Jewish Wedding
We have talked about this before, but as Christians we are the bride of Christ. As the bride, it's vitally important that we understand the Jewish wedding customs which the writers of the Bible and the people hearing Jesus' parables were intimately familiar with.
Here is a brief description from Chuck Missler. As you read it, focus on what you know about the rapture of the church and the parables that Jesus told about brides and bridegrooms.
Jewish Wedding
The first step, the Ketubah, or Betrothal, was the establishment of the marriage covenant, usually when the prospective bridegroom took the initiative and negotiated the price (mohair) he must pay to purchase her.
Once the bridegroom paid the purchase price, the marriage covenant was established, and the young man and woman were regarded as husband and wife. From that moment on, the bride was declared to be consecrated or sanctified - set apart - exclusively for her bridegroom. As a symbol of the covenant relationship that had been established, the groom and bride drank from a cup of wine over which the betrothal had been pronounced.
After the marriage covenant was established, the groom left his bride at her home and returned to his father's house, where he remained separated from his bride for approximately 12 months. This afforded the bride time to gather her trousseau and prepare for married life.
During this period of separation, the groom prepared a dwelling place in his father's house to which he would later bring his bride. At the end of the period of separation, the bridegroom came - usually at night - to take his bride to live with him. The groom, the best man, and other male escorts left the father's house and conducted a torch-light procession to the home of the bride. Although the bride was expecting her groom to come for her, she did not know the time of his coming. As a result, the groom's arrival was preceded by a shout, which announced her imminent departure to be gathered with him.
After the groom received his bride, together with her female attendants, the enlarged wedding party returned from the bride's home to the groom's father's house, where the wedding guests had assembled.
Shortly after their arrival, the bride and groom were escorted by the other members of the wedding party to the bridal chamber (huppah). Prior to entering the chamber, the bride remained veiled so that no one could see her face. While the groomsmen and bridesmaids waited outside, the bride and groom entered the bridal chamber alone. There, in the privacy of that place, they entered into physical union for the first time, thereby consummating the marriage that had been covenanted approximately one year earlier.
After the marriage was consummated, the groom came out of the bridal chamber and announced the consummation of the marriage to the members of the wedding party waiting outside. Then, as the groom went back to his bride in the chamber, the members of the wedding party returned to the wedding guests and announced the consummation of the marriage.
Upon receiving the good news, the wedding guests remained in the groom's father's house for the next seven days, celebrating with a great wedding feast.
During the seven days of the wedding feast, the bride and groom remained hidden in the bridal chamber. (Cf. Genesis 29:21-23, 27-28) for the seven days of the huppah. Afterwards, the groom came out of hiding, bringing his bride with him, but with her veil removed so that everyone could see her.
See it here; http://www.khouse.org/articles/2003/449/
Christ paid our bride price with the death on the cross. He then went to prepare a place for us in the Father's house. Once that is done, the Father will send him to collect his bride....with a loud shout. We will be hidden from the world for 7 years at the wedding feast...consummating the union. When Christ returns to earth, we will be with him and he will introduce his bride (us) to the humans left alive on planet earth (following the Great Tribulation) and to all the other beings who will be present in The Kingdom.
Friends....this explanation is one of the MAIN REASONS I believe in the Pre-Tribulation rapture. It fits perfectly with the Jewish wedding...and it is the only sequence of events that matches up with all scripture regarding Christ's second coming....first for His bride....and next to rule and reign as the Prince of Peace.
posted by dennis at
11:58 AM
7 Comments:
Christ's wife will not accompany Him to the earth when He returns to complete the judgments of the Tribulation and to deliver His brethren, Israel. She, as Asenath in relation to Joseph {Gen.45:1), or Zipporah in relation to Moses (Ex.18:1-5), will be separated from Christ during this time and be reunited with Christ only after He concludes His dealings with Israel. Those who accompany Christ to the earth and witness concluding judgments of the Tribulation and Christ's dealings with His brethren during this time will be angels, not Christians (cf. Rev. 19:14 ~ Christ's bride is not an army); Jude 14; 1 Thess. 3:13; 2 Thess. 1:7; Deut. 33:2; Psa. 68:17)
I appreciate you opinon Myrna, but I also appreciate Chuck Misslers and many others who have also equated the Jewish wedding traditions with the Bride of Christ. It makes sense to me. It follows a pattern. "Where I will be there also shall you be"...says Christ and I doubt he is going to leave his new Bride behind while he goes and finishes prophecy at the end of the Tribulation. So I believe we will be on those white horses, wearing our beautiful white robes while watching our savior vanquish his foes on earth. But even if I'm not...where ever Christ has placed me on this day...I know I will be satisfied.
Have you heard it said that the Church is the bride of Christ and Israel is the Father's bride? I believe God will be dealing with his adulterous bride, Israel, during the wedding feast while the Church is with Christ.
Blessings.
Dennis, in response to your last paragraph, God the Father deals with his adulterous wife, Israel, through His Son, Who is the One Who opens the seven-sealed scroll (Rev.5:5), bringing about the judgments of the 7-yr Tribulation and Who, as their Messiah will
personally appear to them (Zech.13:6) and the nation of Israel will repent and be born in one day (Isa.66:8).
Rev.2-3 deals with the Judgment Seat of Christ. Rev.4 the angels who did not follow Satan in his coup, cast their crowns before the throne of God because those found worthy to wear them have now been revealed. Rev.5 search is made to find one worthy to open the scroll. Rev.6 the Tribulation begins on earth with the opening of the first seal.
Thanks Myrna,
I am going to look into all you have said. April also just sent me a Missler article on the whole "spirit" and "soul" discussion.
One other question I'm curious about...how did you happen to come across my blog? Are you friends with someone at our church?
Blessings Myrna....I can see by your comments that you are very passionate about all you say and obviously have put much time into the study of these things, so I will look into and look up the passages and see if the Holy Spirit will change my understanding of what parts the Bride of Christ will be playing.
Dennis, re Bride of Christ. Just as Eve was taken from the body of Adam, so the Bride will be taken from the body of Christ. Eve was not all of Adam's body, the Bride will not be all of Christ's body. The Bride will consist of those who have been found worthy to rule and with Christ in His coming Kingdom (Gen. 1:26, 28). At the Judgment Seat not all believers will be found worthy and will lose the salvation of their souls (Matt.16:26), not receiving their inheritance (1 Cor. 3:11-15). Man was created to rule; man is being redeemed for the same purpose: to rule. Adam and Eve were to rule together, but they sinned, they fell. Christ and His Bride will rule together from the heavens (Heb. 3:1) all because He has redeemed her and she has been found worthy to rule due to how she lived her life on this earth.
April,
Hebrew nephesh = life/soul, always synonymous terms in the OT
Greek psuche = life/soul, always synonymous terms in the NT
Life/soul = a person's emotions, feelings, desires [I think, I need, I want]
It is through your spirit that you have access to the Godhead because you have become spiritually alive, upon believing on the Lord Jesus. When "Mary said, My that soul doth magnify the Lord" (Luke 1:46), it was only because she was spiritually alive that she could do so.
Myrna-
The point that I am making is that we are soul/spirit (whichever term you want to use) and body. I meant to say 2 parts and not 3.
Now – if we look at is from a 3-part person and the Holy Spirit makes the “spirit” alive, than what makes the “soul” alive?
Romans8:12-17
12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
v.16 “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”
If we are a 3-part person, wouldn’t the Holy Spirit testify something to our soul???
V.17 “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”
So if the Holy Spirit only testifies to our “spirit” then would only the spirit "share in His glory” (like Ruling and Reigning)
Also, if we look at v.13
“13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.”
Here Spirit id captitalized (Holy Spirit) and the word body is in here also.
Would you say that the flesh and soul are the same thing?
I do not know Greek (that is obvious) but I do know that the Word of God cannot contradict. I don't think that all believer now need to learn Greek.
Seems important to me that we know how many parts we are. You say three, I say 2 and yet only one view is true. You are making very good point but at this time I don’t agree in 3-parts. Will my view change in the future? Don’t know… I know that I am saved and the Holy Spirit is leading me to the 2-part view. If the Holy Spirit leads me otherwise the I will follow that lead.
Can the Holy Spirit lead you to believe 3-parts but another believer 2-parts?
Myrna - How did you come across this blog anyway? And if you don't mind me asking what is your study of the Bible back grown?
Just curious.
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