Intro

Spring is finally in full bloom in Northern California, and with spring comes wedding season.  The Bible is full of wedding analogies and parables in regards to God’s relationship with man, and in celebration of spring that is the topic we’ll explore in this month’s post.

Scripture and Commentary

Jeremiah 2:1-3

The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem: “This is what the Lord says:” ‘I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the wilderness, through a land not sown.  3 Israel was holy to the Lord, the first fruits of his harvest; all who devoured her were held guilty, and disaster overtook them,’” declares the Lord.

Isaiah 62:4-5

No longer will they call you Deserted or name your land Desolate.  But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the Lord will take delight in you,
and your land will be married.  5 As a young man marries a young woman, so will your Builder marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.

Hosea 1:2

2 When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, “Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her, for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the Lord.

These passages are just a few examples that establish the use of the marriage analogy.  The nation of Israel was the “first fruits” of God’s harvest of the earth, and His initial bride; however, she was not a faithful spouse.  Through idolatry and greed, Israel rebelled against her Husband.

Matthew 22:1-8

Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.  4 “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’5 “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. 6 The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.8 “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

Acts 10:34-35, 39-48

34 Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. 39 “We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, 40 but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41 He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.  Then Peter said, 47 “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” 48 So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

John 10:14-16

14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

Romans 1:16

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

 Here Scripture highlights what is truly the Good News, that salvation is available to all that believe in Christ.  As the parable foretells, the wedding invitations have been sent afield; however, Scripture also reveals that the Bride of Christ has responsibilities she must undertake if she is to be prepared for what’s to come.

1. The Bride should recognize her betrothed, and be faithful

John 10:2-5

2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”

2 Corinthians 11:1-4, 12-15

 I hope you will put up with me in a little foolishness. Yes, please put up with me! 2 I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. 3 But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.12 And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. 13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.

We have a responsibility to recognize the sound doctrine of our Betrothed Shepherd.  This comes through study of Scripture, through prayer, and through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  We must study the Word of God for ourselves.  Of course, I’m not saying that it is wrong to listen to pastors or teachers, but we must be familiar enough with His voice to exercise judgement and discernment.  I regularly hear preachers on television or radio espousing doctrine that directly contradicts Scripture, and the internet is rife with false doctrine.  As Christ’s bride, we must recognize His voice.

2. Wedding attire is mandatory

Matthew 22:11-14

11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless.  13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

Isaiah 64:6

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;
we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

Isaiah 61:10

I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God.  For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels

Revelation 19:6-9

6 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.  7 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.  8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteousness of God’s holy people.)  9 Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”

These Scriptures use remarkable imagery to describe our need for salvation.  Our own “righteous” deeds are just filthy rags.  To attend the wedding, we first need to accept the clean, white, robe of Christ’s righteousness.  Then we can be properly attired and will be allowed to participate in the marriage.

3. The Bride must wait in watchful readiness

Matthew 25: 1-30

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.  2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.  3 They that were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them: 4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.  5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.  6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.  7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.  8 And the foolish said unto the wise, give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.  9 But the wise answered, saying, not so; let there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.  10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.  11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.  12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.  13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

We must maintain an ample supply of the anointing oil of the Holy Spirit via Scripture and prayer, so that our lamps remain at the ready.  And we must keep watch for our Bridegroom, now more than ever!

I look forward to hearing your thoughts, please share.

Be blessed.

K