Over the upcoming weeks I want us to explore the incredible messages that Jesus has given us in His personal love letters. So often those letters are misread as only warnings. Yes, they are warnings but they are much more than that and I trust as we move through them that your spirit will be renewed with the wonderful and awesome promises our bridegroom has given us.
To begin the series I want us to first put our relationship with Jesus in perspective. As His bride we need to understand just what that involves and what that means for each one of us. So let’s spend this time examining the Jewish wedding process and how that relates directly to us. But first a bit of background.
We have been inundated with not the shout of triumph but the incessant worldly scream of pending disaster. The country’s economics have been turned upside down and fear and panic have grabbed the headlines as the Middle East falls into chaos. The news is full of rampant pandemics, meteorological disasters, hopeless individuals committing tragic acts, families destroyed … I leave it to you to fill in the blanks.
I have talked with many in the ministry and with believers from all walks of life and the message ranges from uncertainty to fear. Even those whose economic future is not clouded are focused on some issue of personal concern. The challenges facing the 21st century church may not be lions, boiling oil, fire or crucifixion but the clouds on the horizon are unnervingly similar and they are driving many to the last book in the Bible.
For a number of years the Lord has continued to impress upon my heart the strong message that we, the bride of Christ — specifically in America — are not prepared for His return. We have allowed the world and its supreme ruler to distract us from the path that lies in front of us. Now He has finally released me to begin delivering the message that He began putting on my heart 18 years ago, and a key part of that message concerns His love letters. These love letters not only deal with why He is coming back but also what we are supposed to be doing (and not doing) as we wait. It’s for this hour that the messages in these letters have been reserved.
Talk with any believer today and I doubt that you would find one that is not convinced that Jesus’ return is near. Let me suggest one verse that has strong implication for us here in the 21st century:
Matt 24:6-7 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
While this certainly is defining the world we live in the key phrase is all these things. As we look around today it is evident that “all” of them are taking place at the same time and it is certain that we are closer today than we were yesterday, but I am not presupposing some special knowledge or setting a date for His return. That is “not” what this is about; far from it. We only need remember that the Lord Jesus Himself stated that even He didn’t know the day or the hour (Mk 13:32). But come back He will and there are two very clear reasons for His return that should encourage us; one which precedes the other and clearly impacts every believer. We’ll look at reason #1 this time.
Reason #1
First, understand that Jesus is coming back for you (His bride) and God has clearly shown us how and why. Consider the Jewish wedding whose entire ritual from beginning to end speaks to the ultimate wedding of Jesus and His bride. His return follows the ceremonial process in every detail and I would urge you to look up the details as portrayed throughout the Old Testament. Let’s take a brief look at the wedding process that not only speaks volumes about His return but is a wonderful source of encouragement in these troubled times. It all begins with the formal “arrangement.”
The Arrangement
The first step was the arrangement, in which the father of the groom arranged the match with the father of the bride and paid him the bride price. Our heavenly Father made this arrangement for us and He paid the bride price; with the blood of His Son.
Eph 5:25b … Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
John 3:16a … For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son …
The Father gave up His Son and His Son’s blood was the bride price was paid; the arrangement was sealed with blood.
In celebration of the agreement a supper was held during which the bridegroom gave the bride a gift as a token of his pledge to return to take her as his wife. They celebrated with a toast after which the bridegroom pledged not to drink wine again until their wedding supper. She was told to remember that pledge each time she drank wine and broke bread; in remembrance of him. And so has our bridegroom done:
Luke 22:18-19 For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. 19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
And as a promise of his pledge the bridegroom gave the bride a gift to hold until His return. Likewise Jesus has given us His gift as the downpayment if you will for His return; the Holy Spirit.
The Ketubah
When the Jewish bridegroom pledged himself to his bride and paid the bride’s price she became betrothed and the couple was effectively married although the marriage was not yet consummated; the ketubah. The bride was then set apart (sanctified) for at least one year (often much longer) and the bridegroom told her that he was to returning to his father’s house to build a house for her and when it’s was finished he would return for he. She was to return to her father’s house and “wait” and “watch” for his imminent return. He then began building her house but he wasn’t the one who determined when it was complete; that was his father’s decision and he didn’t know the time or the hour.
Mark 13:32-33 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. 33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
During the ketubah the bride was prepared to be a fitting wife for her mate. It was also the period of time in which she was observed for her purity, which is why the betrothal always lasted for a minimum of one year. The bride of Christ is even now in the process of being perfected for the bridegroom.
2 Cor 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
We have been espoused, or betrothed, to one husband; Jesus. The goal is that we might be presented a pure virgin to Him. The ketubah is the period of preparation for her to take on the role of His wife. When that day comes we will be presented as a pure virgin to Christ.
Eph 5:26-27 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
As the bride of Christ we are now “set apart.” Set apart to eventually be presented as a pure virgin, cleansed by the washing of the water with the Word. As we become more and more conformed to what the Word teaches we in turn become more and more the virgin to be presented to Him.
The purpose for this process is to present to Jesus a glorious bride. First, she will have no spot, meaning that she will have no outward defilement. Second, she will be without wrinkle, meaning that there will be no evidence of age. Third, she will be holy, meaning that she will be fully sanctified. And fourth, she will have no blemish, no inward defilement.
This is reflected in the Jewish betrothal as the bride is responsible for sewing her own wedding dress that is to be without spot, wrinkle or blemish. In Christ we have been given our inward righteousness through the “arrangement.” But during our ketubah we are to be working on our “outward righteousness.” That involves learning all about Him, how to love Him, how to trust Him and not ourselves, how to serve Him and pull away from our dependence on the world and learn to depend on Him. During our ketubah here on earth we are being nourished, built up and strengthened, all the while we are being treasured by our bridegroom.
The Fetching
When the house was finished — when the father of the bridegroom says it is finished — the groom would leave his home and go to the bride’s home to fetch her. As the groom returned to his own home with the bride, this would lead to a bridal procession (the parable of the ten virgins; Matt 25:1-13). Our bridegroom will do the same for us and He will come in a moment unknown (1Thess 4:13-18). We don’t want to be found like the unwise virgins.
After the bridegroom had fetched his bride the final cleansing and purification takes place. For us it is the Judgment Seat of Christ where all the wood, hay, stubble will be burned away and the gold, silver and precious stones will be purified.
1 Cor 3:10-15 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
At that moment we — the bride of Christ — will, indeed, be glorified, because, at that point, mortality will put on immortality and corruption will put on incorruption (1 Cor 15:50-58).
The Wedding Ceremony
The Jewish ceremony was conducted in the home of the groom. Only a few — usually the immediate family and two witnesses — were invited to come in and observe the wedding ceremony. For us there will be a ceremony in heaven and the few that will be invited to this ceremony are the few that will already be in Heaven. Only those who have already been resurrected will participate in the wedding ceremony (Rev 19:6-8). The bride has made herself ready (her wedding dress is finished) and she has been glorified at the Judgment Seat of Christ. She is indeed a pure virgin now being presented to Christ. Now comes the marriage feast.
The Marriage Supper
While only a few were invited to the Jewish wedding ceremony, many more were invited to the marriage feast ( the huppah) to celebrate the marriage of the son. The invitation to the wedding feast is sent out as the Great Tribulation comes to and end on earth, then His Second Coming during which both the Old Testament and tribulation saints will be resurrected to partake of the wedding feast.
The Kingdom, then, will begin with the marriage feast. And just as the typical Jewish wedding feast could last for as many as seven days so our wedding feast might last for seven days or even seven years. The Kingdom on earth will then be ruled by Christ for 1,000 years, with believers reigning with Him as His bride (Rev 20:4).
The Home of the Bride
The groom was responsible to provide a suitable home for the bride and we that occurred during the ketubah. For us, when Jesus returned to heaven He went to prepare a place for His bride:
John 14:1-4 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
That place is known as the New Jerusalem and that is where Jesus is preparing a home for us. We will move into that home — that eternal home — as the wife of the Lamb. The wedding ceremony and the wedding feast have taken place and we will have been married for a thousand years. What an incredible plan God has in store for us as His Son’s bride. Every facet of the Jewish wedding process will be fulfilled.
The contract was made:
1Cor 11:25-26 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.
The bride price was paid:
1Cor 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
The bride has been set apart:
Eph 5:25-27 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
1Cor 6:11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
Heb 10:10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Jesus has gone home to prepare a place for us:
John 14:1-4 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
And His return is “imminent;” the time period is indefinite but nothing needs to precede it (it can happen anytime). Jesus coming for His bride is the next event on God’s calendar and it can truly happen at any moment:
Phil 3:20-21 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.
Titus 2:13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
Heb 9:28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.
Rev 22:20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Jesus’ return as our bridegroom will be a surprise “gathering” that is announced with a shout:
1Thess 4:16-18 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
And there will be a wedding in heaven and a marriage supper on earth:
Ps 45:10-15 Listen, O daughter, Consider and incline your ear; Forget your own people also, and your father’s house; 11 So the King will greatly desire your beauty; Because He is your Lord, worship Him. 12 And the daughter of Tyre will come with a gift; The rich among the people will seek your favor. 13 The royal daughter is all glorious within the palace; Her clothing is woven with gold. 14 She shall be brought to the King in robes of many colors; The virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to You.
Rev 19:9 Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!‘” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”
Have you been given Jesus’ hand, His promise and His commitment? Did you say yes when He asked you to be His bride? Hopefully you did as the Love Letters we are about to explore are for His bride and they hold not only some incredible promises they also include some strong challenges for her as she watches and waits for the bridegrooms call. A big part of the reason Jesus called John to heaven was to personally deliver seven letters containing His personal messages to His bride. Those letters have been delivered to us and we need to fully understand what they mean.
Next time we’ll look at Reason #2 why Jesus is coming back, after which we will begin exploring Revelation 1-3.