Does the Bible advocate arranged marriages?

Question: "Does the Bible advocate arranged marriages?"

Answer: An “arranged” marriage is one that is brought about by consent of the parents of the bride and groom, often without regard to their wishes. The Bible does not say that parents should arrange marriages, nor does it say they should not. However, there are a few arranged marriages from the Bible, most notably Isaac and Rebecca.

In this case, a trusted servant was sent by Isaac’s father, Abraham, to find a suitable bride from his own people because he did not want Isaac to take a wife from among the heathen Canaanites (Genesis 24). We see from Rebecca’s responses that she possessed many godly traits, and she was clearly God’s choice for Isaac. No doubt not all arranged marriages in those days were done in such a godly and submissive manner.

The practice of arranged marriages was continued even in America and many other cultures well into the 1900’s. Even today in orthodox Jewish families, Islam, Hinduism and other religions, arranged marriages are still observed. The Bible is silent on this issue. However, the Bible does outline what a godly mate should be. For the Christian, marriage, whether or not it is arranged, is to be only to another person who is in the faith. The most important relationship that any of us have is our personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. The spouse we choose should be one who has his/her focus upon walking in obedience to God's Word and who seeks to live so that his life brings glory to God (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Recommended Resource: First Comes Marriage: Modern Relationship Advice from the Wisdom of Arranged Marriages by Reva Seth.