Month: October 2020

‘“But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?’ But the man had no reply. Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ “For many are called, but few are chosen.”’ Matthew 22:11-14(NLT)

‘Then I heard again what sounded like the shout of a vast crowd or the roar of mighty ocean waves or the crash of loud thunder: “Praise the Lord ! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. Let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give honor to him. For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself. She has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear.” For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God’s holy people. And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” And he added, “These are true words that come from God.”’ Revelation 19:6-9(NLT)

‘“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. ‘ John 3:16(NLT)

Have you ever had that dream where you show up to a party underdressed or maybe not even dressed at all? All your friends are there in their Sunday best, you’re fully exposed, and everyone is staring and laughing at you.

I’ve had this dream more times than I can count. I also have the dream where my teeth fall out. Do I need therapy? Maybe. Ok, let’s dive into the last portion of the parable of the king’s banquet.

You might think that the king had a cruel reaction to the man without proper wedding clothes. However, it does hold important biblical truths. God takes this stuff seriously!

He loves us and wants us to know that apart from His grace and forgiveness, we’re headed for destruction. Both this parable and the parable of the 10 virgins illustrate the tragic consequences we’ll face if we don’t choose Him. 

We read today that those who are in Christ are clothed with fine linen bright and clean. We’re made new, and our sins are forgiven and washed away. He covers us, and we’re like a bride made ready. 

In this culture, kings often provided wedding attire for guests to put on at royal wedding feasts. Refusing to wear these clothes would be a sign of defiance and disrespect to the king. 

Imagine being invited to a royal wedding in England, then showing up sweaty, with dirt on your face, or in your workout gear and old, crusty tennis shoes. It would be like you were making a point to stand out and bring shame and dishonor upon the event. 

By refusing to wear the proper clothes, the man in this parable was being offensive and aligning himself with those who had rejected the invitation. The king’s pronouncement in verse 13 is chilling: he sends the man to the place with “weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 

I don’t ever want to go to that place. I’ll gladly wear my garment. 

The point to take away from this parable is that God takes sin seriously. Evil, darkness, and injustice all require severe consequences. When sin is unaccounted for, the punishment is death and eternal separation from God. We simply can’t stand up under God’s holiness. 

Jesus took our punishment on the cross. Through His sacrifice, He saves us, covers us, and reconciles us with God. This is grace, people. Why would we reject His offer of salvation, love, and eternal joy? Why would we throw that back in His face? 

Jesus came and died for us so we can have eternal life in Him. If we thought the royal wedding was grand, we’ll be amazed at the wedding God Himself is putting on. When we give our lives to Jesus, we can be confident that we’ll be at the wedding of the Lamb and the banquet held by the true king, God the Father. 

We’ll be ready. 

from Will You Marry Me?

‘Jesus also told them other parables. He said, “The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited. But they all refused to come! “So he sent other servants to tell them, ‘The feast has been prepared. The bulls and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the banquet!’ But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business. Others seized his messengers and insulted them and killed them. “The king was furious, and he sent out his army to destroy the murderers and burn their town. And he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, and the guests I invited aren’t worthy of the honor. Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.’ So the servants brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike, and the banquet hall was filled with guests. “But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?’ But the man had no reply. Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ “For many are called, but few are chosen.”’ Matthew 22:1-14(NLT)

‘But some of these branches from Abraham’s tree—some of the people of Israel—have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God’s special olive tree. But you must not brag about being grafted in to replace the branches that were broken off. You are just a branch, not the root. “Well,” you may say, “those branches were broken off to make room for me.” Yes, but remember—those branches were broken off because they didn’t believe in Christ, and you are there because you do believe. So don’t think highly of yourself, but fear what could happen. For if God did not spare the original branches, he won’t spare you either. Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is severe toward those who disobeyed, but kind to you if you continue to trust in his kindness. But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off. And if the people of Israel turn from their unbelief, they will be grafted in again, for God has the power to graft them back into the tree. ‘ Romans 11:17-23(NLT)

‘There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. ‘ Galatians 3:28(NLT)

‘The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. ‘ 2 Peter 3:9(NLT)

‘The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Let anyone who hears this say, “Come.” Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life. ‘ Revelation 22:17(NLT)

One of my closest friends was telling me that she doesn’t have FOMO (Fear of Missing Out); she has FOBI (Fear of Being Invited.)

I get FOMO when I see a group pic on Insta that I’m not included in, but she’s just the opposite. When she gets invited to something, a sense of dread comes over her and she thinks, “Oh no. What do I have to go to now?” We laughed, but this illustrates the next parable we’re going to explore.

 

In this parable, the king is throwing a wedding banquet for his son and sends his servants out to call those who had been invited. With the king throwing the party, you know it’s going to be amazing! 

Can you believe it? They don’t come! It’s the party of the year with all the best décor, finest foods and wines, most breathtaking music and dancing—all free of charge—and the people in the community snub the king. They don’t want to be included. 

They not only turn the king down, but also kill his servants who come to generously invite them. This would be like getting a personal invitation to attend the royal wedding and feast with the Queen of England, then not only rejecting the invite, but murdering the inviters. Can you imagine? 

The king in the parable can’t understand this logic and cruelty either. He avenges the death of his innocent servants by sending armies to destroy the murderers and set their city on fire. 

He then decides to invite people outside his social circle and community. His servants go to the streets and invite everyone they come across, both good and bad alike, and they’re able to fill the banquet hall with unlikely guests who gladly accepted the invitation. 

Let’s examine the meaning of this parable. 

The Jewish people were chosen by God through Abraham to carry the seed of Jesus. But when He came onto the scene, He wasn’t what the Jewish people expected. They expected a warrior, and He came as a suffering servant. 

Most of the Jewish people didn’t accept Jesus to be the Savior—and in doing this, they rejected the Father’s plan. They were invited, but turned down the invite. 

So, the Jews are the people in the parable who were invited first to the wedding. They’re God’s chosen people, but after they rejected His plan, He extended the invitation to the Gentiles. 

As we read in Romans today, the Gentiles—those who aren’t Jewish—are grafted into God’s family when they accept His invitation. We all get to come to the wedding! God used this part of the plan to include us all. 

In His sovereignty, God was always going to include us, because He loves the Jews and Gentiles alike. He calls us all to be His bride. 

Under the New Covenant, there is no Jew or Gentile. It doesn’t matter what your denomination, gender, background, race, family, or social status are. Only one thing matters: You either believe in Christ as Lord or you don’t. 

God doesn’t want anyone to perish. He wants everyone to repent. But just as those who rejected the king’s invitation in the parable were burned and killed, those who reject God’s invitation will face an eternal death. This is not God’s will for us. He longs for everyone to come! 

Let’s not be foolish and reject God’s free gift of salvation. We’re all invited to the future wedding. We just have to RSVP. Will you accept the invitation? 

from Will You Marry Me?

‘“But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’ “But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’ “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.’ Matthew 25:10-13(NLT)

‘Leave an 18-inch opening below the roof all the way around the boat. Put the door on the side, and build three decks inside the boat—lower, middle, and upper.’ Genesis 6:16(NLT)

‘A male and female of each kind entered, just as God had commanded Noah. Then the Lord closed the door behind them.’ Genesis 7:16(NLT)

‘Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. ‘ John 10:9(NLT)

‘“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. ‘ Revelation 3:20(NLT)

‘“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. ‘ Matthew 7:7(NLT)

Today, let’s look again at the last few verses in the parable of the 10 virgins.

When the bridegroom arrived, the five foolish virgins weren’t ready. They had no oil in their lamps, which we’ve interpreted to mean that they hadn’t received the gift of the Holy Spirit. They were unprepared, and as a result, they didn’t make it to the wedding. The door was closed.

It’s kind of like the plane in Scenario 1 yesterday. Once the door is shut, it won’t open—no matter how much you beg and plead.

The other passages we read today give us more context on closed doors in Scripture, starting in Genesis with the story of Noah and the ark. It took Noah 100 years to build this ark, and the door was open until it wasn’t.

By faith, Noah and his family entered into the ark. Once they were inside with their families and the animals, God shut the door. Just as the ark had only one door to pass through to escape God’s judgment, we too have only one door to escape God’s judgement. His name is Jesus.

 

Jesus knocks on the door of our heart. Our bridegroom wants to come in, dine with us, and be part of our lives. When we shut Him out, we’re actually shutting ourselves out of eternity with Him. 

There’s a time when the door will be opened, and that time is now. Jesus wants us to let Him in. When we knock on His door and seek to find Him, He joyfully and thankfully opens the door to us. There will come a time when it’ll be too late and when we knock, the door won’t open. 

Let this be a warning to let Him in now so we won’t find ourselves like the foolish virgins who don’t get to come and be part of the wedding. We’ll never know the day or hour, so we must have the door open and ready. 

The door is open to us and the invitation is open to all who say yes. Let’s say yes and walk through the door of salvation, because time is short! 

from Will You Marry Me?

‘“At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’ “All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’ “But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’’ Matthew 25:6-9(NLT)

‘Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. ‘ Hebrews 12:1-3(NLT)

‘As Jesus was leaving the Temple grounds, his disciples pointed out to him the various Temple buildings. But he responded, “Do you see all these buildings? I tell you the truth, they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!” Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world? ” Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.’ Matthew 24:1-8(NLT)

Over and over, we see references in Scripture to the return of Jesus being unexpected. Today, we’ll learn the importance of being prepared for it, even though no one knows the hour He’ll come.

The 10 virgins in the parable we’re studying are awakened by the bridegroom. They all trim their lamps, but the foolish ones don’t have the oil ready. The virgins with no oil try to take the oil from the ones who have it, but the ones with the oil won’t give it up. The foolish virgins were unprepared.

 

There’s a lesson here: You can’t receive the Holy Spirit by asking it of another person. It’s a personal decision. We all have to accept the gift of salvation on our own. We’re not saved because our parents, grandparents, or close friends are saved. 

Let’s take a look at two scenarios to better understand what it means to be ready. Imagine that you’re going on a trip and your flight leaves early in the morning. 

Here’s Scenario 1: 

It’s the night before your early morning flight. You know you should start packing, but you can’t get motivated to start. You stay up way too late watching Netflix and forget to set an alarm. Morning comes and panic sets in. You’ve overslept! 

This is what the unprepared virgins in the parable might’ve felt like. I hate this scenario because I’ve definitely overslept and been late to the airport before. When Jesus comes back for us, He’ll come at a time no one will expect, so we need to have our spiritual lives in order. We don’t want to be caught sleeping and miss the plane! 

Now let’s look at Scenario 2: 

It’s the night before the big trip. Your bags are packed and ready to go. You check in for your flight on your phone. You double-check your alarm and go to bed early. Your clothes and shoes are neatly laid out by your bed and your hair has been washed and blown dry to save a step in the morning. (Girls, I know you get this hair-already-done thing. Good hair is crucial in this plan.) You wake up, make your coffee, get ready, and head to the airport early. 

I think we can all agree that Scenario 2 is a much better way to start a trip! So, how can we be prepared for when Jesus comes for us? 

We need to have the oil in our lamps by asking Jesus to come dwell inside us. That’s how we accept His invitation to marriage. By drinking this cup of acceptance, we can be assured that we belong to Him for all eternity. 

Then, we stay awake spiritually and use the gifts He’s given us to bring Him glory. We shine our light for Jesus in this dark world. 

Jesus wants us to fully run the race He’s marked out for us. He wants us to throw off everything that hinders us, fix our eyes on Him, and watch for the signs that He’s coming. 

Jesus will come back for His bride. That’s a promise. We want Him to find us prepared and pursuing Him. Let’s live betrothed to Him and spiritually awake, fully expecting His return. 

from Will You Marry Me?

‘“Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. “At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’ “All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’ “But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’ “But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’ “But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’ “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.’ Matthew 25:1-13(NLT)

‘“Collect choice spices—12 1 / 2 pounds of pure myrrh, 6 1 / 4 pounds of fragrant cinnamon, 6 1 / 4 pounds of fragrant calamus, and 12 1 / 2 pounds of cassia —as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel. Also get one gallon of olive oil. Like a skilled incense maker, blend these ingredients to make a holy anointing oil. ‘ Exodus 30:23-25(NLT)

‘Then anoint him by pouring the anointing oil over his head. ‘ Exodus 29:7(NLT)

‘The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed.’ Isaiah 61:1(NLT)

Jesus often taught in parables, which are stories with a moral or spiritual truth behind them. Over the next few days, we’re going to talk about the parable of the 10 virgins. It sounds kind of weird, but trust me—after we look into it, you’ll have a new perspective.

In this parable, Jesus is referring to the rapture, the final assumption of Christians into heaven during the end times. This is when Jesus will return as our bridegroom to take His bride, the universal church, out of this world to meet Him in the air. The procession of the Jewish bride we learned about before is a picture of what this event might look like.

The reason Jesus explains that the girls are virgins in this parable is to clarify that they were not yet married. They were most likely in the betrothal period, waiting for their bridegroom to come and get them.

It is NOT saying that you have to be a virgin in the sexual sense for Jesus to approve of you as His bride. It’s also NOT saying that you’re unqualified to be His bride if you’ve sinned, lusted, or fallen short in the sexual category.

This parable has nothing to do with our sexual status; rather, Jesus is using a physical example to explain a deeper spiritual truth. The fact that these girls are virgins mirrors how we’re all spiritually in the “virgin” stage, awaiting a future marriage to Christ. Once He fetches us for our wedding, we’ll become one with Him in our glorified spiritual state and celebrate perfect unity in Christ.

Remember how five of these virgins were considered wise and five were not? Why is that?

In the passage, we learn that the five who were considered wise took extra oil with their lamps. The foolish five didn’t take enough oil for their lamps.

In the rest of today’s reading, we learn the context that oil was used in the Old Testament to anoint or set something apart, to make someone holy, and to consecrate a person or object to God. The oil is symbolic of the Holy Spirit.

 

When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit anoints us with His oil—and like the lamps in this parable, we have an oil that never runs dry. Our lamps (our bodies) are lit up for God. We’re wise, rightfully betrothed to Christ our bridegroom, and ready for His return. 

Here’s the bottom line: The virgins who have no oil are considered foolish and unprepared for His return. As a result, they’re left behind. They represent those here on earth who have not received the Holy Spirit and are not yet betrothed to Christ. 

The virgins who have oil represent the betrothed believers who are bound to Christ in this life. These believers have received the gift of His Holy Spirit and will be ready and considered pure when Jesus comes back for them. 

Let’s not forget our oil! 

from Will You Marry Me?

‘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?

‘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?

‘He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”’ Matthew 26:39(NLT)

‘And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many. ‘ Matthew 26:27-28(NLT)

‘Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ‘ Acts of the Apostles 2:38(NLT)

‘There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice ; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.’ 1 Corinthians 12:4-11(NLT)

‘You have been set apart as holy to the Lord your God, and he has chosen you from all the nations of the earth to be his own special treasure.’ Deuteronomy 14:2(NLT)

Let’s recap. The groom’s father has chosen the bride, Jack and his father have presented the betrothal contract to Diane and her family, and the bride-price negotiations have been made. Now, we’re waiting on the bride-to-be’s response. Will Diane say yes? 

What I love about Jewish culture is that the woman had a choice. This was not customary in other faiths of this time period. 

In the next step of the betrothal process, a cup filled with wine called the “cup of acceptance” would be presented to the bride-to-be. The bridegroom would drink half of the cup, then give it to the woman. If she drank the other half of the wine out of the same cup, that would mean that she accepted the invitation and said yes! 

The groom would then shower her with gifts called the “mattan.” These gifts included jewelry, spices, oils, and even money. Dang, girls! Again, who’s going to help me bring these customs back? I’m counting on you all to spread the word. This is a thing. 

After she says yes, Diane will wear a veil. This is kind of like how we wear an engagement ring today. The veil sets her apart from the other women in her village and lets everyone know that Jack put a ring on it. She’s spoken for. 

Let’s again take a look at the parallels we find in Scripture pertaining to us and Christ. 

When the Bible references drinking the cup, it’s a sign of admission. It’s like saying, “Yes, I accept.” As we saw in today’s reading, Jesus drank the cup. He was all in as our bridegroom. Now, He offers it to us. 

Spiritually, when we drink the cup of accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior, His spirit enters us and we are bound to Him for all eternity. Nothing can snatch us out of His hands. It’s not based on works or anything we do, but on His grace alone. He purchased us with His blood, and all we have to do is say yes. 

On a similar note, when we take communion at church, we’re drinking the cup of acceptance with Him. We remind ourselves of our betrothment to Him, knowing in full faith that the wedding is coming! 

Now, let’s examine the parallels of the gifts or “mattan” we talked about above. 

When we accept Jesus, we receive the ultimate gift of the Holy Spirit, which washes us clean, saves us from our sin, and makes us new. We then have eternal life and are forever connected to Him. His spirit also gives us personal giftings to bring Him glory and spread His love all over the world. 

Finally, just as the woman would wear a veil to show that she was betrothed and “set apart” to be married, when we belong to Christ, we’re set apart for Him. We belong to Him alone. 

This is deep stuff, isn’t it? Tomorrow, we’ll pick back up on the wedding and honeymoon. 

from Will You Marry Me?

‘for the life of the body is in its blood. I have given you the blood on the altar to purify you, making you right with the Lord . It is the blood, given in exchange for a life, that makes purification possible. ‘ Leviticus 17:11(NLT)

‘But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith.
The Law and God’s Promise
Dear brothers and sisters, here’s an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or amend an irrevocable agreement, so it is in this case. ‘ Galatians 3:13-15(NLT)

‘for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.’ 1 Corinthians 6:20(NLT)

‘For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.’ Colossians 1:13-14(NLT)

‘“So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood —over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders. ‘ Acts of the Apostles 20:28(NLT)

‘So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever. Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant. Now when someone leaves a will, it is necessary to prove that the person who made it is dead. The will goes into effect only after the person’s death. While the person who made it is still alive, the will cannot be put into effect. That is why even the first covenant was put into effect with the blood of an animal. ‘ Hebrews 9:11-18(NLT)

Remember our fictional characters, Jack the farmer and Diane the young Jewish girl? We left off yesterday talking about their first few steps in the Jewish wedding process and today, we’ll pick back up with the next step. 

So far, Jack and his father have chosen Diane to be Jack’s bride. They’re now at her house presenting her family with the “ketubah” (or binding marriage contract) and talking numbers. How much is she worth? 

Jack must now pay a “bride-price” or “mohar” for his bride. This sounds kind of weird, but it was actually a way to protect the woman in that day. The husband was obligated to provide for her and take care of her, so he would pay her family for her.

If the bridegroom couldn’t afford her, he would work to earn her for himself. For instance, in Genesis 29, Jacob worked 14 long years for his wife Rachel. (Remember, these were real people!) 

In today’s passages, we can see that just as Jack paid his bride-price for Diane, Jesus also paid a price for us. He didn’t purchase us with money, though; He purchased us with His blood. He died a brutal death for us to free us from the dominion of darkness and rescue us from our sin. 

In God’s holy design, blood atones for sin.

 

The first example we see of this is with Adam and Eve. As a result of their sin, they realized that they were naked physically and emotionally, felt shame, and tried to cover themselves with fig leaves. That didn’t do the trick, because only God can cover our sin and shame. 

God killed an animal and made proper coverings for Adam and Eve with the animal skins. Through this first sacrifice in Genesis, He gave us a physical picture of what was to come. God is always giving us visuals we can understand. 

Later in the Old Testament, God’s people would sacrifice a lamb to cover their sin. As we read in Leviticus today, those who are covered by the blood sacrifice are set free from the consequences of their sin. All the many blood sacrifices in the Old Testament foreshadow the ultimate blood sacrifice made by our bridegroom, Christ. 

When Jesus was starting His earthly ministry, John the Baptist called Him “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” Jesus came to fulfill the Old Covenant, and His mission was to shed His blood in the ultimate sacrifice on the cross to save us from our sin. 

So, how does this all tie in? Our “bride-price” was paid by Jesus’ blood. He paid with the highest cost: His own life. He wants to cover our shame and cleanse us with His Spirit, and He asks us to receive His gift of eternal life. Just as Jack the farmer in our story wants to purchase Diane as his bride, Jesus already paid the price for us. We only have to accept His invitation. 

Jesus gave His life to save ours. If that isn’t true love, I don’t know what is.

from Will You Marry Me?

‘Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. ‘ Ephesians 1:4(NLT)

‘You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. ‘ John 15:16(NLT)

‘“For many are called, but few are chosen.”’ Matthew 22:14(NLT)

‘For I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. I promised you as a pure bride to one husband—Christ. ‘ 2 Corinthians 11:2(NLT)

‘I will make you my wife forever, showing you righteousness and justice, unfailing love and compassion. I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as the Lord .’ Hosea 2:19-20(NLT)

Let’s kick off this study by understanding the customs of a bride in ancient Jewish culture so we can fully appreciate the marriage symbolism in the Bible and see how we fit into the picture today. 

Just for fun, I’m going to invent a fictional couple to walk us through the Jewish wedding process: Jack, a 20-year-old Jewish farmer, and Diane, an 18-year-old Jewish maiden. Ah, to be 18 again. 

Diane the maiden would be expected to marry a Jewish man, and Jack the farmer would probably already be aware that Diane was a prospect. Both sets of parents might have discussed this when they were very young, but now that they’re of age, they’ll be involved in the process, too. 

Let’s say that Jack and Diane run into one another at the village well. (Wells were usually located outside the village and were known as social hubs. They were kind of like a modern-day Starbucks!) Their eyes meet and there’s definitely some chemistry. They make small talk, and it’s all he needs to know that she’s the woman he wants as his bride. 

The first step in the Jewish wedding process was the betrothal, which is similar to our engagement period, but has some crucial differences. For starters, Jack the farmer would hold almost all the responsibility of planning and paying for the wedding. Yes, you heard me right: The man was the wedding planner. Ladies, can I get an amen?! 

The betrothal would begin with the groom’s father choosing a suitable bride for him. Now, Jack could and most likely would have a say (ahem, Diane), but the father did the final choosing. Next, the father and his son Jack would approach the chosen girl’s family and present a marriage contract to them called a “ketubah” outlining promises and provisions Jack would make to her. 

This betrothal process was a binding contract. The couple would actually be legally married once this contract was signed, but they would not consummate the marriage until after the wedding ceremony. 

Both parties would willingly enter into this contract and wait until the day their marriage ceremony arrived. During this betrothal period, the man and woman could not be seen together and wedding preparations would be in the works. 

Ending the betrothal would require a divorce—or worse, death. It wasn’t something the bride or groom could just casually change their minds about. This was a huge decision. 

Read through today’s verses and notice the parallels between these first steps in the betrothal process and our faith walk. Can you see it? God set up the Jewish wedding picture to be an image of our relationship with Him. He chose His son Jesus for us, just as a Jewish father would choose a bride for his son. 

Trust me: it gets better. Over the next few days, we’re going to continue learning about the steps in this intricate process and then apply them to our spiritual walk. 

For now, know this: you were chosen by God. Do you choose Him too? 

Note: To learn more about the Jewish betrothal and wedding process, check out the book “Chosen and Cherished: Becoming the Bride of Christ” by Edna Ellison, Joy Brown, and Kimberly Sowell. It’s a great resource that helped inform this study 

from Will You Marry Me?