A study published in 2023 concluded that “adults who are married are by far the happiest.” Married individuals significantly outpaced the levels of happiness or well being of those who had never married, were divorced, or lived together without being married.

In Ecclesiastes, the Teacher continues to celebrate the good things that God has given us in this life “under the sun” (v. 9). He encourages celebrations: “eat your food with gladness” (v. 7) and meaningful work: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might” (v. 10). Because life is uncertain, and evil is powerful on this earth (vv. 13–16), God’s gifts give us comfort and remind us of His purpose for our lives.

Marriage is one of those gifts (v. 9). The love, unity, companionship, and intimacy in a Christ-centered, healthy marriage can help us better navigate a world turned upside down by sin and death. Of course, marriage, too, has suffered the ill effects of sin. When Pharisees approached Jesus about the legalities of divorce, He responded by pointing to God’s creational intent: “at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate” (Matt. 19:4–6).

The Teacher, once again pointing us back to God’s perfect creation in Genesis 2, presents a marriage relationship that reminds us of the coming kingdom, where there will be no sin or death. Marriage also shows the world around us a picture, however incomplete, of the reality of Christ’s love, unity, companionship, and intimacy with Christ’s own bride, the church.