GOD’S WORD FOR APRIL 23
GOD’S WORD FOR APRIL 23 ~ ~ Song of Solomon 4:7 ~ ~ “You are all fair, my love,
And there is no spot in you.”
This part of the wedding, (when the bride is carried to the wedding feast) is called the Nisuin “Lifted up” as she is lifted up and carried away to the Wedding Banquet and place prepared… The bride was “taken” in procession to her new husband’s house; ‘…In many coloured robes she is led to the king; behind her the virgins, her companions, follow. With joy and gladness, they are led along as they enter the palace of the king.” – Psalms 45: 13-15.
In the Old Testament – the groom left with an escort, carrying a dome shaped canopy (called a Chuppah) to lift up his bride, and carry her away “lifted up” (final step of preparation) to her new home. And, with the sound of the “trump” (Shofar) he announced his arrival in the middle of the night.
In the New Testament – Yeshua (Jesus) will come to “Rapture” us away, meeting us in the clouds, and carrying us to our new home; “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump.” – I Corinthians 15:52. This sort of wedding procession is still common in the Middle East today. The bride carried under a canopy painted with gold crescents; later the newly married pair would sit under this Chuppah during the festivities and there would be a great feast, which could last several days to a whole week.
When our Groom, Jesus, comes back, what will this world be? Even He asks this question about the time of His return: Luke 18:18 ~ ~ “…..Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”
Groom (Yeshua) appears and finds some believers being born again and longing for His return …BUT sadly some nominal believers who are not! This is symbolic of the return of the groom in the Ancient Galilean wedding when he went to fetch his bride …some bridesmaids were found WITHOUT oil in their lamps and fast asleep …and so they were SHUT OUT from the Wedding Banquet even as the DOORS closed and locked from inside so nobody could get in.
In the same way when Yeshua (Jesus) returns “at midnight hour” for His Bride and when least expected the Bride of Christ MUST be ready always and NOT asleep! Some WILL be “left behind” because they were NOT ready and their lamps not filled with the OIL of the Holy Spirit when the BRIDE (the true Church) is finally “lifted up” and carried to meet her BRIDGEGROOM in the air.
Revelation 19:7
“Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”
Everything on Earth is “a fore-shadow” of what is to come! We are chosen as the Bride of Christ, and we are meant to dwell with Him for Eternity. The Father’s house in the Galilean wedding is the perfect picture of Heaven. The Groom gathers His Bride, brings her to the Father’s house for the “Marriage Supper of the Lamb.” Married forever! Yeshua (Jesus) will marry His Bride at the time of the Rapture.
This is where Jesus will fulfill His promise to drink of the fruit of the vine in His Father’s Kingdom, that he made at the Last Supper with His apostles: Matthew 26:29
“But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”
He enacted His betrothal at the last supper, (where He had His apostles drink the wine, then He did). then He went to endure the wrath of God for the sins of the Bride (both Jewish and Gentile together) which is His main wedding gift to her, and protection for her. Then He went to His Father’s House to get the room ready for the wedding feast, and our home with Him!
HE WILL BE BACK!!!
The people who didn’t make it to the feast knew that the bridegroom would come any night, they were told that he is coming, just not the exact day or hour. They could have been watching. They could have been ready, just as the other 5 bridesmaids could have been ready with their extra oil. So everyone today could be ready.
Being ready is first of all being saved, then living for Him, knowing that all things depend upon Him and Him alone.
Are you ready? Do you have your oil? Are you listening for the Shofar?
The parallels here should give us a new depth into everything our Savior said and did while on earth. His mind was ever on His Bride…………..and still is, as He is even now preparing our home with Him.
It should show us the reality and depth of the promises in His Word for us, as a husband to His bride.
It should increase our faith in our future home and life forever.
But most of all, it should move us to tell others who are perishing about life in Christ Jesus. Many companies will send free tracts. It’s only a matter of putting them down somewhere or handing them out. We don’t even have to have a talent for speaking, just hand out a tract.
Don’t let people miss their eternal marriage!!
Live in the Light of Our Lord 