The Bride of Christ and the Jewish Bride.
The Marriage of the Bride of Christ
We should study very closely what the Bible says about Weddings and Marriage, because we are told that we are wed to Christ – a great mystery.
Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Eph 5:31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
Eph 5:32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Just as the rapture is a mystery:
1Cor 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
This study shows that the Bride of Christ will be presented as a chaste virgin to Christ at the pre tribulation rapture, before the seven year tribulation. .
2Cor 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
And we should pay attention to the wedding stories and examples in the Old Testament because they are parallels and similitudes and prophesies of the end time.
Hosea 12:10 I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.
1Cor 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
The doctrine of the pre tribulation rapture, and prophesy itself, is given for comfort and hope.
1 Thessalonians 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
2 Thessalonians 2:17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.
1 Cor 14:3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Particularly, we should also study parallels about the Feast of Trumpets, the new moon festival, to understand end time theology, because the Feast of Trumpets is also known as the Wedding of the Messiah.
[Col 2:16] Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
[Col 2:17] Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
Yes, Christians should be married to Jesus, the one who is raised from the dead:
Romans 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
So, let’s study the Wedding of the Messiah, and Weddings in the Bible, keeping in mind that Col 2:17 says that the Feast of Trumpets Wedding of the Messiah is a "shadow of things to come", a prophesy about the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Also, according to 2 Cor 11:2, the Church and Bride of Christ shall be presented as a chaste virgin to Christ.
There are 18 topical headings, 16 of which contain a major comparison between Old Testament verses and New Testament verses along the theme of Christ being wed to the Church. They are not necessarily in exact order.
(1) The Bride is chosen.
Abraham sends his servant to choose a bride for Isaac:
Genesis 24
2 And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:
3 And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:
4 But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.
(really it was the Lord that chose, as Abraham's servant prays to God:)
Genesis 24:12-21
14 And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.
...
27 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master's brethren.
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"It was of the LORD" that sent Samson to marry a Philistine woman:
Judges 14: 3 Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.
4 But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.
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God "chose" his people in the Old Testament
Deuteronomy 7:6 For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.
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God sends the Holy Spirit to choose us through conviction of sin, which causes us to acknowledge our need of a savior:
John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
John 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
God's people are chosen:
Matthew 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
2 Thessalonians 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;
(2) A bride price (dowry) is established:
The purpose of the bride price is to compensate the family for raising the woman and losing the productive labor of the grown woman. In other words, she is purchased, bought, paid for, and is now owned by the husband.
Kings sent gifts to Abram for Sarah, because they were told she was his sister (she was his half sister); he was also his wife.
Genesis 12:16 And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels.
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Jacob works for Laban, Rachel's father, as the bride price for Rachel.
Genesis 29:18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.
Jacob then serves a second seven years, because he was not given Rachel. This is the first period of trouble in Jacob's life, that lasts seven years. The second comes in his old age, when the seven years of famine force his family to move to Egypt where Joseph had been sold into slavery. The "time of Jacob's trouble" is a period of 7 years, and means tribulation.
Jeremiah 30:7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.
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The story of Hamor and Shechem and Dinah is a very interesting one. Not only does it speak strongly of the bride price, but there are other comparisons as well. The sons of Jacob force the circumcision on everyone, and go out to kill them, just as the Jews killed Christ and the early Christians, and the legalizers tried to force the circumcision on the Christians in the New Testament. Sechem, like Christ, ends up being killed for his beloved, Dinah.
Genesis 34:12 Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give according as ye shall say unto me: but give me the damsel to wife.
Genesis 34:26 "And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son ..."
Genesis 34:31 And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot?
Finally, the sons of Jacob said Dinah was made into a harlot, to excuse their actions. There is a very interesting parallel with this... Jesus preached:
Matthew 21:31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
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David, did not have money to give as a Dowry to Saul, so King Saul asked for something else...
1 Samuel 18:25 And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.
2 Samuel 3:14 And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth Saul's son, saying, Deliver me my wife Michal, which I espoused to me for an hundred foreskins of the Philistines.
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The book of Ruth is a beautiful love story; of how Boaz is a kinsman redeemer (as Jesus is our redeemer) of Naiomi and Ruth's inheritance which had been sold. He buys back their land, and Ruth.
Ruth 4:10 Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.
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Other Bride Price Examples:
1 Samuel 17:25 And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel.
Joshua 15
16 And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.
17 And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.
Hosea 3
1 Then said the LORD unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine.
2 So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley:
3 And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee.
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These examples show that the dowry or bride price is, indeed, a practice of God's people, and is found throughout the Bible: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David & Saul, Ruth, Caleb, Hosea...
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Christ gave his life for his Bride to purchase and redeem and buy us.:
Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
1 Peter 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
1Cor 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Matthew 13:44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written,
Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
Galatians 4:5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Revelation 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
(3) Consent:
Consent was important to Abraham, concerning getting a wife for Isaac.
Genesis 24:8 And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again.
Rebecca gave her consent to be the bride and go with Elizer, having not seen her husband Isaac.
Genesis 24:58 And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.
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The people of Israel made a verbal acknowledgement to agree and consent to the law.
Exodus 24:3 And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do.
This is a choice, to be made continually.
Deuteronomy 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
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Christians, likewise, give consent, and agree to love Jesus to become his wife.
And likewise as Rebekah did not see her future husband Isaac as she was agreeing to be his wife, well over 99.99% of Christians consent without having seen the groom, and agree to be his bride.
1Peter 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
John 20:29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
1Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
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But, we actually give a verbal sign when we consent and agree to become the Bride of Christ. Everyone who hears the gospel, the invitation, (if they are appropriately moved to repentance and belief by the Holy Spirit) has the option to confess or deny Christ.
Matthew 10
32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
Romans 10
6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)
7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
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Consent is an important part of the preaching ministry, if people are not willing to listen, we are told to move on, and we are not responsible any longer, as Abraham said, Gen 24:8 "And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath".
Matthew 10:14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
Mark 6:11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
Luke 9:5 And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them.
(4) Written document, A covenant:
The written contract states the bride price, the promises of the groom, and the rights of the bride, and for record keeping. For every bride and groom, there was a written record made of the marriage, and registered with the priests. In this way, they were able to trace the lineage of the Lord Jesus Christ through both the male and female sides of his family.
Nehemiah 7:5 And my God put into mine heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy. And I found a register of the genealogy of them which came up at the first, and found written therein,
Mal 2:14 Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.
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A divorce required a document in writing as well:
Mark 10:4 And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.
Matthew 5:31 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
Matthew 19:7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her
away?
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Our "new covenant" filled with promises is the written Word of God, the Bible, also called the "New Testament".
Hebrews 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things that that of Abel.
2 Corinthians 1:20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
(5) Drinking a glass of wine; a toast, and communion, seals the covenant.
The story of Hamor, mentioned earlier, mentions three times how they communed to establish the agreement of the bride price. They also communed with the men of their city to get them to agree to the terms of the marriage agreement.
Genesis 34:6 And Hamor the father of Shechem went out unto Jacob to commune with him.
Genesis 34:8 And Hamor communed with them, saying, The soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter: I pray you give her him to wife.
Genesis 34:20 And Hamor and Shechem his son came unto the gate of their city, and communed with the men of their city, saying,
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David had a "communion" with the servants of King Saul, prior to marrying his daughter. At this communion, the bride price of 100 foreskins was established.
1 Samuel 18
20 And Michal Saul's daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.
21 And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law in the one of the twain.
22 And Saul commanded his servants, saying, Commune with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his servants love thee: now therefore be the king's son in law.
23 And Saul's servants spake those words in the ears of David. And David said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a king's son in law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?
24 And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spake David.
25 And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.
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David also communed with Abagail before taking her as his wife.
1 Samuel 25
36 And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light.
37 But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone.
38 And it came to pass about ten days after, that the LORD smote Nabal, that he died.
39 And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the LORD, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept his servant from evil: for the LORD hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife.
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The word for communion is the Hebrew dabar, which means to speak, promise, say, talk, tell, commune, pronounce, utter, command.
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Exodus 25:22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.
In Old Testament times, God would "commune" with the people through the ark of the covenant and the temple. In New Testament times, our bodies are the temple, and God "communes" with us directly. (See below, regarding the vail, and in Hebrews.)
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Luke 22:
16 For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
17 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:
18 For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.
19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
Mat 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Mat 26:29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.
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1 Corinthians 10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
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Luke 24:35 And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.
Acts 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Acts 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their
meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
Acts 20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them,
ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
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Genesis 14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
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Today, it is common at weddings to make many toasts with drinking of wine to signify agreement.
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Jesus turned water to wine at a wedding as his first miracle.
1 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:
2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.
3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.
4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.
5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.
6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.
7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.
8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.
9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,
10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.
11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.
The interesting thing about this wedding feast is that it took place on the third day.
[Hos 6:2] After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.
(6) Betrothal [espoused/engaged/promised]
The marriage is legally binding, but the bride and groom do not live together yet. I believe this is, legally, like the beginning moment of salvation (when we say "I DO"). Today in the U.S., we call the betrothal period the engagement period, when a couple is engaged or promised to one another; and the "I do's" are spoken at the ceremony after the engagement.
Leviticus 19:20 And whosoever lieth carnally with a woman, that is a bondmaid, betrothed to an husband, and not at all redeemed, nor freedom given her; she shall be scourged; they shall not be put to death, because she was not free.
Hosea 2:19 And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.
20 I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD.
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Matthew 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
Luke 2:5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
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Confessing Christ is like saying "I DO", and Chrsit says it also, when we say it:
Mat 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
Romans 10
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
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2Cor 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
(7) Ritual Cleansing bath / Baptism
Such a bath is called a mikvah, and consists of 5760 egg volumes of water.
Mikveh is the same word used for baptism.
To this day in conservative Judaism a bride cannot marry without a Mikveh.
Leviticus 15:18 The woman also with whom man shall lie with seed of copulation, they shall both bathe [07364 rachats] themselves in water, and be unclean until the even.
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This passage in Ezekiel describes several parts of the wedding: the covenant, the baptism, the "fine linen", the ornate clothing of royalty, the crown, and the presentation of the bride to the nations.
Ezekiel 16
8 Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy
nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine.
9 Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil.
10 I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers' skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk.
11 I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck.
12 And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head.
13 Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey,
and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom.
14 And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord GOD.
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Acts 1:5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
We are cleansed by reading the Word of God, the Bible, by Jesus, who is the Word. John 1:1.
Ephesians 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
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.
There is a rapture after a baptism in Acts:8:
38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away* Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
40 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.
*[caught away = harpazo--the same word used in 1 Thess 4 for "caught up" or rapture]
(8) Gifts given to the Bride:
These gifts are presents for the bride, different from the bride price which is for the family.
Today in the U.S., this would be like the engagement ring, or wedding ring.
Eliser gives gifts of gold to Rebekah at the well.
Genesis 24:22 And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold;
Eliser gives more gifts later to her family, which are the dowry.
Genesis 24:53 And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things.
Gifts are given in addition to the dowry. They are mentioned as two things in the story of Haman and Dinah.
Genesis 34:12 Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give according as ye shall say unto me: but give me the damsel to wife.
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Gifts also given by God to the people in Old Testament times:
Numbers 18:6 And I, behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are given as a gift for the LORD, to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.
And Gifts given to the people at Esther's wedding:
Esther 2:18 Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.
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The Gifts to the bride of Christ are the spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit.
John 14:
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Matthew 7:11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
Luke 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
Acts 8:20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be
purchased with money.
Romans 5:
15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.
17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
1 Corinthians 7:7 For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.
1 Corinthians 12:4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
1 Corinthians 14:1 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
1 Corinthians 14:12 Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.
2 Corinthians 1
21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;
22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Ephesians 4
7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with
whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
(9) The bridegroom departed, going back to his father's house to prepare the bridal chamber, or closet. [02315] cheder (bedroom) or 02646 chuppah (closet)
Joel mentions this bridal chamber in the context that everyone should fast in repentance before the Day of the Lord. Even people who would otherwise be feasting, such as a bride and groom. During the 30 days leading up to the Feast of Trumpets is a time for such fasting. During the Feast of Trumpets, it is a time for feasting again.
Joel 2:16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.
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Psalm 19:5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber [chuppah], and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.
02646 chuppah {khoop-paw'}
from 02645; TWOT - 710b; n f
AV - chamber 1, closet 1, defence 1; 3
1) chamber, room, canopy, closet 1a) canopy 1b) chamber 1c) divine protection (fig.)
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The purpose of the chamber is privacy, because that is where intimacy takes place.
Judges 15:1 But it came to pass within a while after, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber [02315 cheder]. But her father would not suffer him to go in.
Judges 16:9 Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber [02315 cheder]. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.
Judges 16:12 Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And there were liers in wait abiding in the chamber [02315 cheder]. And he brake them from off his arms like a thread.
2 Samuel 13:10 And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the meat into the chamber, [02315 cheder] that I may eat of thine hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.
11 And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come lie with me, my sister.
1 Kings 1:15 And Bathsheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite ministered unto the king.
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More love in chambers from the Song of Solomon:
Song of Solomon 1:4 Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.
Song of Solomon 3:4 It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.
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It was understood to be the man's duty to go away to be with his father, build a house, or an addition on to the house, and prepare for the eventual wedding. Before he goes, though, he will make a statement to the bride, "I go to prepare a place for you; if I go, I will return again unto you."
John 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
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As one can hide in a private chamber, so too, will those in the pre trib rapture be hid in heaven.
1 Kings 20:30 But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and there a wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand of the men that were left. And Benhadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber.
1 Kings 22:25 And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.
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The temple had a secret and/or inner chamber.
2 Thessalonians 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
Matthew 24:26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
1 Chronicles 28:11 Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat,
Hebrews 9:6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.
Hebrews 9:7 But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:
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The temple and tabernacle are both a pattern & picture of heaven, God dwells in both.
Matt 23:
20 Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
21 And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.
22 And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
Hebrews 9:23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
Hebrews 9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
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Hiding in the temple is also mentioned in scripture. From what I have just shown, it can be seen that this is a metaphor for being hid in heaven during the time of trouble, or tribulation.
Psalm 27:5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
Furthermore, this is a quote from Psalm 27, which is to be read every day for the 30 days leading up to the Feast of Trumpets, also known as the Wedding of the Messiah. Also, Psalm 27 contains other rapture parallels and language. Take a moment to read it and see for yourself.
Psalm 31:20 Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a
pavilion from the strife of tongues.
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Understanding the purpose and symbolic meaning of the chambers, that they represent heaven, shows that these verses from Isaiah are talking about the pre tribulation rapture to heaven.
Isaiah 26
19 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.
21 For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.
Isaiah 27:1 In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked
serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.
(10) The bride was consecrated, set apart, and kept herself ready for the bridegroom to return, and wore a vail.
If the bride left the house while she was consecrated or betrothed, she would wear a veil so others would know she was betrothed. Rebekah wore a vail, and covered herself when she first came into the presence of Isaac. Our sins need to be "covered" by Jesus in order to stand in the presence of God.
Genesis 24:
64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.
65 For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a vail, and covered herself.
66 And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done.
67 And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.
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The vail for Christians is Jesus.
Hebrews 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
Being "consecrated through the veil" of the flesh of Jesus, is like being covered with His blood.
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Revelation 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
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Being covered by the blood of Jesus is also referred to in scripture as wearing a wedding garment--which contains the veil.
Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
[Mat 22:11] "But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment;
[Mat 22:12] and he said to him, `Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless.
[Mat 22:13] Then the king said to the attendants, `Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.
[Mat 22:14] For many are called, but few are chosen."
Revelation 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and
have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Rev. 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour 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.
The "righteousness of saints" is none other than faith and belief in Jesus.
Romans 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
Philippians 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
Romans 10:6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)
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A veil also covered the "holy of holies" in the physical temple in Jerusalem, which was destroyed when Jesus was killed.
Exodus 26:33 And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.
Mark 15:38 And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.
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Moses wore a vail. That Christ becomes our vail is repeated.
2 Corinthians 3
13 And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
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Noah's ark, another picture of the temple and heaven, was also covered, not with a veil, but with pitch.
Genesis 6:14 Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch [03722] it within and without with pitch. [03724]
The meanings of both words for pitch contain many suggestions of Christ's sacrificial death, which covers our sins, and was the ransom sacrifice that cleanses us.
03722 kaphar {kaw-far'}
a primitive root; TWOT - 1023,1024,1025,1026; v
AV - atonement 71, purge 7, reconciliation 4, reconcile 3, forgive 3, purge away 2, pacify 2, atonement...made 2, merciful 2, cleansed 1, disannulled 1, appease 1, put off 1, pardon 1, pitch 1; 102
1) to cover, purge, make an atonement, make reconciliation, cover over with pitch 1a) (Qal) to coat or cover with pitch 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to cover over, pacify, propitiate 1b2) to cover over, atone for sin, make atonement for 1b3) to cover over, atone for sin and persons by legal rites 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to be covered over 1c2) to make atonement for 1d) (Hithpael) to be covered
03724 kopher {ko'-fer}
from 03722; TWOT - 1025b; n m
AV - ransom 8, satisfaction 2, bribe 2, camphire 2, pitch 1, sum of money 1, village 1; 17
1) price of a life, ransom, bribe 2) asphalt, pitch (as a covering) 3) the henna plant, name of a plant (henna?) 4) village
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The bride of Christ is the temple of God today, not the physical temple, or the ark.
1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
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From my studies, I believe at the rapture, the sun will be darkened. It is interesting at one of the few mentions of "veil" in scripture to read:
Luke 23:45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.
When is the veil removed in the marriage ceremony? Right as they become man and wife, joined with the kiss.
As Christ is our covering, our vail, the veil of the temple was rent as Christ died. Hebrews speaks in detail of the meaning of the vail being rent, in that now we need not a high priest to go behind the vail for us, but that Christ has become our hight priest.
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The word "consecrated" in Scripture is used 14 times in the KJV. Consecrated appears to mean to be set apart and made holy for the use of the Lord only. Most times, the word for "consecrated" is 04390 male' {maw-lay'} (15 times). Only once, the word for consecrated is "qodesh" which is usually translated as "holy" and also carries the meaning of "set apart".
Joshua 6:19 But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated [06944 qodesh] unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.
04390 male' {maw-lay'} or mala' (Esth. 7:5) {maw-law'}
a primitive root; TWOT - 1195; v
AV - fill 107, full 48, fulfil 28, consecrate 15, accomplish 7, replenish 7, wholly 6, set 6, expired 3, fully 2, gather 2, overflow 2, satisfy 2, misc 14; 249
1) to fill, be full 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be full 1a1a) fulness, abundance (participle) 1a1b) to be full, be accomplished, be ended 1a2) to consecrate, fill the hand 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be filled, be armed, be satisfied 1b2) to be accomplished, be ended 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to fill 1c2) to satisfy 1c3) to fulfil, accomplish, complete 1c4) to confirm 1d) (Pual) to be filled 1e) (Hithpael) to mass themselves against
06944 qodesh {ko'-desh}
from 06942; TWOT - 1990a; n m
AV - holy 262, sanctuary 68, (holy, hallowed,...) things 52, most 44, holiness 30, dedicated 5, hallowed 3, consecrated 1, misc 3; 468
1) apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness 1a) apartness, sacredness, holiness 1a1) of God 1a2) of places 1a3) of things 1b) set-apartness, separateness
The vail is a symbol of the consecration, being set apart. A betrothed woman wore the vail to show she was not available for marriage. This betrothal time period was also to make sure the virgin was not pregnant already.
A virgin bride was set apart, as Christians are to be apart from the world.
John 15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
John 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
John 17:14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
John 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
(John 17:15 is commonly used as an "anti pre trib" verse. Note the grammar. Jesus is praying for the second phrase, not praying for the first. Why? The second item is greater than the first, and includes it. The tribulation is evil, and those who are raptured will be kept from it as promised in Rev. 3:10. It is a serious mistake of grammer to conclude that Jesus is actively praying to keep us in the world during the tribulation--for that to be the case, the "not" would have to be placed after "shouldest" in the sentence.)
The point is that we are separated from the world, like a bride is set apart when she is betrothed and consecrated and wears the veil.
1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
[1Cor 5:8] Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
[1Cor 5:9] I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
[1Cor 5:10] Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
This is a very interesting point made here in 1 Cor 5, in that for us to be truly separate we would have to leave the world entirely because the world is so completely wicked.
The story of the ten virgins is a parable showing the importance of the bride keeping herself ready and prepared for the bridgroom.
[Mat 25:1] Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
[Mat 25:2] And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
[Mat 25:3] They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
[Mat 25:4] But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
[Mat 25:5] While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
[Mat 25:6] And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
[Mat 25:7] Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
[Mat 25:8] And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
[Mat 25:9] 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.
[Mat 25:10] 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.
[Mat 25:11] Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
[Mat 25:12] But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
[Mat 25:13] Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
[Mark 13:34] For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.
[Mark 13:35] Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:
[Mark 13:36] Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
[Mark 13:37] And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watc
(11) Bridegroom comes for his Bride.
The time of the bridegroom's return is related to the bridal chamber's construction. When the preparations on the bridal chamber were completed then it would be the proper time. But the groom's father would be the one to give permission. It was a common expression or saying, a Jewish idiom, that a man would say when his friends asked him when his marriage would be. He would reply, "of that day or hour no man knows, but my father only."
The unknown day also is a reference to the Feast of Trumpets, which comes with the observance of the new moon. Since the new moon has a cycle of 29.5 days, it is uncertain on whether it will be seen comes 29 or 30 days after the last new moon.
Further, since the Feast of Trumpets is also known as the "Wedding of the Messiah", this phrase is a rapture reference in three ways.
1. It refers to the time in the wedding when the groom would return to fetch his bride,
2. It refers to the Day of the Feast of Trumpets,
3. It refers to the "Wedding of the Messiah" on the Feast of Trumpets.
Matthew 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
Matthew 24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
Matthew 25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
Mark 13:32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
Mark 13:33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
Luke 12:39 And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.
Revelation 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
Note that two of these verses above include mention of the thief, and many of these verses say to watch. Note also that none of the verses say that no Christian during the end times will ever know, or that we will be in darkness regarding the coming... In fact, the exact opposite is implied by Rev 3:3, namely that if we watch, we should know the time and not be surpised by the thief! In Luke 12:39, it says if he had known, he would have watched! Those who believe that Jesus will return on the Feast of Trumpets will really purify themselves annually at that time each year, and re-dedicate their lives to the Lord each time that Fall Festival comes around.
1 John 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
When the bridal chamber was finished, and the bridegroom's father gave permission, the bridegroom would go to fetch his bride, like a thief in the night. The trumpet would be blown to awaken and alert the bride, so she would be ready.
Some have asked, "sounds like a noisy theif?". Well, the trumpet was blown for several reasons in scripture.
1. To gather the people together. Numbers 10:2-4,7, Jeremiah 4:5, Jeremiah 6:1
2. To prepare the troops for battle. Ezekiel 7:14, 1 Corinthians 14:8, Numbers 10:9
3. To announce the reign of a new king. 1 Kings 1:34, 1 Kings 1:39, 2 Kings 9:13
All of these things are also taking place at the time of the pre tribulation rapture.
1. The people are gathered together. 2 Thessalonians 2:1, Matthew 24:31, Mark 13:27, as they are gathered together at the Feast of Trumpets, Nehemiah 8, Numbers 10.
2. God's angels make war on Satan and cast him out at this time. Rev 12:4,5, Identified as stars & moon darkening in Ezekiel. Ezek 32:7-10, Daniel 8:10, Matt 24:29, Joel 2:31, Rev 8:12, Isa 13:9-11.
3. Our Lord Jesus Christ begins reigning as king. (married people were also treated as king and queen for a day.) Zechariah 14:9, Rev 4,5, Dan 7.
God's trumpet voice will also awaken people from the dead. This awaking trumpet blast is the "last trump" of the rapture. Awaken (resurrection) is a theme of the rapture trumpet. This "last trump" was well known to be speaking of the Feast of Trumpets, the first of the Fall Festivals of the Lord, the time and season of which was well known, one of the themes is to stay awake during Trumpets, also known as "the wedding of the messiah." After the rapture, sudden destruction falls on the world in the seven year tribulation.
What follows is a commentary on the meaning of how 1 Thess 5:1-11 demonstrates in several ways the pre tribulation rapture. This passage follows the key rapture passage in 1 Thess 4:
1 Thessalonians 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. [caught up=HARPAZO=Rapture]
1 Thessalonians 4:18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
The Feast of Trumpets is a seasonal festival, like all of the Feasts of the Lord, with a set time.
1 Thess 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
1 Thess 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
1 Thess 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
The travail upon a woman (birth pangs) is a reference to the seven year tribulation; the time of Jacob's trouble, the "day of the Lord".
[Jer 30:6] Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?
[Jer 30:7] Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.
Matthew 24:8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. (KJV)
Matthew 24:8 All these are the beginning of birth pains. (NIV)
Isaiah 13: 6 Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt:
8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.
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The day of the Lord is also known as darkness.
[Amos 5:18] Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light.
[Amos 5:20] Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?
[John 8:12] Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
1 Thess 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
1 Thess 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
There are two clear meanings of "ye are not in darkness". The first is "you have knowledge". The second is "you will not enter tribulation".
"Children of the light" should know of the times and seasons of the Feast of Trumpets and know about the Wedding of the Messiah, so as to be able to be prepared at the coming of the Lord. Further they will not enter into the darkness of the Day of the Lord, not enter the darkness of the tribulation. These two meanings are the subject of the previous verses, so this duel meaning should be clear.
Some have read the phrase "that that day should overtake you as a thief", and said that this means that Jesus will come as a thief on unbelievers. This notion seems to ignore that the day will come upon everyone! One difference is that believers, through prophecy, should not be surprised by the thief, while unbelievers will be surprised. The other difference is that righteous and worthy believers will be in Heaven during the tribulation, so the "Day of the Lord", the darkness of the tribulation, will NOT overtake them or come upon them ever!
Those who would apply the "coming as a thief" to refer to Jesus coming with destruction on the unbelievers, from verses 2 & 3, seem to forget John 10:10, which says Jesus is NOT come to destroy, but to give life abundantly.
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Our thief, who comes for us at the rapture, comes to give life.
We should always be ready, like a new bride, and not be caught off guard and find ourselves ashamed at the Lord’s coming.
1 John 2:28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
1 Thess 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
1 Thess 5:7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
1 Thess 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
Being awakened is a theme in the ten virgins marriage parable. Matt 25:1-13
Mat 25:5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
Mat 25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
Mat 25:7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
Being awakened is a theme of the resurrection, which preceeds the rapture.
Daniel 12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Ephesians 5:14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
Once again, these verses stress a pre tribulation rapture.
1 Thess 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
1 Thess 5:10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
1 Thess 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
The last trumpet awakening blast shout, cry, & "come up hither/go out to meet him" command is shown in parts, in all four of the following rapture verses:
Mat 25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
1Cor 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout [command], with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Revelation 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
The awakening resurrection is also followed by entering the bridal chamber, which takes place after the bridegroom comes for his bride, followed by the tribulation.
Isaiah 26
16 LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.
17 Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD.
18 We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.
19 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.
21 For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.
Isaiah 27:1 In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.
Earlier, I mentioned how the Feast of Trumpets was the wedding of the Messiah. Throughout this study, I have noted a few places how the wedding and rapture parallels include things that are referenced by the Feast of Trumpets. Here is one place in scripture where the Feast of Trumpets is directly connected to a marriage.
The Feast of Trumpets was celebrated at Joseph's wedding, which took place "when he went out over the land of Egypt" to gather food during the seven good years for the seven bad years, and to make the Feast of Trumpet (the only new moon festival) a statute and decree in Egypt.
[Pss 81:3] Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our feast day.
[Pss 81:4] For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
[Pss 81:5] He made it a decree in Joseph, when he went out over the land of Egypt. I hear a voice I had not known:
[Gen 41:45] And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphenath-paneah; and he gave him in marriage Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On. So Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.
[Gen 41:46] Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went through all the land of Egypt.
[Gen 41:47] During the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth abundantly,
What is the voice in Pss 81:5? 1 Thessalonians 4:16 & Rev 4:1 mention a voice along with the trumpet.
It seems most unusual that in Genesis 41:45, two events are described in one verse, the marriage and the Feast of Trumpets decree becoming a law in all of Egypt as Joseph "went out over the land of Egypt". Imagine your own marriage being mentioned as little more than a footnote! Actually, this links the Feast of Trumpets to the marriage theme quite strongly.
The seven years of famine is what brings Jacob down into Egypt. Thus, this "seven years of trouble" is the second time period of trouble of seven years in Jacob's life. The other was the second seven years he had to work for his wife, Rachel. Once again, the marriage theme comes up. But these two periods of seven years of trouble in Jacob's life are a double witness that the "time of Jacob's trouble", which is a reference to the tribulation, means that the tribulation will last seven years.
There are many places where a feast is connected to a marriage. The Feast of Trumpets is one of the annual Feasts of the Lord. Would the Lord have His marriage when it is NOT a feast day? Also, keep in mind, the Feast of Trumpets is commanded to be a joyous occasion.
Numbers 10:10 Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God.
Nehemiah 8:
9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.
10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our LORD: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.
12 And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.
Next, we will see a particularly interesting group marriage at an annual feast in Judges 21.
(12) Jesus comes for his Bride as a Thief
Judges 19-21: The dramatic conclusion to The Book of Judges is the theft of women, TWO mass kidnappings, the women are simply "taken", to be brides for the tribe of Benjamin.
In Judges 21,
1 Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife.
2 And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore;
3 And said, O LORD God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel?
4 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.
5 And the children of Israel said, Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with the congregation unto the LORD? For they had made a great oath concerning him that came not up to the LORD to Mizpeh, saying, He shall surely be put to death.
6 And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.
7 How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?
8 And they said, What one is there of the tribes of Israel that came not up to Mizpeh to the LORD? And, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabeshgilead to the assembly.
9 For the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead there.
10 And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children.
11 And this is the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman that hath lain by man.
12 And they found among the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead four hundred young virgins, that had known no man by lying with any male: and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.
13 And the whole congregation sent some to speak to the children of Benjamin that were in the rock Rimmon, and to call peaceably unto them.
14 And Benjamin came again at that time; and they gave them wives which they had saved alive of the women of Jabeshgilead: and yet so they sufficed them not.
15 And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.
16 Then the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?
17 And they said, There must be an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.
18 Howbeit we may not give them wives of our daughters: for the children of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed be he that giveth a wife to Benjamin.
19 Then they said, Behold, there is a feast of the LORD in Shiloh yearly in a place which is on the north side of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goeth up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.
20 Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards;
21 And see, and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.
22 And it shall be, when their fathers or their brethren come unto us to complain, that we will say unto them, Be favourable unto them for our sakes: because we reserved not to each man his wife in the war: for ye did not give unto them at this time, that ye should be guilty.
23 And the children of Benjamin did so, and took [nasa] them wives, according to their number, of them that danced, whom they caught [gazal]: and they went and returned unto their inheritance, and repaired the cities, and dwelt in them.
24 And the children of Israel departed thence at that time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from thence every man to his inheritance.
25 In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
05375 nasa' {naw-saw'} or nacah (Ps 4 : 6 [7]) {naw-saw'}
a primitive root; TWOT - 1421; v
AV - (bare, lift, etc...) up 219, bear 115, take 58, bare 34, carry 30,
(take, carry)..away 22, borne 22, armourbearer 18, forgive 16,
accept 12, exalt 8, regard 5, obtained 4, respect 3, misc 74; 654
1) to lift, bear up, carry, take
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to lift, lift up
1a2) to bear, carry, support, sustain, endure
1a3) to take, take away, carry off, forgive
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be lifted up, be exalted
1b2) to lift oneself up, rise up
1b3) to be borne, be carried
1b4) to be taken away, be carried off, be swept away
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to lift up, exalt, support, aid, assist
1c2) to desire, long (fig.)
1c3) to carry, bear continuously
1c4) to take, take away
1d) (Hithpael) to lift oneself up, exalt oneself
1e) (Hiphil)
1e1) to cause one to bear (iniquity)
1e2) to cause to bring, have brought
01497 gazal {gaw-zal'}
a primitive root; TWOT - 337; v
AV - spoil 8, take away 8, rob 4, pluck 3, caught 1, consume 1,
exercised 1, force 1, pluck off 1, torn 1, violence 1; 30
1) to tear away, seize, plunder, tear off, pull off, rob, take away by force
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to tear away, rob
1a2) to seize, plunder (with acc cognate)
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be robbed
1b2) to be taken away
Thus, the men all stole their wives (12,21,23), as a thieves lying in wait, but so that their tribe might have life and not be "cut off" and not be "destroyed" as a people, verses 6, 17.
We know that the Lord Jesus Christ returns for His Bride as a thief, and for the same purpose, not to destroy, but to give life.
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
The parallel is very compelling.
1. All the women taken were celebrating a Feast of the Lord at the time.
2. It's a massive siezing of an entire people who were carried away.
3. The purpose is to bring life to a dying people.
4. Every man has his inheritance as a reward afterwards, as at the Judgment.
5. "every man did that which was right in his own eyes"... as today, Romans 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
There is another Old Testament verse which is also very shocking, yet supports and does not condemn the mass "virgin abduction" of Judges 21. It is the law as set forth in Deuteronomy 22.
Deut 22
25 But if a man find a betrothed damsel in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her: then the man only that lay with her shall die.
26 But unto the damsel thou shalt do nothing; there is in the damsel no sin worthy of death: for as when a man riseth against his neighbour, and slayeth him, even so is this matter:
27 For he found her in the field, and the betrothed damsel cried, and there was none to save her.
28 If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found;
29 Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel's father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days.
Exodus 22
15 But if the owner thereof be with it, he shall not make it good: if it be an hired thing, it came for his hire.
16 And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.
17 If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.
So the penalty for taking (rape or seduction) a virgin in the Old Testament is not death, but a fine, and a marriage which can never end in divorce.
The fine, of course, represents the bride price. Jesus' price was his life, which was sold also for shekels of silver, 30 not 50. The ratio of 3:5 is found in measurements of both Noah's ark and the ark of the covenant, both of which are pictures of heaven.
The "no divorce" provision "he may not put her away all his days", would represent the fact that at the rapture, the change is to immortality and incorruption. I do not agree with the doctrine of "once saved always saved", but I do agree with once raptured, always immortal and incorruptable.
1 Cor 15
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
I am NOT saying that our Lord is a rapist, nor is he a thief. These are merely parables of similarity to the rapture to show that at the rapture Christians will be taken. Further, the strength of the comparisons can hardly be ignored, and it further elucidates that, indeed, Jesus will come for his bride as a thief to take her away at the rapture.
It sounds a lot like rape. (harapzo does have a violent/sudden connotation.) Interestingly enough, the word rape and rapture are from the same Latin root, rapere, and mean nearly identical things to harpazo, the word from which we get the word rapture. Remember, harpazo is Greek, Rapere is Latin, Rape & Rapture are English, and Deuteronomy was written in Hebrew.
from www.m-w.com
Main Entry: 2rape
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form(s): raped; rap·ing
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin rapere
Date: 14th century
1 a archaic : to seize and take away by force b : DESPOIL
2 : to commit rape on
726 harpazo {har-pad'-zo} (RAPTURE)
from a derivative of 138; TDNT - 1:472,80; v
AV - catch up 4, take by force 3, catch away 2, pluck 2,
catch 1, pull 1; 13
1) to seize, carry off by force
2) to seize on, claim for one's self eagerly
3) to snatch out or away
1Thess 4:17 Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up [726 harpazo] together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
There are several other words for rapture, that carry this "rapture/taken" theme, and are translated as "taken".
Paralambano (greek), from Matt 24 (one taken, the other left). Commonly also used to mean "arrested", as is harpazo.
Laqach (hebrew) used of Enoch's rapture and used in reference of taking wifes.
Genesis 5:24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took [laqach] him.
Genesis 6:2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took [laqach] them wives of all which they chose.
Genesis 11:29 And Abram and Nahor took [laqach] them wives: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah.
Genesis 12:19 Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken [laqach] her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way.
03947 laqach {law-kakh'} a primitive root; TWOT - 1124; v
AV - take 747, receive 61, take away 51, fetch 31, bring 25, get 6, take out 6, carry away 5,
married 4, buy 3, misc 26; 965
1) to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away
1a8) to take, capture, seize
1b1) to be captured
1c4) to be taken away, be removed
The word used in Deut 22:
28 If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold [taphas] on her, and lie with her, and they be found;
08610 taphas {taw-fas'}
a primitive root; TWOT - 2538; v
AV - take 27, taken 12, handle 8, hold 8, catch 4, surprised 2, misc 4;
65
1) to catch, handle, lay hold, take hold of, seize, wield
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to lay hold of, seize, arrest, catch
1a2) to grasp (in order to) wield, wield, use skilfully
1b) (Niphal) to be seized, be arrested, be caught, be taken, captured
1c) (Piel) to catch, grasp (with the hands)
Jesus is coming back as at a wedding, and the phrase 'I come as a thief' fits the wedding, and the story from Judges, and the Law in Deuteronomy.
"I come as a thief" scriptures:
If we watch, we will not be surprised by Jesus coming as a thief, and if we watch, we will know in what hour/watch the thief/Jesus will come:
Matthew 24:43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
Luke 12:39 And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.
The "Day of the Lord" begins with Jesus returning as a thief, to catch up his bride. Following this, sudden destruction falls on unbelievers, as in the gog/magog war which is the false Armageddon leading to the revealing of the Antichrist's coming with peace. Once again, we are not in darkness, so the day of our being stolen away by Christ (raptured) should not surprise us.
1 Thessalonians 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
1 Thessalonians 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
1 Thessalonians 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
Again, the Day of the Lord" begins with Jesus coming as a thief, with the rapture. At the rapture, we and our works are tried by fire at the bema judgment of works, see 1 Cor 3.
2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Again, if we watch, we will know what hour Jesus will come.
Revelation 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
Finally, this last verse in Rev. 16:15 is spoken during at a description of Armageddon. This is a beautiful reminder that Jesus is coming prior to the time when he comes to kill and destroy. Remember John 10:10.
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Revelation 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
Finally, this description and reiteration of this rapture message, in conjunction with Armageddon in Rev 16, is a reminder of the description of the false Armageddon of the gog/magog war in Ezekiel 38,39.
There is another Old Testament example of where women were TAKEN as wives. This was for the Kings of Israel. It was prophesied beforehand, and fulfilled in practice. Jesus, of course is the King of Kings, who sits on the throne of David, and there were many wives for the king, few in number out of the whole kingdom.
1 Samuel 8
11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.
12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.
13 And he will take [laqach] your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.
15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.
16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
2 Samuel 5:13 And David took [laqach] him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters born to David.
1 Kings 1:1 Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat.
2 Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat.
3 So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.
4 And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not.
1 Kings 11:3 And he [Solomon] had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.
(13) Going through the open door, crossing the threshold into the new house.
Going into the new house in heaven requires going through the open door.
John 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Today in the U.S., a strong wedding theme often shown in movies and TV shows is that the groom lifts up his bride to carry her across the threshhold, through the door of the house. This is also a strong theme of the rapture and Feast of Trumpets in scripture, going through the open door.
Revelation 3:8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
Revelation 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Revelation 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
Mat 25:10 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.
Mat 25:11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
Mat 25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
Luke 13:
23 Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,
24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
26 Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.
28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.
29 And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.
30 And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.
The door to the temple (representing heaven) was open on the new moon festival of Trumpets:
Ezek 46:1 "Thus says the Lord GOD: The gate of the inner court that faces east shall be shut on the six working days; but on the sabbath day it shall be opened and on the day of the new moon it shall be opened.
Pss 118:19 Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD:
Pss 118:20 This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter.
Isa 26:2 Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.
Isa 26:19 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew
of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
Isa 26:20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the
indignation be overpast.
Isa 26:21 For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her
blood, and shall no more cover her slain.
Jesus is the door.
John 10:7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
John 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
There is no other name by which men might be saved.
Matthew 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Acts 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Acts 4:10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
Acts 4:11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Going through the "open door into heaven" takes us to being in those "many mansions in my father's house", that bridal chamber.
The "door to heaven" is also commonly known in popular culture (and many jokes) in America as the "pearly gates", which is from the description of New Jersualem, which is also described as the Bride of Christ.
Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her
husband.
Rev 21:9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying,
Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
Rev 21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending
out of heaven from God,
Rev 21:21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
(14) The bridal week in the wedding chamber .
Again, these mansions in heaven, the prepared place, is the bridal chamber.
John 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Today in the U.S., this is the honeymoon week where the bride and groom go away from everyone on vacation for the traditional week.
The word week in Hebrew is shavuah. It means a "seven". It can mean seven days or seven years. An example of the Hebrew word shavuah for week meaning seven years can be found in Dan 9:24,27. From this we can see that the believers (bride) in the Messiah (bridegroom) will be with the Messiah in Heaven for His wedding while the earth will be experiencing the seven-year tribulation period.
(Bridal week) = (Tribulation week) Regardless of when the feast is in these verses (not at the end), the time of intimacy (the bride being with the bridegroom sealed away in the bridal chamber) begins at the start of the bridal week, and this is what we look forward to in the pre tribulation rapture. And if you read these accounts, you will see that the deception in the stories probably would not have happened if the feast were held at the end of the week.
Judges 14:1-18 ...And Samson made a feast there, as was customary for bridegrooms. ...If you can give me the answer within the seven days of the feast... She cried the whole seven days of the feast.
Genesis 29:22-28 So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast. ... Finish this daughter's bridal week
There are many verses which show the tribulation lasts seven years, and this is not the topic of this page. However here are a few more examples of a period of seven days, which do show some parallel with the pre tribulation rapture.
Leviticus 12:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.
The "man child" is spoken of as symbolically representing the rapture of a nation at once in Rev 12 and Isa 66.
Rev 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his
throne.
Isaiah 66: 7 Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child.
8 Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.
9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God.
Another seven days, which supports the pre trib seven year prophetic plan: To annoint a new priest, the priest went into the tabernacle for seven days, and then emerged before the congregation as believers come out of heaven with Jesus in Rev 19. Believers are the kings and priests, and the tabernacle represents heaven. The purpose of the seven days and Daniel's 70 weeks is the same, Consecration (annoint) & Atonement (reconciliation). The "door" is highly figured here, as in the rapture in Rev. 4:1.
Lev 8:
33 And ye shall not go out of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation in seven days, until the days of your consecration be at an end: for seven days shall he consecrate you.
34 As he hath done this day, so the LORD hath commanded to do, to make an atonement for you.
35 Therefore shall ye abide at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation day and night seven days, and keep the charge of the LORD, that ye die not: for so I am commanded.
Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
Revelation 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
Revelation 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
The 30 day time period before the Feast of Trumpets is a period of fasting and repentance. The actual Feast of Trumpet is a time to feast. During or at the end of the bridal week is also a feast. Joel 2's account of the bride in her bridal closet is shown to emphasize the importance of fasting and repentance before the Day of the Lord. Even people who normally would be feasting such as a bride and groom when they leave their bridal chamber, should be fasting according to Joel.
Joel 2:15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:
Joel 2:16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.
Ancient Jewish eschatology taught that a seven year "time of trouble" would come upon the earth before the coming of the Messiah. During that time of trouble, the righteous would be resurrected and would enter the wedding chamber where they would be protected from the time of trouble. Today that seven year period is referred to as the tribulation.
The "time of trouble" is known as "Jacob's trouble". There were two times of trouble in Jacob's life. The seven extra years he worked for his bride, and the seven years of famine that brought him into Egypt where Joseph set up the decree to observe the Feast of Trumpets.
A day is for a year when considering a length of time of a judgment from a type; see Moses and Ezekiel.
[Num 14:34] After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.
[Ezek 4:6] And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year.
The 40 days should remind us of Noah, the time it rained 40 days and nights in judgment on the whole earth. But the important point is that it is a Bible concept to have a year for a day in judgment. Even Noah was invited into the ark 7 days before the flood, as a shadow of the seven year tribulation.
Since the bridal week will see the judgment seat of Christ for believers in heaven, and the tribulation week will see the judgment poured out on the unbelieving world, we know the bridal week will be the seven years of Daniel’s week.
The bride is kept in the wedding chamber as:
Rev 3:10 Because you have kept my word of patient endurance, I will keep [tereo] you from the hour of trial which is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell upon the earth.
From Strong’s:
5083 tereo
1) to attend to carefully, take care of
1a) to guard
1b) metaph. to keep, one in the state in which he is
1c) to observe
1d) to reserve: to undergo something
Ephesians 5:29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
(15) Marriage supper / Wedding Feast
This is the time of the public announcement, and the time when guests are invited to the wedding. The marriage supper is the conclusion of the bridal week. The feast is a public gathering where the bride and groom exit the bridal chamber to the public gathering. It is a time when the bride are king and queen for a day, and it is a time to show the beauty of the bride and bridegroom.
The book of Esther begins with an interesting occasion. King Mordechi holds a week long feast. At the end of the seven days he calls for Vashti, his wife, to show off her beauty.
Esther 1:5 And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace;
Esther 1:10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,
Esther 1:11 To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on.
In Joel, the bride and bridegroom "go forth of his chamber" to a gathering, at a time of fasting. All throughout the Bible, a marriage is known as a time of feasting. That this is a fast called for, and the wedding description used, is a way to emphasize the importance of this particular fast. Even those normally feasting should be fasting, because the Day of the Lord is about to begin.
[Joel 2:15] Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:
[Joel 2:16] Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.
Psalm 19
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
4 Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.
6 His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
Isaiah 61
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
11 For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.
Isaiah 62:5 For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.
[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.
[Rev 19:1] And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven [the raptured], saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:
[Rev 19:7] Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready;
[Rev 19:8] it was granted her to be clothed with fine linen, bright and pure"--for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
[Rev 19:9] And the angel said to me, "Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." And he said to me, "These are true words of God."
[Rev 19:14] And the armies which were in heaven followed him [the raptured] upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
[Mat 24:29] Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
[Mat 24:30] And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
[Mat 24:31] And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
[Zech 14:5] And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.
[Jud 1:14] And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,
[Rev 21:2] And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
[Rev 21:9] And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
[Rev 21:10] And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
[Col 3:4] When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
(16) The slaughter at the marriage supper
Does it seem strange that the Lord Jesus Christ is smiting with a sword after his marriage week with his bride at the marriage supper? It really, really seemed strange to me... If the return of the Lord Jesus Christ is as a wedding (as it so frequently is depicted) then where is there an example for a groom going forth and exiting the wedding chamber with the bride, and slaughtering one's enemies? It just didn't seem to make sense with this part. This question bothered me for a long time. Then it hit me. There is an Old Testiment story describing a similar thing. Sampson's wedding; which was right at the end of his 7 day bridal week. Scriptures follow: compare Rev 19:14-21 with Judges 14:1-20
[Rev 19:14] And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
[Rev 19:15] And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
[Rev 19:16] And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
[Rev 19:17] And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;
[Rev 19:18] That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.
[Rev 19:19] And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
[Rev 19:20] And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
[Rev 19:21] And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
[Judg 14:1] And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the
Philistines.
[Judg 14:2] And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of
the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.
[Judg 14:3] Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy
brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson
said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.
[Judg 14:4] But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion
against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.
[Judg 14:5] Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards
of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.
[Judg 14:6] And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a
kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.
[Judg 14:7] And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.
[Judg 14:8] And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and,
behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion.
[Judg 14:9] And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he
gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.
[Judg 14:10] So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the
young men to do.
[Judg 14:11] And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.
[Judg 14:12] And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it
me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of
garments:
[Judg 14:13] But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments.
And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.
[Judg 14:14] And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth
sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle.
[Judg 14:15] And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband,
that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to
take that we have? is it not so?
[Judg 14:16] And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou
hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I
have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?
[Judg 14:17] And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the
seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her
people.
[Judg 14:18] And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is
sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion? and he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my
heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.
[Judg 14:19] And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty
men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And
his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.
[Judg 14:20] But Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.
(17) The bride and groom were seen as king and queen.
Song of Solomon 3:11 Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.
Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
Jeremiah 2:32 Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.
The Feast of Trumpets is known not only as the wedding of the messiah, but also the coronation of the messiah. The trumpet is blown to announce the coronation of a king. And we will be kings and priests with the Lord Jesus Christ in heaven. As I see it, this shows Christ's 1000 year reign will begin with the rapture. Thus, the seven year tribulation and the 1000 year reign start at the same time.
[1Kgs 1:34] And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon.
[1Kgs 1:39] And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon.
The coronation of the Lord Jesus Christ and his bride as kings happens in Rev. 4-5, after the rapture in Rev. 4:1.
Rev 4:2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
There are people in heaven at this time:
Rev. 5:3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.
Rev 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
[Rev 5:12] Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
[Dan 7:9] I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
(18) The Judgment Seat of Christ.
At the Feast of Trumpets / Wedding of the Messiah
The marriage parable shows how the bride and groom intimately know each other in the bridal chamber. When we get to heaven, all our works will be known and judged.
[Dan 7:10] A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
[2Cor 5:10] For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
"the judgment seat" = bema in Greek
968 bema {bay'-ma}
from the base of 939;; n n
AV - judgment seat 10, throne 1, to set (one's) foot on + 4128 1; 12
1) a step, pace, the space which a foot covers, a foot-breath
2) a raised place mounted by steps
2a) a platform, tribune
2a1) of the official seat of a judge
2a2) of the judgment seat of Christ
2a3) Herod built a structure resembling a throne at Caesarea, from
which he viewed the games and made speeches to the people
[Rom 14:10] But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
[Neh 8:1] And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel.
[Neh 8:2] And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. [Feast of Trumpets]
[Neh 8:3] And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.
[Neh 8:4] And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood [like a bema, judgment seat platform], which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
[Neh 8:5] And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:
[1Cor 3:13] Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
[1Cor 3:14] If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
[1Cor 3:15] If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
[1Cor 3:16] Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
The wedding parable of Matt 22
[Mat 22:2] The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
[Mat 22:3] And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
[Mat 22:4] 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.
[Mat 22:5] But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
[Mat 22:6] And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.
[Mat 22:7] But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
[Mat 22:8] Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
[Mat 22:9] Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
[Mat 22:10] 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.
[Mat 22:11] And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
[Mat 22:12] And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
[Mat 22:13] 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.
[Mat 22:14] For many are called, but few are chosen.
There is definitely a fixed, appointed time for man’s time on earth to end, and for the Lord Jesus Christ to return.
[Job 7:1] Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling?
[Exod 21:2] If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.
[Pss 81:3] Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.
[Dan 8:19] And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be.
[Acts 17:26] And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
[Acts 1:7] He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority.
[Dan 12:9] And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
[Dan 12:10] Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.
[Mark 13:23] But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.
[Amos 3:7] Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.
For further study, there are Feast of Trumpets stories in Leviticus 23, Numbers 10, Neh 8, 1 Sam 20, Psalm 47, Psalm 27, Psalm 81, Psalm 118
Further, I want to stress the importance of being ready, watchful, clean and holy before the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. The parable of Matt 25, the ten virgins suggest that the foolish will be caught unprepared. Revelation Chapters 2 and 3 suggest that much of the Church will not be spared the hour of trial that will come upon the whole earth, and will have to go through tribulation.
[Luke 21:36] Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
Zeph 2:3 Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD's anger.
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