Jewish Bride - Step Twelve

The Final Step — The Marriage Supper

Following the seven days in the huppah or bridal chamber the bride and bridegroom joined their guests for a joyous marriage feast with singing, dancing, music and much merriment. Jewish weddings in ancient times were not considered complete until they were consummated. This was the very reason for the couple’s seclusion.


Revelation 19:6-9: "And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, 'Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.' 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.'"

Just like the ancient Jewish wedding, there will be shouts of joy and dancing (yes, dancing) and how exciting it will be. The Bride will dance for joy with her Bridegroom, King Jesus.

We will rule and reign with Him forever. For those of us who look forward to the marriage supper of the Lamb, we must go out to the highways and byways and extend an invitation to others to come.

Revelation 2:17: "And the spirit and the bride say Come! And let him who hears say, Come! And let him who thirsts, Come; and whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely."

Revelation 22:20: "Surely I am coming quickly.' Even so, Come Lord Jesus, Come!"

BEHOLD, HE COMES!

Jewish Bride - Step Eleven

The Huppah

The second half of the ancient Jewish wedding ceremony, or huppah, is also called the “hometaking.” The original meaning of the huppah was “room” or “covering.” Legend has it that the very first Huppah was the wings of the angels as God presented Adam’s wife to him.


The huppah of ancient times was a special room built in the bridegroom’s father’s home. This special room was eventually replaced by the bridal canopy. The huppah [canopy] symbolizes the new home to which the bridegroom would take his bride. The bride and bridegroom were escorted to the bridal chamber where they would be alone for seven days.

Isaiah 26:20-21 tells us of this time: "Come my people, enter our chambers and shut the door behind you, hide yourself as it were, for a little moment until the indignation is past. For behold the Lord comes out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity."

The spiritual parallel to the huppah for the bride of Christ begins as we are lifted up off the earth to be taken to our heavenly wedding chamber where we will spend our bridal week with our Bridegroom/King.

'For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.’ I Thessalonians 4:16-17

Jewish Bride - Step Ten

Return of the Bridegroom

When all was prepared for his bride and the groom’s father had given his approval he would gather his friends they would all go in procession – much like a parade through the village – to the home of the Bride. When they were getting closer someone would sound the Shofar, a horn made from the horn of a ram, and shout that the bridegroom was approaching to announce his coming to his bride. This had a dual effect, people of that village who heard the announcement would also join the throng, whether or not they were invited, to enter into the festivities. Can we say ancient wedding crashers? Just kidding. The Father of the groom would be glad to have all who would enter. In fact families looked forward to the weddings of their villages. These were celebrated in Royal fashion, or as close to that as a family could afford. This announcement by horn and shout would bring the Bride dressed in her finest dress and her new veil covering her face along with her attendants to a place of final preparation to wait for the Bridegroom.


We, as Christ’s Bride will also hear the sound of the Shofar – trumpet - and hear the announcement of His attendants - archangels. ‘For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.’ 1Thesessalonians 4:15-17. And again in I Corinthians 15:51-53; ‘Behold, I shew you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.’


As a thief in the night, our Bridegroom will call us to arise and meet Him in the air. We will hear a shout and the sound of the shofar. It will happen quickly. We must be ready.

Matthew 24:27 says, "For as the lightning comes from the East and flashes to the West, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be."

Jewish Bride - Step Two

Step Two: Price of the Bride

In Bible times Brides were purchased. The price was paid to the father of the bride, both to compensate him for the loss of a worker and to show him how much the bridegroom loved and valued the bride. The groom would have to raise this money during his preparing of their future home. This bride price was usually equal to at least one year of the groom’s wages. It was a high price, for brides were to be highly valued and not easily obtained.

We, as the bride of Christ, have also been purchased with a price. A very high price — the blood of Jesus. His very own blood shed upon a cross on Calvary’s hill was the price He paid for His bride. We are a highly treasured bride, worth far more than rubies. Proverbs 31:10-12, ‘Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.’ For we have been given the righteousness of Christ at our new birth. We stand full of His grace and glory – in fact, when God looks down on us He sees the image of Jesus in our hearts, not the filthy rags that we had owned before.

1 Peter 1:18,19: "Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from our aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."

Ephesians 1:13, 14: In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.


1 Corinthians 7:23 says, "We were bought at a price, so do not become slaves of men."

We belong to Christ. He is our Bridegroom. We are His Bride. We are in this world but we are not of this world.

1 Corinthians 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? For you were bought at a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s."

Jewish Bride - Step One

Selection of the Bride

In ancient Israel, brides were usually chosen by the father of the bridegroom. He would send His most trusted servant to search for a bride for his son. We see this example in Genesis when Abraham sent his trusted servant to find a wife for Isaac. ‘And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell: But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.’ Genesis 24:1-4

We as Christ’s Bride were also chosen.  In John 15:16, 19 Jesus said, ‘You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should remain … If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.’

‘And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.’ Mark 13:20

‘The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:’ Acts 1:1-3

Jewish Bride - Step Three

Betrothal/Ketubah

The ancient Jewish marriage ceremony consisted of two main parts, beginning with the betrothal. The betrothal is much like our engagement today, but with a much greater sense of commitment. During the betrothal the couple is actually entering into a covenant [ or contract. Covenant in Bible times was serious, final, sealed in blood and legally binding. Once a couple entered into the covenant of betrothal, they were legally married in all aspects except for the physical consummation of the marriage. At the betrothal ceremony, a marriage contract, or Ketubah, was presented to the father of the bride. The Ketubah consists of all the bridegroom’s promises to his bride. The bride cherishes her Ketubah. We, too, have a Ketubah from our Bridegroom. Our marriage contract is God’s Word! Our Ketubah (God’s Word) shows us all we are entitled to as the Bride of Christ. All, not some, but all the promises in God’s Word, are for us. As the Bride of Christ, we are entitled to them — they are part of our Marriage Contract.


Jeremiah 31:31-34; 'Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.'

And Jesus presented it in Matthew 26:28, ‘For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.’

Hebrews 8:7-9; ‘For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.’


Hebrews 8:12, 13; ‘For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.’

Hebrews 12:23-25; ‘To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:'

Jewish Bride - Step Four

The Bride's Consent

Although a bride was selected for the bridegroom, she still had a choice. In Genesis 24:57 and 58, Rebekah was asked, concerning Isaac: “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.” She gave her consent — her “I do.”

God is a gentlemen and He never forces anyone to say “I do” to His Son. He would never take anyone against their will. He calls all to Salvation, inviting each one to be of His Bride. In fact the Bible says that ‘… Many are called, but few are chosen.’ Matt 22:14. I did a little research into this verse and I found that it would be better translated ‘…few HAVE chosen’ Few of us have chosen to be wed to our Heavenly Bridegroom. John 3:18-20 says, ‘He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.’ This is why so many have not chosen to join His Bride, His church.

When we say “I do” to Jesus, we must believe with our heart and confess with our lips; Romans 10:9-10.  'That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.'

Have you said your “I do’s” to Jesus?

Yes — I do confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.


Yes — I do believe that Jesus died for my sins.

Yes — I do believe in my heart and confess with my mouth that you,
God, raised Him from the dead and seated Him at Your right hand.

Yes — I do repent of my sins.

Yes — I give You my heart!

Yes — I do receive Your great love and the gift of eternal life.

Yes — I will be your bride forevermore!
I do! I do! Yes, I say Yes to Jesus. Amen.

Jewish Bride - Step Six

Gifts for the Bride

Every bride enjoys gifts! And our God is a giver of every good and perfect gift. The Betrothal included the giving of gifts by the bridegroom to his bride. Many times a bridegroom gave a coin or other object of value to his betrothed bride. It would always be something special that would help her remember him while they were apart. This was because the real focus of the gift giving was to be on the giver and not on the gift.  Today we have the engagement ring. This is a symbol of love and commitment. When the bride-to-be looks at her ring, she is reminded of the one who gave her the gift.

God’s Holy Spirit is our spiritual engagement ring. He doesn't call attention to Himself but to the one who purchased us —Jesus.

Through Jesus, we, the bride, receive many gifts: Forgiveness, eternal life, fruit of the spirit, gifts of the spirit, and many more. What bride would say to her bridegroom who comes bearing gifts, “No, I can’t accept them.” Yet many of us do that to our Bridegroom, Jesus. Don’t miss out — decide today to accept all that your Bridegroom has for you.

‘Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.’ James 1:16-18

1 Corinthians 12:3-5; ‘Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.’


1 Corinthians 12:8-10; ‘For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:’

Galatians 5:22-23; ‘But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.’


Ephesians 5:8-10; ‘For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;’

Jewish Bride - Step Seven

Mikvah

Brides in ancient Israel, as well as brides in Israel today, experience a mikvah prior to her wedding. The word ‘mikvah’ means a pool of living water that was used for ritual purification. This immersion and ceremonial washing in water is part of their physical and spiritual preparation for the wedding ceremony. The mikvah represents a separation from the old life to a new life. Figuratively speaking this was a re-birth into her new life as a wife and mother.

The Bride of Christ also goes to the living waters of the mikvah. When we, as believers in Jesus, are immersed in water baptism, it is a separation from an old life to a new life. Baptism is an outward expression of our new birth in Jesus and the washing, or regeneration, of our spiritual man – our inner most being.

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” II Cor. 5:17


Mark 16:16 reads, “He who believes and is baptized (goes to the mikvah) will be saved; but he who does not believe, will be condemned.”

Acts 2:37-39; ‘Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call.’

Jewish Bride - Step Eight

Departure of the Groom

Once the marriage covenant was sealed, the bridegroom left his bride to go to his
father’s house to prepare a wedding chamber. He would be gone for up to twelve months.

In John 14:2-3, Jesus said “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, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

Perhaps a better translation of the word ‘mansion’ in this verse is ‘room’. For in the time Jesus walked among us it was the custom for the bridegroom to build a home for his new bride as an addition to his father’s house. The son would not know when this addition was ready; his father would make that decision. The Bridegroom was not allowed to skimp on workmanship or materials used, all was to be done to ‘code’ as it were. Typically it was at least a year in the making, but was not considered ready until his father gave him his blessing and released him to fetch his bride. That is why Jesus said in 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’

Our Bridegroom has gone to prepare a wedding chamber for His bride. It is the ‘chamber’ of our heart. When the Father has pronounced it prepared He will return to us. John 14:3; ‘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.

In Matthew 9:15, ‘Jesus said, “Can the friends of the Bridegroom mourn as long as the Bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the Bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.’


While we wait for the return of our Bridegroom/King, we need to stay faithful, watchful and spiritually alert. This is the hour to pray and fast!

1 Peter 4:7 says, "But the end of all things is at hand; therefore, be serious and watchful in your prayers."

Jewish Bride - Step Five

The Cup of the Covenant

After the term of the Ketubah were accepted, a cup of wine was shared to seal the marriage covenant. The second cup of wine would be shared many months later during the marriage ceremony. The cup that Jesus took at His last Passover on earth was the cup of the new marriage covenant with His bride.

In Luke 22:20, Jesus said, “This cup is the New Covenant in my blood, which is shed for you.”

In Matthew 26:29, Jesus said, “I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s Kingdom.” 

In the Matthew passage Jesus is speaking of the second cup that the Bride of Christ will share with Him one glorious day at the second part of our marriage ceremony.

Jesus announced our betrothal and the Bride’s acceptance – through the disciples – when He ate the last Passover with them: Matt 26:27-29 ‘And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.’

According to Jewish betrothals of this time when a man was interested in a woman he announced his intentions by presenting his intended a cup of wine. If she drank the cup dry, including the bitter dregs, she had accepted his proposal and the couple were then betrothed. The disciples of Jesus shared the cup of our betrothal and as directed by Jesus, they drained it dry.  In doing so they announced they were willing to follow Him as His bride no matter what the circumstances were – like our modern wedding vows: ‘for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, till death do us part.’ Only as the Bride of Christ, we don’t have to worry about death separating us from Him, as stated in Romans 8:38-39: ‘For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’

Jewish Bride - Step Nine

The Consecrated Bride

The Jewish bride was set apart, consecrated, separated unto her bridegroom — the one who purchased her. In this consecration she wore a veil over her face and only removed it in the wedding chamber when at last she was alone with her husband.


As Christ’s Bride, we also wear a veil. When Christ comes back to claim His bride He will remove our veil, just like the Jewish Bride’s was removed on her wedding day. Paul tells us this in 1 Cor. 13:12; For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

We as Christ’s bride are also set apart. In the body of believers this is called being sanctified; 1 Corinthians 6:9-12; 'Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.'

Acts 20:32; ‘And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.’


Romans 15:15, 16; ‘Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God, That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.’

1 Corinthians 1:2, 3; ‘Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both their's and our's: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.’
While waiting for his return, the bride has to stay faithful. It was probably easy at first. But when his return was delayed, the temptation would be great. After a while, the bride may even start to question his return.

2 Peter 3:3, 4 reads: ‘Scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, 'Where is the promise of His coming?’

The Heart of a Child

In the heart of a child lie qualities rare

An eagerness to learn yet without despair
Wonderment at the ways of life quite unique
And a willingness to explore all the ground ‘neath their feet
A trusting heart and a ready smile
These too lay within the heart of a child

But once in a while a child’s heart is torn
He is hurt in his soul and his spirit is forlorn
He turns into a skeptic, his heart in pieces, broken
All this is because of the lies Satan has spoken
“God is dead,” he’s been told, “he doesn’t exist
“You’re all alone now,” and there goes his bliss

This in very tale I speak of a child, ‘tis true
But this could very easily be me or you
For each of us is the child of the King
He made us and bought us His praises to sing
But our enemy lies and brings us such doubt
He puts cracks in our armor and drains our faith out

We’ve neglected the upkeep our spirit deserves
Forgotten our prayer time and shelved God’s word
When we came to Jesus, we trusted with such joy
But along the way our ‘childlikeness’ became void
We hastened to ‘grow-up’ and be more mature
But, we did it ‘our way’ not His, that’s for sure

When we act ‘all grown up’ we forget who’s the Boss
We allow Satan to run rampant within all our thoughts
He whispers such innocent sounding things in our ears
But that we actually believe him is the thing that I fear
For Satan is a liar and the father of all lies
By listening to him he steals all of our joy by and by.

But Jesus will forgive our mistakes and our sins
We have to repent and allow His presence back in
He will clean up our heart and restore all our faith
When we’ve repented He floods us again with His grace
He restores our childlike nature and all those qualities rare
He renews our wonderment and removes all despair

Again we come unto Him again with the heart of a child
Our spirits will be trusting and our face filled with smiles
He will open our eyes if we ask Him to see
All the disguises of Satan and the attacks that may be
Jesus will also teach us to stand firm and strong
So that when time is over we’ll be a part of His throng

So hold your childlike nature deep in your heart
And stay close to Jesus, let Him never depart
Let Him sing songs of Heaven by a whisper in your ear
So the attacks of Satan you won’t easily hear
And when you see others of Jesus in despair
Direct them into His arms for a dose of His loving care