Israel represented the adulterous wife. Hosea’s marriage serves as a reminder about the consequences of choice, the power of forgiveness, and the importance of virtue.

A powerful story of a different nature is found in the Old Testament between two women. Naomi and Ruth — mother-in-law and daughter-in-law — offer a love story demonstrating loyalty, respect, friendship, and humility. In the end, we trace Jesus’s lineage to the marriage of Ruth and Boaz, the kinsman-redeemer whom matchmaker Naomi arranged.

We cannot leave out one of the most famous couples of all time: Joseph and Mary. They faced difficulties early on but were each chosen by God to be the parents of Jesus. With some initial hesitation from Joseph – and rightly so – God intervened to ensure truth and the fulfillment of His plan.

These love stories are prime examples to show that deception, prostitution, narcissism, and age do not limit the blessings of God or His plan. His blessings extend to us. His plan includes the love story He has with you and me.