THE BETROTHAL PERIOD

The Feast of Pentecost marked the birth of the Church, the Bride of Christ, and the beginning of the betrothal period which has significance for both the bride and groom.

THE BRIDEGROOM’S PREPARATION

According to Jewish custom, the groom’s task was to return to the father’s house to prepare the bridal chamber for the consummation of the marriage. When the groom’s father was satisfied with the groom’s preparation, he would give permission for the bridegroom to fetch his bride for the wedding.

Before His return to the Father’s house, Jesus assured His disciples, in the language of a marriage proposal, that He was going to prepare a place for them.

”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 may also be where I am.” John 14:2, 3 NIV.

THE BRIDE’S PREPARATION

During the betrothal period, the bride’s preparation was twofold:

She was to separate herself from all other men.

“I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to Him. But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, you minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 11:2, 3 NIV.

We are called to be holy – separated from sin to God.

“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14.

“Question: “What does the Bible say about holiness? What does it mean to be holy?”

“Answer: In 1 Peter 1:13-16, Peter writes to believers, “Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behaviour; because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.'” Peter is quoting from Leviticus 11:44 and Leviticus19:2.

“First, let’s look at God’s holiness. What does it mean that God is holy? Passages like 1 Samuel 2:2 and Isaiah 6:3 are just two of many examples of passages about God’s holiness. Another way to say it is absolute perfection. God is unlike any other (see Hosea 11:9), and His holiness is the essence of that “otherness.” His very being is completely absent of even a trace of sin (James 1:13; Hebrews 6:18). He is high above any other, and no one can compare to Him (Psalm 40:5). God’s holiness pervades His entire being and shapes all His attributes. His love is a holy love, His mercy is holy mercy, and even His anger and wrath are holy anger and holy wrath. These concepts are difficult for humans to grasp, just as God is difficult for us to understand in His entirety.

“Next, what does it mean for us to be holy? When God told Israel to be holy in Leviticus 11and19, He was instructing them to be distinct from the other nations by giving them specific regulations to govern their lives. Israel is God’s chosen nation and God has set them apart from all other people groups. They are His special people, and consequently they were given standards that God wanted them to live by so the world would know they belonged to Him. When Peter repeats the Lord’s words in 1 Peter 1:16, he is talking specifically to believers.

“As believers, we need to be “set apart” from the world unto the Lord. We need to be living by God’s standards, not the world’s. God isn’t calling us to be perfect, but to be distinct from the world. 1 Peter 2:9 describes believers as “a holy nation.” It is a fact! We are separated from the world; we need to live out that reality in our day-to-day lives, which Peter tells us how to do in 1 Peter 1:13-16.

“Finally, how can we become holy? Holiness only results from a right relationship with God by believing in Jesus Christ as Saviour (accepting His gift of eternal life). If we have not placed our faith in God’s Son alone to save us from our sins, then our pursuit of holiness is in vain. So, we must first make sure we are born-again believers (see John 3).

“If we truly are believers, then we recognize that our position in Christ automatically sets us apart from the world (1 Peter 2:9). After all, we have a relationship with the living God! Then we must daily live a set-apart life, not trying to “blend in” with the world, but instead living according to God’s Word as we study the Bible and grow in it.”

http://www.gotquestions.org/holiness-Bible.html

           She was to prepare her bridal gown.

“Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:        “Hallelujah!                                                                                                                 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.). Revelation 19:6-8 NIV.

In Matthew 25, Jesus told three parables; one about ten virgins awaiting the coming of the bridegroom, one about a wealthy business man who entrusted his money to three servants and went on a journey, and one about the end of time when the Son of Man returns and separates the people of the nations as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

Whenever Jesus told parables in sequence, known as a string of pearls, one must look for the common thread in the parables rather than try to interpret all the details.

In all three parables the main character went away and returned.

In the first parable, the bridegroom went away to prepare the bridal chamber for his bride. Ten virgins, possible bridesmaids, awaited his return for the wedding celebration.

In the second parable, the wealthy businessman placed his money in the hands of three servants to work with and went on a journey. On his return he callsed his servants to account for what they had done with his money.

In the third parable, the Son of Man returns to the earth to take His throne and to judge the nations. The people are separated into two groups as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. The standard for judging them is the way they have treated needy people who represent Him.

In all three parables the ones left behind had been entrusted with a task.

In the first parable, the virgins had to have enough oil to keep their lamps burning as they      wait for the bridegroom’s return.

In the second parable, the servants had to work with their master’s money to increase it while he is away.

In the third parable, the people of the nations were supposed to be taking care of the needs of the hungry, the stranger, the naked and the prisoner.

In all three parables, some did what they were expected to do and others neglected their duty.

In the first parable, the five wise virgins had sufficient oil to keep their lamps alight when the bridegroom came while the five foolish virgins neglected to bring extra oil.

In the second parable, the first two servants made 100% profit on the master’s money while the third servant buried the money and returned it to his master unchanged.

In the third parable, the sheep were the ones who had fulfilled their duty to the needy while the goats neglected to do anything for them.

In all three parables their actions had consequences.

In the first parable, the five wise virgins went into the wedding feast while the five foolish virgins were shut out.

In the second parable the two diligent servants were rewarded while the lazy servant was thrown outside into the darkness.

In the third parable, the righteous, i.e. those who took care of the needs of the destitute experienced eternal life while the ones who neglected the needy were sent away to eternal punishment.

The first parable is particularly relevant to understanding the bride’s preparation of her bridal gown. The “oil” does not mean the Holy Spirit as is erroneously interpreted. The five wise virgins had lamps that were full of the “oil” of righteous deeds (tsidiqah – generosity) and were ready to go into the wedding feast when the bridegroom came. The five foolish virgins tried to borrow “oil” from the other five but it was not possible because they needed to fill their lamps with their own oil. It was the virgins’ duty to ensure that they had enough “oil” to keep their lamps alight until the bridegroom arrived.

Jesus used the imagery of light in Matthew 5:14-16, light representing the ability to see the needs of others and do something about it – “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand and it give light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and praise your Father in heaven.”

The bride’s preparation for the wedding includes having a compassionate heart like her bridegroom and doing what she can to alleviate the suffering of others, not to earn salvation, but to reflect her love for and oneness with her bridegroom so that her lamp will be full of oil when He comes.

SUMMARY AND APPLICATION

The summer feast of Pentecost is a thanksgiving festival for the ingathering of the harvest.

Pentecost fell on the same calendar day as God’s proposal of marriage at Mount Sinai. God’s Old Testament bride was unfaithful to Him, and three thousand died for worshipping the golden calf.

On the day of Pentecost the church, the bride of Christ was born and three thousand were gathered in as the beginning of the great harvest. The bride is preparing herself for her eternal union with her bridegroom when He returns.