The Bride of Christ
“The marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his Bride has made herself ready.”
Revelation 19:7 ESV
Briarwood women’s logo designed by Holly Hollon
Two weeks ago I wrote an article entitled Beloved and Betrothed. That post was an excerpt from a breakout session I taught last weekend at Briarwood’s women’s retreat. Our conference theme was By Design: The Church as the Bride of Christ. All of today’s photos were items that were featured during Friday night’s By Design’s Bridal Expo.
All weddings begin with an engagement, but customs and traditions have changed significantly over time. In ancient Israel, there was no dating or courtship prior to a couple’s betrothal. A young man interested in pursuing a woman would first go to his own father to discuss a bride price to be paid by the groom. The father and son would then present a contract to the potential bride’s father. If the bride’s father agreed to the terms, the men would sign the contract. From that moment on, the couple was considered married even though the wedding hadn’t yet occurred. Breaking the contract required obtaining a divorce.
By Design magazine created by Rebecca Galbreath; wedding cakes by Christian Terrell of Pen & Pastry
Betrothal periods typically lasted a year. The groom returned to his father’s house and began preparing a place or new home for his future bride. The groom’s father was the final judge who decided when the preparations were complete. During this period, if anyone asked, “When’s the big day?” the groom would answer, “Only my father knows” (Matthew 24:36).
During this period of preparation, the bride waited. She prepared her wedding garments, selected bridesmaids, and wore a veil outside her home so others would know she was spoken for. Because no one knew the day or hour for the groom’s return, the bride needed to be prepared at all times.
With his father’s approval, the groom was now free to go and get his bride. Groomsmen preceded the groom by blowing horns and announcing, “The bridegroom cometh!” Now it was time for the covenant marriage ceremony and the wedding feast celebration.
Sketch, calligraphy, and Briarwood Women logo designed by artist Holly Hollon
Understanding ancient Jewish betrothal and wedding traditions helps us gain a deeper understanding of Jesus’ teaching. Just before he went to the cross, Jesus told his disciples:
“In my Father’s house are many rooms…I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:2-3)
It also helps us understand Jesus’ words found in Matthew 25. In the parable of the ten virgins, there are five wise ones who are prepared for the groom’s coming and five foolish ones who aren’t. All ten women go out with lamps to meet the bridegroom, but only the wise women also take their flasks of oil. The bridegroom’s arrival is delayed and all the women become drowsy and sleep. When the bridegroom’s arrival is announced and the wedding invitation is issued, only the wise virgins who are ready are allowed into the marriage feast. The foolish unprepared virgins are denied entrance and turned away. “I do not know you,” the bridegroom says.
None of us know the day and hour of Christ’s promised return, but all of us are to keep watch and be ready. Read the parable and you can’t miss that on the day Christ returns to take his Bride home it will not matter what we say to him. It only matters what he says to us. We will either hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant!’ or “I do not know you.”
Wedding cake by Christian Terrell, Pen & Pastry
The question for each of us is, “Am I ready for Christ’s return?”
In his letter to the Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul writes to encourage them amid intense suffering and persecution. He reminds them of the hope of the resurrection and the Lord’s return with these words:
“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left well be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so we will always be with the Lord.”
1 Thessalonians 4:15-17
The Apostle John describes Christ’s great marriage feast writing:
“Let us rejoice and exult and give him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready…I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” (Revelation 19:7,9)
What a day of rejoicing that will be! Our hearts and our prayers should echo that of the Apostle John: “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:17)