The Lamb’s wedding series – part 2

The Wedding Feast, The Huppah, The Tribulation
In traditional Jewish marriage ceremony the marriage was consummated and the husband made the announcement to the wedding guests. This announcement would signal the beginning of the wedding feast.

Just as the Jewish bride remained hidden in the “huppah” for a period of seven days, so will the Church remain hidden for a period of seven. Both Daniel, in the Old Testament, and Revelation, in the New Testament, give the exact amount of time for this period.  To read more click on Christ the Bridegroom – a study

Longest Engagement

In Jewish as well as other oriental cultures, the betrothal is binding to both the groom and the bride. (Matthew 1.18-19) In the eyes of the world they are man and wife though they will consummate their marriage only after the actual marriage ceremony.

The period between the betrothal and the wedding is not spent idling. Both the bride and the groom are busy in preparation for their life together. The groom prepares to build a house to bring his young bride and that takes time and effort. The bride is equally busy spinning her wedding gown as well as her trousseau. She learns various housekeeping skills to equip herself to become an excellent wife. In short, the interlude between the betrothal and the wedding is the preparation time.

Remember Jesus words in John 14.2? “I am going there (my father’s place) to prepare a place for you”. Jesus is the Heavenly Royal Groom and promised to prepare a place for His Bride. It seems like a very long time but the Bible tells us it is His patience and Love for us that makes Him tarry this long. 2 Peter 3.9

Paul says, ‘I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.’ (2 Cor 11.2)  Let us make use of this longest engagement ever, to prepare well ourselves to be the Bride worthy of her Bridegroom.