"and beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself" - Luke 24:27
Oh to have been one of the disciples on the road to Emmaus having Christ opening the Scriptures to show how all of redemptive history points to Himself and His work for His people. What profound mysteries and beautiful examples did those disciples hear from His lips?
Paul in his Epistle to the Ephesians gives us just a glimpse into these mysteries: "'Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife and the two shall become one flesh.' This mystery is profound, and I am saying this refers to Christ and the Church" - Eph 5:31-32
The beautiful thing that Christ teaches us in His dialogue on the way to Emmaus is the interwovenness of Scripture. How these truths coalesce into a holistic picture of His person and a depth and beauty to His work. Were some of these mysteries related to His husbandry of the Church? When we glean from the prophets and fathers all the love and mercy God has for his people, ought that not spring us toward love and mercy for our wives? Did the commands in marriage end with our holding fast to one another, or can even more be shown God's redemptive love for us?
“And when I passed by you and saw you wallowing in your blood, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’ I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’ I made you flourish like a plant of the field. And you grew up and became tall and arrived at full adornment. Your breasts were formed, and your hair had grown; yet you were naked and bare. “When I passed by you again and saw you, behold, you were at the age for love, and I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness; I made my vow to you and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Lord God, and you became mine. Then I bathed you with water and washed off your blood from you and anointed you with oil. I clothed you also with embroidered cloth and shod you with fine leather. I wrapped you in fine linen and covered you with silk. And I adorned you with ornaments and put bracelets on your wrists and a chain on your neck. And I put a ring on your nose and earrings in your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was of fine linen and silk and embroidered cloth. You ate fine flour and honey and oil. You grew exceedingly beautiful and advanced to royalty. And your renown went forth among the nations because of your beauty, for it was perfect through the splendor that I had bestowed on you, declares the Lord God. (Eze 16:6-14)
See how God loves Israel? He strengthens her, calling her to live and raising her up in her difficulties. He shields her, washes her, and adorns her in splendor and glory. The Lord God claims her as His own precious possession and provides all her needs in love. A truer husband there never was, and what a tremendous example He gives to us to exhort us to love our own wives.
In all these things, the grand mysteries of Christ and His work for His bride, we ought to ever more see Him in all of Scripture. We are being built up into Christ, Sons of His glory and example made new by the surpassing wisdom His Spirit gives to us. Called to be His image in the world, given grace and mercy we do not deserve, and instructed to do the good works of God in revealing His nature to others. May we ever be the men He has ordained we should be.
Nicholas Lovins, a St. Louis native, is a longtime friend of Brandan Kraft and the Pristine Grace website.
