Bonus
Chapter 6
The Marriage of the Lamb
During the seven years of Judgment to come to the earth, the church (bride) will be in heaven with Jesus. There will be an awards assembly otherwise known as the “Bema Judgment Seat of Christ”. We have all been invited to the Marriage of the Lamb. The Marriage Supper of the Lamb is to follow. It is believed that this Marriage Supper of the Lamb is going to be held on earth after Armageddon while others believe that it will be in heaven before the 2nd coming. No matter when or where it is, one would think that if God were to throw us a party, it will be an awesome spread of food and heavenly drink. The music will be out of this world and His Majesty will be absolutely divine (Jesus).
Revelation 19:7” 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. 8 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. 9 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’”
The Marriage of the Lamb is disclosed to us in various scripture verses and passages. John the Baptist acknowledged Christ as the bridegroom in John 3:29. This was spoken by John the Baptist when the disciples of John and the Jews came to John and questioned him about the followers of Jesus baptizing in the Jordan. This was to bring a jealousy from John, but instead John responded with humbleness knowing He was just a friend of the bridegroom and know that the bridegroom was here.
John 3: 29 “He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.”
One can see in Matthew 25:1-12 that the bridegroom is assumed to be Jesus at his return for His bride (the church). Its context should be looked at seriously and carefully. The ten virgins should be looked at as the bride to be. The church is that bride to be. There are five virgins that keep their lamps filled with oil while the other five fall asleep and do not keep their lamps full of oil. Who are the five that fall asleep? What is the oil representing?
Revelation 3: 14 “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”
In Revelation 3:14-16, the church of Laodicea is warned that they are neither cold nor hot but “lukewarm”. They represent a large portion of the church that has fallen asleep while waiting for the bridegroom to arrive. They are not “hot” for the Lord nor are they “cold” like a non-believer. The oil that the virgins are keeping in their lamps represents the Holy Spirit. Throughout scripture, oil represents the Holy Spirit, especially in the Old Testament where anointing and healings were done with oil. In Christ, one is indwelled with the Holy Spirit and prays to be continuously filled with the Holy Spirit as we encounter trials on this earth. The five virgins in Matthew 25 1-12 have fallen asleep and fail to be filled with the Holy Spirit and will be left behind and not be taken to heaven for the Marriage of the Lamb. They are lukewarm and will be rejected by Christ.
Matthew 25: 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; lest 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.
As the church awaits the Bridegroom to return, she must stay pure and clean to present herself spotless and unwrinkled like a fine garment. Great expressions by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians chapter 5.
Ephesians 5: 27 “That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”
The traditional Jewish marriage was done in a very interesting sequence of events. If one were to compare the events that occur leading up to the wedding feast, you will see reflections of the way Jesus Christ has followed as the Jewish traditional wedding is done. We can also look ahead to prophecies events to see the completion of the traditional Jewish wedding laid out by God to be fulfilled very soon.
· The groom goes to the bride's house and is betrothed to the bride (the faithful on the earth)
· He pays the purchase price (His blood)
· He returns to his father to prepare a place for the bride ("I go to prepare a place for you")
· Later the groom comes for the bride (rapture)
· He takes her to his father's house and gives her gifts where she is adorned and prepared for the wedding (Bema judgment seat of Christ where crowns are awarded)
· The wedding then takes place before the father and the witnesses (in the Father's house in Heaven)
· The groom appears with his bride (Christ’s second coming in glory with his saints)
· Then the wedding feast takes place (on earth with invited guests of the bride and groom)
Earlier, I explained the Marriage of the Lamb that happens before the second coming of Christ on the Feast of Atonement. We know this from Revelation 19:7-9. The Marriage of the Lamb has an open invitation, but some reject it. Some hints are disclosed in a parable spoken by Jesus in Matthew 22. Jesus tells this parable so the Pharisees and other Jews will hear Him. It wasn’t very well received. Notice how Jesus speaks of a king (God) who invites the people (Israel) to the wedding. They took the king lightly and killed the servants (the prophets) whom were sent to invite them to the wedding. The king sent his armies and destroyed (Assyrian and Babylonian captivity, Roman destruction of Jerusalem) that remnant of murderers. He declared them unworthy to attend the wedding and invited the many in the highway (gentiles) to the wedding. The one that shows up at the wedding without a wedding garment (lukewarm Christian) was cast into the outer darkness (hell).
Matthew 22: 1”And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.
7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”
The second coming of the Lord will bring many events and festivities. Jesus Christ, as the King of the World, will be celebrated and worshiped. There will be a Marriage Supper of the Lamb to celebrate the wedding that occurred in Heaven during the seven year 70th Week of Daniel. The Lord will be throwing the party and it should be magnificent. The Jews, as mortals, will be invited to the supper as guests. Jesus made a statement while He was here that He will be returning from a wedding and shows how He will be seeking them that are open to Him.
Luke 12:36 “And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.”