Topical Bible: Marriage: Designed For: Increasing the Human Population

◄ Marriage: Designed For: Increasing the Human Population ►

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Topical Encyclopedia

Marriage, as instituted by God, serves multiple purposes, one of which is the increase of the human population. This divine design is evident from the earliest chapters of the Bible, where the foundational principles of marriage are established.

Biblical Foundation

The concept of marriage as a means to populate the earth is rooted in the creation narrative. In Genesis 1:27-28 , it is written: "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it.'" This command to "be fruitful and multiply" underscores the role of marriage in procreation and the expansion of humanity across the earth.

The Role of Marriage in Procreation

Marriage is the divinely ordained context for procreation. The union of a man and a woman in marriage provides the stable and nurturing environment necessary for raising children. This is further emphasized in Genesis 2:24 , which states, "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh." The "one flesh" union is not only a spiritual and emotional bond but also a physical one that naturally leads to the bearing of children.

Historical and Theological Perspectives

Throughout biblical history, the importance of marriage for procreation is consistently highlighted. The patriarchs, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were all involved in marriages that led to the growth of the Israelite nation. In Genesis 17:6 , God promises Abraham, "I will make you exceedingly fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will descend from you." This promise is fulfilled through the offspring produced within the bounds of marriage.

Theologically, children are seen as a blessing from the Lord. Psalm 127:3-5 declares, "Children are indeed a heritage from the LORD, and the fruit of the womb is His reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them." This passage reflects the view that procreation within marriage is a divine blessing and a means of fulfilling God's command to multiply.

New Testament Affirmation

The New Testament continues to affirm the role of marriage in procreation. In 1 Timothy 5:14 , Paul advises younger widows to "marry, bear children, manage their households, and give the enemy no opportunity for slander." This instruction highlights the expectation that marriage will lead to childbearing and the continuation of the family line.

Furthermore, Jesus Himself acknowledges the creation ordinance of marriage in Matthew 19:4-5 , where He refers back to Genesis, saying, "Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'?" This reiteration of the Genesis account underscores the enduring nature of marriage as a means for procreation.

Conclusion

While marriage encompasses companionship, mutual support, and spiritual unity, its role in increasing the human population remains a fundamental aspect of its divine purpose. Through the institution of marriage, God ensures the continuation of humanity, fulfilling His command to "be fruitful and multiply."

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Genesis 1:28
And God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Genesis 9:1
And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

In the Fifteenth Year of Tiberius C??sar and under the Pontificate ...
... of the Gospels, this must have been designed; and, if ... Mingled with all this was an
increasing amount of ... led at last to an almost entire cessation of marriage. ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xi in the fifteenth.htm

Jesus at the Well.
... This bitter sect was noting the increasing influence of Christ. ... The words have their
designed effect ... alliance did not even have the apology of such a marriage. ...
/.../johnson/the new testament commentary vol iii john/jesus at the well.htm

False Brethren and False Principles in the Church: Spirit and ...
... At this time, though an increasing taste for inactivity ... whole of the New Testament,
wherever marriage is mentioned ... as the new religion was designed to promote ...
/.../killen/the ancient church/chapter iii false brethren and.htm

Reclaiming a Church to Meet a New Age
... the term Church School) who after his marriage came every ... As time went on, an increasing
number of girls ... It was designed to express the beauty, mystery, and ...
/.../herrick/frank h nelson of cincinnati/reclaiming a church to meet.htm

Appeal to the Christian Women of the South
... But, my friends, was it designed to be so? ... wife, her food, her raiment, and her duty
of marriage, shall he ... I do know, the guilt of the North is increasing in a ...
/.../an appeal to the christian women of the south/appeal to the christian women.htm

The General Conference of 1832
... back on trial for an improper marriage, are consistent ... seminaries of learning are
continually increasing, and as ... that from which it was designed, and therefore ...
/.../chapter 11 the general conference.htm

From the Close of the General Conference of 1836 to the ...
... and usefulness, and, to all human appearance, had ... begun, and thus far advanced,
increasing in power and ... of "Rutersville," which name was designed to perpetuate ...
/.../chapter 14 from the close.htm

From the Close of the General Conference of 1832 to the Beginning ...
... suspicion by some, fearing it was designed chiefly to ... office, and of the loud and
increasing calls for ... Having entered into the marriage state about the year ...
/.../chapter 12 from the close.htm

The Close of the Theban Empire
... of various kinds, members of the human body, and ... He gave to them in marriage his
sisters, his ... in character, and appearing often as if designed for colossal ...
/.../chapter iiithe close of the.htm

Church Fabrics and Services.
... The population was rapidly increasing in the larger towns ... as symbolical of the divine
and human nature of ... further postponement of the decorations designed for it ...
/.../the english church in the eighteenth century/chapter x church fabrics and.htm