Betrothal – Christ’s Sacred Promise to You

Betrothal – Christ's Sacred Promise to You

 

In My Father's house are many dwelling places . . . I go to prepare a place for you.  If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.        John 14:2-3

 

The bride is waiting for her groom – at last he is coming!  He has prepared a home for his beloved bride and announced that this is the day. The bride has made herself ready and now she stands on tiptoe watching for signs that he is on his way. In her hand is the well worn betrothal agreement given to her by her beloved before he went away. How she treasures this written declaration of his love and intentions – she has read it a thousand times. Ever since he returned to his father's house she has been living for the day he would come for her; her heart belongs to him and her every thought has only been of him these many months (and everyone who knows her can testify to that!).

 

Is this a first-century Jewish bride waiting for her betrothed? Or the Church waiting for the Lord's return? Or is it the individual Christian looking and listening for His coming? It's all three! Jewish marriage customs unfold a remarkable sequence modeling the Church's pathway to her heavenly Groom. In ancient times Jewish marriages were arranged by the father who would choose a bride for his son; however, the woman had to give her consent or the agreement was not valid. In some cases the young man had never met the chosen bride; however, it was not usually this way and the groom's father still had to approve the marriage. In every case, the feelings and desires of the woman were taken into account; she was free to refuse to enter in to the agreement from the very beginning.

 

The marriage began with a betrothal contract, drawn up by a legal authority in the presence of two witnesses. The bridegroom would travel to the home of the prospective bride. He would give a gift to the bride and negotiate the bridal price with her father. The contract was signed by the couple and the witnesses after the price was paid. All legal expenses were paid by the groom and, in some cases, if the bride's family was poor, he would furnish her bridal garments as well.

 

The betrothal contract documented the price that was paid, spelled out mutual obligations, detailed the bride's dowry and served as proof of her consent.  A special benediction was pronounced over a cup of wine, then the bride and groom drank from the cup; this was part of the sacred legal covenant.  From the moment of her betrothal, although there was no physical contact, a woman was treated as if she were actually married and the union could not be dissolved except by divorce. The actual marriage would take place several months later – up to a year.

 

Once everything was legally settled, the groom returned to his father's house to make room for his bride. Traditionally, he would add a room onto his family home. During his absence, the bride kept the betrothal document – a tangible witness to the fact that they belonged to each other and that he would return to get her. When her new home was ready, and it was time for the marriage, the groom would announce the day that the wedding was to take place; however, the exact time of his arrival was not made known. The bride would make herself ready and wait for him to arrive, whereupon he would lead her back to his home in a festive procession including friends and family. The marriage and a celebration would follow.

 

This ancient Jewish custom wonderfully illustrates Christ's relationship to the Church. He came to earth from His Father's heavenly home in order to get a bride. He paid the price – a price dearer than earthly money – for He shed His precious blood so that He could have us as His own.  He has provided everything we need to become the pure and spotless bride His perfection requires. We are His betrothed! Like the traditional Jewish groom, the Lord Jesus left us with a betrothal document: the written Word.  However, it is so much more than a legal document. The New Testament records numerous witnesses testifying to the reality of His first coming and details the price He paid. The apostles, throughout the gospels and epistles, testify to what they have seen and heard and touched (1John1:1). This treasured 'document' assures us of His love, discloses His thoughts toward us, tells us what we need to be doing in order to be ready and reveals the signs of His coming for us.  Over two thousand years ago, the Savior sat at a table with His beloved disciples and made this betrothal promise: 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 (Matt. 26:29). We are the Lord's precious possession – He has communicated this to us in every way possible – through stories of real people, types, promises, covenants, and prophecies. Even as Christ is away – preparing a place for us (His betrothed) – we live in union with Him through the life of the Spirit who dwells within each believer.  

 

. . . neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.     Rom. 8:38-39

Meditations for the Bride

Meditations for the Bride

We have been looking at individual facets of the Bride's story; the only way we can see the entire jewel is to catch a  glimmer here and there throughout the Scriptures. However, so we won't get lost in the details and lose sight of the big picture, I want to share a few quotes from some of my favorite authors – I think they will keep us focused on our main theme and encourage us as we meet the challenges of daily life.

 

The Church is the 'Body of Christ' and the 'Bride of Christ.' The first of these titles tells us that she is set in the very highest place of honor; the second tells us that she is set also in the dearest and most intimate position of personal affection and relationship. To the creation of God and to the principalities and powers in heavenly places – she is made to be a great witness – the only adequate witness of the grace, glory and wisdom of God. She is a witness to the exceeding riches of grace, of the praise of glory, and of the manifold resources and secrets of wisdom.

 

It is not in the starry heavens above, nor on the earth beneath, nor in angels themselves . . . that the character and ways of the Father will be manifested in the ages to come. It is in the redeemed new creation in Christ – in the Church and by the Church – that the Father's manifold wisdom will be known. In the Church every perfection of light and glory and beauty shall be displayed. It is the brightest emanation of the Divine mind and a masterpiece of His handiwork. This is the destiny of His beloved glorious Bride . . . chosen from Adam's ruined and apostate race. She was not only brought into the closest and sweetest intimacy of sonship to the Father, but exalted to the highest dignity in heaven, and partaker of the indescribable glory of her glorified Head in heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ.                   ~J.G. Bellet

 

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Blessed with all Spiritual blessings in Christ ...we are brought so near to Christ that everything we need, we have in Him. The Father can look on us with the same delight as on His Son because we are hidden in Him. He cannot stop the flow of His affection and delight in Christ, and so it flows on us. We are before the Father in all the completeness of Christ's work in the removal of everything He had against us.                                                                                                                                                                   ~George Wigram

 

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The bride is to be led into the King's presence in a bridal dress skillfully and patiently prepared of "embroidered cloth" (Ezekiel 16). The bride's attire is not made of gold, it is embroidered with gold; which means that the gold thread is patiently woven or twisted into the fabric itself. This suggests the Spirit's continuous involvement in her experience of the crucified life in order that the glories of Christ may be displayed. This is a divine work [symbolized by gold] in which she willingly cooperates as He takes her through the process of transformation into His likeness. The Lamb's wife has made herself ready (Rev. 19:7).  The King's daughter is all glorious within; her clothing is interwoven with gold.    Psalm 45:13   ~ William R. Newell

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Gold, mixed with fine cloth in the Bride's dress, carries the thought of deity and humanity. Her value is heavenly [symbolized by gold], but the work of preparation is done on earth [symbolized by cloth], for it was here, as a man, that the Lord accomplished the work to make everything possible. It is through being joined to the ascended Man that our position as His Bride is secured. This is a marvelous picture of our position in Him, our redeemed state, and the fact that our Lord takes us from here, where He found us, to the His eternal abode.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             ~Conrad Bowman

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There is no question about there being a new position for the believer, but people limit it to its being theirs when they die. Scripture shows us that it is ours now!   

 

But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.    Eph. 2:13

 

People say that you get to heaven when you die – no such thing. You are there now. It is not your death that entitles you to it, but the Lord Jesus' death. No person can be truly happy until he knows that he has a new place now, and it is where the Lord Jesus is.  

 

 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.    Col. 3:2-3                                                                                                   ~ J.B. Stoney

 

Abigail: The Church in the Wilderness

Abigail: The Church in the Wilderness

>>>>1Samuel 25-30<<<<

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.   Heb. 11:1

 

Our Father in heaven is a God of action – acting out of desire to have a bride for His Son, He sent the Holy Spirit to earth to find her, make her suitable, and escort her to the wedding. Rebekah's story illustrates the Father's desire and the Spirit's work, however, the bride's experience as she travels to her new home is not addressed in Genesis 24. We need to study Abigail's relationship to David in order to see a picture of the Church's journey from earth to heaven.

 

The story of Abigail and David does not include God the Father and the work of the Spirit in its illustration; instead, the focus is on the Son's life as He lived on earth.  David is a type of Christ who, although He was the true king, lived among His brethren in humiliation. David pictures the Lord Jesus in His rejection by the leaders of His own people. David was living in caves and wandering from place to place when he met Abigail, yet from the moment she met him, Abigail treated David as a king. She bowed to him (1Sam. 25:23) and spoke prophetically about his future as Israel's ruler (vs 30).  When Nabal died, David proposed to Abigail and she left everything to become his wife.

 

Abigail was a wealthy woman – she enjoyed servants, plenty of food and every comfort the world could provide. David lived on the run, hunted "as one hunts a partridge in the mountains" (1Sam. 26:20) – yet Abigail chose to join him. As David's wife, her life would be defined by the same poverty and misery that he and his men (along with their families) endured. Her commitment to David, rather than her love for him, is highlighted in the Scriptures; perhaps the story is recorded with this emphasis in order to show that she understood what was at stake.

 

Abigail's pledge to David as the true King (1Sam. 25:31b) demonstrates her confidence in God's plan for him. I don't believe she was anticipating a marriage proposal when she asked David to remember her on the day he became king; however, she knew the cost and was willing to pay it. The Lord has promised that believers will share His glory if they will trust Him during their own wilderness journey. In Abigail (along with the others who followed David) we see a picture of the Church, living in union with Christ, leaving behind the comforts of the world and living a life that is separated unto Him. We cannot read New Testament instruction to the Church and come away with any notion that future blessings are rooted in an easy life here and now:

 

The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.     Romans 8:16-18 

 

. . . after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated.  For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one.       Heb.10:32-34

 

We love to think about sharing eternity with our beloved Lord. And while we live on earth we want to 'taste and see that the Lord is good;' for we know that 'blessed is the man who trusts in Him!' (Psalm 34:8). However, we choke on the command that we must not be dependent upon the world, and we naturally resist participation in His suffering and rejection. Suffering is certain for the Christian – God has given us promises and encouragements so that we will look to Him, and not to the world, when we are feeling crushed by the wilderness journey.

 

Paul spoke about the prize of the high calling – he wrote about it while in prison; John saw the glory of Heaven – he described it from Patmos, where he lived in exile; and Abigail foresaw David's glory – while she suffered with him through the danger and adversity described in 1Samuel chapters 26-30.  When King Saul died – and David took the throne – Abigail was there to share his reign (2Sam. 2:2).

 

Abigail's story demonstrates our life in union with Christ as we make our way through the wilderness, and Rebekah's story reveals the activity of the Holy Spirit on our behalf. How can we be on the way to meet our groom, yet live in union with Him while we are still here? Jewish marriage customs provide an earthly picture of this marvelous truth . . .  we'll look into that next!

 

The glory which You have given Me I have given to them that they may be one, just as We are one . . . John 17:22