‘Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. But— When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.’ Titus 3:3-7(NLT)
‘“Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord . “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.’ Isaiah 1:18(NLT)
‘And Isaac brought Rebekah into his mother Sarah’s tent, and she became his wife. He loved her deeply, and she was a special comfort to him after the death of his mother.’ Genesis 24:67(NLT)
‘The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. They had what looked like gold crowns on their heads, and their faces looked like human faces. They had hair like women’s hair and teeth like the teeth of a lion. They wore armor made of iron, and their wings roared like an army of chariots rushing into battle. ‘ Revelation 9:7-9(NLT)
‘Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”’ Revelation 21:1-4(NLT)
‘Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.’ 1 Corinthians 13:12(NLT)
Jack and Diane are about to tie the knot. Before they say “I do,” Diane needs to receive a ceremonial cleansing or ritual bath, then put on her wedding garments or dress.
Diane has now made herself ready and Jack has her by his side. She has on her linen wedding gown and veil, and they step into a “huppah,” a Hebrew word meaning “tent” or “covering.” The bride and groom are ready for their wedding ceremony.
Jack presents the ketubah, the original contract, to his bride. Jack and Diane then exchange vows and rings—something we still do today.
Next, Jack and Diane select special guests to recite seven blessings over them. After each blessing, the bride and groom drink from a shared cup of wine symbolizing their union.
Then, the groom breaks a piece of glass by crushing it with his foot, which is said to symbolize that joy must be tempered. It also represents the Jewish people’s suffering over the destruction of the Jerusalem temple. The ceremony is now complete and the happy couple heads to their wedding chamber.
The married couple now enters the bridal chamber and consummates the marriage, representing a blood covenant made between them. Jack and Diane will spend seven days here together growing in intimacy and a deeper understanding of one another. When they emerge after seven days, the feast begins!
In Jewish culture, there are many feasts—and this feast is held in celebration of the bride and groom. All the family members and wedding guests will participate in eating wonderful food, drinking fine wine, laughing, and dancing to wonderful music. They’ll tell family stories, share traditions, and grow in intimacy celebrating together. It’s a marvelous party!
In today’s Bible reading, we see how this wedding celebration plays into our relationship with Christ.
Like Diane in this illustration, we too receive a ceremonial cleansing when we invite the Holy Spirit to dwell in our souls. We’re washed clean and made new. The blood of Jesus covers us and we’re seen as righteous—pure as snow.
When we drink the cup of acceptance and say yes to Jesus, we become betrothed to Him. We won’t see Him face to face until we depart from this earth and enter into eternity, but we know that right now, He’s preparing our rooms in His Father’s house and He’ll come back for us when the Father gives Him the command.
The wedding will happen right after we’re raptured. Jesus will take His church, the bride, out of the world and a time of tribulation will happen on earth. The second coming will mark the new heaven and earth prophesied in Revelation—we’ll dive deeper into that later in the study.
We’re not sure when this prophecy will be fulfilled, but what we do know is that the wedding of all weddings and party of all parties is coming. We only have a picture and we only understand in part, but one day, we’ll see it all clearly.
Jesus is coming and He’s longing to marry His bride. It’ll be the party of a lifetime!
from Will You Marry Me?