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So
Jesus left His Father's house in heaven and traveled
to the earth; the home of His prospective Church
(bride) [John 6:32-33;51]. Jesus came to earth
to obtain the church (bride) through the establishment
of a covenant.
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On
the same night Jesus made His promise in John 14, He
instituted communion. In this communion, he passed the
cup of wine to the disciples saying: "This cup is
the new covenant in My blood." 1 Corinthians
1:25.
At the home of the prospective bride, the Jewish
bridegroom would negotiate with her father to
determine the price (mohar) that he must pay to
purchase his bride.
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Jesus
paid a price to purchase the church (bride). The price
He paid was His life blood. Acts 20:28, 1
Corinthians 6:19-20
Once the bridegroom paid the purchase price, the
marriage covenant was established, and the young man
and woman were regarded as husband and wife. From that
moment on, the bride was declared to be consecrated or
sanctified; set apart exclusively for her bridegroom.
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So
the church is said to be sanctified and set apart
exclusively for Christ. Ephesians 5:25-27, 1 Corinthians1:2;
6:11, Hebrews 10:10;13:12
As a symbol of the covenant relationship, the groom
and bride would drink from a cup of wine over which a
betrothal benediction had been pronounced.
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The
cup of communion serves as the symbol of the covenant
through which Christ has obtained the church (bride).
1 Corinthians11:25
After the marriage covenant was established, the groom
would leave the bride's home and return to his
father's house. There he would remain separate from
his bride for a period of 12 months.
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Just
as the Jewish groom left the home of his bride and
returned to his father's house, so Jesus left the
earth, the home of the church (bride) and returned to
His Father's house in heaven after He'd established
the new covenant and risen from the dead. The church
is currently living in this this period of separation
awaiting Christ's return. John 6:62; 20:17
During this period of separation between the Jewish
bride and groom, the bride would use this time to
gather her trousseau and prepare for her married life.
The groom occupied himself with the preparation of
living accommodations in his father's house where he
would bring his bride.
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Parallel
to the custom of the Jewish groom preparing living
accommodations for his bride in his father's house,
Christ as been preparing living accommodations for the
church in His Father's house in heaven. John 14:2
At the end of the period of separation, the groom
would come to take his bride to live with him. The
taking of the bride usually took place at night.
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So
Christ will come to take the church (bride) to live
with Him at the end of the separation period. John
14:3
The groom, best man and other male escorts
would leave the Jewish groom's father's house and
conduct a torch light procession to the home of the
bride.
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Just
as the taking of the Jewish bride was accomplished by
a procession of the groom and male escorts from the
father's house to the bride's house, so the taking of
the church (bride) will be accomplished by a
procession of Christ and an angelic escort from heaven
to the home of the church.
1 Thessalonians 4:16
Although the Jewish bride was expecting her
groom to come for her, she did not know the exact time
of his coming.
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So
the church (bride) does not know the exact time of
Christ's coming for her. Matthew 25:1-13,
Revelation 3:2-3;11
As a result of the bride not knowing the exact time
the groom would come for her, the groom's arrival
would be preceded by a shout.
This shout would forewarn the bride to be prepared for
the coming of the groom.
So Christ's arrival will be preceded by a shout.
1 Thessalonians 4:16
After the Jewish groom received his bride together
with her female attendants, the enlarged wedding party
would return from the bride's home to the groom's
father's house.
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Similarly,
the church (bride) will return with Christ to His
Father's house in heaven after she is taken from the
earth to meet Him.
1 Thessalonians 4:17, John 14:2-3
Upon arrival there, the wedding party would find that
the wedding guests had assembled already.
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In
the same manner, Christ and the church (bride) will
find the soul of Old Testament saints assembled in
heaven when they arrive. These souls serve as the
wedding guests.
Shortly after arrival, the bride (remaining veiled)
and groom would be escorted by the other members of
the wedding party to the bridal chamber (huppah)