I heard an example once:
"If you hover your hand over a surface, it casts a shadow. However, if you don't place your hand there, there can be no shadow."
This is a good point regarding family. The Bible says that what is on earth is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. (Heb. 8:5) Then, since we have a family system on this earth, what about in heaven?
Heb. 12:9 "Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!"
Matt. 6:9 "This, then, is how you should pray: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name..."
If there is an earthly Father as a copy/shadow, we also have a spiritual Father in heaven.
Yet a man, no matter the age, is called a father ONLY when he has children. Are there heavenly, spiritual siblings?
Matt. 12:50 "For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother." (Mind you, if Joseph were there, Jesus would have said father too!)
So then, we see as the there are children as a shadow on earth, and because of them men are called Fathers, who is missing from the picture?
Without earthly mothers, how can children be born, and in turn, men be called fathers? How could the essential part of the heavenly family, a Heavenly Mother, be missing? (Gal. 4:26)
