03-04-2008, 11:06 PM
No, everyone in the Bible was married! 
Even if tradition seems to say otherwise, God honors singles, for a time, for a season, for His purposes.
Some of our heroes in the Bible were definitely single.
Some were possibly single.
Some remained single for longer than they planned, yet God remains the King of the Universe and in control. All of the following who consented to being directed by Him and following His plan had some surprises along the way, but they wouldn't trade what He gave them for anything else.
Consider the following and be encouraged.
Moses was a single for more than 40 years.
Isaac was also a forty-something when God brought him his wife.
Joseph lived years and years as a faithful, pure single.
Jeremiah was widowed and suddenly single.
Stephen, Yeshua's witness, was possibly a single.
Ruth was widowed, Gentile, and single by God's plan, loving and caring for her Jewish mother-in-law
Boaz was unmarried and older, by God's plan, full of a heart of mercy.
Esther was single until a particular time and place. I'm sure her plans for her life did not include marrying a Gentile king. But she was a woman who knew how to pray and trust and listen to her uncle, a godly man.
Hagar was a divorced single mother. Her experience was, "You are the God who sees me."
Elisha in 1 Kings 19:20-21 said, "Let me kiss my mother and father goodbye....Then he set out to follow Elijah and become his attendant." Here is a godly single man who values the treasure the L-rd was offering to him.
The single mom/widow whose two boys were to be sold to pay debts (2nd Kings 4:7)
The young woman from Israel who served Naaman's wife..."If only my master would see that prophet who is in Samaria..." spreading the knowledge of the One True God
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah-- single young Jewish men transported from Israel who resolved not to defile themselves with the things Babylonian culture offered
Miriam-- apparently a widow-- Yeshua's mother with Him at the tree
Yochanan the Immerser ? a voice, calling in the wilderness
Anna the prophetess (Luke 2:36) who was widowed after seven years and then was single into her 80's, worshipping day and night
Mary Magdalene, a single woman who followed Yeshua into a life of purity and blessing
Lazarus, Mary, and Martha, John 11, 12. Apparently a family living together, but no other family members are mentioned
Timothy? He was single at least for a long season, busy helping Rav Shaul.
Lydia in Acts 16.. the seller of purple, the business woman
Rav Shaul/ Paul (Acts 28, 1 Corinthians 7:7). "Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Yeshua the Messiah."
Yochanan, the disciple Yeshua loved... separated from his family, banished to live alone on Patmos, but listening to Yeshua
Yeshua, the Messiah - a Messianic single during His time on earth.
Add to these the faithful singles who trusted in God that we know of in history... and the faithful singles who are trusting in God in your synagogue.
Taken from http://www.umjc.org/singles/index.htm
the Messianic Jewish Singles website
Even if tradition seems to say otherwise, God honors singles, for a time, for a season, for His purposes. Some of our heroes in the Bible were definitely single.
Some were possibly single.
Some remained single for longer than they planned, yet God remains the King of the Universe and in control. All of the following who consented to being directed by Him and following His plan had some surprises along the way, but they wouldn't trade what He gave them for anything else.
Consider the following and be encouraged.
Moses was a single for more than 40 years.
Isaac was also a forty-something when God brought him his wife.
Joseph lived years and years as a faithful, pure single.
Jeremiah was widowed and suddenly single.
Stephen, Yeshua's witness, was possibly a single.
Ruth was widowed, Gentile, and single by God's plan, loving and caring for her Jewish mother-in-law
Boaz was unmarried and older, by God's plan, full of a heart of mercy.
Esther was single until a particular time and place. I'm sure her plans for her life did not include marrying a Gentile king. But she was a woman who knew how to pray and trust and listen to her uncle, a godly man.
Hagar was a divorced single mother. Her experience was, "You are the God who sees me."
Elisha in 1 Kings 19:20-21 said, "Let me kiss my mother and father goodbye....Then he set out to follow Elijah and become his attendant." Here is a godly single man who values the treasure the L-rd was offering to him.
The single mom/widow whose two boys were to be sold to pay debts (2nd Kings 4:7)
The young woman from Israel who served Naaman's wife..."If only my master would see that prophet who is in Samaria..." spreading the knowledge of the One True God
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah-- single young Jewish men transported from Israel who resolved not to defile themselves with the things Babylonian culture offered
Miriam-- apparently a widow-- Yeshua's mother with Him at the tree
Yochanan the Immerser ? a voice, calling in the wilderness
Anna the prophetess (Luke 2:36) who was widowed after seven years and then was single into her 80's, worshipping day and night
Mary Magdalene, a single woman who followed Yeshua into a life of purity and blessing
Lazarus, Mary, and Martha, John 11, 12. Apparently a family living together, but no other family members are mentioned
Timothy? He was single at least for a long season, busy helping Rav Shaul.
Lydia in Acts 16.. the seller of purple, the business woman
Rav Shaul/ Paul (Acts 28, 1 Corinthians 7:7). "Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Yeshua the Messiah."
Yochanan, the disciple Yeshua loved... separated from his family, banished to live alone on Patmos, but listening to Yeshua
Yeshua, the Messiah - a Messianic single during His time on earth.
Add to these the faithful singles who trusted in God that we know of in history... and the faithful singles who are trusting in God in your synagogue.
Taken from http://www.umjc.org/singles/index.htm
the Messianic Jewish Singles website