2000.13.1.01 Some Thoughts On Luke 4:34 "You Cannot Make The Sons Of The Wedding Feast Fast So Long As The Bridegroom Is With Them" Is The Bride Ready For The Wedding Or Is She About To Face Judgment? Created by James3 on 7/4/2019 6:42:21 PM Some Thoughts On Luke 4:34 "You Cannot Make The Sons Of The Wedding Feast Fast So Long As The Bridegroom Is With Them" Is The Bride Ready For The Wedding Or Is She About To Face Judgment?
To all who call themselves by the name of Christ and truly seek to serve Him with all their hearts, all their souls, all their minds and all their strength.
Greetings in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,
This morning (18 April 2000) I awoke at about 03h30 and was unable to sleep. I arose and picked up my Bible to read and came immediately to Luke 4:34 "you cannot make the sons of the wedding feast fast so long as the bridegroom is with them" (Lamsa's translation).
I was suddenly struck by the whole implication of the wedding feast as a time of great rejoicing. Taken together with the bride price being a substantial sum of money (Jacob worked seven years each for Rachel and Leah (Genesis 29), Eliezer brought many "precious" gifts from Abraham, including gold and silver when he went in search of a bride for Isaac (Genesis 24). The bridegroom went to "prepare a place" for his bride (John 14:2-3 - see also article "Wow, so that's how Jesus loves me" from Joy Magazine, in the appendix).
These scriptures collectively signify that marriage in the sight of The Lord (Yahweh1) is a tremendously significant event and that a wife is viewed as a great treasure. Jesus laid down His life for His bride!
Surely this signifies that women were greatly esteemed and that men did not take a wife lightly, unless he, assisted by his father (Isaac and Abraham in Genesis 24, Samson in Judges 14, etc) could afford to provide for her (Exodus 21:10). Truly we must say "He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the LORD." Proverbs 18:22 (NKJ).
But likewise, such a wife must be a virtuous wife, as in Proverbs 31 for Proverbs 21:9, 21:19, 25:24 and 27:15 all speak of a contentious wife and Proverbs 21:19 goes so far as to state that it is "better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and angry woman". Proverbs 12:4 states that "An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones." (NKJ).
We thus see that The Lord (Yahweh1) intended marriage to be something of enormous significance and regards a virtuous, chaste and submissive wife as being of great worth. How different this is from our present age.
The article from Joy magazine in the appendix expresses some of these thoughts in much greater depth and goes much further.
However, the thought that struck me this morning, as we approach the commencement of Passover which starts in TWO DAYS TIME at sunset on Thursday 20 April 2000, Two thousand years PLUS three and a half years from the BIRTH OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST is whether in some way the state of marriage in the world today bears some relation to the abomination of desolation spoken of in Daniel 9:27 and Matthew 24 (quoted below).
Certainly there are those who suggest that scripture can be interpreted to signify the commencement of the week of Daniel 9:27 as being 2000 years after the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ and there is other evidence to indicate that this date was actually the Great Day of the Feast of Tabernacles (October 1996).
If we accept that Jesus' death on the cross ushered in a spiritual covenant - a temple not built with human hands - 1 Corinthians 3:16 "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?"; and if we consider 1 Corinthians 3:17 "If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are." should we not be looking for the "abomination of desolation" in the "holy place" as being IN THE BODY OF CHRIST, whose body and temple we are?
Surely the state of marriage today dramatically demonstrates that the abomination of desolation IS INDEED IN THE HOLY PLACE and that there is no way that today there is a bride for the Lord Jesus who is worthy of a wedding feast?
Surely we should therefore look forward to the anniversary of our Lord's death and resurrection with "a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries." Hebrews 10:27.
It seems to me that there are serious grounds to anticipate that Passover 2000 will usher in a season of GREAT TRIBULATION - BUT - if we look for a physical manifestation in a physical temple we will be like the Pharisees and miss the Messiah. If we look at the state of the bride and the spiritual temple, we may see a different sign! "Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is." Mark 13:33 (NKJ)
It seems to me that more than ever before we should cry out "Lord judge me in this life that I may be cleansed of my sin before I stand before you on the day of judgment." It seems clear to me that judgment is about to be meted out on the earth the likes of which we cannot today imagine.
WILL YOU BE A BRIDE WORTHY OF THE PRICE THAT HAS BEEN PAID, ONE FOR WHOM THE SON'S OF THE BRIDE CHAMBER WILL REJOICE?
Daniel 9:27:
27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate." (NKJ)
Matthew 24:15-31:
15 "Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand),
16 "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
17 "Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house.
18 "And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes.
19 "But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!
20 "And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.
21 "For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 "And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened.
23 "Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it.
24 "For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
25 "See, I have told you beforehand.
26 "Therefore if they say to you, 'Look, He is in the desert!' do not go out; or 'Look, He is in the inner rooms!' do not believe it.
27 "For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
28 "For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.
29 "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
30 "Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 "And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (NKJ)
1 Corinthians 3:11-17:
11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
13 each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is.
14 If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.
15 If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. (NKJ)
The following article was published in the October 1999 issue of Joy Magazine, Box 377, Merrivale 3291, South Africa, email: joymag@iafrica.com. The article is titled "WOW! So that's how Jesus loves me!" and was written by John & Helen Gardiner. This article came to my attention in January 2000 and confirmed and amplified much of what is written elsewhere in this book. It gives a wonderful summary of why the subject of this book is so important and, while the author's of this article clearly do not yet have the revelation contained in this book, it is apparent that what is contained in this article and what is contained in this book are, of necessity, complimentary in Yahweh's scheme of things.
"THE Lord began speaking to us recently about marriage - and giving us some understanding of why so many marriages are in a mess or out of order, and even why so few Christian marriages are what they could be.
Daily we seem to hear of people suffering the most terrible abuse and unhappiness and fear within marriages, and hear of more and more Christian marriages ending in the cataclysm of divorce.
Something that God purposed to be one of His greatest sources of joy and blessing to people often ends up as a curse and misery.
The Lord began to reveal that the reason why marriage is under such incredible attack is because of what He meant it to be.
You see, God purposed marriage to be a prophetic sign and a wonder.
Yet the enemy so often succeeds in making it a laughing stock instead of a prophetic signpost that points the way to something much deeper.
Ephesians 5:21-33 says: "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Saviour."
"Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless."
"In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no-one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church - for we are members of his body."
"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' This is a profound mystery - but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband."
Paul says this is a great or profound mystery he's speaking about. The only other great or profound mystery is found in 1 Timothy 3:16 "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory."
Whenever scripture speaks of a mystery, it is something that can only be understood by divine revelation - how much more so a great mystery? However, these mysteries are something God wants us to understand - because if we don't, the enemy will run riot in that area of ignorance in our lives.
So Paul is saying, "When I'm talking about marriage, I'm talking about Christ and the church." He is saying that every time you look at a Christian marriage you should be able to say: "A-ha - so that's how Jesus loves His church, and that's how we as the church should respond to Him!
Marriage was made by God to be a sign that shows the world how much Jesus loves His church. Yet how many of us can say we've seen even a handful of marriages in our lifetimes that have been this?
Marriages where you look at the way the husband loves his wife, and you can say "Wow! That's how Jesus loves me as part of his church." Or you look at the wife and are able to say "Yes, I see now, I understand now how I as a Christian need to submit to Jesus in love."
Because this man and this woman have painted a prophetic picture for you, you now have a greater understanding of this great mystery!
Now do you begin to see why satan hates marriage - and especially Christian marriages - with such a passion?
Why he will do everything within his power to pervert, make a mockery of, and destroy marriages? Because every time he does that he's not just causing misery in the lives of the people concerned, he is also destroying and pulling down something that God purposed to be a prophetic signpost.
When there are problems in a marriage, you're not just dealing with difficult people, you're dealing with all the hoards of hell trying their utmost to make a mockery of a prophetic statement that God wanted to make.
Those who are in difficult marriage situations, or who have areas of their marriage that are out of order, must wake up to this truth. It's not just that you and your spouse cannot get along with each other - it's also because you have powerful demonic forces working against your marriage becoming a prophetic sign and statement!
You need to start pulling down those demonic strongholds over your relationship. Not just in your spouse! But strongholds in you and over your relationship that cause both of you to react and allow friction and division to rush in.
Every area of marriage was purposed to be a prophetic sign. If you want to understand what idolatry does to the heart of God, then look at what sexual infidelity does to a marriage.
If you want to gain a clearer understanding of what it does to God when we have other gods other things that elicit our love and devotion - then look at what adultery does to a marriage. It's a prophetic sign!
You will often find in a marriage the same extremes as you find in the church. Lust in marriage is the same as spiritual licentiousness in the church - the same as just binging and going overboard on grace with no boundaries.
Then, at the other end of the scale you get frigidity in marriage - which is the same as legalism and a religious spirit in the church - cold, hard, truth with no love.
You often get these two forces at work in the same marriage, just as you get them at work in the church, and they're both just as destructive. Lust in a marriage and licentiousness in the church are just as destructive as frigidity in marriage and legalism in the church.
You also find rebellion and reaction against God's order and authority are a problem in both marriage and in the church. Just as you also get domination, manipulation and control both in marriage and in the church.
We have got to start waking up to what marriage is meant to be, and why so pitifully few are what they should be!
People get married so lightly without really understanding what they're doing. Few people who go into marriage realise they are entering into something that was meant to be a blood covenant.
This is why virginity is so important.
God's purpose for marriage was that on the wedding night the marriage covenant would be sealed with blood. Again, this is a prophetic picture of Jesus' blood covenant with us. Yet how many marriages are that today?
We want to say to any young people (both male and female!) reading this: Your virginity is one of the most precious gifts God has given you. Don't ever let the devil snatch it away from you.
In biblical times if a man took away a woman's virginity they stoned him to death. Nowadays, they label him a superstud or a loverboy or something like that!
God purposed marriage to be a blood covenant, and it is our firm belief that if you have two people entering into a marriage as virgins, and with an understanding of the awesomeness and sacredness of what they're doing on their wedding night, then God will honour that covenant and protect that marriage supernaturally. If those getting married are not virgins, they at least need to have an understanding of this awesome covenant relationship they're entering into.
God cannot fully bless and anoint and rebuke the devourer over many marriages today because they were never established on the foundation of covenant. People went through all the man-made rituals of the wedding ceremony, but never entered into a true covenant with each other.
If you look at the average wedding ceremony today, much of what goes on has its roots in the occult.
The veil was originally believed to ward off evil spirits. Confetti was also originally purposed to chase away evil spirits. Tradition has it that it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding ceremony, and that it is good luck for the bride to wear something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. Then there's the whole ritual of catching the garter and bouquet and the lucky souls who catch them.
The average wedding table is filled with lucky horseshoes or wishbones, and then the lucky couple are sent on their way to the strains of "Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye..."
All this "good luck" is just a smokescreen to distract people away from the real meaning of the ceremony - that it was meant by God to be a time of two people cutting covenant with each other before their God.
The average wedding ceremony today is a total mockery of what God intended. You get two people who've been sleeping together for years going through a silly little ritual that has no real binding upon their souls. And then people wonder why the whole thing ends up in the divorce courts two years down the road!
God wants us to begin to understand the sacredness of marriage.
If you look at what marriage entailed in biblical times, you begin to understand just how much points to Jesus - and why Jesus even said some of the things He said.
At marrying age, the young man might be attracted to a young woman, or his parents might have chosen an appropriate bride for him. The procedure could be followed by one of three different parties:
The father making the arrangements for his son, as Samson's father did for him in Judges 14: 1-10.
An agent working on behalf of the father, as Eliezer did on behalf of Abraham in Genesis 24:1-67.
Or it could be done by the young man himself.
For illustration's sake, an example of the last possibility will be used.
A young man went to the home of his potential bride-to-be. He carried three things with him: a large sum of money in order to pay the price for his bride, a betrothal contract called a Shitre Erusin, and a skin of wine.
Of course, anyone arriving with these things would immediately arouse the curiosity of the household! The man approached the girl's father and older brothers. The contract was laid out, and the bride-price was discussed.
Finally, a glass of wine was poured. If the father approved, then the young lady was called in. If she also approved, then she would drink the wine. In doing so, she committed herself to this man, agreeing to follow the contract that now was a legal document between the two.
They would be called husband and wife at this time, and their union could only be dissolved by a divorce. However, their status was that of betrothed, rather than that of fully married. This is where we as the church are today: the contract has been signed, the price has been paid in full. We are betrothed.
After the wine had been drunk, the man made the statement that he would go to his father's house and prepare a place for her. This place was known as the chadar (chamber, or a bed with a canopy).
The young Jewish bridegroom would make the following speech as he was leaving: "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." Does that sound familiar to you? Our Lord Jesus spoke those same words of us in John 14:2-3!
From the time that the Shitre Erusin was ratified, the young woman was consecrated, kiddushin, set apart to her husband. That's how we as Christians should be.
She has been bought with a price and her body is no longer her own. 1 Corinthians 6:20 says "You were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your body" and 1 Corinthians 7:23 says "You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men."
She must spend her time preparing to live as a wife and mother in Israel. Her days of waiting for her wedding are spent in learning how to please her husband.
Meanwhile, the young man returned to his father's home, and the chadar went under construction.
The room is provided with every comfort, as they will retire here for a whole week following their wedding ceremony. We see this seven day period in: Genesis 29:22-28. Laban says - "Finish this daughter's bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.' And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife." And read Judges 14:10-18, too.
The young man, if asked when the day of his wedding would be, replied, "No man knows except my father." In Israel the father had to be satisfied that every preparation had been made by his son before he gave him permission to go and get his bride. Jesus spoke these same words of His wedding day.
The groom secured two close friends to assist him in securing his bride and during the actual ceremony. These two are known as "the friends of the bridegroom." They functioned as the two witnesses required for a Jewish wedding. One of them was to assist the bride, and to lead her to the ceremony, while the other was stationed with the groom. He performed a special task when the couple retired into the chadar after the ceremony.
During the ceremony, known as Kiddushin, a second contract was brought forth called a Ketubah. This marriage contract was witnessed by the friends of the bridegroom and turned over to the parents of the bride. It contained the promises that the groom pledged to his wife.
As at all weddings, focus was centred on the bride and groom. For this one day they were looked at as king and queen. Every effort was made, and no expense was spared to ensure their joy. On this day, tradition says, their sins were forgiven. They stood pure, without spot or blemish as they were united.
Ephesians 5:25-32, "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, And to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless."
Following the ceremony, the bride and groom entered the chadar. Here the groom gave gifts to the bride (Genesis 34:12 & Genesis 24:53).
The couple spent seven days under the chupah, or literally in the chamber. The friend of the bridegroom stood at the door. All the guests of the wedding assembled outside, waiting for the friend of the bridegroom to announce the consummation of the marriage covenant, which was related to him by the groom.
John 3:26-30: "They came to John and said to him, 'Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan - the one you testified about - well, He is baptising, and everyone is going to him. 'To this John replied, 'A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, "I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him. "The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less."
At this signal, great rejoicing broke forth in a week long celebration, until the two emerged from the chupah to begin the actual wedding feast.
Revelation 19:4-9: "The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried: 'Amen, Hallelujah!' Then a voice came from the throne, saying: 'Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both small and great!'
"Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: 'Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.' (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.) Then the angel said to me, 'Write: "Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!" And he added, 'These are the true words of God."
Do you begin to understand the enormity of what we're touching here? You need to start looking at marriage through new eyes!
Even as the first trump (shofar) announced the betrothal, so the last trump announced the wedding. Today, when the shofar is blown in churches we are reminded that we are betrothed - and that there's a wedding feast yet to come!
In Psalm 45 we are brought to the biblical portrayal of not only the wedding of the Messiah but also His coronation. The guests are assembled, and gifts are distributed.
Isaiah 61:10 - 62:5 shows the glory of the bride and groom bedecked in all their wedding finery: "For He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. The nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory; you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will bestow. You will be a crown of splendour in the Lord's hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God. No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Heplizibah, and your land Beulah; for the LORD will take delight in you, and your land will be married. As a young man marries a maiden, so will your sons marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you."
But we've left the best for last...
Before the wedding the groom required three days to prepare. We know that one day is as a thousand years to the Lord. And just as with working out the three days of the death and resurrection of Jesus, we know that the Jewish method of measuring days is different to ours.
So, we are on the brink of the third millennium, the third day. Yes, the third day is almost upon us. Our bridegroom has been preparing Himself for three days. He is fully prepared and fully expectant, longing to be with His bride. The marriage supper of the lamb could be any day now.
No one knows the exact day except the Father.
The third day is upon us - and the bridegroom is fully prepared.
But are we?
God wants to release is out of much and into much when it comes to our understanding of marriage.
He wants to pull down and smash man-made myths and perceptions of marriage. He wants us throw out all the Mills & Boon and Bold & Beautiful junk, and begin to come into a Biblical understanding of what marriage is all about.
He wants to pull down demonic strongholds over existing and past and future marriages - strongholds of lust and frigidity, strongholds that have been established because the enemy has done everything in his power to make a mockery of God's prophetic purposes.
Some of you are sitting in marriages with things over you, some of you who are divorced are still bound by hurts and bitterness, others are sitting under things that keep you from being released into marriage - because of fear and demonic oppression.
There are some to whom God would say: "I've kept you from marriage. You've fought and kicked and got angry because you've never got married, but it's been My grace that has kept you and protected you from entering into something that would just be a pale, weak, wishy-washy counterfeit of what I've really purposed for you."
And as those strongholds come down, you will begin to find marriages restored and unsaved partners coming to the Lord. Good marriages will become even better as they are elevated into the realm of becoming prophetic statements. Becoming a sign and a wonder that people will look at and say, "So that's how Jesus loves his betrothed, so that's how we as the church should submit and respond to Jesus!"
Father, in Jesus' name forgive me for taking marriage so lightly, forgive me for my perverted and wrong understandings of what marriage is meant to be. And Father as You forgive me, I pray that you will deliver me from every stronghold that is over my life in the area of marriage. Strongholds that have come down through the generations, as well as strongholds that I have allowed to become established through my own fears and sin.
"Lord I ask you to give me a revelation in my heart of Your purpose for marriage - so that my marriage (or future marriage) will become the prophetic sign and wonder to the world that You purposed it be. I ask You to do this in the precious and powerful name of Jesus through the power of Your holy Spirit."
With acknowledgements to Greg Killian for his information on Biblical wedding ceremonies.
Reproduced by kind permission of the author.
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