There are 14 Steps in the "Jewish" Marriage Ceremony....This Order has existed from the beginning of the five (5) Covenants of God....
Covenant 1=Marriage
Covenant 2=Sabbath
Covenant 3=Thithe & Offerings
Covenant 4="First Fruit"
Covenant 5=Promise
There are conditions of Covenant=Contract before you "Reach the Promise"....So here are the Conditions that must be met before the "Marriage Supper of the "Lamb"....
A. It was God who ordained "Marriage and Made it Holy...Gen 2:21-24
1. Adam is the First Man...and he was the "figure of Him to Come" (Christ) Rom 5:14
2. Sleep fell over Adam (a type of Death) (Eph 5:14)
3. God allowed Adam to Sleep so He could take the (Rib) (Woman) from Adam (Jesus was pierced in His Side so God Could bring about the "Bride of Christ" and the gates of Hell could not "Prevail against His Bride" (hence what happened to Eve will not happen to the "True Bride of Christ")...
4. With the removal of the Rib of Adam...he shed Blood...By the Shed Blood of Christ Jesus...A Blood that will never lose it's power...The Bride of Christ became Bethrothed...The Bethrothal has been set and all marriages after that would require bethrothal before the "actual" marriage ceremony....hence the condition of "the shedding of Blood"...(Eph 5:31,32)
B. "The Covenant of Marriage"
1. The Selection of the Bride...
A. It is not the Bride that would choose her husband...But the Father of the Groom (God)(Jesus)the (Church)...Gen 24:4-8 (Abraham chooses Rebekah for Issac inspired by the Best Man (the Holy Spirit)..Abraham called the "Father of Nations....
B. So, now we began the process of the Marriage...Selection of the "Best Man"...The Maid of Honor...
For the Body of Christ...The Best Man for Jesus is the "Holy Spirit"...
John 16:7,8
1. From the foundation of the World the "Bride was being chosen by the "Father" (Jehovah) John 15:16....And Jesus began to "lavish" His love on us...We love Him because He first loved us...
2. Like Rebekah the "Body of Christ is bethrothed to Jesus, even though we have never seen Him....(Eph 5:25) (1 Pet 1:8)
2. A Bride Price is Established
A. The Bride Price for the Body of Christ is a "Priceless" Cost...
B. (1 Cor 6:20) "For you are brought with a price; therefore, glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's....
C. The Bethrothal....
1. Legally binds the Bride and Groom (the Church and Christ)...
2. Except they do not physically live together.....
3. This is what happen when a Believer Accepts the Lord into thier heart and life, you become bethrothed to Him while living on earth...
3. A Written Contract is Drawn up.....Which States the Bride Price....
A. Included in the Contract is the "Promises of the Groom....
1. To Work for her....
2. To Honor and Support her
3. Maintain her in Truth.......
4. Provide food, clothing, and Shelter......
5. To Live together with her as Husband and Wife....
B. The Rights of the Bride....
1. First This Contract is the "Unalienable" Right of the Bride....
2. It must be Executed and Signed "Prior" to the Wedding Ceremony...
For the "Bride of Christ", This Contract is the "Entire Word of God"....The Holy Bible...2 Cor 1:20
3. The Bride must give her "consent"....(Free Will) When We do so, it is by "Faith" (which is saying I Do)....
4. Gifts are then given to the Bride......
A. Gift One=Symbols of Love
B. Committment
C. Loyality
D. The Gift from the Father to the "Bride" is the Holy Spirit...hence the term, "Holy Matrimony".....
5. The "Cup of the Covenant" is share between the Bride and the Groom..."Deny Yourself, Pick up your Cross, and Follow Me.......
6. The right of the "Bethrothal" is completed when the Groom gives something of value to the Bride and she accepts it....Today that is the "Ring" a Circle symbol of "Eternity".....
7. When the Groom places the Ring on the Brides finger, the rite of Bethrothal is completed....In Hebrew....This rite is known as "Kiddushin, "Which means Sanctification".....Hence the number of God 7=Completion.....
A. When Jesus ascended into Heaven, He gave the "Bride of Christ" Gifts.....
1. Righteousness
2. Eternal Life.....
3. Grace
4. Faith....
5. gifts Sufficient to meet all of our needs according to His riches and Glory....Until He returns to "receive us unto Himself......
B. The Bride of Christ and Jesus have now drank from a Common Cup....Jesus drank first....."Remember these words, "Take This Cup from Me, No, Not my Will but Your Will Be Done......
C. In the Wilderness, "The Cup of the Covenant" was a Common Cup between the "House of Israel and the House of Judah....and God, the Father.....Jer 31:31-33
8. The Bride has a Water Immersion, "Ritual of Cleansing" which indicates a separation from a former way of life to a new "Way of Life".
A. The story of Nicodemus, "verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God....Nicodemus says unto Him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother;s womb, and be born again? Jesus answered, "verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the "Spirit", he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.
B. John 3:1-7, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. Marvel not that I said unto the, "Ye must be Born Again".
C. Believers must be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit....Acts 3:16, Acts 1:5, Acts 11:15,16
9. The Bridgegroom Departs back to His Fathers house to "Prepare the Bridal Chamber".....John 14:2
A. It was Jesus who had to be Crucified, Desend into Hell, and then to be Resurrected to His Father's House.....
B. To sit at God's Right Hand as He prepares a Place for Us (the Bridal Chamber)....
C. For it was the Duty of the Groom to go to His Father's house to prepare a place for His Bride and to prepare for the Eventual Wedding.....
D. That is Why Jesus said to Us (The Bride) I go to Prepare a Place for You; If I go, I will return again to receive you unto myself.....
10. The Bride of Christ (the Church) is being consecrated, set aside, while her Groom Jesus is "Preparing the Place for Us....(Rev 21:2)
11. Our Father Which Art in Heaven is watching over Us until He and He alone will decide that we are ready to become the Wife of His Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ....Mat 24:36, Mark 13:32-37
12. Our Father is considering us like unto the (10) virgins.....Are We prepared to become the "Wife" of Jesus? Do we have Oil and Wicks for our Lamps. There were 5 who did'nt. In that time No man will be able to buy or sell accept he/or she has the mark of the Beast....Satan will not be allowed back into Heaven...."Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But He answered and said, "Verily I say unto you, I know you not. ...We must be watching therefore, for we know neither the day nor the hour wherein the "Son of Man Cometh...."
13. Then the "Bridegroom" returns with a Shout.....Mat 25:6
The Trumpet is Blown....1 Thes 4:16-17, Rev 4:1
14. The Marriage of Christ and the Church will take Place under the Canopy of the Heavens...(Rapture)
A. There will be a Sacred Procession with Christ being led to the Canopy first....With the Words being spoken, "Blessed is He who comes..."
B. The BrideGroom and Bride will proceed to the "Wedding Chamber" for Seven days....(the seven years of tribulation)...
C. After seven (7) days the people will be gathered, the congregation will be sanctified....Joel 2:16, Dan 9:24-27
D. Finally, there will be a "Marriage Supper" for all guests invited by "The Father of the Bride" (those who have lifted up the name of Jesus) the guests will be those drawn unto Him....John 3:29
E. Great rejoicing breaks forth because the marriage was consumated the First Night, the Blood stained Linen from the Night is preserved...Proof of the Brides "Virginity" (Without spot, wrinkle, or blemish) Duet 22:13-21
F. On this great Day of the Lord, the Bridegroom becomes forevermore, the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings,,,He is crowned King over all the Earth and the Bride is crowed Queen and will live and rule with Him from everlasting to everlasting.....
G. Hence the 67th Book of the Bible....The Final Chapter in HIS-story...Us, "the Bride of Christ...Becomes the Wife of Christ, Forevermore......
Written By
Shirley Shaw
DeliverTheWord
1/5/07