1 Corinthians 7:39 – A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord.
A christian widow is not bound by any culture on earth except the dictates of God’s word. The Bible teaches that a woman is married to one person and not to the whole community. The two shall become one, NOT she and the community shall become one.
Deuteronomy 25:5 – If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother shall take her and marry her and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her.
Deuteronomy 25:6 – The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.
Deuteronomy 25:7 – However, if a man does not want to marry his brother’s wife, she shall go to the elders at the town gate and say, “My husband’s brother refuses to carry on his brother’s name in Israel. He will not fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to me.”
Deuteronomy 25:8 – Then the elders of his town shall summon him and talk to him. If he persists in saying, “I do not want to marry her,”
Deuteronomy 25:9 – his brother’s widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals, spit in his face and say, “This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother’s family line.”
Deuteronomy 25:10 – That man’s line shall be known in Israel as The Family of the Unsandaled.
Levirate marriage was in the Old Testament Mosaic law. Levirate marriage was optional and not compulsory, the brother of the deceased had a right to reject the widow. Levirate marriage was only on condition that the couple didn’t have children at the time the spouse died. Therefore a widow with children could not be inherited. Therefore the levirate marriage was not binding for all widows all the time without other options. The levirate marriage was part of the Mosaic law.
Mosaic laws that required the widow to be inherited by a brother are not only conditional but are now obsolete like the rest of the mosaic law on sacrifices, etc. We pick from mosaic laws principles that we apply. The key principle in this case is the need to take care of widows, so that the death of the husband does not leave them desperate. Taking care no longer implies marrying them or sexual involvement with them.
In our text today, the Bible reminds us what it has mentioned elsewhere that marriage is only valid when both parties are alive. The moment one partner dies, at that very moment the surviving partner is free from the marriage bond and vow. He or she is free to remarry if she so wishes.
1 Corinthians 7:8 – Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do.
Apostle Paul elsewhere has encouraged widows, widowers and single people to remain unmarried. However if they cant handle the pressure of sexual desire, he encourages them to marry. Our focus today therefore is on a widow who chooses to remarry.
1 Timothy 5:14 – So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander.
1 Timothy 5:9 – No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband,
1 Timothy 5:11 – As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry.
1 Timothy 5:14 – So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander.
Apostle Paul advises Timothy who is in charge of the church in Ephesus on how to treat widows. He tells Timothy that old widows are the legitimate widows who deserve church assistance. Young widows are still energetic therefore they can fend for themselves and can also choose to remarry. In fact to avoid embarrassing situations, Apostle Paul advises younger widows below age sixty to remarry. Many cannot deal with sensual desires therefore it’s best to remarry. Younger widows should remarry!
1 Corinthians 7:39 – A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, SHE IS FREE TO MARRY ANYONE SHE WISHES, but he must belong to the Lord.
The Bible today tells us that when a widow chooses to get remarried, she is free to get remarried to anyone. ANYONE means no one can purport to dictate who she gets remarried to. Her tribe, her culture, her country, her language people, her former in-laws, none of them can dictate who she remarries. Not even her religious organisation, committee, inspired leader, or whoever can dictate who she remarries.
Anyone who seeks to dictate directly or indirectly who a widow remarries is acting contrary to God’s will. God has set the widow free, you are not God to bind her to any of your wishes. Do not use matrimonial wealth, children belonging to the family and court processes to force the widow to do your will. It is more shameful and diabolic if you are a christian and you do such non-biblical things. Let her be free to remarry ANYONE she wishes.
As a widow considers remarriage, it is important of she considers the welfare of children. Not every spouse will act in favour of children. Consider the welfare of children as you choose anyone to get remarried to. You can delay remarriage until children are of age and can’t be harassed by anyone. Some people can torture children physically, mentally, emotionally, etc. Go for anyone in your remarriage but think about the children’s welfare.
The death of a spouse doesn’t mean that children have lost other relatives from the father’s side. They have lost a father but they have not lost uncles, aunties, cousins, and grandparents from the father’s side. Don’t alienate children from their legitimate relatives.
1 Corinthians 7:39 – A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, BUT HE MUST BELONG TO THE LORD.
Finally the Bible verse tells us that the only consideration the widow must make is that the husband to be must be a believer. The anyone a widow gets remarried to must be someone who has a relationship with God. A very good relationship enough to be said that he belongs to the Lord.
If a widow remarries someone who doesn’t belong to the Lord, her new marriage is not acceptable before God. If a widow remarries someone who doesn’t belong to the Lord, then that marriage will not be blessed. Your spouse to be must belong to the Lord.
For those considering marriage currently, are your spouses to be belonging to the Lord? Does your male friend belong to the Lord? Does your female friend belong to the Lord? If they don’t belong to the Lord, how will you operate your marriage without God’s blessings? The person you walk with down the aisle must belong to the Lord if you hope for a better life.
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