‘There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? I am going to prepare a place for you. When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. ‘ John 14:2-3(NLT)
‘“However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself.#24:36 Some manuscripts do not include or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.’ Matthew 24:36(NLT)
‘And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.’ Matthew 24:31(NLT)
‘But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.’ 1 Corinthians 15:51-53(NLT)
‘“At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’’ Matthew 25:6(NLT)
Today, we’re going to discuss the second phase of the Jewish wedding process: the marriage ceremony and feast. Let’s begin with the honeymoon suite.
Now that the betrothal is finalized, Jack is ready to build a bridal chamber in his father’s home. It will be like an add-on room, so he and his bride Diane will have their own quarters and privacy. They won’t be allowed to see each other during the building process, which can take a year or longer. Jack’s father will oversee everything, and when he feels that the room is suitable, he’ll tell Jack to go get his bride.
This bridal chamber will be the place were the marriage is consummated after the wedding ceremony. Jack and Diane will spend seven days there getting to know each other on an intimate level.
While the room is being built, Diane will be watching and waiting for her husband, not knowing when it will be complete. She’ll be making herself ready—she definitely won’t want to be caught unprepared!
Being prepared includes making sure that her wedding garments are clean. No one, not even Jack, knows the exact time his father will give him permission to go and get Diane.
The next step is the procession, which usually takes place at midnight—kind of like a surprise attack. Jack will wait until the village has gone to sleep before gathering his friends. They’ll take oil lamps to illuminate the night, then march through the village blowing the trumpet and shouting, “The bridegroom comes!”
This custom will be a joyful experience for the entire community. Everyone will wake up and come outside to see Jack come get his bride. Hearing the trumpet and commotion, she’ll be outside eagerly waiting for him!
Let’s apply this picture to our spiritual walk with Christ, beginning with the bridal chamber.
Jesus is preparing a room for us in His Father’s house. We’ll have our very own exquisite bridal chamber. These rooms—or “mansions” in some interpretations—represent His personal preparations for us as believers.
Jesus wants to be with us and share in intimacy with us. It isn’t a sexual intimacy like we have here on earth. It’s the spiritual oneness of belonging to Christ as we become fully submitted to Him. Be assured that it will exceed any feeling of bliss, pleasure, excitement, or wholeness that we experience in this life. We’ll be fully known by Christ and we’ll fully know Him, too.
And just as the Jewish groom sounds the trumpet and goes to get his bride, Jesus will get the OK from His heavenly Father, the trumpet will sound, and Jesus will come to get us, too! The church, the bride of Christ, will be taken up to heaven with Jesus.
We need to eagerly prepare for His arrival like Diane prepared her garments. We need to make sure that we’re covered in Jesus’ robes of righteousness by accepting His invitation to eternal life.
To recap, Jesus our bridegroom is preparing a place for us. One day, we’ll hear the sound of the trumpet and be taken up to meet Him in the air. We’ll put on immortality and prepare for our wedding to Him, the Lamb of God who takes away our sins and gives us eternal life.
Amazing stuff. Let’s call it a day.
from Will You Marry Me?