Part Three of Nine: Bloodlines

So, from what pool did the representatives of the groom search for his bride? How did they make their choice? We’ve previously learned that only three people could have had a hand in choosing the bride: the father, the mother, or the matchmaker.

It is not biblical but there is a secular expression that says, “Birds of a feather flock together [1].” In other words, the law of like kind [2] says that people with similar characteristics and interests will compatibly spend quality time together and will be well matched in a harmonious relationship.

Nothing ties a people closer together than faith or bloodlines.

Bloodlines
In biblical times, once the groom and/or representatives found the match, they had to make arrangements between them. However, what was the criterion for that perfect match? Faith and bloodlines were the main reasons for choice and were very important to the Jewish people. . .very important. It was highly discouraged, and in many cases, forbidden to marry outside the Jewish faith [3] and ethnicity.

When the Jewish people covenanted marriages within the tribe, this left the bloodlines, traditions, and the faith uncorrupted and pure. Israel was worried about the absorption of other faiths, because there were tribes that did not serve the God of Abraham, but instead, served Baal and other gods.

Parallels to the Church…
Jesus said, “. . .I have chosen you. . .”

v16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you. . .[John 15:16 KJV]

The Halacha (Jewish Law) says that Christians are Jewish. The shed Blood of Jesus Christ adopts us into His kingdom. This makes us the inheritors of the promise [4] and of the Abrahamic blessings [5].

Jesus holds an importance to faith and bloodlines as well. His Word exhorts us not to unequally yoke with unbelievers.

v14 Be ye not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness [2 Corinthians 6:14 KJV]?

Christ warns us also that many will try and pull us away from Him [6] to unequally yoke in the spirit world as well. If we have accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior, then we belong to Him as His betrothed and should not stray away from Him with any other [7]. (We’ll look at this a little more on another step.) However, when we sin, we are prostituting ourselves with the enemy (if we are a believer).

Continuing though with our steps, with the bride chosen, the arrangements made, and the match negotiated, what was the next step in the groom acquiring his bride? Remember when we left Christ hanging on the Cross back in part one of our series and we stated that He had paid the ultimate price? This is the next step. . .the Mohar.
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[1] This expression seems to have first surfaced in the 16th century as a literal translation of Plato’s Republic. In 1545, William Turner wrote a version of the expression in The Rescuing of Romish Fox: “Byrdes of on kynde and color flok and flye alwayes together.
[2] Genesis 1:24
[3] Numbers 36:6; Nehemiah 13:27; John Gills Exposition of the Entire Bible, Jeremiah 29:6 commentary
[4] Romans 8:17
[5] There were 60 blessings in all. You can find them in the following Scriptures: Genesis 12:1-3; Genesis 13:15-17; Genesis 15:1-21; Genesis 17:1-22; Genesis 22:16-18.
[6] Matthew 24:11; Mark 13:22; 2 Corinthians 4:4
[7] Revelation 2:4