Will There Be Marriage in Heaven?

In my years of being a pastor a lot of people have asked me will I be married to my husband or wife in heaven?  Most of them ask this sentimentally, especially if they have lost their spouse and want to be with them in heaven like they were here on earth. Totally understandable.  This is the very question the religious leaders ask try to try and trap Jesus.  Let's see how Jesus responds. 

The Resurrection and Marriage

27 Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. 28 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 29 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. 30 The second 31 and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. 32 Finally, the woman died too. 33 Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?”34 Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, 36 and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection. 

The Sadducees were an ancient version of modern liberal theologians.  They denied anything supernatural, including Jesus' resurrection.  You can see how that is extremely problematic for the essentials of the Christian faith. They were trying to prove that the resurrection was just a fanciful tale by their hypothetical questions about a woman who was married to 7 different brothers.  Who exactly would be her husband in heaven? What does this teach us about heaven?

1. "Neither marry or given in marriage".  Though we are not given the complete details about what heaven will be like, we know it will be completely different than life on earth.  It's not that like there won't be relationships in heaven, and there is no reason to think it will not include those we loved here on earth.  Even if someone had multiple spouses, there is no reason to conclude one would not be connected to them in heaven.  

2. "For they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection."

Our relationship with God will surpass anything we have known here on earth.  Paul gives this glimpse of what our relationship with God will look like in 1 Corinthians 13:12, 

"For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." 1 Corinthians 13:12

My personal view of heaven is that it will be so unlike anything we have experienced here on earth, there are not words to describe it.  The bible can only speak in metaphors to give us a glimpse of what heaven might be like.  I.e. streets of gold, the everylasting banquet feast, eternal treasure, the new Jerusalem, 1,000's angels falling at the throne of God crying "Worthy is the lamb!"  Those are good metaphors to meditate on, as we think about the life to come.   

Thanks be to God for the free gift of salvation in Christ, so we can enjoy Him here with the hope that we will see him face to face one day and find joy in His very presence!