Jewish Wedding ~ Glen Wigginton

Jewish Wedding

by Glen Wigginton

Introduction:

The Ancient Jewish Wedding and the Return of our Bridegroom King!

Of all the customs appointed by God, there is probably none more joyous than that of the Jewish wedding. It is one simcha (joyous occasion) that you do not want to miss! Of course, it is joyful enough to just witness the covenant vows between a man and woman who love each other. When you add family and friends, food, music and dance, it is difficult to find a more exuberant celebration. The ancient Jewish wedding is a custom that every Believer should study and understand.

Why?

Because Yeshua (Jesus) Himself followed the steps of a Jewish bridegroom when taking His own bride, the Church. There are many truths and treasures that have been hidden and long forgotten simply because Believers do not see Yeshua (Jesus) in His original Jewish context.

I truly believe God is calling the Bride of Christ back to the Jewish Roots of Christianity.

Proverbs 25:2
2. It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

There is 12 steps to the Ancient Jewish Wedding. I will be posting the first step tomorrow evening.

Step One: The Selection of the Bride

John 15:16
16. You did not choose Me, I chose you; and I have commissioned you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last; so that whatsoever ask from the Father in My name He may give you.

In Ancient Israel, brides were usually chosen by the father of the bridegroom. He would send his most trusted servant to search for a bride for his son.

I Peter 1:8
8. Without seeing Him, you love Him. Without seeing Him now, but trusting in Him, you continue to be full of joy that is glorious beyond words.

(Genesis 24) Abraham sends Eliezer to find a bride for Isaac his son.

Step Two: The Price of the Bride

Brides in Biblical times were purchased. The price was paid to the father of the bride, both to compensate him for the loss of a worker and to show him how much the bridegroom loved and valued the bride.

We, as the Bride of Messiah, have also been purchased with a price. A very high price -- the Blood of Yeshua (Jesus). His very own Blood that was shed upon Calvary's Hill was the price He paid for His Bride.

I Peter 1:18-19
18. Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers.
19. But with the precious Blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and 
without spot.

Ephesians 1:13-14
13. In Him also you trusted, after you heard the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.
14. Who is the guarantee of your inheritance until the redemption of the 
purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

I Corinthians 7:23
23. You were bought with a price; do not become slaves to men.
We belong to Christ. He is our Bridegroom. We are His Bride. We are in this world but we are not of this world.

I Corinthians 6:19-20
19. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own.
20. For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in Your spirit, which are God's.

Step Three: The Betrothal / Ketubah

The ancient Jewish marriage ceremony consists of two main parts, beginning with the betrothal or engagement.

The betrothal is much like an engagement is today, but with a much greater sense of commitment. During the betrothal the couple is actually entering into a covenant. Covenant in Bible times was serious, final, sealed in blood and legally binding. Once a couple entered into the covenant of betrothal, they were legally married in all aspects except for the physical consummation of the marriage.

At the betrothal ceremony, a marriage contract, or Ketubah, was presented to the father of the bride. The Ketubah consists of all the bridegroom's promises to his bride. The Bride cherished her Ketubah.

We, too, have a Ketubah from our Bridegroom. Our marriage contract is God's Word! Our Ketubah (God's Word) shows us all we are entitled to as the Bride of Christ. All, not just some, but all the promises in God's Word, are for us. As the Bride of Christ, we are entitled to them--they are part of our Ketubah.

Jeremiah 31:33
33. But this is the covenant I will make with the House of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God and they shall be My people.

Step Four: The Bride's Consent

Although a bride was selected for the bridegroom, she still had a choice.

Genesis 24:57-58
57. So they said, “We will call the young woman and ask her personally.”
58. And they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.”

(Israel was selected first but rejected the bridegroom's offer) God is a gentlemen and He never forces anyone to say "I do" to His Son. When we say "I do" to Yeshua, we must believe with our heart and confess with our lips.

“I do’s to Yeshua (Jesus)
Yes – I do confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
Yes – I do believe that Jesus died for my sins
Yes – I do believe in my heart and confess with my mouth that you, 
God, raise Him from the dead and seated Him at Your right hand. 
Yes – I do repent of my sins.
Yes – I give You my heart.
Yes – I do receive Your great love and the gift of eternal life.

Step Five: The Cup of Covenant

After the terms of the Ketubah was accepted, a cup of wine was shared to seal the marriage covenant. The second cup of wine will be shared many months later during the marriage ceremony. The cup that Yeshua took at His last Passover on earth was the cup of the new marriage covenant with His Bride.

Luke 22:20
20. Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.

Matthew 26:29
29 “But I say unto you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”

Yeshua was speaking of the second cup that the Bride of Christ will share with Him one glorious day at the second part of our marriage ceremony.

Step Six: The Gifts for the Bride

Every bride enjoys gifts! And our God is a giver of every good and perfect gift.

The Betrothal included the giving of gifts by the bridegroom to his bride.

Many times a bridegroom gave a coin or other objects of value to his betrothed bride. It would always be something special that would help to remind her of him while they were apart. This was because the real focus of the gift giving was to be on the giver and not on the gift.

Today we have engagement rings. This is a symbol of love and commitment. When the bride-to-be looks at her ring, she is reminded of the one who gave her the gift.

God's Holy Spirit is our spiritual engagement ring. He doesn't call attention to Himself but to the One who purchased us -- Yeshua.
Through Yeshua, we, the bride, receive many gifts:

1. Salvation
2. Forgiveness
3. Eternal life
4. Fruit of the Spirit
5. Gifts of the Spirit 
and many more.

What bride would say to her bridegroom who comes bearing gifts, "No, I can't accept them." Yet many do that to our Bridegroom Yeshua.

Fruit of the Spirit
Galatians 5:22-23
22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, 
goodness, faithfulness,
23. gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Gifts of the Spirit
I Corinthians 12:7-11
7. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
8. For one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit.
9. To another faith by the same Spirit, to another gift of healing by the same Spirit.
10. To another the working of miracle, to another prophecy, to another the discerning of spirits to another different kinds of tongues, to another the
interpretation of tongues. 
11. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

Step Seven: The Mikvah

Brides in ancient Israel, as well as brides in Israel today, experience a mikvah prior to her wedding. The word 'mikvah' means a pool of living water which was used for ritual purification. This immersion in water is part of their physical and spiritual preparation for the wedding ceremony. The mikvah represents a separation from the old life to a new life.

Mark 16:16
16. “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

The Bride of Christ also goes to the living waters of the mikvah. When we, as believers in Yeshua, are immersed in water, it is a separation from an old life to a new life.

II Corinthians 5:17 
17. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, all things have become new.

Step Eight: Departure of the Groom

John 14:2 I go to prepare a place for you.

Once the marriage covenant was sealed, the bridegroom leaves his bride to go to his father's house to prepare a wedding chamber. He could be gone for up to twelve months.

John 14:2-3
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.”
3. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

Our Bridegroom has gone to prepare a wedding chamber for His bride.

Matthew 9:15 
15. Jesus said, "Can the friends of the Bridegroom mourn as long as the Bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the Bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast."

While we wait for the return of our Bridegroom / King, we need to stay faithful, watchful and spiritually alert. This is now the hour to pray and fast!

I Peter 4:7
7. But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.

Step Nine: The Consecrated Bride

The Jewish bride was set apart, consecrated, separated unto her bridegroom--the one who purchased her. So, while waiting for his return, she was to stay faithful. It was probably easy at first. But when his return was delayed, the temptation would be great. After a while, the bride may even start to question his return.

II Peter 3:3-4
3. Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lust,
4. And saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”

We are His consecrated bride, awaiting His return. We cannot fall into temptation. We must be ready at all times for the return of our Bridegroom /

Step Ten: The Return of the Bridegroom

Mark 13:32
32. "But the day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
Jewish bridegrooms usually come for their bride late at night, near the midnight hour. The sound of the Shofar would break the silence of the night and there would be great shouting and dancing in the street. We can see this in the parable of the ten virgins:

Matthew 25:6 .. "And at midnight a cry was heard: Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him.

As a thief in the night, our Bridegroom will call us to arise and meet Him in the air. We will hear the shout and the sound of the Shofar. It will happen quickly. We must be ready.

Matthew 24:27
27. For as the lightening comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

I Thessalonians 5:2
2. .. For you yourselves know perfectly that the Day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 
Also II Peter 3:10

I Thessalonians 4:16-18
16. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
17. The we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
18. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Step Eleven: The Huppah

The second half of the ancient Jewish wedding ceremony, or huppah, is called the "hometaking." The original meaning of the huppah was "room" or "covering." The huppah of ancient times was a special room built in the bridegroom's father's home. The room was eventually replaced with a bridal canopy. The huppah symbolized the new home to which the bridegroom would take his bride. The bride and bridegroom were escorted to the bridal chamber where they would be alone for seven days. The spiritual parallel to the huppah for the Bride of Christ begins as we are lifted off the earth to be taken to our heavenly wedding chamber where we will spend "one week" (seven years), with our Bridegroom /King. While the Bride of Christ is in the Bridal Chamber with Yeshua, the rest of the world will be in a time of great tribulation.

Isaiah 26:20-21
20. Come, my people, enter your chambers. And shut your doors behind you; Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, Until the indignation is past.
21. For behold, the Lord comes out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; The earth will also disclose her blood, And will no more cover her slain.

While the wrath of God is poured out on the earth, the Bride of Christ will be hidden away with the Bridegroom.

Step Twelve: The Final Step--The Marriage Supper

Following the seven days in the huppah or bridal chamber, the bride and bridegroom joined their guest for a joyous marriage feast. Playing of music and dancing was a regular part of the celebration.

Revelation 19:6-9
6. And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of
many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!”
7. “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the
Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”
8. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
9. Then He said to me, “Write: Blessed are those who are called to the
marriage supper of the Lamb!’” And He said to me, “These are the true 
saying of God.”

Just like the ancient Jewish wedding, there will be shouts of joy and dancing (yes, dancing) and how exciting it will be. The Bride will dance for joy with her Bridegroom / King, Yeshua.

We will rule and reign with Him for 1,000 years during the millennium! For those of us who look forward to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, we must go out to the highways and byways and extend an invitation to others to come.

Revelation 22:17
17. And the Spirit and the bride say come, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come, Whoever desires, let him take of the Water of Life freely.

Revelation 22:20 
22. He who testifies of these things says, “Surely I Am coming quickly.” Amen.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!