ALL Doves:
I'm now feeling the pressure of time because there is so much to share but too little time in the next three months.
This study shows that the Bride of Christ will be presented as a chaste virgin to Christ Jesus at the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, just before the "Seven" year Tribulation.
We should study very closely what the Bible says about Weddings and Marriage, before we are told that we are wed to Christ - a great mystery.
Ephesians 5:25 - "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it;"
Ephesians 5:31 - "For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh."
Ephesians 5:32 - "This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church."
1 Corinthians 15:51 - "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed."
2 Corinthians 11:2 - "For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ."
And we should pay attention to the wedding stories and examples in the Old Testament because they are parallels and similitudes and prophecies of the end time.
Hosea 12:10 - "I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes by the ministry of the prophets."
1 Corinthians 10:11 - "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon which the ends of the world are come."
Romans 15:4 - "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope."
The doctrine of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, and prophecy itself, is given for comfort and hope.
1 Thessalonians 4:18 - "Wherefore comfort one another with these words."
2 Thessalonians 2:17 - "Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work."
1 Corinthians 14:3 - "But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification and exhortation and comfort."
Titus 2:13 - "Looking for that blesse hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior
Jesus Christ;"
Particularly, we should also study parallels about the Feast of Trumpets, the new moon festival, to understand end time theology, because the Feast of Trumpets is also known as the "Wedding of the Messiah." There are at least a dozen "word" pictures that speak to the theme of the Bridegroom.
Colossians 2:16 - "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:"
Colossians 2:17 - "Which are shadows of things to come; but the body is of Christ."
Yes, Christians should be married to Jesus, the one who is raised form the dead:
Romans 7:4 - "Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God."
So let's study the Wedding of the Messiah and Weddings in the Bible, keeping in mind that Colossians 2:17 says that the Feast of Trumpets Wedding of the Mesiah is a "shadow of things to come", a prophecy about the return of the Lord Christ Jesus. Also, according to 2 Corinthians 11:2, the Church and the Bride of Christ shall be presented as a chaste virgin to Christ.
There are 18 topical headings, noted in part 1 of this series of posts. 16 of these contain a major comparison between Old Testament verses and New Testament along the theme of Christ Jesus being wed to the Church. They are not necessarily in exact order. Remember the message of Isaiah 28:10,13.
Summary of the Wedding of the Bride of Christ:
1. The Holy Spirit chooses the bride, and brings people to God through repentance.
O.T.: Genesis 24:2-4,12-21,27; Judges 14:3,4; Deuteronomy 7:6,7.
N.T.: John 16:7,8; Matthew 22:14; John 15:16; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 2:9.
2. A bride price (dowry) is established; Christ gave His Life to purchase and redeem us.
O.T.: Genesis 12:16; Genesis 29:18; Genesis 34:12,26,31; 1 Samuel 18:25; 2 Samuel 3:14; Ruth 4:10.
N.T.: Ephesians 5:25; 1 Corinthians 6:20; Matthew 13:44; Galatians 3:13; 4:5; Revelation 5:9.
3. Consent: the bride agrees and chooses to accept her husband's offer.
O.T.: Genesis 24:8; Genesis 24:58; Deuteronomy 30:19; Joshua 24:15.
N.T.: 1 Peter 1:8; John 20:29; 1 Corinthians 2:9; Matthew 10:14; Mark 6:11; Luke 9:5.
4. Written document, Covenant agreement, written registry.
O.T.: Nehemiah 7:5; Malachi 2:14.
N.T.: Hebrews 12:24; 2 Corinthians 1:20; Mark 10:4; Matthew 5:31; 19:7.
5. Drinking a glass of wine, a toast, a communion, seals the covenant agreement.
O.T.: Genesis 34:6,8,20; 1 Samuel 18:20-25; 1 Samuel 25:36-39; Exodus 25:22.
N.T.: Luke 22:16-20; Matthew 26:28,29; John 2:1-11; 1 Corinthians 10:16; Luke 24:35; Acts 2:42; 20:7.
6. Betrothal [espoused/engaged/promised].
O.T.: Leviticus 19:20; Hosea 2:19.
N.T.: Matthew 1:18; Luke 2:5; Matthew 10:32; 2 Corinthians 11:2.
7. Ritual Cleansing bath; a Mikveh or Baptism.
O.T.: Leviticus 15:18; Ezekiel 16:9.
N.T.: Ephesians 5:25,27; Acts 1:5; 2:38; 8:38-40.
8. Gifts given to the Bride:
O.T.: Genesis 24:22,53; Genesis 34:12.
N.T.: Matthew 7:11; Luke 11:13; 1 Corinthians 2:9; 12:4; 14:1,12.
9. The bridegroom departed, going back to his father's house to prepare the bridal chamber, closet, apartment (many mansions).
O.T.: Joel 2:16; Judges 15:1; Judges 16:9,12; Samuel 13:10,11; 1 Kings 1:15; Song of Solomon 1:4; 3:4.
N.T.: John 14:2,3.
(The chamber of the Temple is also a picture of Heaven, in which God's people are hid).:
1 Kings 20:30; 1 Kings 22:25; 2 Thessalonians 2:4; Matthew 24:26; 1 Chronicles 28:11; Hebrews 9:6,7; Matthew 23:20-22; Hebrews 9:23,24; Psalms 27:5; 31:20; Isaiah 26:19-21.
10. The bride was consecrated, set apart, and kept herself ready for the bridegroom to return, and wore a vail which is like the blood of Jesus covering our sins, the righteousness of the saints.
O.T.: Genesis 24:64-67; Isaiah 1:18.
N.T.: Hebrews 10:20; Revelation 1:5; 1 John 1:7; Matthew 22:11-14; Revelation 7:14; Revelation 19:7,8; Romans 3:22; Philippians 3:9; Romans 10:6; Matthew 25:1-13; Mark 13:34-37.
A veil also covered the Temple, which is the body.
Exodus 26:33; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:45; 1Corinthians 6:19; Romans 12:1.
Christians are set apart from the world, as a bride is set apart, and supposed to be ready and watchful.
John 15:18,19; John 17:14,15; 1 John 2:15; 1 Corinthians 5:8-10; Matthew 25:1-13; Mark 13: 34-37.
11. Bridegroom comes for his Bride on a "day or hour no man knows, but my father only" with a shout, command, last trump, trumpet blast. This is an idiomatic expression that pointed to the 2-day Feast of Trumpets.
Matthew 24:36; Mark 13:32,33; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11; Matthew 25:6; 1 Corinthians 15:52; revelation 4:1.
12. Jesus comes back to take His Bride as a Thief.
O.T.: Judges 21:19-25; Exodus 22:15-17; 1 Samuel 8:11-16; 2 Samuel 5:13.
N.T.: John 10:10; Matthew 24:43; Luke 12:39; 1 Thessalonians 5:2-4; 2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 3:3; Revelation 16:15.
13. Going through the open door into heaven, the wife being taken up by the groom as they cross the threshold of the door into the new house.
John 14:2,3; Revelation 1:4; Ezekiel 46:1; Matthew 25:10; Revelation 3:8,10.
14. The bridal week (a day for a year) in the wedding chamber as the Tribulation week of Daniel 9:27.
O.T.: Genesis 29:22-28; Judges 14:1-18; Joel 2:15,16; Numbers 13:34; Ezekiel 4:6; Daniel 9:24,27.
N.T.: Ephesians 5:29; Revelation 3:10.
The seven year Tribulation:
Daniel 11:31; Daniel 12:11; Revelation 13:4-7; Daniel 7:25; Daniel 7:21; Revelation 11:1-7; Revelation 12:6; Ezekiel 38,39; Ezekiel 39:9; Jeremiah 30:7; Daniel 4:16; Daniel 12:7; Revelation 12:14.
15. Marriage supper / Wedding Feast) when the bride and groom emerge from the bridal chamber at the end of the seven days, and the Lord returns with the Bride at the end of the seven year Tribulation.
O.T.: Esther 1:5,10,11; Joel 2:15,16; Psalm 19:1-6; Isaiah 61:2,10,11; Isaiah 62:5.
N.T.: Luke 12:36; Revelation 19:1,7-9,14; Zechariah 14:5; Jude 1:14; Revelation 21:2; Revelation 21:9-10; Colossians 3:4.
16. The slaughter at the marriage supper.
O.T.: Judges 14:12,19.
N.T.: Revelation 19:17,18.
17. The bridge and groom were seen as king and queen, trumpet blasts herald the reign of a new king, at the Rapture at the trumpet blast, Christ and His people begin to rule in heaven.
O.T.: Daniel 7:9; 1 Kings 1:34,39.
N.T.: Revelation 4:2; 5:3,10,12.
18. The Judgment Seat of Christ (pictured by the Feast of Trumpets), a picture of the wedding of the Messiah and the Rapture.
O.T.: Daniel 7:10; Nehemiah 8:1-5.
N.T.: 2 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:10; 1 Corinthians 3:13-16.
In my next post, I will go into the context of each of these topical headings, looking at the nuances and the skeleton design of this Biblical Theme of the Bride. There is much more than anyone could imagine.
God bless,
Pastor Bob