BySuppose you are generally familiar with reading the book of Genesis and the Old Testament like I do. In that case, you may have realised that God forbid the Israelites from intermarrying the Canaanites. It started when Ham looked at Noah, his father’s nakedness, and got one of his sons, Canaan, cursed (see Genesis 9:24). As to why Noah cursed his grandson instead of his son for committing such a sin, it’s unknown. But I believe Noah was a very spiritual man. So, he knew why he did what he did. Now, after this curse, you’ll realise from the scriptures throughout the Old Testament that the descendants of Canaan [Sidon, the Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites, Hivites, Arkites, Sinites, Arvadites, Zemarites and Hamathites (see Genesis 10:15-18)] and some from his brothers, Egypt and Cush (especially the Philistines), were constantly displeasing in the sight of God.
After God chose Abraham (then Abram, a descendant of Shem, Ham and Japheth’s brother) to be the father of all nations, Abraham’s descendants were constantly instructed not to marry anyone from the Canaanites. However, God told them to live in the land of Canaan. Esau breached this instruction and married Beeri and Basemath, who were Hittites, and the Bible says they were a grief to Isaac and Rebekah (see Genesis 26:34). But God knew he would do this, even before birth, and that is one of the significant reasons why He loved Jacob and hated Esau (see Malachi 1:2-3). If Esau was not included in Jesus’ genealogy, this is the reason. Later, Isaac and Rebekah tried to solve this. How? By sending Jacob away to their hometown to get a wife there (see Genesis 28:1-2). Why that?
Preservation of the Holy Seed (Christ) in Abraham’s family line
God prophesied in Genesis 3:15 that the Seed of the woman (which is Christ) shall bruise the head of the serpent (the devil), and the serpent too, will bruise His heel. That scripture was prophetically fulfilled when Jesus died on the cross. From this, God knew Jesus would come through a woman. But that woman should be a descendant of God’s chosen people, the Israelites. So, because God knew there would be many generations before Jesus’ time, He decided to preserve that Seed, Christ, in the family line of Abraham, specifically Judah. That is why He forbade the Israelites from marrying the Canaanites.
God didn’t want cursed people to mingle with His chosen ones, lest, through intermarriage, a spiritual attack gets intense for the devil to use to corrupt that godly Seed. Let me surprise you by saying that God is the one who directed David’s stone to kill Goliath because the Philistines were part of those cursed generations of Canaan, which ought to be destroyed.
God is always faithful to His Word. He will never see to it that any human or spiritual circumstance annulls His prophecies. He did it for Christ constantly for over 4000 years. How much more you?
God will never watch His prophecies get annulled, no matter the resistance against it
God is always faithful to His Word. He will never see to it that any human or spiritual circumstance annulls His prophecies. He did it for Christ constantly for over 4000 years. How much more you? Whatever He has said about your life will come to pass in the name of Jesus. But guess what? The only person to prevent those prophecies from getting fulfilled is you. Now, that is what brings about the following subheading of this article.
As God’s child, it should never enter your thoughts that you are going to marry someone who is not born again. You’ll hurt yourself and several generations for that decision.
Don’t marry an unbeliever
Have you ever read 2 Corinthians 6:14? (I’ll use the New King James Version specifically for this article.) It says,
“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?” – 2 Corinthians 6:14 (NKJV)
This verse simply means that it is wrong for a believer, who is in God’s light, to marry an unbeliever, who’s in darkness. Why? Because light and darkness are not friends. When such marriage happens, it’s just like breaching the law God gave the Israelites not to intermarry the Canaanites.
As God’s child, it should never enter your thoughts that you are going to marry someone who is not born again. You’ll hurt yourself and several generations for that decision. Many children and young adult believers whose parents aren’t Christians or even strong Christians wouldn’t be facing persecution at home for their faith if the parents knew God well. If you are facing that, don’t let that be transferred to your children.
Be well guided in your choosing of a spouse, dear Christian. Never leave the faith! You are a blessing.
