The Jewish Wedding
- The Jewish Wedding- Eph 5:23-32 The Bible is a marriage covenant. Both the Old and New Testaments are marriage covenants. It is important for us to understand that God betrothed Israel to him as his wife (Exodus 19:1-8). Jesus also has espoused his bride as well “the church of God” to him by covenant (John 17:6-8). So it will be good for us to look into the wedding ceremony of the Jews and discover some of the mysteries God had laid up for us there to understand his plans to return for his church. The following are the Jewish customs of marriage:
1. The
Selection of the Bride- Gen 24; John 17:6
The
bride was usually chosen by the father of the bridegroom. The father would send
his trusted servant, known as the agent of the father, to find a bride. We can
see this done in the story of Rebekah the chosen bride for Isaac. Abraham is a
type of (Father God), Isaac is a Type of (Jesus) and the servant Eliazer is a
type of (The Holy Ghost), and Rebekah is a type of (THE BRIDE, the church).
2. A bride
price was established
A
price would have to be paid for the bride called a dowry. Jesus paid a high
price for his bride he discussed the price with two witnesses before he paid it
according to the custom which was the price would be discussed and two witness
who were called friends of the bride groom who’s job was to escort the bride to
the groom under the chupah which was the banner for which the contract would be
drawn up and signed and both parties agreed upon the price. The bible gives us
this part of the custom being fulfilled “And it came to pass about eight days
after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain
to pray. [29] And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and
his raiment was white and glistering. [30] And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: [31] Who appeared in
glory, and “spake of his decease” which he should accomplish at
Jerusalem (Luke 9:28-31).
Jesus had two witnesses the Law and the prophets who
witnessed the price that would be paid for his bride. Peter said “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: [20] Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the
world, but was manifest in these last times for you (1 Peter 1:18-20), and Paul
also stated “For ye are bought with a
price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are
God's” (1 Cor. 6:20).
. 3. The Bride and
Groom are Betrothed to each other- Eph 5:30-32; Isa 62:5
The
part of the marriage is known as kiddushin. Betrothal is the first of two steps
in the marriage process. Betrothal is known is Hebrew as erusin or kiddushin.
Betrothal in Hebrew legally binds the bride and groom together in the marriage contract,
except they physically do not live together.
4. A written document is drawn up, known
as a ketubah. This is the Betrothal contract.
The
Ketubah is the marriage contract that states the bride’s price, the promises of
the groom, and the rights of the bride. The word ketubah means “that which is
written”. The groom promised to work for her, to honor, support, and maintain
her in truth, to provide food, clothing, necessities, and to live together with
her as husband and wife. The Ketubah was executed and signed prior to the
wedding ceremony. The bible is the church’s ketubah. All the promises that God
provided for the believers are legally ours as it is written in 2 Cor 1:20 “For
all the promises of God in him are Yea, and in him Amen….”
5. The bride
must give her consent- Gen 24:58; Ex 19:5-8
The True bible church must accept this and say
“I will” or “I do.” This was also done by drinking the cup.
1. Gifts were
given to the bride by the groom and a cup called the cup of the covenant was
shared between the bride and the groom sealing the covenant.- Matt 26:28; 1Cor
12:3-8.
The
rite of betrothal is completed when the groom gives something of value to the
bride and she accepts it. Most often a “special gift” is often given; this
is the guarantee or the commitment of the groom of his love and loyalty. This was
usually something special or unique from the family she was marrying into, and
it was of great value. The Holy Ghost is a gift sent to us from God and also
the gifts of the Spirit are also precious gifts that God has arrayed the church
with today.
In
addition they would also partake together sealing their covenant by drinking a
cup called the cup of the covenant (Jer 31:31-33; Luke 22:20).
2. The bride
has a mikvah (water immersion), which is a ritual of cleansing.-Matt 28:19-20; Ezek 16:8-9
Mikvahs
were used by the Jew for special occasions. They were pools that the priests
bathed in before they did their work within the temple, and represented
spiritual cleansing to the partaker. Israel would use them when they would go
to the temple for the feasts of Jehovah before they partook in any of the
celebrations. However also a bride would bath in a mikvah to represent the act
of separation and cleansing, thus she was leaving the old way of life to begin
a new life with her betrothed husband.
3. The
Bridegroom departed, going back to his
father’s house to prepare the bridal chamber.-John 14:1-3
At this point the groom leaves for the
father’s house to prepare the bridal chamber for his bride. It was understood
that it was the man’s duty to go away to be with the father, build a house, and
prepare for the eventual wedding. Before he goes, he will make a statement to
his bride. “I go to prepare a place for you; if I go, I will return again to
you.”
4. The Bride
was consecrated and set apart for a period of time while the bridegroom was
away building the house.
Before the groom could go and get his bride, the
father of the groom had to be satisfied that every preparation had been made by
his son. Only then could he give permission to the son to go and get his bride.
In other words while the bridegroom worked on the bridal chamber, it was the
father who “okayed” the final bridal chamber. The bridegroom did not know when
his father would declare the bridal chamber fit and send him to go get his
bride see what Jesus said in Mark 13:32-37 “But of that day and that hour
knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but
the Father. [33] Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time
is. [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. [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: [36] Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. [37] And
what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.” Meanwhile, the bride was to wait
eagerly for the return of her groom. In the mind of the bride the groom could
come at any moment, even at midnight, therefore she had to be ready at all
times.
5. The
Bridegroom would return with a shout, “Behold the bridegroom comes” and the
sound of the ram’s horn would be blown
The time of the return of the bridegroom
was usually at midnight. When the bridegroom came he came with a shout or a cry
(Matt 25:6) and the blowing of a shofar (1 Thess: 4:16-17; Rev 4:1). The
marriage party would take place under a canopy or chupah.
6. The Groom
would abduct his bride, usually in the middle of the night, to go to the bridal
chamber where the marriage would be consummated. This is the full marriage.
In the book of Isaiah we see
this prophecy of the rapture of the church in Isaiah 26:19-21 “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. The picture is that of a bride and groom entering into a wedding
chamber.
7. Finally,
there would be a marriage supper for the guests invited by the father of the
bride that lasted for seven days or a week-Gen 29:21-27, John 2:1-11.
We must notice that the feast
lasted for seven days, or a week as we search the scriptures we find in the
book of Daniel 9:24-27, Daniel speaks about a prophetic week where the
tribulation will begin with the signing of a another covenant of peace between
the Jews and the Arabs from which the Great Tribulation will begin and the
Antichrist will rule. This seems to be the week for which the church will be
hid from, for the scripture declare in Jeremiah 30:6-7 “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? [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.” Not The church’s trouble but Israel trouble
because they rejected their Messiah.
- Yom
HaKesheh: The Hidden Day
Another name for the Feast of the blowing
of the Trumpets is known as the Hidden day. The book of Psalms gives us a
prediction of this in 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 ((chamber)); he shall set me up upon a rock.”
The Feast of the blowing of trumpets again takes place at
the New Moon this day was considered hidden to Israel because they were not
certain when it would begin, for it fell at a time of darkness. Jesus referred
to this day when he said “of the day and
hour knoweth no man, no not the angels in heaven, but my Father only, he was
using this idiom for the Feast of the blowing of Trumpets. This Feast was the
only day of the whole year that was refereed to as the hidden day or the day
that no man knew…Praise the Lord for his wonderful word!!!!!
If you have never accepted or if you have fallen away from Jesus Christ here are three steps you need to take to be saved:
You must admit you are a sinner, confess your sin to Jesus, repent (turn from all you know is wrong), ask Jesus to come in your heart, and begin to follow Jesus by reading and obeying his word and go to a bible believing church that teaches his word. And tell someone what Christ Jesus Has Done For You (Rev 12:10)
May God through Christ bless you!
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This is an excellent picture of what is to come!
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