Wedding Symbolism: Christ’s love for the Church: The Grooms Return part 3

Wedding Symbolism: Christ’s love for the Church: Part 3

The Groom’s Return:

by Kim Larsen

The work that the groom was doing in preparation for the bride’s new home was supervised by the groom’s father. It had to be the very best that the groom could do, as anything less was considered to be a shame on his father’s name and family. The groom could not get his bride until the father inspected the new home and gave his approval. The “Eupysin” period was an undetermined time, but at least 1 year.( Mt 24:26)” Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.”

Once the Father has given his approval of the groom’s preparation, he would give permission for the groom to go get his bride. This would be done in a processional of the groom’s and his friends and servants to the home of the bride where she was supposed to be waiting for him and be prepared to go with him. There are four main factors to this event.

1. It would be an unknown time, usually in the evening. Matthew 24:36 “But of that day and hour knows no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” Read also Matthew 25:1-13 the parable of the 10 virgins.
2. It was accompanied by the blowing of the shofar, (ram’s horn trumpet) The groomsmen would run ahead of the groom, sound the trumpet and shout that he was coming !( I Thessalonians 4:16,17 )” For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
3. The bride was supposed to be prepared and expecting the coming of the groom, even though she didn’t know exactly when he would come for her. (James 5:7-8) “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draws nigh.” Also 2 Peter 3:1-9
4. The Bride was carried to the wedding, she would never be allowed to walk.( 1 Thessalonians 4:17)   Once the bride had been retrieved the procession would return to the new home that had been prepared by the groom. At that point, a feast would begin. A time of joy, food, music, dining and celebration. It lasted for 7 days.( Revelation 19:7-9 )”Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.” (Matthew 26:27-29) I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s Kingdom.”

Once understood, the parallels between the ancient Jewish wedding and Scripture with God’s plan of redemption for human kind represented by the marriage of the church, as the bride, and Jesus, the bridegroom, facilitated a deeper understanding of marriage as something more than the union of one man and one woman. It is a covenant or betrothal. The gospel has a deeper meaning with this understanding.

God created marriage and He used the same concept as a blue print of His plan of salvation. Furthermore the authority of the Scriptures is confirmed in that the pattern of redemption in the New Testament mirrors the historical Jewish wedding rituals. Any aberrant redefinition of marriage ultimately destroys the true meaning of this God given institution.

God created non-materialistic elements such as marriage, love, forgiveness, free will, freedom, moral laws and the power of thinking and reasoning to make us fit to survive and have purpose in life. Without knowing the Jewish roots of the Christian faith, Christians may have faith but lack some of the deeper knowledge. In contrast our Jewish friends have some of the knowledge but lack faith in the Messiah. Put these two perspectives together and we will better understand prophetic events that may be fulfilled in this very generation.