--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Already in the Old Testament, God’s love…" description: "\"“Already in the Old Testament, God’s love for Israel had been compared to the marital bond (Isa 62:5; Jer 2–3; Ezek 16; Hos 1–3), but here that imagery..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e3/preston-sprinkle-23202_bible_already-in-the-old-testament-god-s-love_1670796.jpg" --- # Already in the Old Testament, God’s love for Israel had… ![“Already in the Old Testament, God’s love for Israel had been compared to the marital bond (Isa 62:5; Jer 2–3; Ezek 16; Hos 1–3), but here that imagery becomes Christologically specific. It is the love of Christ for the church, a love that will culminate in an eschatological wedding feast (Rev…” quote by Preston Sprinkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e3/preston-sprinkle-23202_bible_already-in-the-old-testament-god-s-love_1670796.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e3/preston-sprinkle-23202_bible_already-in-the-old-testament-god-s-love_1670796.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e3/preston-sprinkle-23202_bible_already-in-the-old-testament-god-s-love_1670796.jpg) > ““Already in the Old Testament, God’s love for Israel had been compared to the marital bond (Isa 62:5; Jer 2–3; Ezek 16; Hos 1–3), but here that imagery becomes Christologically specific. It is the love of Christ for the church, a love that will culminate in an eschatological wedding feast (Rev 19:7, 9; cf. 21:2), that earthly couples image and in which they participate. The created good of marriage, marked by its openness to children and its faithful union, is taken up into Christian life and made to be an outward and visible sign of the love of God in Christ. In”” [Preston Sprinkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sprinkle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Christ’s love for the church mirrors marital love, symbolizing a deep, covenantal relationship that reflects God’s love and promises a future union. **In simple terms:** Christ’s love is like a marriage, showing deep commitment. Key Takeaway Cultivate covenantal love reflecting divine commitment. Themes theology marriage spiritual union eschatology Mood reflective theological inspirational Type expository didactic When to use this quote - church community - marriage counseling - faith education - worship services Key Concepts covenant theology symbolic imagery Questions to Reflect On - How does this imagery shape your view of marriage? - What does covenant love mean in daily life? A Different Perspective Interpretations vary across denominations; some see it as metaphorical. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Christian life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-life/) [God'S Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-s-love/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-christ/) [Love of christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-of-christ/) [Love of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-of-god/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Old testament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-testament/) ## Related quotes > [When we look at the love of Christ, we make a wonderful discovery. Love is more a decision than an emotion! Christ-like love applauds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/when-we-look-at-the-love-of-christ-we-make-a-wonderful-discovery-love/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [Those who are filled with the love of Christ do not seek to force others to do better, they inspire others to do better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-w-hunter/those-who-are-filled-with-the-love-of-christ-do-not-seek-to-force/) [Howard W. Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-w-hunter/) > [I need the heart of a brave man, the soul of a wise man, the protection of a CIA agent, the humor of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-need-the-heart-of-a-brave-man-the-soul-of-a-wise-man-the-protection/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Live thy creed in the love of Christ.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/live-thy-creed-in-the-love-of-christ/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“a sense of the love of Christ in the cross; lie at the bottom of all true spiritual mortification”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/a-sense-of-the-love-of-christ-in-the-cross-lie-at-the-bottom-of-all/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [Life has its share of fears and failures. Sometimes things fall short. Sometimes people fail us, or economies or businesses or governments fail us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/life-has-its-share-of-fears-and-failures-sometimes-things-fall-short/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [“The love of Christ for me will get last say. He is merciful to me for his name’s sake, for the sake of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-powlison/the-love-of-christ-for-me-will-get-last-say-he-is-merciful-to-me-for/) David Powlison > [The pure love of Christ can remove the scales of resentment and wrath from our eyes, allowing us to see others the way our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/the-pure-love-of-christ-can-remove-the-scales-of-resentment-and-wrath/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [“The love of Christ presses us. The source of the love of Jesus Christ for men is his love for God. Hence he said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfonso-maria-de-liguori/the-love-of-christ-presses-us-the-source-of-the-love-of-jesus-christ/) [Alfonso Maria de Liguori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfonso-maria-de-liguori/) > [Life is perfect for none of us. Rather than being judgmental and critical of each other, may we have the pure love of Christ…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/life-is-perfect-for-none-of-us-rather-than-being-judgmental-and/) [Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/) > [The primary purpose of a home is to reflect and to distribute the love of Christ. Anything that usurps that is idolatrous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/the-primary-purpose-of-a-home-is-to-reflect-and-to-distribute-the/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? – Romans 8:35”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-morgan/who-shall-separate-us-from-the-love-of-christ-romans-8-35/) [Robert J. Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-morgan/) > [Mother Theresa said it is not how much we give that is important but how much love you put into doing it. So it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/mother-theresa-said-it-is-not-how-much-we-give-that-is-important-but/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [ “The Love of Christ in us never fails". ~R. Alan Woods \[2013\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-alan-woods/the-love-of-christ-in-us-never-fails-r-alan-woods-2013/) [R. Alan Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-alan-woods/) > [God does not leave you wondering whether you are saved or not. He tells you outright that you are His and that nothing can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/god-does-not-leave-you-wondering-whether-you-are-saved-or-not-he/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) ## More by Preston Sprinkle > [“Loving your enemy. Doing good things for evil people. Never taking vengeance. Responding to violence with nonviolent love—even if it brings suffering. These are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sprinkle/loving-your-enemy-doing-good-things-for-evil-people-never-taking/) [Preston Sprinkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sprinkle/) > [“for Christians, not every passage in the Bible is equally prescriptive or determinative for a Christian ethical life. Rather, the Old Testament must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sprinkle/for-christians-not-every-passage-in-the-bible-is-equally-prescriptive/) [Preston Sprinkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sprinkle/) > [“the most visible form of Jesus’s not-of-this-world kingdom is the radical, head-turning love of one’s enemies, even (or especially) when we are suffering at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sprinkle/the-most-visible-form-of-jesus-s-not-of-this-world-kingdom-is-the/) [Preston Sprinkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sprinkle/) > [“describing singleness as “a rare calling,” which is neither a common position in Christian history (at best we may say that most Protestants in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sprinkle/describing-singleness-as-a-rare-calling-which-is-neither-a-common/) [Preston Sprinkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sprinkle/) > [“genuine relationships are always the best place to start as we seek to integrate our ethical views in the daily life of ministry.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sprinkle/genuine-relationships-are-always-the-best-place-to-start-as-we-seek/) [Preston Sprinkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sprinkle/) > [“we cannot imagine existing in our culture without the haven of an erotic partnership because our capacity to belong together in more chaste ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sprinkle/we-cannot-imagine-existing-in-our-culture-without-the-haven-of-an/) [Preston Sprinkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sprinkle/) > [“The Incarnate One is truly human as well as truly divine, and so properly spoken of as our friend and brother as well as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sprinkle/the-incarnate-one-is-truly-human-as-well-as-truly-divine-and-so/) [Preston Sprinkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sprinkle/) > [“When we buy into the American narrative that focuses on “flesh-and-blood enemies,” we are spraying the tip of the flames, not the source of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sprinkle/when-we-buy-into-the-american-narrative-that-focuses-on-flesh-and/) [Preston Sprinkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sprinkle/) > [“the New Testament highlights Jesus’s nonviolent response to violence as a pattern to follow more than any other aspect of His ministry.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sprinkle/the-new-testament-highlights-jesus-s-nonviolent-response-to-violence/) [Preston Sprinkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sprinkle/) > [“The New Testament is ubiquitously clear: don’t retaliate with evil for evil; do good to those who hate you; embrace your enemy with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sprinkle/the-new-testament-is-ubiquitously-clear-don-t-retaliate-with-evil-for/) [Preston Sprinkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sprinkle/) > [“Augustine suggests that in the mutual submission and self-surrender of marriage, and in the openness of the marriage relationship to children, with the demands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sprinkle/augustine-suggests-that-in-the-mutual-submission-and-self-surrender/) [Preston Sprinkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sprinkle/) > [“rather than perceived effectiveness motivates our response to evil.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sprinkle/rather-than-perceived-effectiveness-motivates-our-response-to-evil/) [Preston Sprinkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sprinkle/) > [“I wonder how many people have been killed, tortured, and in some cases cannibalized, all because certain Christians (mis)applied the book of Joshua to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sprinkle/i-wonder-how-many-people-have-been-killed-tortured-and-in-some-cases/) [Preston Sprinkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sprinkle/) > [“Unlike the Old Testament, in which singleness was not a good, the New Testament—or, more properly, the coming of Christ—opens up, for the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sprinkle/unlike-the-old-testament-in-which-singleness-was-not-a-good-the-new/) [Preston Sprinkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sprinkle/) > [“I do not accept that there has been a change in our understanding of marriage, just many and repeated changes in its cultural expressions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sprinkle/i-do-not-accept-that-there-has-been-a-change-in-our-understanding-of/) [Preston Sprinkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sprinkle/) [Explore all 26 Preston Sprinkle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sprinkle/) ## More Bible quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) Michael Arnold > [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [“Scripture also teaches that human beings are morally responsible creatures”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-peterson/scripture-also-teaches-that-human-beings-are-morally-responsible/) Robert A. Peterson > [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/) Stephen Taylor > [O Word of God incarnate . . . It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored; It is the heaven-drawn picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/o-word-of-god-incarnate-it-is-the-golden-casket-where-gems-of-truth/) Walsham How > [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [Every plant which my heavenly father has not planted with be uprooted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/every-plant-which-my-heavenly-father-has-not-planted-with-be-uprooted/) [Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/) > [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [What comes to mind when you think of heaven? Heaven is referred to in fifty-four of the Bible's sixty-six books, and the final two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/what-comes-to-mind-when-you-think-of-heaven-heaven-is-referred-to-in/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [“While it is in one sense a result of God’s presence within us, the New Testament also describes a process involved in our “putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/while-it-is-in-one-sense-a-result-of-god-s-presence-within-us-the-new/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [The definition of a Church is crystal clear in the New Testament. We see the picture of it. They came together the first day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/the-definition-of-a-church-is-crystal-clear-in-the-new-testament-we/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) [Browse all 8,465 Bible quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Already in the Old Testament, God’s love for Israel had been compared to the marital bond (Isa 62:5; Jer 2–3; Ezek 16; Hos 1–3), but here that imagery becomes Christologically specific. It is the love of Christ for the church, a love that will culminate in an eschatological wedding feast (Rev 19:7, 9; cf. 21:2), that earthly couples image and in which they participate. The created good of marriage, marked by its openness to children and its faithful union, is taken up into Christian life and made to be an outward and visible sign of the love of God in Christ. In”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Preston Sprinkle" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sprinkle/already-in-the-old-testament-god-s-love-for-israel-had-been-compared/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bible" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sprinkle/already-in-the-old-testament-god-s-love-for-israel-had-been-compared/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e3/preston-sprinkle-23202_bible_already-in-the-old-testament-god-s-love_1670796.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e3/preston-sprinkle-23202_bible_already-in-the-old-testament-god-s-love_1670796.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e3/preston-sprinkle-23202_bible_already-in-the-old-testament-god-s-love_1670796.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Already in the Old Testament, God’s love for Israel had been compared to the marital bond (Isa 62:5; Jer…” — Preston Sprinkle", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Preston Sprinkle", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sprinkle/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Already in the Old Testament, God’s...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sprinkle/already-in-the-old-testament-god-s-love-for-israel-had-been-compared/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sprinkle/already-in-the-old-testament-god-s-love-for-israel-had-been-compared/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```