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
Friday, January 1, 2010
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:'
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.
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.
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