REVELATION
SIMPLIFIED
CHAPTER 19.8b
Gleanings from the Book of
Revelation:
A Weekly Verse-by-Verse Bible Study Series
The
REVELATION TO JOHN
Chapter
Nineteen
The Marriage of the Lamb
The Marriage Supper of the Lamb
In
The Beginning
The
sanctity of marriage was established and blessed by God (cf. Genesis 1:28).
After creating Eve as a helpmeet from the rib of Adam, God presented the bride
to him, unified, and consecrated the marriage both physically and spiritually, a man…shall cleave (cling, keep, stay
with) unto his wife, and they shall be
one flesh (cf. Genesis 2:24). Exclusively, Adam’s fidelity was to his mate.
So, the marriage union was initiated to be monogamous and permanent.
Paul
adds some spiritual biblical insights:
1 Corinthians 11:8-9, 11 - For
the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman
for the man…Nevertheless neither
is the man without the woman,
neither the woman without
the man, in the Lord.
Collectively, the Church is one and joined to Christ as Paul
describes:
Romans 12:5 - So we (New
Testament believers-The Church), being many, are one
body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
Ephesians 5:31-32 - For
this cause (reason) shall a man leave his
father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife,
and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great
mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the Church.
Old Testament
Precedent
When God formed a nation unto Himself, the original standard
for marriage was already constituted. Abraham, however, deviated and took it
upon himself to engage in polygamous relationships. His descendants followed
suit, thus allowing polygamy and divorce to become common practices. Hence, laws
were designed and enacted to accommodate and dissuade even further regression.
Commentary
Although there are numerous violations throughout the Old
Testament [e.g., marriage between relatives, etc. (cf. Leviticus 18;
Deuteronomy 24:1-5)], the above details are presented briefly to the reader simply
to show the degeneration of God’s original intent.
The simplest wedding format was when Abraham’s trusted servant
Eliezer (a type of the Holy Spirit), went to his land to fetch a wife
for Isaac. Through God's divine providence, Rebecca was chosen, brought back, and Isaac
brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his
wife, and he loved her (read Genesis 24).
Historic Jewish Wedding Customs
Even
though the word wedding does not
appear in the KJV Old Testament, the single greatest social event and
celebration in the ancient biblical world was the wedding. It is interesting to
observe how the Marriage and Marriage Supper of the Lamb aligns with Jewish
customs. The Jewish wedding tradition in its entirety consisted of three main elements:
1. The
Betrothal Stage
1. The
marriage contract
2. The
mohar (dowry)
3. The
expectations
4. The divorce provision
5. The
Old Testament example
6. The
New Testament example
7. The
foreshadowing of Christ
2. The
Presentation Stage
3. The
Ceremonial Stage
1. The Betrothal
Stage
To
be betrothed in the contemporary vernacular is known as the engagement or
espousal period.
1. The official
contract (ketubbah) of
marriage
Long
before children reached the age of marriageability, a legally binding contract
was arranged between both sets of parents. Marital age was generally twelve to
fourteen. Even after a year of preparation, it was primarily considered a
beneficial alliance between two families.
Upon
ratification of the agreement, the couples were labeled officially married
during the betrothal period, however, each lived in their respective homes.
2. The mohar (dowry or bride money)
A
price or mohar was agreed upon by
both families payable to the girl’s father as compensation for the loss of his
daughter. Payments varied according to the family’s wealth (e.g., gold, silver,
coinage, animals, land, service, slaves). Recall, Jacob laboriously served Laban
initially seven years for Rachael’s hand in marriage (cf. Gen 29:30).
3. The expectations
of the husband and wife
a. The
length of the betrothal period commonly lasted one year.
b. During
the year, the young girl was obligated to prove her purity and faithfulness.
c.
Usually older, the male’s duty, on the other hand, was to prepare a suitable
home for the bride-to-be.
4. The
divorce provision
According to Mosaic Law, if there was
any impropriety such as adultery (cf. Deuteronomy 5:18), strict penalties were
enforced (cf. Marriage violations – Leviticus 30:10; Deuteronomy 22:13-30). On
the question of divorce, Jesus responded to the Pharisees in Judea, “Because of
the hardness of your hearts, “Moses
suffered (permitted) you to put away
(divorce) your wives: but from the beginning, it was not so
(cf. Matthew 19:8).”
5. The
Old Testament example
Jehovah God is married to
Israel (cf. Isaiah 54:5; Jeremiah 3:14). Even though Israel committed spiritual
adultery with pagan deities, God did not divorce Israel. In the future,
however, not willing that she should perish, God’s grace eventually restores
Israel through repentance (see Jeremiah 3:1-4; 31:31-34).
5. The New Testament
example
Joseph
was betrothed to Mary when he discovered she was with child (cf. Matthew 1:18; Luke 2:5). Yet rather than divorce or
stone her, Joseph chose not terminate his betrothal to Mary – He put her away privily (cf. Matthew 1:19).
7. The
foreshadowing of Christ
The twain becoming one
is an archetype of Christ and the Church. When redeemed, the believer is joined
to Christ and regarded as a mystical representation of marriage. Hence, signed
in eternity past, God the Father, in an eternal covenant, promised Christ His
Son a redeemed people and legered their names in the Book of Life.
Hebrews 13:20 - Now
the God of peace, that brought again from the
dead our Lord Jesus, that
great shepherd of the sheep, through
the blood of the everlasting (eternal) covenant.
Presently,
Christ is preparing an abode of many
mansions for His bride (cf. John 14:2-3) in His Father’s house.
2. The Presentation
Stage
During
this period, after one year before the marriage ceremony is initiated,
typically it is a time of festivities. Depending upon the economic status of
the families, the wedding celebration could last as long as a week or more.
The Readiness of the Bride
Significantly,
the bride has prior knowledge of his arrival so she and her maidens would be
ready to leave. Technically, the bride would become part of the husband’s
family.
Rapture Ready
Before
Christ, the Bridegroom, receives His bride, the Church, at the Rapture, she
will be in a state of preparedness ready to receive Him. What a wonderful and
happy day it will be when the Church, along with deceased believers, are
finally caught up with Christ the Bridegroom to Heaven (cf. 1 Thessalonians
4:16-17).
The Acknowledgment of the Bridegroom
The
bridegroom becomes the center of attention, not the bride. Removal of the bride
from her parent’s home was essential to the ceremony. Accompanied by his groomsmen
(cf. Judges 14:11; Matthew 9:15) and along with musicians and/or singers, the elaborately
clothed bridegroom would normally travel to the house of the bride towards
sunset on a Wednesday evening. Incidentally, joyous cries are heard ringing
out, “Behold, the bridegroom cometh!” (cf. Matthew 25:6).
At
this time, the bridegroom would present the bride with a personal wedding gift.
The Torchlight Bridal Procession
After
the bridegroom “took the wife,” all parties involved (both friends of the bride
and bridegroom respectively) would engage in a torchlight promenade past the
onlookers of the town (cf. Song of Solomon 3:11) back to the bridegroom’s house
where a wedding banquet would take place, the premise of the Parable of the Ten Virgins (cf. Matthew 25:1-13).
3. The Ceremonial
Stage
(Verse 9b)
Blessed are
they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.
The
Marriage Feast
Once
at the father’s house, according to customs, the festivities would commence as
the groom presented his lovely bride in all her splendor. Celebration time: A
grand banquet was served and the festivities were laced with excessive joy and
merrymaking. By eventide, the married couple was ushered into the nuptial
chamber by their respective parents.
The Veiled Bride
A
bride would be elegantly adorned and wearing a veil* which is not
removed until after the completion of the union in the wedding tent (cf. 2
Samuel 16:22; Psalm19:4-5; Song of Solomon 1:16-17). This practice also
explains why Laban was able to substitute Leah for Rachel (cf. Genesis
29:21-25).
*A veil in the Song of Solomon is
known as a (nuptial) crown [garland or
wreath (cf. Song of Solomon 3:11)].
The
Wedding Tent
While
the bride’s attendants lie in wait, there was a wedding tent* which
the couple entered during the evening to consummate the union. The marriage was
confirmed after the groom presented a bloodied “virginity cloth” the next
morning to witnesses. It was later returned to the bride for a keepsake.
*Today's
ceremonial (Huppah, Chuppah) canopy
represents the wedding tent or bridal chamber (cf. Joel 2:16).
United in Marriage
On
the morrow, after the marriage was consummated, wedding festivities continued
for seven (even up to fourteen) days. Entertainment, music, singing, dancing,
asking of riddles (cf. Judges 14:10ff.),
and eating large quantities of food were peppered throughout the festival.
The
wine was the main beverage for the festivities [read the Wedding at Cana (cf. John 2:1-11)]. Additionally, recall the
words of Christ during The Last Supper:
Matthew 26:29 - But
I say unto you, I (Jesus) will not drink
henceforth (from now on) of this fruit
of the vine (wine), until that day when
I drink it new with you in my Father's Kingdom (the Millennium).
The Wedding Guests
Certainly, the bride is not a guest, she is the Church and sends out
invitations to several groups. Guests include:
a. Old Testament saints
b. Tribulation saints
c. Messianic Jews
d. Those who inherit Christ’s
Kingdom
The aforementioned comprises Jews and
Gentiles – God’s people.
Commentary
Currently, the bride (the Church) is already the wife of the Lamb. She
is pictured as a chaste virgin waiting for the coming of the Bridegroom (cf. 2
Corinthians 11:2). The Bridegroom will take His bride to His Father’s house and
present her in Heaven. Following will be the wedding reception on earth where
He has prepared a house for her.
Respectively contrasted to the Lord’s Supper (cf. Matthew 26:26-29;
John 6:51-56), the Marriage Supper of the Lamb is a glorious fulfillment
celebration of all who placed their faith in Jesus Christ per se. Unlike the seven to fourteen-day festival, the Lamb’s
celebration will continue throughout the Millennium. Recall, a day is like
1,000 years (cf. Psalm 90:4; 2 Peter 3:8) in the eyes of the Lord.
The final consummation of the marriage is in the new Heaven and earth
when the bride is expanded to include the redeemed of all ages as the new
Jerusalem [the City of God (cf. Psalm
46:4)] becomes the eternal bridal city:
Revelation
21:1-2 - And I (John) saw a new Heaven
and a new earth: for the first Heaven and the first earth were passed
away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the Holy
City, [the] New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of
Heaven, prepared as a bride (the Church) adorned for her Husband (Jesus Christ).
Oh,
what a happy day it will be when the Church, along with deceased believers, is
finally caught up with Christ, the Bridegroom, to Heaven. Next, we anxiously
await the Blessed Hope - The hope laid up for us in Heaven (cf. Colossians 1:5), i.e., the glorious appearing of Christ at His Second
Coming.
(Verse 10)
And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he
said unto me, See thou do it
not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of
Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
Foolishly, John overwhelmed and overly
awed by the communication he received from Almighty God, prostrates himself in
homage to the angelic messenger. However, his act of worship is harshly rebuked
by the angel enforcing Scripture (cf. Colossians 2:18; Matthew 4:10) essentially
saying,
“Do not venerate me, for I am a created being, fellow servant (bondservant, slave), and
brother like you that has the testimony of Jesus Christ. For worship
belongs only to Almighty God alone.”
As stated previously:
Hebrews
1:14 - Are they (angels) not all ministering
spirits, sent forth to minister for them (the redeemed) who shall be [joint] heirs of salvation?
I…have the testimony of Jesus…for the testimony
of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
The design of prophecy is to bear testimony to Jesus Christ.
So, the angel is properly communicating and enforcing revealed truth through
the Holy Spirit.
The spirit of prophecy
At its very core, Bible prophecy throughout both the Old and
New Testament is designed to reveal the beauty and love of the Lord Jesus. Hence,
Jesus is the spirit of prophecy:
1. It bears witness to His Resurrection
2. It bears witness to His Return
3. It bears witness to His Radiance
Salvation
through Jesus Christ is the crimson thread woven throughout Scripture, i.e., the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
During the following study, the glorious return of Jesus Christ is
discussed.
QUESTIONS:
1. What is involved in the betrothal stage?
2. How is marriage defined in Genesis?
3. How do today’s weddings square with ancient customs?
4. Why is the Betrothal Stage
important in the Bible?
5. Describe the Presentation Stage
of marriage.
6. Identify parts of the Wedding
Supper of the Lamb.
7. Why was John rebuked by the angel?
If this study was a blessing to you, make it a blessing
to others.
SAVE AND FORWARD THIS LINK
http://breadoflifeministriesassoc.blogspot.com/
