Are there parallels between Jewish wedding traditions and our relationship to Christ?

This is not mere poetic imagery, for we read in the Scriptures, and wonderful are the words, "I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ" (2 Cor. 11:2). What does this mean? It can only have one meaning. We have been affianced to Christ. He loves us and has chosen us for Himself, and He has made the appeal of love to us, and we have said "Yes" to Him. The marriage day has not yet come, but it is coming, and we may read about it in Ephesians 5:25-27, and Revelation 19:7-9.

This is not mere poetic imagery, for we read in the Scriptures, and wonderful are the words, "I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ" (2 Cor. 11:2). What does this mean? It can only have one meaning. We have been affianced to Christ. He loves us and has chosen us for Himself, and He has made the appeal of love to us, and we have said “Yes” to Him. The marriage day has not yet come, but it is coming, and we may read about it in Ephesians 5:25-27, and Revelation 19:7-9.

This is not mere poetic imagery, for we read in the Scriptures, and wonderful are the words, "I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ" (2 Cor. 11:2). What does this mean? It can only have one meaning. The redeemed of the Lord have been affianced to Him. He loves us and has chosen us for Himself. He has made the appeal of love to us, He has said, "I want you for myself." And we have said, "Yes," to Him. It was a happy day for us when our sins were washed away and our souls were saved and we got a sure hope of heaven, but greater than all, and the end that the Lord had in view in it all, we were then espoused to Christ, to be for Him alone, the joy and rejoicing of His heart. The marriage day has not yet come, but it is coming, and we may read about it in Ephesians 5:25-27 and Revelation 19:7-9.

We have stated that the Lord will come for His bride, the true Church. Let us enlarge upon this relationship of bride and bridegroom somewhat and see how it emphasizes our subject of "Looking for that blessed hope" of the Lord's coming as being an essential of the Christian life. First, we may state that Ephesians 5:23-32 clearly presents to us Christ and His Church in this blessed and most intimate relationship of bride and bridegroom. In Revelation 19:7-9 we read of the marriage of the Lamb in heaven and in chapter 21 we have a description of the bride as the Lamb's wife, "prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." Thus the highest and most intimate of earthly relationships is used to shadow forth the link and affinity that exists between the heart of Christ and the Christian. This the Song of Solomon so vividly sets forth in type.

The apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians that he had espoused, or engaged, them to one husband, that he might present them as a chaste virgin to Christ (2 Cor. 11:2). Thus every true Christian is as one engaged to Christ and there should be bridal affections and longings for Him, just as every engaged young lady's heart goes out in affectionate desires for her lover. Her heart is not satisfied with the wonderful communications and gifts of his love, or with his little visits, but longingly looks forward to the union or marriage day when she shall have him and be with him and his for all of life. If this is true in the earthly sphere of love, how much more should not it be true of us who have accepted the heavenly and divine love of the greatest Lover of all, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Among the Jews this was looked upon as being as binding as marriage, and could not be dissolved except by divorce. Certain laws were given as to a betrothed woman. Ex. 21:8-9; Deut. 20:7; Deut. 28:30. Mary, the mother of the Lord Jesus, was betrothed to Joseph, and he contemplated putting her away privately, but was instructed as to the truth of her condition by the angel of the Lord. Matt. 1:18-19; Luke 1:27; Luke 2:5. It is used symbolically to express Jehovah's favour to His ancient people in a future day, when He will 'betroth' them to Himself for ever. Hosea 2:19-20. Also as to the position in which the church stands to Christ: Paul wrote to the Corinthian saints "I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." 2 Cor. 11:2. The conduct of the saints should be true to this betrothal.

The being "virgins" must not be pressed too far, nor yet lost sight of. Hebrew customs are illustrated in it all, even in the number, for "ten lamps or torches were the usual number in marriage processions"; still that does not in the least prevent there being a deeper meaning, for Scripture selects what it can turn to spiritual profit. Thus, though the virgins are not (from the point of view taken here) the bride, or the espoused, yet we are not to refuse the conception naturally attaching to such, of purity, of separation from the world; while the number ten; as well as five, show that this is their responsibility rather than necessarily the reality of their condition. And this comes out clearly in the sequel, though it has been lost sight of by many, in a way that has not only led to misconstruction of the parable but has perverted important truth. The going out to meet the bridegroom is, in the first place and essentially, in desire and expectation of heart, though it results in a positive "going forth" from the world and its associations. A heart in heaven can be fairly measured by the reality of pilgrim- and stranger-ship on earth.

Surely nothing could be plainer than that we are to understand the relationship of Adam and Eve at the very beginning was intended by God to set forth the great mystery of Christ and the Church. Writing to the Corinthians at an earlier date, he said, "I have espoused you as a chaste virgin unto Christ," and Christian behavior is shown to spring from the responsibility connected with that espousal. The Church is viewed as an affianced bride, not yet married-, but called upon to be faithful to her absent Lord until the day when she will be openly acknowledged by Him as His Bride. It is this glorious occasion that John brings before us in the nineteenth chapter of the book of Revelation. It is of no earthly bride he is speaking, but of the heavenly. After the destruction of the false harlot, Babylon the Great, the marriage supper of the Lamb is celebrated in the Father's house, and all saints are called upon to rejoice because the marriage of the Lamb has come and His wife hath made herself ready. At the judgment-seat of Christ, she receives from His hand the linen garments in which she is to be arrayed at the marriage feast. Notice that on this occasion we have not only the Bride and the Bridegroom, but we read, "Blessed are they that are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb." These invited guests are distinguished from the Bride herself. They of course are another group of redeemed sinners, namely, Old Testament saints, and possibly some Tribulation saints who have been martyred for Christ's sake. These are the friends of the Bridegroom who rejoice in His happiness when He takes His Bride to Himself. All down through the Christian centuries believers have revelled in the sweetness of the thought of the bridal relationship, setting forth, as no other figure does, the intensity of Christ's love for His own. How truly we may sing:

Rev. 19:7. — This great and grand event is the consummation of joy to Christ as man. It is not said the marriage of the bride, but the marriage of the Lamb. It is His joy that is specially in view; not ours. The marriage, of which no details are given, takes place in Heaven, and on the eve of the Lord’s Return in power, or the Appearing, several years at least subsequent to the Rapture (1 Thess. 4; John 14:3). The marriage is the disclosed secret of Ephesians 5:32. Not Israel, nor a remnant thereof, but the Church of the New Testament is the bride. Israel in her land was the wife of Jehovah (Jer. 3:14-20; Isa. 54:1), but the wife was divorced because of her iniquity. Israel, however, is to be reinstated in Jehovah’s favour. But a divorced wife can never again be a virgin, and it is not a divorced wife but a virgin whom the Lord marries (Lev. 21:14: compare v. 13 with 2 Cor. 11:2). Israel, moreover, has her place and blessing on the earth; the marriage of the Lamb is in Heaven, the Church’s proper home. The exclusively heavenly character of the scene forbids the application of it to Israel.*

Before considering who the bride is, let’s be very clear about the identity of the bridegroom. According to Jewish tradition, the bridegroom is God (which, in one sense, is true) and the bride is Israel (which is only partly correct – more on this later). Only Scripture can provide the correct and precise answer.

The marriage is preparatory to this public display, and is the expression of His own heart in thus bringing the church into participation with Himself of His own glory and His own joy.