Jesus has some interesting words regarding marriage in Heaven …

“But those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage.” [Luke 20:35, ESV]

This puzzles those that have happy, fulfilling marriages in this life. If a marriage here is a gift for which God has delineated many reasons in Scripture, why will that marriage no longer exist in Heaven? Scripture is very clear that our marriages are of limited duration, a bond dissolved by death.

Why?

First we must be clear that the Scripture is adamant there will be a marriage in Heaven. There is one marriage which God tells us will be enacted in glory:

“Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready.” [Revelation 19:7, ESV]

I can’t begin to contemplate exactly what that means, a marriage between an everlastingly perfect, infinite God and His finite church. But in communicating this concept to us, God chose to use the word “marriage”. Not friendship, not master-servant, not equals, but “marriage.”

As good as a marriage may be now - wonderful and fulfilling as it may be - it helps us to begin to understand the upcoming marriage of Christ and the Church. As John Piper puts it, “the highest meaning and the most ultimate purpose of marriage is to put the covenant relationship of Christ and his church on display.” God has graciously given us a foretaste of what the word marriage means, but we don’t yet understand it in full, because the marriage for which He’s collectively preparing us isn’t yet fulfilled. In other words, if you are blessed to experience a superb, fulfilling marriage now … that is merely a foretaste of what you will eternally experience in Heaven. As good as it may be now, your marriage is but a foreshadow of a future, far greater marriage with infinite bliss, eternal pleasure, and unending joy.

Of course this does not mean that a husband and wife will no longer know each other in heaven. It does not mean that a husband and wife will still not have a close relationship in heaven. Scripture is clear that those who had relationships on Earth will know each other in Heaven. It is reasonable that the one you experienced the closest most intimate relationship with on Earth, will have a close relationship with you in Heaven. But it will not be the same - but far better, as it is no longer marred by sin. Peter Kreeft has a related article wrestling with the concept of sex in heaven.

Don’t be discouraged by the words of Jesus regarding marriage in Heaven. Those Christians blessed with a great marriage on Earth, have but a very, very small foretaste of an infinitely greater marriage that awaits them in eternity. Those Christians that may not have experienced the blessings of marriage in this life, should take comfort in the knowledge and assurance that their sure destiny is a marriage in Heaven that far transcends any earthly marriage.
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Bob Pratico
Fides Quaerens Intellectum
(my Sojourn blog)