The Husband of Humanity

UV 869/10,000 The Husband of Humanity Isa 54:5 For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called. A husband is a God ordained position and responsibility that He himself does not fight shy of. He is our Maker, Creator of heaven and earth and all things living and non living in it. But He also declares Himself as the husband or protector, provider, lover and redeemer of mankind. As He is the Maker of Heaven and Earth and everything therein belongs to Him, He can provide all things that we might need. He comforts us in our times of distress. He rejoices when we rejoice. He laments with us. He empathies with us in our pain and suffering. Though He is the Lord of the hosts or the armies of angels and other mysterious, glorious creatures in Heaven and on earth, He specially takes pleasure in this role of being husband or bridegroom to the church. This uni-verse affirms that the most intimate relationship that any man or woman can have is the covenant and personal relationship with the Lord God. Unlike our vows of marital commitment that cease with death of either partner, our vow of commitment to the Lord and His covenant with us is forever or eternal. He is betrothed to us in righteousness, in judgement, in mercy, in loving kindness and in faithfulness. Like Boaz to the hapless Ruth, Jesus is our kinsman-redeemer who honours His pledge, His sacred vow, His covenant promise to remain married to us. As husband and wife become one in flesh and in their goals and interests, the Lord becomes one with us in spirit and in seeking our our wellbeing. Like Boaz covered Ruth with his garment, the Lord covers us with the garments of salvation. Like Boaz gave Ruth a song of joy to sing instead of her mourning for her unfortunate past, the Lord will give us a new song to sing. He will redeem our honour even as Boaz saw that Ruth was protected from the young men working in his fields. Boaz also ensured that there was enough and more grain for Ruth to glean to feed her mother-in-law Naomi and herself. Similarly, the Lord provides for our spiritual, emotional and material needs. A wise husband does not overprotect or remain overbearing to his partner. But he is always around to provide wise counsel. Similarly, the Lord gives us counsel and His spirit to comfort, guide and lead us. A husband gives his wife authority to rule over his household. Similarly, the Lord gives us authority to rule over and administer the household of the Lord. Just as a husband and wife take crucial decisions in life in mutual agreement, we need to take the crucial decisions in consultation and after prayer to the Lord. I have often wondered why the Lord does not describe a perfect bridegroom while a perfect woman or wife is described in detail in Proverbs chapter 31. The reason is that the only perfect husband is the Lord God Himself. He consummates or perfects the imperfect partner that each of us and all of us are collectively and individually. He gave Himself in Christ to make us blemishless. Once in a vision He revealed that He is our Bridegroom of Blood. Prateep V Philip