Understanding Ancient Jewish Weddings

 "ANCIENT JEWISH WEDDINGS ARE FASCINATING!"

Chapter 1: Introduction to Ancient Jewish Weddings 

What were ancient Jewish weddings like. 

First, it started with the the betrothal. 

Chapter 2: The Betrothal: A Sacred Engagement 

A betrothal is sort of like an engagement but more than an engagement. So when two individuals were betrothed, they were already legally married but they did not live together, not yet.  And they did not sleep together, or have sexual intercourse. The wedding had not been consummated. Did you know that we're currently betrothed to Lord Jesus Christ? And so we, as Christians, as the church, we are the bride of Christ. But the the wedding has not been complete. So there would be a contract. And in this contract it was the husband's obligations to provide and protect his wife. Jesus Christ does the same. He has promised to provide and protect His church. Now the groom would also pay a dowry to the bride's family. 

Chapter 3: The Bride Price: Jesus' Sacrifice 

The Bible says that we were bought with the price. There is the idea of we've been bought out of slavery, or the debt that we owed was paid for. 

But there's also this idea that there is a dowy was given. And now we belong to the bridegroom. We belong to Jesus Christ. And what was the bride price that he paid for us? It was his own life. it was his own life that was paid on our behalf. This is  amazing, the way that a Jewish wedding works. I do not see how anybody, how you're not just floored, that all of this is what Jesus Christ did on our behalf. It is the real story, it is the gospel. 

Chapter 4: The Betrothal Ceremony and Waiting Period 

And so at the betrothal, there's a betrothal ceremony where blessings and vows are given. And there is a sharing of a cup of wine between the couple. Bet some of you have never heard of this. The last supper is the betrothal ceremony. Jesus Christ says this cup is the New Covenant in my blood which is poured out for you. After the betrothal, there's this waiting period. And it is typically about a year. See what's happening here. So if you were to point on a timeline in that betrothal period between the betrothal and the  consummation of the wedding, that is where we are at right now. We are in that waiting period.

Chapter 5: The Bride's Preparation and Faithfulness  

So the bride's duty would be to prepare her wedding garments. She'd beautify herself and she would remain faithful to her betrothal until that wedding date. Keep her chaste and virginity. This language is used throughout the New Testament. The bride, we're clothed in white. We see in the book of Revelation, right. And there's this language of like, on one hand we're to make our wedding garments white in preparation for the bridegroom to come for us, his bride.  But there's also the message that the good news is that Lord Jesus Christ is the One who makes us white and faith. The bride is being faithful. It is not like we just accept Jesus Christ into our heart and we go about our old way when we are betrothed to him. When you accepted Lord Jesus Christ, you were betrothed to him. You belong to him. In reality . So it is our job and duty to be faithful to him.  The good news is though where we fall short, we are faithful in the One who was already faithful on our behalf. We are washed clean by His blood. So that is the bride's job, to prepare her wedding garments, beautify herself, get ready and remain faithful to her betrothal. The groom's job is to prepare a future home and it was usually at his father's house.

Chapter 6: The Groom's Preparation: A Future Home 

 There was an addition to the father's house. He would take a room in his father's house and he would prepare it for his bride after the wedding day, a place for them to live together. Remember, Jesus Christ says, I go and I prepare a place for you, in my Father's house has many rooms. He goes and he prepares a place for us. We're betrothed to him. He ascends into heaven. And he has promised that he is preparing a place. And he is going to return to take us with him. And then you have the wedding day.

Chapter 7: The Wedding Day: A Joyful Event 

 The wedding day was this joyful and community wide event. The groom and his friends would proceed to the bride's house. This usually took place at night. They would have lamps and they would go to the bride's house. And they would bring her back to the wedding ceremony. This represents the "second coming". We see in Matthew chapter 25 talks about the five wise and five foolish virgins with their lamps, keeping their oil and their lamps lit, waiting for the bridegroom. And you do not know the day and hour when he's going to come. This is a picture of a wedding and the bridegroom coming for us during that second coming. He's coming to take His betrothed and to marry, to finish off the wedding, to consummate the wedding. The bride wore a beautiful gown and that symbolized her purity and her value. Again we see that God is beautifying the church for the wedding day. And the guests would sing. They'd dance, they'd celebrate the couple's union. 

Chapter 8: The Wedding Ceremony and Feast 

And then we have the wedding ceremony. There was seven blessings that were said over the couple. And then the couple would share another cup of wine symbolizing joy and unity. And this is the day that we look forward to. 

Now, I want to bring you back to the Lord's Supper. You remember what Jesus Christ said, for I tell you that from this time on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes. I'm betrothing you and then on that great wedding day at the great Wedding Banquet I shall drink with you again. It's amazing. It blows my mind. And then you have the Wedding Feast. This is the highlight of the celebration. It lasted several days. Sometimes itg lasted even a week. It was a time of community and joy. There was abundant food and wine and merry . This is the marriage Feast of the Lamb that we see described in Revelation chapter 19 at the second coming of Christ.

 This is what happened in an ancient Jewish wedding.  

Chapter 9: The Consummation and Eternal Union 

And then after the feast, the couple would consummate their marriage. They would go off to that room or their place. You know, what happens there, I do not have to explain it. Intimacy between the husband and wife. And they would consummate the marriage. And our marriage will be figuratively speaking but literal in the sense, spiritually will be consummated at the second coming. When there is a new heavens and new earth. Go read Revelation 21 and 22, you see the bride of Christ presented to HIM and we live together with God on a new heavens and new earth. it's beautiful did you know that there's a great wedding day that's coming. 

Chapter 10: The Promise of a Great Wedding Day

That is the promise that Lord Jesus Christ made at the Lord's table. When he made that Covenant. And then he paid the dowry. He ratified it, making it officially valid, in His blood. And now he has promised, I wil go and I will prepare a place for you . And so now, we live this life full of purpose as we mirror God and we walk in His Holy Spirit. And we're a blessing to those around us. And we share the gospel. And we live our lives for God, we are purifying ourselves. All the while, it's HIM , it's the blood of Jesus Christ that covers us and makes us pure. But we love to live this life faithfully, trusting in Jesus Christ alone and looking for His return. Because he is coming again. Such a beautiful picture. This wedding and we will have a big party. When Lord Jesus Christ returns, we will drink, we will toast, we will celebrate forever and ever and ever.