Q: Will There Be Marriage in Heaven?
Marriage in Heaven will be on a much higher plane because the church will be united with Christ.
Marriage is the first institution God gave on Earth, and it is a wonderful relationship. He provided this special union to alleviate loneliness (Genesis 2:18) and for the purpose of populating the Earth (Genesis 9:7). In Heaven, there will be no loneliness—fellowship will be more than the human mind can understand, and Heaven will be populated by the saints born of God.
When Jesus was asked about marriage in Heaven by those who did not believe in the resurrection, He said, “When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven” (Mark 12:25, NIV). This does not mean that the resurrected will become angels, but instead refers specifically to the fact that angels are not married and do not procreate.
Heavenly marriage is Christ’s special relationship with those He purchased with His blood. “For your Maker is your husband” (Isaiah 54:5); “I will betroth you to me forever … in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the LORD” (Hosea 2:19–20). The earthbound mind is not capable of realizing the greater bond with Almighty God, but in Heaven every carnal thought will fall away.
While we cannot fathom not knowing our spouses or children in the earthly sense, Jesus tells us not to worry about these things. “A time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language. … I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. … Take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:25, 33). Marriage as we know it in its human form will not be practiced in Heaven because it will be perfected in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Although our human minds cannot fully understand heavenly things, the day is coming when we will comprehend all great truths—including this one.
