The Ancient Jewish Wedding: How it Relates To Jesus & His Bride! Ancient Jewish wedding traditions reveal a detailed picture of Jesus and His Bride. Of course the ladies can relate to the symbolism of the bride better then our faithful brothers can, only because the ladies love romance, weddings and things like that. But, the bride does consist of men and women! In ancient Israel, when a man desired to marry a woman, he would come to her home and present a marriage contract called the “Ketubah” in Hebrew. This contract would include a price that he would pay to her father in order to marry her, this was called the “Mohar” in Hebrew. The brides family was loosing a valuable member of the family as each person had a large part in daily activities in the home. Jesus paid for His bride, the price was His life. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. - 1 Timothy 2:6 This is my body given for you. - Luke 22:20 God paid a high price for you, so dont be enslaved by the world. - 1 Corinthians 7:23 If everything was acceptable to the bride and her father, the groom would pour her a cup of wine. She would drink it, symbolizing the acceptance of the proposal. This would seal the deal and they were legally engaged, but the marriage would not be consummated until later. And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” - Matthew 26:27-28 “This cup is the New Covenant in my blood, which is shed for you.” - Luke 22:20 After she drank the wine symbolizing her acceptance of the marriage proposal, the groom would give her a gift. He gave her a gift because they would not see each other again until the wedding day. The gift was to remember him during that time of separation. This gift was called a “Matan”, and it symbolized his love for her, and his promise to return for her later. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. - John 14:26-27 The bride would then take a Mikveh, or special kind of purifying bath. This purifying bath represented the separation from the old life into the new life. ...For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. - Acts 1:4 While she eagerly waited for the wedding day, she was “consecrated and set apart” as she was promised to him. She also spent her time preparing her wedding dress. “…His Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure.” – Revelation 19: 7-8 During the engagement period, the groom was also busy. It was his job to build a room in his father’s house where he and his bride would live. ...In my Fathers house are many rooms or mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. “ John 13:1-3. The grooms father would determine exactly how the room should be built, and he decided when it was completed to his satisfaction. Only the father could determine when it was ready for the bride. The groom did not know, only his father knew. No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. - Mark 13:32-33. When the groom’s father decided the room was ready, he would tell his son to go and get his bride. The groom would travel to the bride’s house, along with some of his friends who were to be included in the wedding party, the groomsmen. Often, they would arrive in the middle of the night, or at midnight. One of the groomsmen would walk ahead of the groom shouting Behold, the bridegroom comes. He would be carrying a shofar (a type of horn) and as they approached the bride’s house he would blow the shofar and announce the groom was here. It was always a surprise, as the bride never knew ahead of time when he was coming. It was commonly said that the groom would come “as a thief in the night” and this was an exciting time of anticipation, waiting and watching until the night when he finally arrived to take his bride home. She was always ready, watching for him. The groom and the entire wedding party would gather to the wedding tent called the “huppah” and the festivities would begin. The couple would say a blessing over a cup of wine and exchange their vows and consummate the marriage. Then a period of 7 days of food, music, dancing and celebration. “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words. Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” - 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 “Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear. (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints) Then the angel said to me, Write: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb! - Revelation 19:6-9
Posted on: Sat, 13 Sep 2014 23:00:11 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015