Christian Bible Study Scriptures
Tuesday, 20 February 2018
How To Write A Christian Song
First to write a ballade, or sonnet a traditional 14 line poem, you can write it like
Petrarch, who wrote an octave, that is two qautrains (4 lines each ) for his thesis a total of 8, and then another (6 lines being, 2 tercets of 3 lines of verse) for his sestet, as his proposition or concluding thought or opinion with two tercets.
You can write a Spenserian sonnet with 7 couplets as your verses.
You can write a Terza Rima like Dante, with 4 -3 line tercets for twelve plus another two lines of verse for a total of 14 with and 1- 2 line couplet.
You can try writing like Chaucer, with 4 tercets, 3 lines of verse each and 1 couplet, to make a total of 14 lines for your sonnet / ballade.
You can write a sonnet like Shakespeare with 3 qautrains with 4 verses each and 1 couplet with two verses.
It does not matter how you write it, the modern pop songs have 3 verses and two choruses.
So write either 3 quatrains for twelve verses rhyming every other line.
Use and AB, AB rhyme scheme and then for the hook, your chorus write a 2 line couplet as your chorus. That makes a sonnet of 14 verses or lines.
You can repeat the chorus, as many times as you like in your song.
To start, think of a concept, what you want to write about, that is your over all theme.
Brainstorm through stream of consciousness as many ideas as you can, jot them down in point form quickly.
Then organize words that you want to use to make a key point, elaborate on that idea, write a paragraph about it. 4 lines, try to rhyme the end syllable of every other line.
A
B
A
B
Use that pattern.
Then write two more.
Think of an over all statement that sums up the theme and the concept in your verses.
That will be your Premise.
The Hook.
The Chorus. It is your 2 line couplet!
Now you are done with the poem, here is how to mark the scansions for meter and for prosody to find the melody of your music.
Scansions, when they are musical notation, and metric, measures, are bars in music, Ams, 4 beats or notes, and the phonemes, syllables, one per beat, in either, 1/4 or 2/8 or 4/16 depending on the cantillation of the prosody in the vowels, both the primary and the secondary, each being stressed according to it's type of syntax in grammar, nouns, having initial stress at the front, and verbs having the end, or usual (but not always penultimate stress), then the scansion should reflect actual real scansion and musical notation.
The syllables, one phoneme per beat or note, having either 1 quater note for (L) light weight vowels or (H) for heavy weight vowels 2 quarter notes or 3 quarter notes for superheavy vowels, it is rare to have 4 notes for a vowel but is possible.
That is one way, to mark the prosody, with Longue being 4 notes = 1 Am / Bar and Breve Short being 2 is another way to mark the scansion , like the medieval music notation for chants.
Another way to mark prosody it to specifically keep the phones /phonemes marked as on per syllable and one per note or beat in the 4/4 time/ tempo of an Am /Bar/ measure of music.
To mark the exact prosody, and to write music , then mark the cantillation for each vowel, with it's prosody being dynamic (S) Fortis Strong and (L) or (W) Lax, for Lenis or Weak dynamic based on the voiced or unvoiced consonants or vowels in the prior note/ syllable. Being marked F LOUD and P for Soft or quiet, and there is varying degree of 1 through 5 FFFF or MF or MP PPPP that is your dynamic, and it will indicate the phase or strength of frequency or colour degree of the clarity and resonance of the note when it is voiced, and the prosaic quality of the register/ pitch/ tonality the rise and fall, is the exact cantillation of the vowel enunciation, of melody and prosody with light syllables having one,ornament or figure and heavy having two notes and super heavy three with the mid being the highest point, starting at the lowest raising to mid then back to tonic or the previous note, it should be raised up if it is voiced, and lowered if unvoiced in the prior syllable or consonant.
So in that way, the note, a beat, the tone a 1/4 can be subdivided as each IPA International Phonetic Alphabet would suggest, as to how to enunciate the vowel, then subdivide the note each beat, one per syllable/ phoneme or segment of the etymology of the word, based on the onset, nucleus,and coda, the nucleus being the vowel usually, so divide it as 1/16 for light weight vowel, 2/16 ornament or figure for heavy, and for super heavy three ,so 3/16 notes, it is rare but possible to have 4/16 for heavier vowel combination.
In that way each cell, or note, has further division into figures as ornament for the vowel intonation cantillation per beat. If you prefer to make it like the chant music of middle ages, then use as breve 2 notes of the 4 in one Am, or Bar as counting as one scansion, and for heavy make a figure of 4 beats or notes, and super heavy 6 notes, with short being Breve, and Longue being 4 notes, that is the other way, and then mark prosody of the vowels as motifs/ figures for the pattern of rime.
Choose words to fit on the next line that match its rime, the syllable marking of scansion and prosody for the onset, and rime, being nucleus and coda.
That is the proper way to mark the scansions for music. Then the poem becomes a ballade or song! :)
Petrarch, who wrote an octave, that is two qautrains (4 lines each ) for his thesis a total of 8, and then another (6 lines being, 2 tercets of 3 lines of verse) for his sestet, as his proposition or concluding thought or opinion with two tercets.
You can write a Spenserian sonnet with 7 couplets as your verses.
You can write a Terza Rima like Dante, with 4 -3 line tercets for twelve plus another two lines of verse for a total of 14 with and 1- 2 line couplet.
You can try writing like Chaucer, with 4 tercets, 3 lines of verse each and 1 couplet, to make a total of 14 lines for your sonnet / ballade.
You can write a sonnet like Shakespeare with 3 qautrains with 4 verses each and 1 couplet with two verses.
It does not matter how you write it, the modern pop songs have 3 verses and two choruses.
So write either 3 quatrains for twelve verses rhyming every other line.
Use and AB, AB rhyme scheme and then for the hook, your chorus write a 2 line couplet as your chorus. That makes a sonnet of 14 verses or lines.
You can repeat the chorus, as many times as you like in your song.
To start, think of a concept, what you want to write about, that is your over all theme.
Brainstorm through stream of consciousness as many ideas as you can, jot them down in point form quickly.
Then organize words that you want to use to make a key point, elaborate on that idea, write a paragraph about it. 4 lines, try to rhyme the end syllable of every other line.
A
B
A
B
Use that pattern.
Then write two more.
Think of an over all statement that sums up the theme and the concept in your verses.
That will be your Premise.
The Hook.
The Chorus. It is your 2 line couplet!
Now you are done with the poem, here is how to mark the scansions for meter and for prosody to find the melody of your music.
Scansions, when they are musical notation, and metric, measures, are bars in music, Ams, 4 beats or notes, and the phonemes, syllables, one per beat, in either, 1/4 or 2/8 or 4/16 depending on the cantillation of the prosody in the vowels, both the primary and the secondary, each being stressed according to it's type of syntax in grammar, nouns, having initial stress at the front, and verbs having the end, or usual (but not always penultimate stress), then the scansion should reflect actual real scansion and musical notation.
The syllables, one phoneme per beat or note, having either 1 quater note for (L) light weight vowels or (H) for heavy weight vowels 2 quarter notes or 3 quarter notes for superheavy vowels, it is rare to have 4 notes for a vowel but is possible.
That is one way, to mark the prosody, with Longue being 4 notes = 1 Am / Bar and Breve Short being 2 is another way to mark the scansion , like the medieval music notation for chants.
Another way to mark prosody it to specifically keep the phones /phonemes marked as on per syllable and one per note or beat in the 4/4 time/ tempo of an Am /Bar/ measure of music.
To mark the exact prosody, and to write music , then mark the cantillation for each vowel, with it's prosody being dynamic (S) Fortis Strong and (L) or (W) Lax, for Lenis or Weak dynamic based on the voiced or unvoiced consonants or vowels in the prior note/ syllable. Being marked F LOUD and P for Soft or quiet, and there is varying degree of 1 through 5 FFFF or MF or MP PPPP that is your dynamic, and it will indicate the phase or strength of frequency or colour degree of the clarity and resonance of the note when it is voiced, and the prosaic quality of the register/ pitch/ tonality the rise and fall, is the exact cantillation of the vowel enunciation, of melody and prosody with light syllables having one,ornament or figure and heavy having two notes and super heavy three with the mid being the highest point, starting at the lowest raising to mid then back to tonic or the previous note, it should be raised up if it is voiced, and lowered if unvoiced in the prior syllable or consonant.
So in that way, the note, a beat, the tone a 1/4 can be subdivided as each IPA International Phonetic Alphabet would suggest, as to how to enunciate the vowel, then subdivide the note each beat, one per syllable/ phoneme or segment of the etymology of the word, based on the onset, nucleus,and coda, the nucleus being the vowel usually, so divide it as 1/16 for light weight vowel, 2/16 ornament or figure for heavy, and for super heavy three ,so 3/16 notes, it is rare but possible to have 4/16 for heavier vowel combination.
In that way each cell, or note, has further division into figures as ornament for the vowel intonation cantillation per beat. If you prefer to make it like the chant music of middle ages, then use as breve 2 notes of the 4 in one Am, or Bar as counting as one scansion, and for heavy make a figure of 4 beats or notes, and super heavy 6 notes, with short being Breve, and Longue being 4 notes, that is the other way, and then mark prosody of the vowels as motifs/ figures for the pattern of rime.
Choose words to fit on the next line that match its rime, the syllable marking of scansion and prosody for the onset, and rime, being nucleus and coda.
That is the proper way to mark the scansions for music. Then the poem becomes a ballade or song! :)
~Krista Kaufman 2018-02-20
Thursday, 1 February 2018
The Theory of Everything Evolution vs. Creation Science : How does it all compare?
Ryan Hembre Science Journalist's segment at 18:42
Enjoy the full Bible Study at the start, and then watch science at the end.
How it all happens; Science of the Universe and it's Physics
The magnetic field would increase pressure as it collapses as fission/fusion cycle happens through the 1 Atomic ,Neutron, stable, then Protons unstable ,under pressure, volatility, Electron, Muon,Tau unstable friction collision happens, red,green,blue alpha,beta,gamma matter +/- anti-matter cycle (6) decay death cycle , the 8th end regeneration as it explodes and then joins to new matter,forms hadrons, individual particles can not survive they through law of attraction under gravitational force, have to be joined to new matter,hadrons,then its stable again, but that, before it does collapse, when it compresses the force would cause increased energy electricity nuclear energy at fission radiation, isotopes etc. when pressure seals it through force and pressure during collapse and like the nuclear bombs when unsealed they remain stable when sealed become unstable volatile under pressure, and collision fission/fusion cycle would explode when gluons increase it weakens, stretches and then breaks,fission,radiation, endothermic energy, outward, then particles rejoin to new hadrons so after the 3 +/- cycles of decay and destruction the final one after proton- electrons, muon,tau then it would explode and the particles under physics can not remain isolated they have to attract to other particles and form new atomic matter to be stable again hadrons ,neutrons, protons,and the electrons would remain so and as the + and + make - and the - and - make + the magnetic field grows and spins in polarity again the bose/einstein wave theory is why it stretches out like curtains because of the warp in the time space continuum during the fission when it breaks apart and elongates just prior, because of the gluons, the gluons happens when it is weak, stretches minimal collision force needed to break, exothermic force in, fission,then it breaks, at collision, when it becomes unstable under increased exothermic pressure and then is volatile, when it is weak enough then it takes very little force of collision and then fission occurs. The endothermic forces it outward particles join to form new hadrons after they collide,and the exothermic draws it in under gravitational electromagnetic force of polarity and spin.The more it draws in under exothermic stress that is when it stretches out, like curtains. The bible describes it. Same with when the particles Quarks, (+)/(-) are at the smallest quantum superpositions as they are reduced beyond gamma radiation each fission/fusion cycle they are at 4 simultaneous quantum superpositions, particles quarks(+) /anti-quark (-) particles join to new formed hadrons, all at the same time in the full double polarity spin under electromagnetic force and gravity, so it is also just like how the bible describes the wheels of gods throne, his chariot with the faces of the spirit of nuclear energy they angels are at full nuclear type quantum superposition so they appear as the faces are in 4 places at the same time but it is just one being.
The chariot, 4 seraphim, 2 cherubim at the mercy seat with YHVH JESUS GOD in the mercy seat the 7, the candle sticks the menorah in the temple represent his chariot and enthroned presence. He is the energy and force of the universe and moves and vibrates in momentum as genesis says HE moves, electricity has pitch and tone and produces sound, words, and nuclear, energy the 5 basic atomic particles in it form the basis in chemistry for all other atomic chemical structure at the microcosm of space in the minutia HE created by moving causing pressure force fission/fusion created new hardons elemental particles and atomic structure in the minute microcosm and in the large macrocosm in the universe and stars you were talking about the stars spin under double polarity gravitational spin, the gluons cause the quarks to stretch and elongate which causes the strange shape of the stars that you showed on screen , it is in collapse, weakens, and under exothermic pressure in it becomes more volatile unstable until pressure of colliding quarkss(+)/(-) anti-quarks at full quantum superpostion inhabit the same space and BIG BANG! Nuclear fission breaks! GAMMA RADIATION =BLUE the same at chemical level in us too! Alpha,Beta ,Gamma RED, GREEN,BLUE, so when you showed BLUE star it is at collapse, it will stretch under time space WAVE bose/einstein theory where warp in the time space continuum happens, Boson Gauge degree of increased pressure and charge, it under pressure of endo outward or exo inward either alters the hydrogen oxygen etc the 5 main underlying chemistry of the particles atoms in the gaseous atmosphere, and just like water in extreme cold in the vacuum in the internal exothermic pressure, that is why there is a black hole it becomes a vacuum in space and all freezes, when it the qaurks/anti quarks are stretched until gluons form and slight collision caused fission then charge bang radiation gamma radiation particles, isotopes scatter, under radiation,light is created, and travels, re: einsteins explanation of speed of light, and qaurks can not be isolated they attract to electromagnetic force of gravity spin to other qaurks form hadrons,new atoms and under stable spin increase charge electromagnetic energy grows charge endothermic outward energy causes increase boson gauge degree of heat charge of electricity and that heat melts gas then causes like ice to become water and heat endothermic creates water,condensation, that is how in the beginning water was formed as GOD moved in vibrational wave patterns of energy at frequency and pitch and tone the hum in space caused sound and words......in the beginning......;) CREATION SCIENCE ! BIG BANG INDEED! ;) GOD YHVH DOES BIG THINGS HE IS ALMIGHTY AND WONDERFUL HE IS AWESOME AMEN! :)
THAT ....is the THEORY OF EVERYTHING.......GO challenge the scientists, that do not believe and share that with them!
IT EXPLAINS IT ALL!
Also, the jewish scripture says in the beginning , time periods designated, a day is like a thousand years, meaning a specific and exact measure of time . Never said exact length or precise measure but it used the conceit and concept of 1 day=1000 years = a metric degree of measurement..........go explain that to the scientists! :) ;) ~Krista
PROGRAM: QUICK STUDY!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIkBgmjNlpo
Saturday, 16 December 2017
What is the meaning of the story in the bible: Sodom and Gomorrah?
Here is a quick breakdown of the biblical story of Sodom and Gommorah:
Logline:
Man and his addiction ruin his life; he needs to change before life as he knows it is ruined,for himself and everyone around him.
Synopsis:
Abraham has a drinking problem his sin, he grabs the liquor and not his wife. When running from the city in the fire and brimstone storm hitting everyone.
We know this as after he has fermented wine later and that takes awhile to ferment so he was busy; not getting his wife out and not warning the neighbourhood, he was gathering up his alcohol to take, worldly things is what he focused on not people.
His choice destroyed his family life. It gets way more tragic later how he abuses the kids because he is drunk and is not in his right mind.He does not have the wife he needs because he focused on his drinking and not her it destroys his family and his city as he was supposed to be the influence the leader. He did not have his priorities straight.
Now most say it was the "others sins" but it was the religious ones sins, because the "others" are watching the religious, and how did Abraham deal with things, he tries to stop the "other" men and their homosexual behaviour , by devaluing his daughter throwing them up for use and abuse them sexually. Was this going to encourage the homosexuals to be like him? No.
They do not want to do that devalue the girls. What example was he? A bad one, he did not present the picture of what family life was he was a mess his whole family needed to be redeemed.
He should have been valuing his wife and daughter and presenting an example of what a life was to look like. He did not he just said here have at my daughter maybe that will distract you, was it an answer NO!It lead to the tragedy.
The whole question he argued with God about earlier was, can anyone be saved? Answer if there are even a few righteous ones to live and set an example to guide and direct others, but if not then if they lead them astray to ruin then all is lost. Theme of the whole story.
They seen he did not have his priorities right.
When he should have been listening to God, to guide him to do the right thing.
But did he? No, he did not take the warning the storm is coming serious, he did not let go of his sins, he did not focus on his family, being a leader, and example to others,he did not grab his wife , grab the kids, get the neighbours warn them, get them to safety in time.
NO! He did not.
What did he do, grabbed wine and liquor tried to take his sin with him, he focused on his sin and not the others not his family kids or wife, just his sins and clinging to them.
As a result the wife was lost , the kids suffered abuse, with him intoxicated trying to escape reality rather than dealing with life or his situation and circumstances, he tried to escape it using the wrong thing drugs and wine.
His wife, kids and neighbours were lost because of this sin.
Moral of the story, men need to face life, focus on family be a leader be an example to others. Let go of their sins before it destroys themselves or others all around them. The micro and the macrocosm of life.
So theme of the story, clinging to sins destroys yourself and your family and everyone else around you. They won't listen, and they won't respect you if you can not respect yourself and let go of your sins and focus on the right things.
As Jesus would say later: "Remove the plank from your own eye before trying to point out others sins!"
See the universal themes? STORY OF LIFE!
We all need God to redeem us as the need for mercy and grace due to each human having sin. Not one is without it. That is why these stories resonate with everyone all over the globe.
The whole world needs stories like these because as humans we need to see that even in these peoples lives God never gave up on them, He was going to save them and redeem them in the end. We all need that to know there is HOPE in the end!
That is why writing the story of redemption , that out of the worst tragic mess there is still hope in the end and it is never to late to change or be redeemed.
As in the story above eventually Abraham gave up the drink and redeemed his life got back on track but it took God playing the antagonist in his life to say this drinking and mess you got yourself in has to stop what do I have to do to interrupt you and change life until you suffer the consequence and pain of not changing becomes more pain than the pain of changing will be?
Logline:
Man and his addiction ruin his life; he needs to change before life as he knows it is ruined,for himself and everyone around him.
Synopsis:
Abraham has a drinking problem his sin, he grabs the liquor and not his wife. When running from the city in the fire and brimstone storm hitting everyone.
We know this as after he has fermented wine later and that takes awhile to ferment so he was busy; not getting his wife out and not warning the neighbourhood, he was gathering up his alcohol to take, worldly things is what he focused on not people.
His choice destroyed his family life. It gets way more tragic later how he abuses the kids because he is drunk and is not in his right mind.He does not have the wife he needs because he focused on his drinking and not her it destroys his family and his city as he was supposed to be the influence the leader. He did not have his priorities straight.
Now most say it was the "others sins" but it was the religious ones sins, because the "others" are watching the religious, and how did Abraham deal with things, he tries to stop the "other" men and their homosexual behaviour , by devaluing his daughter throwing them up for use and abuse them sexually. Was this going to encourage the homosexuals to be like him? No.
They do not want to do that devalue the girls. What example was he? A bad one, he did not present the picture of what family life was he was a mess his whole family needed to be redeemed.
He should have been valuing his wife and daughter and presenting an example of what a life was to look like. He did not he just said here have at my daughter maybe that will distract you, was it an answer NO!It lead to the tragedy.
The whole question he argued with God about earlier was, can anyone be saved? Answer if there are even a few righteous ones to live and set an example to guide and direct others, but if not then if they lead them astray to ruin then all is lost. Theme of the whole story.
They seen he did not have his priorities right.
When he should have been listening to God, to guide him to do the right thing.
But did he? No, he did not take the warning the storm is coming serious, he did not let go of his sins, he did not focus on his family, being a leader, and example to others,he did not grab his wife , grab the kids, get the neighbours warn them, get them to safety in time.
NO! He did not.
What did he do, grabbed wine and liquor tried to take his sin with him, he focused on his sin and not the others not his family kids or wife, just his sins and clinging to them.
As a result the wife was lost , the kids suffered abuse, with him intoxicated trying to escape reality rather than dealing with life or his situation and circumstances, he tried to escape it using the wrong thing drugs and wine.
His wife, kids and neighbours were lost because of this sin.
Moral of the story, men need to face life, focus on family be a leader be an example to others. Let go of their sins before it destroys themselves or others all around them. The micro and the macrocosm of life.
So theme of the story, clinging to sins destroys yourself and your family and everyone else around you. They won't listen, and they won't respect you if you can not respect yourself and let go of your sins and focus on the right things.
As Jesus would say later: "Remove the plank from your own eye before trying to point out others sins!"
See the universal themes? STORY OF LIFE!
We all need God to redeem us as the need for mercy and grace due to each human having sin. Not one is without it. That is why these stories resonate with everyone all over the globe.
The whole world needs stories like these because as humans we need to see that even in these peoples lives God never gave up on them, He was going to save them and redeem them in the end. We all need that to know there is HOPE in the end!
That is why writing the story of redemption , that out of the worst tragic mess there is still hope in the end and it is never to late to change or be redeemed.
As in the story above eventually Abraham gave up the drink and redeemed his life got back on track but it took God playing the antagonist in his life to say this drinking and mess you got yourself in has to stop what do I have to do to interrupt you and change life until you suffer the consequence and pain of not changing becomes more pain than the pain of changing will be?
Tuesday, 12 December 2017
Happy Hanukkah I pray GOD YHVH Jesus Blesses You
Friday, 8 December 2017
Poetry
2017 - 12 -08
~Krista Kaufman~
As John Milton would say, Lucifer and his fall are like the autumnal leaves,
and in Christ we stand, have victory, and trample satan and his hordes under our feet!
Paradise only be lost, to those who fail to pray, in Jesus name,
for it is the true and living God, our Father, Holy Lord, Jesus upon the cross;
He died that none be lost!
Pray now, ask and you shall receive;
His anointing Holy Spirit, Salvation be!
~Krista Kaufman~
As John Milton would say, Lucifer and his fall are like the autumnal leaves,
and in Christ we stand, have victory, and trample satan and his hordes under our feet!
Paradise only be lost, to those who fail to pray, in Jesus name,
for it is the true and living God, our Father, Holy Lord, Jesus upon the cross;
He died that none be lost!
Pray now, ask and you shall receive;
His anointing Holy Spirit, Salvation be!
Thursday, 10 November 2016
What is Rosh Hashanah: The Wedding of the Messiah
Rosh Hashanah: The Wedding of the Messiah
The Bible is a marriage covenant. Both the Tanach (Old Testament) and the Brit Hadashah (New Testament) describe how G-d through the Mashiach (Messiah), the Bridegroom, is in the process of marrying His bride, the believers in Him who will ultimately live and dwell with Him forever.
G-d ordained and established marriage and its divine sanctity in the Torah, the very first book of the Bible, Genesis (Bereishit), when He brought Adam and Eve together to become one flesh (Genesis 2:21-24). In doing so, we have a vivid foreshadowing of the Messiah being married to those who would believe upon Him. Let's examine this closer.
Adam is a type of the Messiah Yeshua. Adam was made after the likeness of Yeshua (Romans 5:14). Yeshua (Jesus) was made in the likeness of Adam (Philippians 2:8). In fact, Yeshua is called the last Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45-47). In Genesis 2:21, G-d had a deep sleep fall upon Adam. Sleep is synonymous with death (Daniel 12:2; John [Yochanan] 11:11-14; 1 Corinthians 15:51-54; Ephesians 5:14). The deep sleep that G-d caused to fall upon Adam is a picture of the crucifixion and death of Yeshua, as Messiah ben Joseph. G-d brought a deep sleep upon Adam so He could take a rib from the side of his flesh. This required the shedding of blood. This is a picture of Yeshua who was pierced in the side of His flesh, shedding His own blood when He hung on the tree (John [Yochanan] 19:34).
From the rib of Adam, G-d made Eve. Likewise, by the death of Yeshua and faith (emunah) in Him, G-d established the assembly of believers known in Hebrew as the kehilat. The believers in the Messiah, His bride, become wedded to Him by faith (emunah). This marriage can be seen in the Tanach (Old Testament) as well as in Jeremiah 23:5-6, as it is written, .... this is His name whereby He shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Jeremiah [Yermiyahu] 23:6). In Jeremiah 33:15-16, it is written, "...this is the name wherewith she shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Jeremiah [Yermiyahu] 33:16). So from these passages in Jeremiah, we can see that a wedding is taking place. Therefore, by accepting, trusting, and believing in the Messiah, the bride of Messiah, His followers, become one with Him. These people would include both Jew and non-Jews who have lived since Adam and would include Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, and Solomon as well as the prophets.
G-d gave the wedding customs, service, and ceremonies to the Jewish people (Romans 3:2; 9:4) to teach us about the Messiah Yeshua (Colossians 2:16-17). With this in mind, let's examine the biblical wedding ceremony that G-d gave to the Jewish people. The ancient Jewish wedding ceremony G-d gave to the Jewish people to teach us about the wedding of the Messiah consisted of 12 steps.
The selection of the bride.
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 search out the bride. An excellent example of this can be seen in Genesis 24. In this chapter, Abraham (a type of G-d the Father) wishes to secure a bride for Isaac (a type of Messiah) and sends his servant Eliezer (a type of the Holy Spirit [Ruach HaKodesh]) to do this task (Genesis [Bereishit 24:2-4; 15:2). It is the role of the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) to convict the world of sin and lead them to G-d (John [Yochanan] 16:7-8). Just as the bride was usually chosen by the father of the bridegroom, so the believers in the Messiah are chosen by G-d (John [Yochanan] 15:16). The bridegroom chose the bride and lavished his love upon her and she returned his love. This can be seen in Ephesians 5:25, as it is written, "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself of it." In Genesis (Bereishit) 24, Rebekah (Rivkah) consented to marry Isaac (Yitzchak) even before she ever met him. Today, the believers in the Messiah Yeshua consent to become the bride of Messiah even though we have never seen Him. First Peter (Kefa) 1:8 speaks of this, as it is written, "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."
A bride price was established.
A price would have to be paid for the bride. The agreed upon price was called a mohar in Hebrew. Yeshua, being our bridegroom, paid a very high price for His bride, the body of believers. The price He paid was His life. Yeshua considered the price He had to pay for His bride before His death as He went into the Garden of Gethsemane to pray in Matthew (Mattityahu) 26:39, as it is written, "And He went a little farther, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt." Yeshua was, in essence, saying, "Father, You have chosen this bride and I have agreed to the terms, but do you realize the price that is being asked for her?" Our mohar, our bride price, was His life. First Peter (Kefa) 1:18-19 says, "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; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." In First Corinthians 6:20 it is written, "For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."
The bride and groom are betrothed to each other.
This is the first stage of marriage known as kiddushin. I have spoken at length of betrothal in Chapter 6, concerning Shavuot. Remember, betrothal is the first of two steps in the marriage process. Betrothal in Hebrew is known as erusin or kiddushin. Betrothal legally binds the bride and the groom together in a marriage contract, except they do not physically live together. Historically, G-d betrothed Himself to Israel at Mount Sinai (Jeremiah 2:2; Hosea 2:19-20). Whenever you accept the Messiah into your heart and life, you become betrothed to Him while living on the earth.
A written document is drawn up, known as a ketubah. This betrothal contract is called, in Hebrew, a shitre erusin.
The ketubah is the marriage contract that states the bride 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, and necessities, and to live together with her as husband and wife. The ketubah was the unalienable right of the bride. The ketubah must be executed and signed prior to the wedding ceremony. The Bible is the believer's ketubah. All the promises that G-d provided for the believers in the Messiah are legally ours, as it is written in Second Corinthians 1:20, "For all the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him Amen...."
The bride must give her consent.
As we saw in Chapter 6, which dealt with Shavuot (Pentecost), G-d betrothed Himself to Israel at Mount Sinai as stated in Jeremiah 2:2. Israel consented to the marriage proposal from G-d and said, "I do," as it is written in Exodus (Shemot) 24:3. Likewise, the personal application (halacha) to those who desire the Messiah to come into their hearts and lives is to accept His invitation to do so by faith (emunah), as it is written in Romans 10:8-10:
What, then, does it say? The Word is near you in your mouth and in your heart: that is the word about trust [emunah] which we proclaim, namely, that if you acknowledge publicly with your mouth that Yeshua is Lord and trust in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be delivered. For with the heart one goes on trusting and thus continues toward righteousness, while with the mouth one keeps on making public acknowledgments and thus continues toward deliverance (Romans 10:8-10 Jewish New Testament Version).
So, even today, to become the bride of Messiah you must still say "I do" to Him.
Gifts were given to the bride and a cup called the cup of the covenant was shared between the bride and the groom.
The rite of betrothal (erusin) is completed when the groom gives something of value to the bride and she accepts it. The gift most often given today is the ring. When the groom places the ring on the bride's finger, the rite of betrothal is completed. This completed rite is known in Hebrew as kiddushin, which means "sanctification."
The gifts to the bride are symbols of love, commitment, and loyalty. The gift G-d gives to those who accept the Messiah is the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) (John [Yochanan] 14:26; 15:26-27; Acts 2:38; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22). When Yeshua ascended to Heaven, He gave gifts to men (Ephesians 4:7-8). These gifts included righteousness (Romans 5:17-18), eternal life (Romans 6:23), grace (Romans 5:12,14-15), faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), and other spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:1,4). These included wisdom, knowledge, healing, the working of miracles, prophecy, the discerning of spirits, tongues, and interpretation of tongues (1 Corinthians 12:8-11), as well as the gifts of helps and administration (1 Corinthians 12:28).
In addition, at this time the cup of the covenant was shared and sealed between the bride and the groom with the drinking of wine. In doing so, the couple drinks from a common cup. The cup is first given to the groom to sip, and then is given to the bride. This cup, known as the cup of the covenant, is spoken of in Jeremiah 31:31-33, as it is written:
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which My covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: but this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be My people (Jeremiah [Yermiyahu] 31:31-33).
Yeshua spoke of the cup of the New Covenant (Brit Hadashah) in Luke 22:20.
The bride had a mikvah (water immersion), which is a ritual of cleansing.
Mikvah is a Hebrew word that means "pool" or "body of water." Mikvah is a ceremonial act of purification by the immersion in water. It indicates a separation from a former way to a new way. In the case of marriage, it indicates leaving an old life for a new life with your spouse (Genesis [Bereishit] 2:23-24; Ephesians 5:31). Immersing in the mikvah is considered spiritual rebirth. The reason is that a mikvah has the power to change a person completely. Concerning the marriage to Israel at Mount Sinai, G-d said in Ezekiel 16:8-9, as it is written, "...I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee... and thou becamest Mine. Then washed I thee with water...." The washing, or immersion, here refers to that of Israel before the people received the Torah when G-d betrothed Himself to Israel at Mount Sinai (Exodus [Shemot] 19:14-15). Yeshua spoke to the Pharisee, Nicodemus (Nakdimon), that he must be born anew (immersed) to enter into the Kingdom of G-d (John [Yochanan] 3:1-7). The believers in the Messiah are to be immersed in the name of Yeshua (Acts 19:4). The Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) is the immerser of G-d (Luke 3:16; Acts 1:5; 11:15-16).
The bridegroom departed, going back to his father's house to prepare the bridal chamber.
At this point, the bridegroom leaves for his father's house to prepare the bridal chamber for his bride. It was understood to be the man's duty to go away to be with his father, build a 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." This is the same statement Yeshua made in John (Yochanan) 14:1-3 before He went to His father's house in Heaven, as it is written:
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Fathers' house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 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 (John [Yochanan] 14:1-3).
The bride was consecrated and set apart for a period of time while the bridegroom was away building the house.
Before the bridegroom could go and get the bride, the groom's father had to be satisfied that every preparation had been made by the son. Only then could he give permission to the son to go and get the bride. In other words, while the bridegroom was working 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. This is exactly what Yeshua was referring to in Mark 13:32-37.
Meanwhile, the bride was to wait eagerly for the return of the bridegroom. In the mind of the bride, the bridegroom could come at any time, even in the middle of the night or at midnight. Therefore, she had to be ready at all times. Yeshua referred to this in Mark 13:32-37 and Matthew 25:1-13. While waiting for her bridegroom to come, the bride had to have thought to herself, "Is he really coming back for me? Is he really going to keep his word?" This was the thought that Peter (Kefa) answered in Second Peter 3:1-13.
The bridegroom would return with a shout, "Behold, the bridegroom comes" and the sound of the ram's horn (shofar) would be blown.
The time of the return of the bridegroom was usually at midnight. When the bridegroom did come, he came with a shout (Matthew 25:6) and with the blowing of a shofar (trumpet) (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 4:1). The marriage between the bride and the groom will take place under the chupah or wedding canopy. Since Heaven is a type of chupah, we can see that when Yeshua gives a shout for His bride, accompanied by the blowing of a shofar (trumpet), the marriage between Yeshua and His bride will take place in Heaven.
The marriage ceremony will have a sacred procession. For this reason, the bridegroom (Yeshua) will be led to the chupah first. When the bridegroom approaches the chupah, the cantor chants, "Blessed is he who comes." "Blessed is he who comes" is an idiomatic expression meaning "welcome." Yeshua said that He would not return for His bride until these words were said (Matthew 23:39). The groom is greeted like a king under the chupah. During this time Yeshua, the bridegroom, will be crowned King under the chupah, which is Heaven.
He 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, known in Hebrew as nesu'in.
The bride and groom will go to the wedding chamber, or chadar in Hebrew, where the marriage will be consummated. They will stay in that wedding chamber for seven days, or a week. At the end of the seven days, the bride and groom will come out from the wedding chamber. This can be seen in Joel 2:16.
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 for week (shavuah) meaning seven years can be found in Daniel 9:24, as it is written, "Seventy weeks [shavuah, 490 years] are determined upon thy people..." and in 9:27, "And he [the false Messiah known as the antichrist] shall confirm the covenant with many for one week [shavuah, seven years]...." The week referred to in Daniel 9:27 is known to Bible believers as the tribulation period. The Jewish people understand this time to be the birthpangs of the Messiah known in Hebrew eschatology as the Chevlai shel Mashiach. This is taken from Jeremiah 30:5-7. From this we can see that the believers in the Messiah will be with the Messiah in Heaven for His wedding while the earth will be experiencing the seven-year tribulation period, or the Chevlai shel Mashiach, in Hebrew.
Finally, there would be a marriage supper for all the guests invited by the father of the bride.
The bride and the groom would be in the wedding chamber for seven days. When the bride and the groom initially went into the wedding chamber, the friend of the bridegroom stood outside the door. All the assembled guests of the wedding gathered outside, waiting for the friend of the bride-groom to announce the consummation of the marriage, which was relayed to him by the groom. John (Yochanan) the Immerser (Baptist) referred to this in John 3:29. At this signal, great rejoicing broke forth (John 3:29). The marriage was consummated on the first night (Genesis [Bereishit] 29:23). The bloodstained linen from this night was preserved. It was proof of the bride's virginity (Deuteronomy [Devarim] 22:13-21).
On the wedding day, the bridegroom is seen as a king and the bride as a queen. During the consummation of the marriage, the bridegroom (Yeshua) will be crowned King over all the earth and the bride (the believers in Yeshua, the Messiah) will live with Him and rule with Him forever. The crowning of the King and the marriage can be seen in Isaiah 62:3-7. At the end of the week (seven-year tribulation, or birthpangs of the Messiah), the marriage supper will take place. The marriage supper will not take place in Heaven. After the marriage, the bride and Groom will return to earth. The marriage supper will be taking place on earth and only the invited guests of the Father of the Groom (G-d the Father) will be present at the banquet meal. This can be seen in Revelation 19:7-16 and 20:4. Yeshua spoke of the marriage supper and the banquet in Luke 12:35-38 and Matthew 8:11. The wedding supper is a theme of the festival of Sukkot, which will be discussed further in a later chapter. During Sukkot, the people were instructed by G-d to build a temporary shelter. One of the things G-d instructed the people to do is eat there. When they eat, they are to set a plate for seven different people. Among the seven whom a plate is set for are Abraham (Avraham), Isaac (Yitzchak), and Jacob (Ya'akov). This is what Yeshua was referring to in Matthew 8:11.
The unbelievers in the Messiah will attend a separate banquet where the fowls of the air will eat their flesh. This can be seen in Revelation 19:17-18.
The home of the bride was Jerusalem and it was the bridegroom who came to the bride to dwell with her. It is from Jerusalem that the believers in the Messiah during the Messianic age, or Millennium, will reign with the Messiah. This can be seen in Revelation 21:1-3; Ezekiel 43:1-2,7; Isaiah 2:2-4; Micah 4:1-5; and Zechariah 2:l0-12.
In concluding this section on the wedding, whenever anyone hears the message of the basar (gospel), it is a wedding proposal by G-d to accept Him and be a part of His bride. G-d desires that we accept His invitation and give Him our response of "I do." In fact, Revelation 22:20 is a proposal by Yeshua Himself to accept Him and be a part of His bride. His message in this verse is "Come." Will you say, "I do" to the Messiah's proposal to you?
The Bible is a marriage covenant. Both the Tanach (Old Testament) and the Brit Hadashah (New Testament) describe how G-d through the Mashiach (Messiah), the Bridegroom, is in the process of marrying His bride, the believers in Him who will ultimately live and dwell with Him forever.
G-d ordained and established marriage and its divine sanctity in the Torah, the very first book of the Bible, Genesis (Bereishit), when He brought Adam and Eve together to become one flesh (Genesis 2:21-24). In doing so, we have a vivid foreshadowing of the Messiah being married to those who would believe upon Him. Let's examine this closer.
Adam is a type of the Messiah Yeshua. Adam was made after the likeness of Yeshua (Romans 5:14). Yeshua (Jesus) was made in the likeness of Adam (Philippians 2:8). In fact, Yeshua is called the last Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45-47). In Genesis 2:21, G-d had a deep sleep fall upon Adam. Sleep is synonymous with death (Daniel 12:2; John [Yochanan] 11:11-14; 1 Corinthians 15:51-54; Ephesians 5:14). The deep sleep that G-d caused to fall upon Adam is a picture of the crucifixion and death of Yeshua, as Messiah ben Joseph. G-d brought a deep sleep upon Adam so He could take a rib from the side of his flesh. This required the shedding of blood. This is a picture of Yeshua who was pierced in the side of His flesh, shedding His own blood when He hung on the tree (John [Yochanan] 19:34).
From the rib of Adam, G-d made Eve. Likewise, by the death of Yeshua and faith (emunah) in Him, G-d established the assembly of believers known in Hebrew as the kehilat. The believers in the Messiah, His bride, become wedded to Him by faith (emunah). This marriage can be seen in the Tanach (Old Testament) as well as in Jeremiah 23:5-6, as it is written, .... this is His name whereby He shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Jeremiah [Yermiyahu] 23:6). In Jeremiah 33:15-16, it is written, "...this is the name wherewith she shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Jeremiah [Yermiyahu] 33:16). So from these passages in Jeremiah, we can see that a wedding is taking place. Therefore, by accepting, trusting, and believing in the Messiah, the bride of Messiah, His followers, become one with Him. These people would include both Jew and non-Jews who have lived since Adam and would include Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, and Solomon as well as the prophets.
G-d gave the wedding customs, service, and ceremonies to the Jewish people (Romans 3:2; 9:4) to teach us about the Messiah Yeshua (Colossians 2:16-17). With this in mind, let's examine the biblical wedding ceremony that G-d gave to the Jewish people. The ancient Jewish wedding ceremony G-d gave to the Jewish people to teach us about the wedding of the Messiah consisted of 12 steps.
The selection of the bride.
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 search out the bride. An excellent example of this can be seen in Genesis 24. In this chapter, Abraham (a type of G-d the Father) wishes to secure a bride for Isaac (a type of Messiah) and sends his servant Eliezer (a type of the Holy Spirit [Ruach HaKodesh]) to do this task (Genesis [Bereishit 24:2-4; 15:2). It is the role of the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) to convict the world of sin and lead them to G-d (John [Yochanan] 16:7-8). Just as the bride was usually chosen by the father of the bridegroom, so the believers in the Messiah are chosen by G-d (John [Yochanan] 15:16). The bridegroom chose the bride and lavished his love upon her and she returned his love. This can be seen in Ephesians 5:25, as it is written, "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself of it." In Genesis (Bereishit) 24, Rebekah (Rivkah) consented to marry Isaac (Yitzchak) even before she ever met him. Today, the believers in the Messiah Yeshua consent to become the bride of Messiah even though we have never seen Him. First Peter (Kefa) 1:8 speaks of this, as it is written, "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."
A bride price was established.
A price would have to be paid for the bride. The agreed upon price was called a mohar in Hebrew. Yeshua, being our bridegroom, paid a very high price for His bride, the body of believers. The price He paid was His life. Yeshua considered the price He had to pay for His bride before His death as He went into the Garden of Gethsemane to pray in Matthew (Mattityahu) 26:39, as it is written, "And He went a little farther, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt." Yeshua was, in essence, saying, "Father, You have chosen this bride and I have agreed to the terms, but do you realize the price that is being asked for her?" Our mohar, our bride price, was His life. First Peter (Kefa) 1:18-19 says, "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; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." In First Corinthians 6:20 it is written, "For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."
The bride and groom are betrothed to each other.
This is the first stage of marriage known as kiddushin. I have spoken at length of betrothal in Chapter 6, concerning Shavuot. Remember, betrothal is the first of two steps in the marriage process. Betrothal in Hebrew is known as erusin or kiddushin. Betrothal legally binds the bride and the groom together in a marriage contract, except they do not physically live together. Historically, G-d betrothed Himself to Israel at Mount Sinai (Jeremiah 2:2; Hosea 2:19-20). Whenever you accept the Messiah into your heart and life, you become betrothed to Him while living on the earth.
A written document is drawn up, known as a ketubah. This betrothal contract is called, in Hebrew, a shitre erusin.
The ketubah is the marriage contract that states the bride 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, and necessities, and to live together with her as husband and wife. The ketubah was the unalienable right of the bride. The ketubah must be executed and signed prior to the wedding ceremony. The Bible is the believer's ketubah. All the promises that G-d provided for the believers in the Messiah are legally ours, as it is written in Second Corinthians 1:20, "For all the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him Amen...."
The bride must give her consent.
As we saw in Chapter 6, which dealt with Shavuot (Pentecost), G-d betrothed Himself to Israel at Mount Sinai as stated in Jeremiah 2:2. Israel consented to the marriage proposal from G-d and said, "I do," as it is written in Exodus (Shemot) 24:3. Likewise, the personal application (halacha) to those who desire the Messiah to come into their hearts and lives is to accept His invitation to do so by faith (emunah), as it is written in Romans 10:8-10:
What, then, does it say? The Word is near you in your mouth and in your heart: that is the word about trust [emunah] which we proclaim, namely, that if you acknowledge publicly with your mouth that Yeshua is Lord and trust in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be delivered. For with the heart one goes on trusting and thus continues toward righteousness, while with the mouth one keeps on making public acknowledgments and thus continues toward deliverance (Romans 10:8-10 Jewish New Testament Version).
So, even today, to become the bride of Messiah you must still say "I do" to Him.
Gifts were given to the bride and a cup called the cup of the covenant was shared between the bride and the groom.
The rite of betrothal (erusin) is completed when the groom gives something of value to the bride and she accepts it. The gift most often given today is the ring. When the groom places the ring on the bride's finger, the rite of betrothal is completed. This completed rite is known in Hebrew as kiddushin, which means "sanctification."
The gifts to the bride are symbols of love, commitment, and loyalty. The gift G-d gives to those who accept the Messiah is the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) (John [Yochanan] 14:26; 15:26-27; Acts 2:38; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22). When Yeshua ascended to Heaven, He gave gifts to men (Ephesians 4:7-8). These gifts included righteousness (Romans 5:17-18), eternal life (Romans 6:23), grace (Romans 5:12,14-15), faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), and other spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:1,4). These included wisdom, knowledge, healing, the working of miracles, prophecy, the discerning of spirits, tongues, and interpretation of tongues (1 Corinthians 12:8-11), as well as the gifts of helps and administration (1 Corinthians 12:28).
In addition, at this time the cup of the covenant was shared and sealed between the bride and the groom with the drinking of wine. In doing so, the couple drinks from a common cup. The cup is first given to the groom to sip, and then is given to the bride. This cup, known as the cup of the covenant, is spoken of in Jeremiah 31:31-33, as it is written:
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which My covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: but this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be My people (Jeremiah [Yermiyahu] 31:31-33).
Yeshua spoke of the cup of the New Covenant (Brit Hadashah) in Luke 22:20.
The bride had a mikvah (water immersion), which is a ritual of cleansing.
Mikvah is a Hebrew word that means "pool" or "body of water." Mikvah is a ceremonial act of purification by the immersion in water. It indicates a separation from a former way to a new way. In the case of marriage, it indicates leaving an old life for a new life with your spouse (Genesis [Bereishit] 2:23-24; Ephesians 5:31). Immersing in the mikvah is considered spiritual rebirth. The reason is that a mikvah has the power to change a person completely. Concerning the marriage to Israel at Mount Sinai, G-d said in Ezekiel 16:8-9, as it is written, "...I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee... and thou becamest Mine. Then washed I thee with water...." The washing, or immersion, here refers to that of Israel before the people received the Torah when G-d betrothed Himself to Israel at Mount Sinai (Exodus [Shemot] 19:14-15). Yeshua spoke to the Pharisee, Nicodemus (Nakdimon), that he must be born anew (immersed) to enter into the Kingdom of G-d (John [Yochanan] 3:1-7). The believers in the Messiah are to be immersed in the name of Yeshua (Acts 19:4). The Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) is the immerser of G-d (Luke 3:16; Acts 1:5; 11:15-16).
The bridegroom departed, going back to his father's house to prepare the bridal chamber.
At this point, the bridegroom leaves for his father's house to prepare the bridal chamber for his bride. It was understood to be the man's duty to go away to be with his father, build a 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." This is the same statement Yeshua made in John (Yochanan) 14:1-3 before He went to His father's house in Heaven, as it is written:
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Fathers' house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 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 (John [Yochanan] 14:1-3).
The bride was consecrated and set apart for a period of time while the bridegroom was away building the house.
Before the bridegroom could go and get the bride, the groom's father had to be satisfied that every preparation had been made by the son. Only then could he give permission to the son to go and get the bride. In other words, while the bridegroom was working 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. This is exactly what Yeshua was referring to in Mark 13:32-37.
Meanwhile, the bride was to wait eagerly for the return of the bridegroom. In the mind of the bride, the bridegroom could come at any time, even in the middle of the night or at midnight. Therefore, she had to be ready at all times. Yeshua referred to this in Mark 13:32-37 and Matthew 25:1-13. While waiting for her bridegroom to come, the bride had to have thought to herself, "Is he really coming back for me? Is he really going to keep his word?" This was the thought that Peter (Kefa) answered in Second Peter 3:1-13.
The bridegroom would return with a shout, "Behold, the bridegroom comes" and the sound of the ram's horn (shofar) would be blown.
The time of the return of the bridegroom was usually at midnight. When the bridegroom did come, he came with a shout (Matthew 25:6) and with the blowing of a shofar (trumpet) (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 4:1). The marriage between the bride and the groom will take place under the chupah or wedding canopy. Since Heaven is a type of chupah, we can see that when Yeshua gives a shout for His bride, accompanied by the blowing of a shofar (trumpet), the marriage between Yeshua and His bride will take place in Heaven.
The marriage ceremony will have a sacred procession. For this reason, the bridegroom (Yeshua) will be led to the chupah first. When the bridegroom approaches the chupah, the cantor chants, "Blessed is he who comes." "Blessed is he who comes" is an idiomatic expression meaning "welcome." Yeshua said that He would not return for His bride until these words were said (Matthew 23:39). The groom is greeted like a king under the chupah. During this time Yeshua, the bridegroom, will be crowned King under the chupah, which is Heaven.
He 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, known in Hebrew as nesu'in.
The bride and groom will go to the wedding chamber, or chadar in Hebrew, where the marriage will be consummated. They will stay in that wedding chamber for seven days, or a week. At the end of the seven days, the bride and groom will come out from the wedding chamber. This can be seen in Joel 2:16.
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 for week (shavuah) meaning seven years can be found in Daniel 9:24, as it is written, "Seventy weeks [shavuah, 490 years] are determined upon thy people..." and in 9:27, "And he [the false Messiah known as the antichrist] shall confirm the covenant with many for one week [shavuah, seven years]...." The week referred to in Daniel 9:27 is known to Bible believers as the tribulation period. The Jewish people understand this time to be the birthpangs of the Messiah known in Hebrew eschatology as the Chevlai shel Mashiach. This is taken from Jeremiah 30:5-7. From this we can see that the believers in the Messiah will be with the Messiah in Heaven for His wedding while the earth will be experiencing the seven-year tribulation period, or the Chevlai shel Mashiach, in Hebrew.
Finally, there would be a marriage supper for all the guests invited by the father of the bride.
The bride and the groom would be in the wedding chamber for seven days. When the bride and the groom initially went into the wedding chamber, the friend of the bridegroom stood outside the door. All the assembled guests of the wedding gathered outside, waiting for the friend of the bride-groom to announce the consummation of the marriage, which was relayed to him by the groom. John (Yochanan) the Immerser (Baptist) referred to this in John 3:29. At this signal, great rejoicing broke forth (John 3:29). The marriage was consummated on the first night (Genesis [Bereishit] 29:23). The bloodstained linen from this night was preserved. It was proof of the bride's virginity (Deuteronomy [Devarim] 22:13-21).
On the wedding day, the bridegroom is seen as a king and the bride as a queen. During the consummation of the marriage, the bridegroom (Yeshua) will be crowned King over all the earth and the bride (the believers in Yeshua, the Messiah) will live with Him and rule with Him forever. The crowning of the King and the marriage can be seen in Isaiah 62:3-7. At the end of the week (seven-year tribulation, or birthpangs of the Messiah), the marriage supper will take place. The marriage supper will not take place in Heaven. After the marriage, the bride and Groom will return to earth. The marriage supper will be taking place on earth and only the invited guests of the Father of the Groom (G-d the Father) will be present at the banquet meal. This can be seen in Revelation 19:7-16 and 20:4. Yeshua spoke of the marriage supper and the banquet in Luke 12:35-38 and Matthew 8:11. The wedding supper is a theme of the festival of Sukkot, which will be discussed further in a later chapter. During Sukkot, the people were instructed by G-d to build a temporary shelter. One of the things G-d instructed the people to do is eat there. When they eat, they are to set a plate for seven different people. Among the seven whom a plate is set for are Abraham (Avraham), Isaac (Yitzchak), and Jacob (Ya'akov). This is what Yeshua was referring to in Matthew 8:11.
The unbelievers in the Messiah will attend a separate banquet where the fowls of the air will eat their flesh. This can be seen in Revelation 19:17-18.
The home of the bride was Jerusalem and it was the bridegroom who came to the bride to dwell with her. It is from Jerusalem that the believers in the Messiah during the Messianic age, or Millennium, will reign with the Messiah. This can be seen in Revelation 21:1-3; Ezekiel 43:1-2,7; Isaiah 2:2-4; Micah 4:1-5; and Zechariah 2:l0-12.
In concluding this section on the wedding, whenever anyone hears the message of the basar (gospel), it is a wedding proposal by G-d to accept Him and be a part of His bride. G-d desires that we accept His invitation and give Him our response of "I do." In fact, Revelation 22:20 is a proposal by Yeshua Himself to accept Him and be a part of His bride. His message in this verse is "Come." Will you say, "I do" to the Messiah's proposal to you?
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