THE PROMISE OF THE BRIDEGROOM AND THE BRIDE AS REVEALED IN SCRIPTURE
In Scripture, the Lord described His relationship with mankind as a parable of a spiritual husband and wife.
As a spiritual Bridegroom, the Lord invited Israel into a betrothal covenant at Mount Sinai and it was there that Israel entered into the Everlasting Covenant with God. Moses served as the friend of the Bridegroom and as such he brought Israel to meet the Lord at Mount Sinai and was the mediator of the Betrothal Covenant.
In Hebraic understanding, Moses and Elijah were the two witnesses of this covenant relationship: Moses represented the Torah and Elijah represented the Prophets. (this continued in the New Testament as they were also the witnesses of the transfiguration of Jesus - Mt 17:3)
God sanctified Israel for His purposes of redemption. Through the covenant relationship with her, the Son of God would be born - the Messiah - Who brings salvation for all mankind. Isaiah 9:6
An example of God presenting the covenant relationship with Israel as that of a spiritual bride and Bridegroom is typified in the following scriptures:
“I remember the devotion of your youth, how , as a bride, you loved Me and followed Me through the desert, through a land not sown.” Jer 2:1-2
“For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of Hosts is His name.” Isa 54:5
“And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride so shall your God rejoice over you” Isa 62:56.
“Return, O backsliding children,” says the Lord, “for I am married to you... Jer 3:14
As spiritual Husband, the Lord promised to fulfill all aspects of the Everlasting Covenant.
“It shall be in that day, says the Lord, That you will call Me, ‘my Husband’,
And no longer call Me ‘my Master’” And I will betroth you to Me forever;
Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice,
In loving kindness and in compassion, And I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness.
Then you will know the LORD. Hosea 2:16-20
“Behold the days are coming, says the Lord, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised the House of Israel.” Jer 33:14
In this symbolic relationship, God was enacting a prophetic “type” of another Bridegroom to come Who would bring redemption to the world. Jesus is called “the Bridegroom” today because He is the prophetic fulfillment of the Bridegroom of the Hebrew Scriptures. He carries on the same work of redemption by continuing to seek the Bride today - the future redeemed people of the world, both Jew and gentile.
He offers the same betrothal covenant expressed by the Lord in Hosea 2:19 –
"And I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice,
In loving kindness and in compassion, And I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness. Then you will know the LORD ". Hosea 2:19
The Bridegroom and the Bride in the New Testament
The Bridegroom is introduced to the future bride by John, who fulfilled the ancient role of both the Witness and the Friend of the Bridegroom. John 1:34.
The Friend of the Bridegroom presents the terms of the Betrothal Covenant to the bride, just as Moses did at Mount Sinai. John 3:16, Luke 3:2-6, Luke 3:15, 16, Luke 4:16.
The Bridegroom announces Himself and the Betrothal Covenant. Mt 26: 27-29.
In this way, He fulfills the promised restoration of the Everlasting Covenant of Jer 31:31. Through Him, the Covenant is refreshed / improved in that the sacrificial offerings for atonement are no longer required.... as He fulfills and completes the redemptive work of the Passover lamb and the Tabernacle sacrifices: once for all. He continues to call out the Bride today - from both Jew and Gentile where the “Law” is no longer external, but is “written on the hearts and minds” of His covenant people in this Age. Heb 8 and 9.
The Marriage Covenant established in two parts-
Part one: the Betrothal Cup - the first cup of wine
The first cup, the betrothal cup of wine, binds the Betrothal Covenant. Mt 26:27-29. Upon betrothal, the Bridegroom pays the bride-price for the Bride. 1 Cor 6:20, Acts 20:28.
After sealing the covenant with the first cup of wine, the Bridegroom leaves the bride to return to his father’s house to prepare the bridal-chamber for her. He won’t see her again until it is prepared and ready. Jo 14:2-3
In fulfilling the type of the Bridegroom, Jesus will not drink wine again (specifically, the second cup of wine), until the second step of the marriage ceremony - the Nuptials - is fulfilled. This stage of the marriage ceremony must wait until He returns to carry away His bride to her bridal-chamber at His father’s house where the Nuptials will consummate the Marriage Covenant. Mk 15:22-Mt 26:29.
“Can the children of the bridal-chamber mourn as long as the Bridegroom is with them. But the days will come when the Bridegroom will be taken from them . . ...and then they will mourn.” Mt 9:15 KJV Mk 2:19 KJV.
During the extended absence of the bridegroom, all betrothed brides prepared themselves to enter their new life. The long period of separation was meant to be a time of sanctification, consecration and personal purification for the waiting bride. 1Cor 6:19-20, Phil 2:12-16,2 Pe 3:14-16.
When the time comes for the Nuptials to be completed, Messiah’s true Bride will be prepared and wearing her spiritual wedding garment: the white robes of righteousness. At the end of the age, He will fulfill the nuptials by “catching away” or “carrying away” the faithful remnant of believers, the true Bride. The word “nuptials” comes from the Hebrew word “nissuin” which means “to elevate or “to carry”. Mt 24:42, Rev 3:3-5, Rev 16:15.
The “Nuptials” - the second cup of wine
Part two: Consummating the marriage covenant
Entering the Nuptials was the consummating act of the marriage tradition and was symbolized by partaking of the second cup of wine. The timing of this finalizing step was left to the sole discretion of the bridegroom’s father. Only he would make the judgment that the time for the Nuptials had arrived. This was only granted after the first “dwelling place” - the Bridal Chamber - had been prepared for the bride. When the time was right, he would grant his son permission to consummate the marriage covenant. In this tradition, the long-awaited bride-groom would finally return to retrieve his waiting bride: but he always came in secret.
It was expected by all waiting brides that on any future night he could suddenly return for this purpose. In this romantic tradition, he would return without warning under darkness of night. All bridegrooms were affectionately called the “thief in the night” because of this tradition. Mat 25:1-13, 1 Thess 5:2.
In this manner he would “steal away” his bride from her family home and take her to the prepared bridal-chamber at his father’s house. At this point, the bridal couple were secluded in the bridal-chamber for “Yichud”, “becoming one”. 1 Thess 4:13-18, 1 Cor 15:51-52.
In ancient days, after the marriage Nuptials, the bride and bridegroom were secluded in the bridal-chamber for seven days. It was the requirement of the marriage contract: that the bridegroom must fulfill the bridal-week in this way. Otherwise, the Marriage Covenant was not considered to be fulfilled by the bridegroom. This time was called “Yichud” - becoming one.” The Bridal-week was the most essential part of the Jewish wedding and was the consummation of the Marriage Covenant. Jo 17:20-26, Isa 61:10
An ancient example can be found in Genesis, between Laban and Jacob: “Fulfill her week [Leah’s bridal-week] and we will give you this one [Rachel] also for the service which you will serve me still another seven years.” Gen 29:24.
In prophetic fulfillment, at the end of the age, the “bridal-week” will occur in Heaven while “the last week of years” of Daniel 9:27 is simultaneously taking place on the earth (the great Tribulation, the Day of the Lord, the Indignation, Jacob’s trouble, Birth-pains, etc.).
In the ancient model, when the bridal-week was fulfilled, the couple would leave the Bridal-chamber, once again attired in their regal wedding garments. They would immediately travel back in great splendor to the bride’s family-home where a Wedding Supper was awaiting their return.
This is a prophetic type of the Wedding Supper that will be fulfilled on the earth at the end of the age. (the Bride of Christ comes from the earth so we will travel back to earth with Yeshua/Jesus at that time). The bridal-couple preside as King and Queen over the Wedding Supper. Rev 19:7-9.
Only after the bridal-week was fulfilled by the Bridegroom in the bridal-chamber was the marriage considered to be consummated and only then could a bride be honored by addressing her as “wife” and no longer as the bride. Rev 19:7.
When Messiah returns with the Bride, Psalm 47 will be fulfilled. Psalms 47 (Ps 47 was always read at the coronation services of Israel’s kings).
The Lord prophecies about the great rejoicing that will fill the earth when the Messianic Bridegroom and His Bride come to reign in Jerusalem to bring in the Messianic Kingdom Age.
Thus says the Lord: “Again there shall be heard in the city of Jerusalem, The voice of joy and the voice of gladness, The voice of the Bridegroom and the voice of the Bride, The voice of those who will say, Praise the Lord of Hosts For the Lord is good For His mercy endures forever.”
“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised to the House of Israel.” Jer 33:10-14, Revelation 5:10.