WHY DOES THIS TEACHING MATTER?

2 Reasons: 1st, it reveals how close Jesus wants to be with us and how close we can be with him. 2nd, it shows that we have a purpose. 

He desires a Close Relationship

What metaphor reveals Jesus’ desire for closeness more than the metaphor of marriage? Earthly marriage is all about closeness and intimacy. Christianity is all about closeness and intimacy with Jesus. 

Our purpose is revealed in walking close with him

In an earthly marriage, the man and the woman are to walk together to accomplish their purpose on Earth. So God called Eve in the first wedding of humans to be a help meet.

“And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” Genesis 2:18 (KJV) 

This phrase ‘help meet’ is not a word that means subordinate. It is a word that means Eve was to help Adam in his assignment of Genesis 1:26 – taking dominion over the earth.

In our spiritual relationship with Jesus as our Bridegroom, we are to help Him in His assignment. His assignment is to bring His kingdom or dominion to the earth just like Adam. Each of us has a role in helping Him. This is a spiritual kingdom that is evidenced in the physical. We are not just idly waiting to go to heaven when we die. As we walk closely with Him, he will reveal this assignment to us.

ARE WE MARRIED TO JESUS?

Yes, we are married to Jesus by the Hebrew definition, not by the Western civilization definition.

Theologically, all believers on earth are betrothed to Jesus. In Hebrew tradition, an engaged or betrothed (as the Bible calls it) couple were legally married. They would have to get a legal divorce if they broke their engagement. They were married. They just hadn’t consummated the marriage physically yet. But spiritually and in their soul they were married. The engagement was a time to get ready and prepare themselves as bride and bridegroom to live together. 

For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin. 2 Corinthians 11:2 (NASB) 

In Western civilization, you are not legally married until the physical consummation after the wedding ceremony. This is not the way in a Hebrew wedding or in the Christian life. You are legally betrothed (married) at salvation, even though the physical seeing of your bridegroom Jesus is in the future. 

“Have you ever stopped to realize that a true believer is married to God? He says, “I will make you my wife forever” Hosea 2:19 NKJV 

He wants us to be his eternal companion – his wife forever.

Marriage has always been a part of God’s Plan

The Bible starts with a wedding between Adam and Eve (Genesis 2:21). It ends with a wedding between Jesus and his bride – the church (Revelation 19:7).

Understanding the marriage metaphor gives us our identity. The Bible uses other metaphors for us like soldiers, farmers, and living stones. But the marriage metaphor will stay with us forever as Jesus’ bride. I know this may seem strange to a man, but it is not about gender as in earthly marriages. It is about how close He wants to be with us.

“Your Maker is your husband” Isaiah 54:5 NKJV

WE ARE MADE IN HIS IMAGE FOR A REASON

God created man in His image for a reason. I can imagine a council meeting in the Godhead, and this is what the Trinity decided: 

And God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth” Genesis 1:26

Did you know that God could have made man in the image of the angels or some animal, but He did something altogether different? He made man in His own image and resemblance, according to the Scripture. 

God wanted Adam to have a mate who could relate to him, look like him, and have fellowship with him on his level. 

God wanted someone for Adam who would love him as he loved, and not obey him because she had to, but to obey out of her love relationship with him. 

God also wanted a ruling counterpart, a bride, who could rule with him over God’s creation and love him as he loved. 

JESUS IS TO THE CHURCH (BRIDE) AS ADAM WAS TO EVE

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her  to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,  and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. Ephesians 5:25-27 (NIV 1984) 

Before time as we know it, God set out to make a Bride for Himself. The Bride of Christ is selected, equipped, adorned, and prepared for this role, which has an amazing future.

Man Was Alone. God was ‘Alone’.

God had given Adam the ability to commune with nature and animals, yet Adam still was not secure and complete. 

He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals. But still there was no helper just right for him. So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the LORD God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the opening. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man. “At last!” the man exclaimed. “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man. Genesis 2:20-23 (NLT) 

I believe God waited to create Eve, for Adam to realize his need for more than communion with God and nature. 

Today, we must see our need for intimacy with God. Jesus is not alone, like we are. It is not necessary. But it is a want. He wanted a companion, like Adam wanted a companion.

Eve Was Fashioned From Adam’s Side. We were Fashioned From His Side.

One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out. John 19:34 (NLT) 

God created a bride for the first Adam from a rib taken from Adam’s body. Jesus had a spear go between His ribs into His side as the last pain on the Cross. I believe this was symbolic of us as His bride being taken from His side. The Bible says that blood and water flowed out when the spear entered His body. Medical professionals say this means that the spear went into his heart which is behind the rib cage. Adam got a help meet from Eve. Jesus gets a help meet from us.

JESUS INVITES US INTO A DEEPER RELATIONSHIP THAN JUST SALVATION

Christians are betrothed to Jesus. But He invites us into a deeper relationship with Him. He invites us into intimacy, purpose and purity with Him. This is called being prepared as a Bride. It is important to understand that not everyone moves into this deeper relationship. Sometimes, people are satisfied with being saved.

“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne. “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.” Revelation 3:20-22 (NLT) 

Notice in this passage that Jesus is standing at the door of the Laodicean church and is asking to come in and share a meal with him? This meal is more than eating. Eating together in Eastern culture symbolizes fellowship. The ones who are a part of the Bride of Christ are the ones who will live not only ultimately with Him forever, but who live intimately with Him now.  When we do this, we are living out being His bride.

THE MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB

The Bible starts with a wedding between Adam and Eve and ends with a wedding in Revelation between Jesus and His bride – the church. There will be an actual wedding and dinner. I believe it will be the greatest event that has ever been. Imagine the culmination of this phenomenal event. Christ will take unto Himself His Bride, whom He has purchased, ransomed, and prepared for this time. This is the party you want to be invited to.

Matt. 22:1-2 (NIV) Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.” 

As strange as this story is, the strangest part is the second verse where it says, “the kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.” 

What does this mean? In Christianity today, there is almost no talk about it being like a wedding. Yet, if Christianity is about the Kingdom of God, then we need to understand the truths behind these verses. 

To this John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.’  The bride belongs to the bride-groom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. John 3:27-29 (NIV)

John the Baptist said that he was preparing a way for the Lord–the Messiah. But look what he calls the Messiah in John 3:29–a bridegroom! 

The parable that we read in Matthew 22 is an analogy to God the Father preparing a wedding banquet and bride for His son Jesus. Jesus clearly has a bride. Revelation 21:9 repeats this: “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” If Jesus is married, who is He married to? 

I propose that he is married to all believers, but not all believers have used the ‘year’ of preparation (Jesus gone to prepare a house for us) to get prepared. We are in this ‘year’ of preparation now. This preparation has been going on for every believer since Jesus’ resurrection. We can have salvation, but not have a deep relationship with Him. 

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb is an end time event we get invited to by how we live with Him during our lifetime. Not all Christians will receive an invitation to this grand event and the ultimate fulfillment of our relationship with Jesus.

“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. Revelation 3:20 (NLT)

He is asking his church of Christians if he can come in for a meal with them. 

“But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. Matthew 25:10 (NLT) 

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 God’s holy people.) 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.” Revelation 19:6-9 (NIV) 

The invitation is now to start developing intimacy with Him and get ourselves prepared. Do you say yes?

“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.” (Rev. 19:7)

Christians who have been weak in their faith, perhaps going to church occasionally, but living life with the same worldly standards as nonbelievers, will find themselves cut off from a deep relationship with God. Not that God does not love them, but they have hardened their hearts toward Him by repeatedly rejecting Him and His ways. 

We make ourselves ready with the help of Holy Spirit. This is one of His primary jobs, to get us ready to consummate the marriage with Jesus. A working definition of the Bride is one that includes all Christians who have readied themselves under the guidance of Holy Spirit. 

WHEN DOES JESUS COME BACK?

I don’t know. No one knows but the Father. But one of the trigger events is that the Bride has made herself ready. We help usher in His coming back by seeking Him with all of our heart. There is a generation coming that is going to fulfill this. 

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let those who hear this say, “Come!” Let those who are thirsty come! Let those who want the water of life take it as a gift. Revelation 22:17 (GW) 

And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” Revelation 21:2-4 (NASB)

HEBREW WEDDING PRACTICES THAT PARALLEL GOD GETTING A BRIDE FOR JESUS

The Father picks the Bride

I believe Father’s primary job with humanity is to get a Bride for His Son. The Bible does not directly say that God the Father gets a bride for His Son, but it presents this concept through typology and parables. Especially in the story where Abraham (seen as a type of the Father) seeks a bride for Isaac (a type of the Son) in Genesis 24. Many believe symbolically this points to God the Father preparing a bride (the Church) for Jesus, His Son.

Bridegroom and Father would go to Bride’s house and knock to come in. 

In the days of Jesus, a bridegroom and his father would come to the door of the bride-to-be carrying the betrothal cup of wine and the bride-price.

Standing outside, they would knock. If she fully opened the door, she was saying, “Yes, I will be your bride.” 

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:20 (NIV 1984) 

The Aramaic can be translated, “I have been standing at the door, knocking.” Jesus knocking on the door points us to the process of an ancient Jewish wedding invitation.

Jesus and his Father, in the same way, are knocking on the doors of our hearts, inviting us to be the bride of Christ.

The price for the Bride was negotiated and paid up front. 

The price for you was his death. You were worth dying for. He has already paid this price with his death 2000 years ago.

There was a downpayment gift that promised that the Bridegroom would come back for the Bride

The downpayment for us was the Holy Spirit. It was a promise that He is coming back.

The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him. Ephesians 1:14 (NLT)

The arrangement for the Bride was sealed with wine.

I think that part of the Last Supper with Jesus was sealing His payment (death) with taking wine together.

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” Matthew 26:26-28 (NIV) 

Then the father and bridegroom left – up to a year – to prepare a home for the bride to bring her back to.

Traditionally, the bridegroom (son) built a place attached to the father’s house. Jesus left to prepare a place for us.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God[a]; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that 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. You know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” John 14:1-5 (NIV)  

When ready for the Bride, the Bridegroom would return and announce his arrival to the Bride.

She had her own preparation and had to be ready at any time for his voice to come back. This is one reason for the 10 Virgin Parables. It is a parable to tell us to work with Holy Spirit (oil) and get ready for the voice of the Bridegroom.

“At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’ Matthew 25:6 (NLT)

CLOSING

Understanding the metaphor of our being married to Jesus is an exciting truth. It gives us purpose, meaning, and identity. When we understand we are married to Jesus as His partner, we change how we see the world and ourselves. Tell Jesus who is knocking at your door to come in and have dinner together.