Dr. Bradford Reaves
Crossway Christian Fellowship
Hagerstown, MD
www.mycrossway.org
You will remember that we concluded 13 chapters of Revelation talking about the judgment of God being poured out on an unbelieving earth being led by the Antichrist. It was arduous at times to pour through the various judgments, but the culmination of all of this is what we are beginning to work through here. Now the Babylonian system is destroyed and last week we saw the heavenly hallelujahs.
We come now to the greatest celebration heaven and earth will ever see. It is the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Without these final judgments, there is no final victory or celebration. Let’s first read this passage, then I’m going to give you some historical background, along with some scriptural background, and then circle back to the exposition of this text.
“Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” 8 And it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 9 Then he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’” And he said to me, “These are true words of God.” 10 Then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow slave with you and your brothers who have the witness of Jesus. Worship God! For the witness of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (Revelation 19:7–10 LSB)
I want you to understand that this is the anticipated event that Christ has talked about since his earthly ministry and departure. The use of a marriage is a continual image throughout the New Testament and also in the Old Testament to describe the final victory of the Lord Jesus Christ over Satan. I believe the reason is that in ancient times, marriage was the greatest social event that ever happened.
In January 2022 I gave a detailed breakdown of the Jewish Wedding Feast to help us understand the significance of the pre-tribulation rapture and how based on Scripture and the connection of Scripture to the Jewish Wedding traditions, is that not only is the Rapture scriptural in its nature, it is only possible to occur prior to the 7-year tribulation.
You can see that message here: https://mycrossway.churchcenter.com/episodes/96859
Marriage in ancient times was the greatest event for families; in many cases, it still is today. On April 29, 2011, Prince William and Kate Middleton were married. The cost of their wedding was estimated to be around $34 million dollars, including an $80,000.00 wedding cake, $800,000.00 in flowers, and a wedding dress for the bride with a price tag of $434,000.00 (Mark Hitchcock).
In first-century Israel, wedding planning often started before the couple was even born. A family would say to each other, “When I have a son, I want him to marry your daughter.” The reason was that family was the most important thing. It was more important to choose the family for the marriage than it was for the son or daughter to choose the individual.
When that arrangement was made, it was a legal and binding contract and when the coming of the age of the Bridegroom and the Bride happened, the wedding began through a series of events that took over a year sometimes. The details of the many events that happened during this time can be found in the teaching I mentioned above, but for today I want you to understand that there were 3 main parts. The first, as I just mentioned was the betrothal.
The second part was the presentation. That was the time when the bride, adorned in her wedding garments, was brought out for all the families to see 7 days before the marriage and the wedding feast. This would be a time of feasting and the two families coming together.
The final part of the Jewish Wedding was the ceremony, which would take place at the conclusion of the week-long presentation. The ceremony was at that final hour after that great feast. The vows would be shared then the wedding would be consummated. That was really what sealed the marriage and it was vital for the Bridegroom to emerge from the wedding chamber to confirm his bride was chaste and a virgin. Understand that the bride was not the center of the wedding celebration, it was the Bridegroom who was
So we can clearly see that Jesus is the bridegroom who has gone away to prepare for his bridge a place (John 14:3), the Rapture is the taking of the Bride away to meet the Bridegroom. The presentation of the Bride to the Bridegroom takes place from the Rapture of the Church to the establishment of the Kingdom that we will study in a few weeks. The final culmination of the wedding supper we have before us tonight.
Now let’s examine a few Scriptures that bring us to this point. I want you to understand that the Gospels and much of the New Testament use the wedding feast as an image of Christ and his Church. It’s an illustration of what is going to happen because Jesus’ disciples and those in the early Church would have a clear picture of what is about to take place. Jesus himself referred to himself as a bridegroom:
Jesus’ first miracle was at the wedding feast in Cana (John 2)
Mark 2:19; Matthew 9:15 “Can the attendants of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.”
Matthew 22:2 “2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son.”
John 3:29 “29 “He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full.”
Matthew 26:26-29 “26 Now while they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it. And giving it to the disciples, He said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” 27 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 “But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”
Ephesians 5:25-26 “25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,”
1 Corinthians 11:26 “26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until He comes.”
The texts are pointing to a time that is now where we are united with the Lord, but also in anticipation of a future celebration where there is a culmination of being reunited with joy and celebration, much like a wedding feast. So the purpose of the church is to be prepared to meet our Bridegroom as radiant and pure before him.
2 Corinthians 11:2 “2 For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy, for I betrothed you to one husband so that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ.”
Isaiah 62:5 “5 For as a young man marries a virgin, So your sons will marry you; And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, So your God will rejoice over you.”
Now let us turn back to Revelation 19:7 “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.”
Now what is going to be happening as soon as the Church is Raptured into heaven? Well, Paul tells us that the first thing that will happen is we will appear before the Judgement Seat of Christ. 2 Cor 5:10 “10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”
It is possible that our rewards are part of the readying of the bridge. All the chaff is burned away and all that remains is the gold, silver, and precious stones for her majestic beauty. Thus, she is made ready by being rewarded, and cleansed from iniquity. The bride is glorified and ready for consummation.
Revelation 19:8 “8 And it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.”
Now I want you to understand, that when we were saved, we were given clothes of righteousness. But we are clothed with the righteousness of who? Christ in order to cover her sin. But now at the wedding feast, the Church has adorned fine linen, bright and clean. It has the idea of holiness, purity, and spotlessness.
We saw this before in Revelation 15:6 “6 and the seven angels who have the seven plagues came out of the sanctuary, clothed in linen, clean and bright, and girded around their chests with golden sashes.” Here the Church is described in the same way. So at the Bema seat of Christ, all that detracted from her glory is taken away and all that remains is the Church’s radiant beauty.
Friends, this is why our doctrine and our discernment is so important. This is why we are to be enduring in this world. The Church is not chasing all kinds of earthly pursuits. Our focus is being ready for the Bridegroom.
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith. 8 In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved His appearing." (2 Timothy 4:7–8)
"For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by His working through which He is able to even subject all things to Himself." (Philippians 3:20–21)
This is the consummation of God’s plan going all the way back to Genesis 3:15.
"Then he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’” And he said to me, “These are true words of God.” (Revelation 19:9)
Now, this is critical for you to understand. The Bride is distinctly the Church, but the Church did not replace God’s covenant with Israel. Adherents of replacement theology believe the Jews are no longer God’s chosen people, and that God does not have specific future plans for the nation of Israel. (https://www.gotquestions.org/replacement-theology.html) Biblically speaking, the church is distinct from Israel, and the terms church and Israel are never to be confused or used interchangeably. We are taught from Scripture that the church is an entirely new creation that came into being on the day of Pentecost and will continue until it is taken to heaven at the rapture (Ephesians 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–17).
So in glory, Israel will be a part of God’s plan. We the Church, have a distinction as the Bride of Christ, but Israel too has an even more significant part of the Kingdom of God. At the end of the tribulation, Daniel says that Old Testament saints are going to be resurrected and I believe this is what John is referring to here in verse 9. All of this is in preparation for the establishment of the Millennial Kingdom that we will study in a couple of weeks.
Revelation 19:9 is the fourth of 7 Beatitudes found in Revelation. “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” This is not referring to the Church, but the special guest who will be witnesses to the marriage supper.
Luke 13:28-29 “28 “In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being cast out. 29 “And they will come from east and west and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God.”
Israel and the faithful Jews will be guests of honor at the table of God in this wedding feast to celebrate the glorification of the Church. The Church is not glorified above Israel or to replace Israel but as part of the joining of God’s people.
Two families coming together. The reality is we will all be together enjoying the celebration and there will always be a distinction between Israel and the Church. We are to remember Israel and honor Israel as God’s covenant people.
Isaiah 25:6 “6 And Yahweh of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for all peoples on this mountain; A banquet of aged wine, choice pieces with marrow, And refined, aged wine.”
I believe when Jesus said in Luke 22:15 “15 And He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;” and Matthew 26:29 “29 “But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.” He was referring to the Church in the context of His Bridge and the Nation of Israel in the context of the honored guests of the wedding. Together we will make up the Kingdom of God.
Now, one last comment from our exposition: Revelation 19:9-10 “9b These are true words of God.” 10 Then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow slave with you and your brothers who have the witness of Jesus. Worship God! For the witness of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
Remember that John is on Patmos. He is a human witnessing the future events of Heaven and Earth. He is overwhelmed with emotion and says he falls down and worships the angel. The angel says don’t do that! The Bible is full of clear references for believers not to worship angels at all. Let’s just leave it at that. The Churches that try to call upon angels, study angels, and venerate angels and saints are teaching false doctrine. We have so much more to keep our attention on today as we await the Bridegroom of Heaven.
