1. Jewish Wedding Customs Jesus & His Bride - The Church Compared To When a young man saw the girl he wanted to marry, he and his father would approach the girl and her family with a marriage contract (covenant) Heb. 8:8 says Jesus has made a “New Covenant” (contract) with each of us. He desires for each of us to be part of His Bride. The Covenant The Cup If contract was accepted, the Groom would pour wine for the two of them to drink. For the Groom it signified his willing- ness to sacrifice himself in order to have this bride. For the Bride it showed her willingness to enter into this marriage. The Marriage Supper Luke 22:42 says Christ was willing to drink his cup. In Matt. 20:23, He said we would also drink of His cup. Matt. 26:27-28 says “He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink ye all of it’.” We celebrate regularly by observing the Lord’s table. The groom was required to pay the dowry. The idea was to set the price so that this bride would be a costly prize. To marry this chosen girl, he would pay dearly. The Price The Departure When the matter was settled, the groom would make a short speech about going to his father’s place to prepare his bride a place, according to his father’s specifications. He would leave and return to his father’s place. During her waiting period, the bride was referred to as being “set apart,” or “bought with a price.” The Return The exact moment of the return was known only by the father. When the time came, a friend of the groom would go ahead and shout “The bridegroom cometh.” The bride had to be ready, for there was no time for further preparation. The Bridal Chamber After reaching the father’s home, and the ceremony, the couple would enter the bridal chamber for 7 days. The groom’s father would assemble the rest of the guests. (See Judges 14 & Gen. 29) At the end of the week, the couple would make their long awaited presence to the cheers of the crowd. There would be a great feast – A Marriage Supper. The New Home After the marriage supper, the bride and groom would depart from the father’s home to the place the groom had prepared. Jesus paid the ultimate price – His own life. Paul said we have been bought with a price (1 Cor. 7:23; 6:19-20) Jesus told his disciples He was going to His Father’s home to prepare us a place. (John 14:2) As His bride, we have been “set apart,” and we are to act in a way that indicates we have been “spoken for.” We are to remain a chaste and pure bride. No one knows the time of his return (Matt. 24:36). The Lord will return (1 Thess. 4:16-17). He will be returning like a “thief in the night.” (2 Peter 3:10; Rev. 3:3) We will rise to meet him in the air, then go to His Father’s home. Christ and His Bride will be in the bridal chamber for 7 years. The 7 days very much parallels the 7-year Tribulation on earth. This most closely correlates to the Pre-Trib. Rapture position. Guests have been invited to the Feast to show off the beauty of the Bride and Groom. In Rev. 19:7, the Bride is now called “The Wife.” The place Jesus has prepared for us is called the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:9-10). We will forever be with Christ.