Jewish Wedding

Covenant - It is where we get the very idea of a marriage commitment and why the enemy wants to destroy it - because it is the image of God and symbolizes His commitment to His people.

I have found that without somewhat of an understanding of Jewish culture, we cannot understand many aspects of Scripture. As Believers, we are adopted into that nation and culture. We cannot superimpose an American way of understanding onto Scriptures given to Jewish people. The Jews are God’s chosen people. He’s never changed His mind on that. Our Messiah, Jesus, was Jewish not by religion, but by descent and culture. The major events of His life were centered around the four Spring feasts, and I have no doubt that the events to come will be centered around the three Fall feasts.

In Scripture, the Church is likened to a bride.

2 Corinthians 11:2 NIV

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.

Revelation 19:6-8 NIV

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 righteous acts of God's holy people.)

Whether we realize it or not, the giving of both Old and New Covenants was patterned after the traditional Jewish wedding traditions. There are two parts to the Jewish wedding traditions:  the betrothal (Kiddushin = sanctification or setting-apart) and the wedding ceremony (Huppah). Currently the Bride of Christ is in the betrothal stage and is awaiting the actual wedding ceremony.

Traditionally the Jewish father chose the bride and sent a friend or servant to come to terms with her parents.

Ephesians 1:4 NLT

Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.

1 Peter 1:2 NLT

God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. May God give you more and more grace and peace.

2 Peter 3:8-9 NIV

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. [9] The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

John 6:44 NIV

"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.

A written marriage contract called a ketubah was drawn up complete with promises of support for the bride and expectations for the bride. A bride’s price (mohar) was agreed upon. This was the law that was given to Moses. The bride’s price was paid by Jesus’ death on the cross.

John 3:16 KJV

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NLT

Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, [20] for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

1 Timothy 2:1,3-6 NLT

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. [3] This is good and pleases God our Savior, [4] who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. [5] For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity-the man Christ Jesus. [6] He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.

If the bride agreed to the covenant, the bridegroom would pour a glass of wine and if she drank it, it meant she had accepted his proposal of her own free will.  This is the Lord’s Supper. Total authority was given to the bride to accept or reject the proposal.

1 Corinthians 11:23-26 NLT

For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread [24] and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." [25] In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant between God and his people-an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it." [26] For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord's death until he comes again.

Matthew 26:27-29 TPT

Then taking the cup of wine, he gave thanks to the Father, he entered into covenant with them, saying, “This is my blood. Each of you must drink it in fulfillment of the covenant. [28] For this is the blood that seals the new covenant. It will be poured out for many for the complete forgiveness of sins. [29] The next time we drink this, I will be with you and we will drink it together with a new understanding in the kingdom realm of my Father.”

At this point a groom and bride were considered legally married but did not have sexual relations.  They continued to live separately.  Gifts were given to the bride.  Believers have received the gift of the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12:8-13 TPT - Gifts of the Holy Spirit

[8] For example: The Spirit gives to one the gift of the word of wisdom. To another, the same Spirit gives the gift of the word of revelation knowledge. [9] And to another, the same Spirit gives the gift of faith. And to another, the same Spirit gives gifts of healing. [10] And to another the power to work miracles. And to another the gift of prophecy. And to another the gift to discern what the Spirit is speaking. And to another the gift of speaking different kinds of tongues. And to another the gift of interpretation of tongues. [11] Remember, it is the same Holy Spirit who distributes, activates, and operates these different gifts as he chooses for each believer.

Ephesians 4:11-13 NASB - Jesus Gifts

[11] And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, [12] for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ (KP: It is not in the job description of these offices to DO the ministry, but to EQUIP the CHURCH to do the ministry.); [13] until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

Romans 12:6-8 NLT - Grace Gifts

[6] In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. [7] If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. [8] If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

Prior to the betrothal, the bride and groom commonly performed a ritual immersion symbolic of ritual cleansing.  This is believers’ baptism.

Ephesians 5:25-26 TPT

And to the husbands, you are to demonstrate love for your wives with the same tender devotion that Christ demonstrated to us, his bride. For he died for us, sacrificing himself [26] to make us holy and pure, cleansing us through the showering of the pure water of the Word of God.

The groom promised to prepare a place (bridal chamber) for his bride and to come back and get his bride after the bridal chamber met the father’s approval.

John 14:1-3 NIV

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. [2] 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? [3] 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.

The bride waited for the groom to return. 

This is the “Church Age” that we are now in. It is the time between His ascension until the rapture.

The groom came like a thief in the night preceded by his friends who blew shofars (horns of kosher animals) to announce his coming. 

Matthew 24:31 NLT

And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world-from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 NIV

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. [17] After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. [18] Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Vows and promises were finalized with a ceremony including a shared cup of wine. 

Leviticus 23:9-13 NIV

The LORD said to Moses, [10] "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'When you enter the land I am going to give you and you reap its harvest, bring to the priest a sheaf of the first grain you harvest. [11] He is to wave the sheaf before the LORD so it will be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath. [12] On the day you wave the sheaf, you must sacrifice as a burnt offering to the LORD a lamb a year old without defect, [13] together with its grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with olive oil-a food offering presented to the LORD, a pleasing aroma-and its drink offering of a quarter of a hin (KP: One quart) of wine.

2 Timothy 4:6 NLT

As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near.

The bride and groom entered the bridal chamber and consummated the marriage.  The groom then notified the best man that the wedding had been consummated.  The blood stained sheet was presented indicating the bride’s purity and the blood covenant.  The guests then celebrated seven days after which the marriage supper would begin.

Isaiah 26:19-21 TPT

But your dead will live again! Their bodies will rise from the dead! It’s time to awaken and sing for joy, you dwellers in the dust! As the glistening, radiant dew refreshes the earth, so the Lord will awaken those dwelling among the dead. [20] Go, my people, into your inner chambers and close the doors behind you. Hide for a little while, until his indignation is over. [21] For the Lord is coming out from his heavenly place to punish people for their sins. The earth itself will expose the blood spilled upon it, and the ground will no longer hide its slain.

Chamber - a chamber room; a celebratory bedroom; a closed off, private, personal, intimate setting

Revelation 3:7-11 NKJV

"And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, 'These things says He who is holy, He who is true, "He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens": [8] "I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. [9] Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie-indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. [10] Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. [11] Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.

Lord’s Supper Instructions

*Communion*

Prayer

AUDIO ON COMPUTER:

2 Thessalonians 2:1-8 NLT

Now, dear brothers and sisters, let us clarify some things about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet him. [2] Don't be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don't believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us. [3] Don't be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed-the one who brings destruction. [4] He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God. [5] Don't you remember that I told you about all this when I was with you? [6] And you know what is holding him back, for he can be revealed only when his time comes. [7] For this lawlessness is already at work secretly, and it will remain secret until the one who is holding it back steps out of the way. [8] Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, but the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his coming.

BLOW SHOFAR

“HALLELUJAH!!!!”