A proper understanding of the fall feast days of Yom Teruah, Yom Kippur and Succot provides clarity to Adonai ‘s plan for the prophetic fulfillment we call the End Times. They reveal much more detail than has been thought possible.The Bible itself is a marriage covenant. Both the Tanach (the Old Testament) and the Brit Hadashah (the New Testament) describe how Adonai through Yeshua, the Bridegroom, is in the process of marrying His Bride. Yeshua’s first miracle – turning water into wine – took place at a wedding in Cana of Galilee.There are many parallels between the ancient Jewish Wedding and the marriage between Messiah Yeshua and his Bride. Yeshua even called Himself the Bridegroom.
Traditional Jewish Wedding Customs
&
Relationship to Yeshua and
His Bride, the Body of Believers
Part 1- Erusin or Kiddushin – Betrothal or Engagement
Kiddushin is derived from the word Kadosh, meaning holy! Once a bride and bridegroom enter into this initial phase of marriage they are considered married. Another words, they would have to get a divorce, called a “get” to break of the engagement. This period lasts from one to two years.
The betrothal is a parallel to the engagement in most ways except that in the ancient Jewish custom, it was binding! It was so binding that it could not be broken without a orthodox divorce. You were considered bound together from the period you entered the betrothal contract until the wedding day. When Joseph discovered that his betrothed wife Mary was with child he had real grounds to obtain a orthodox divorce and would have if the angel had not appeared unto him and explained what was going on. Even though the couple is engaged they do not have a physical relationship and they do not live together either.
The Bride is Chosen John 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you …
1. The Arrangement: The groom’s father made and approved choice of the bride. In traditional Jewish customs, marriages were arranged by their fathers. It is quite often that the Bride and Groom have never seen one another before they are engaged.
In Judaism the Sabbath is seen as the bride. In Torah Following, the Church, the Body of Believers is the bride and Yeshua is the bridegroom. The Father makes and approves the choice.
John 6:44 “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
2 Corinthians 11:2 – For I, Paul have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Yeshua.
The Betrothal Hosea 2:19-20 I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice,In love and compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the LORD.
The Bride Price 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 You are not your own; You were bought at a price. Therefore honor Adonai with your body.
2. The Groom’s Promise: Tenaim – Conditions
The Groom makes a covenant or contract promise. The Ketubah is a document that is used for the purpose of assuring a bride will be provided for. Once this document was signed and witnessed by two people then it was binding and the couple was considered married.
The Bride’s Consent Romans 10:9-10 …If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Yeshua, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Drink the cup of wine to seal the covenant. Kiddush
The 1st Cup of Wine Matthew 26:27-29 (At the Pesach Meal with His disciples Yeshua …) … took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in My Father’s kingdom.”
Groom pays a price to show he is serious; today the wedding ring is used for this purpose.
Groom’s speech of promise to his bride that he would come to claim her soon, this is the Engagement Promise.
A Covenant Relationship –
Adonai made a New Covenant with Israel and Judah to replace one He made with Moses. Yeshua drank cup of redemption at Passover. Yeshua paid the bride price of redemption for us on the cross.
Hebrews 8:10 This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord.I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts.
Jeremiah 31:31
Matthew 26:27-29,
1 Corinthians 6:20 John 14:2-3
Betrothal Gifts Are Presented To The Bride James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father …1 Corinthians 12:1, 4, 8-10Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
3. Groom Prepares a Place for His Bride: Chuppah
Groom prepares a bridal chamber where they stay for seven days. He works on it until it pleases his father. Then he may go after his bride. The Chuppah canopy is derived from this type of a bridal chamber.
Yeshua tells us that He does not know when He will come; only His Father knows. We must be alert and ready! For, He is preparing our place now. Be alert: Be ready: Do all He asks while you’re here. Develop an active prayer life. Offer yourself in ministry opportunity. Keep ourselves from doubt and failure.
John 14:1-4 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in Adonai , believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And 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. And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
4. Waiting for up to two years –for the bridegroom to come for the bride.
As John the Baptist was filled with joy when he saw Yeshua, so we too shall be filled when we join Yeshua in the heavenly bridal chamber. Some liken those 7 days in the chamber to the 7 year tribulation period which we will spend not in agony on earth, but in bliss in heaven. Then we will return as the wife, not the Bride.
Yeshua Teaches About Fasting
Luke 5:33-34 Then they said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John fast often and make prayers, and likewise those of the Pharisees, but Yours eat and drink?”
And He said to them, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days.”
Part 2 Nisuin or Chuppah – Ceremony or Nuptials
The word Nisuin means “to lift up” or “carry”. Lifting up the bride is an ancient wedding custom of carrying the bride to the ceremony in a carriage lifted by poles. Although seldom done today, the ceremony bears the name. The Chuppah is not only related to the bridal chamber, it is also “lifted” by poles like the ancient carriage. The custom of lifting the bride and now the groom in chairs is rooted in this processional. Due to the expense of having two ceremonies.
5. The Mikvah – Ritual Immersion – Today, the Jewish Bride and even the Groom are immersed in a ritual pool of Mayim Chaim, Living Water, known as a Mikvah. The Mikvah is a pool of water that has a source and exit stream. A river, lake, or sea is a natural mikvah. A man made pool could work as well if there is a constant inflow and exit drain. In the Torah, women were immersed for various reasons such as their monthly menstrual cycle. The immersion is a requirement for Gentile converts to Judaism. The Mikvah was not a ritual started by John the Baptist. This is an ancient Jewish practice dating back to the time of Moses.
Remember John, the Baptist…. He was Jewish. The act of Baptism or immersion did not begin as a Follower concept. It is rooted in the Jewish cleansing rituals from the Torah. It had been a practice of the priests to wash or immerse themselves.
John’s baptism itself is probably best understood as an adaptation of Jewish ritual washings, with some influence from Qumran in particular.
John’s baptism was primarily a baptism of repentance (Mt. 3:11; Mk. 1:4; Lk. 3:3; Acts 13:24; 19:4).
Mark 16:16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved.
6. The Bride Waits: While the groom builds the new home, the bride waits and wears a veil. This shows she belongs only to the groom. She prepares for her wedding by making blankets, etc. She also shows gratitude to her family for raising her and she mends hurt relationships. No matter what, she had to be ready because he would come at night.
We must do His will in our daily lives. We must be committed to our ministries at home and Body of Believers. We must heal wounded relationships and express our agape love to each other. We must exhort! Yeshua tells us that He will come like a thief. So, we must be living “His Love” at all times. The Body of Believers, too, is veiled. The world is not sure who the Body of Believers is. When we go, it will know.
2 Corinthians 11:2 Luke 19:13 1 Corinthians 13:1 Luke 12:40
Waiting for the Bridegroom Mark 13:32 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no,not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night.
The Bride (Believers in Yeshua) should be living consecrated lives, keeping
themselves pure and holy in preparation for the Wedding
Feast of the Lamb
The Bridegroom makes final preparations – anticipating “catching away” His Bride
Ezekiel 16:8-13 8“When I passed by you again and looked upon you, indeed your time was the time of love; so I spread My wing over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine,” says Adonai .9“Then I washed you in water; yes, I thoroughly washed off your blood, and I anointed you with oil.
10I clothed you in embroidered cloth and gave you sandals of badger skin; I clothed you with fine linen and covered you with silk. 11I adorned you with ornaments, put bracelets on your wrists,and a chain on your neck. 12And I put a jewel in your nose, earrings in your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head. 13Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth.
Revelations 3:5 Yeshua says…“He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.”
7. Kittel – The Wedding Garment: The Kittel is a white robe, it looks somewhat like a bathrobe. It is a garment worn at Passover. It is also warn by the Groom at a wedding. The word Kittel is rooted in the Hebrew word Katal – To Slay. A garment worn by priests during certain sacrifices such as Passover or Yom Kippur Sacrifice.
In Biblical times the kittel was warn by all the men attending the wedding.
The Parable of the Wedding Feast — Matthew 22:11-12 But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’
8. The Bridesmaids: Unmarried friends who attend the to bride and provide light for the groom who comes at night. This is a traditional custom for friends to light havdalah candles in the processional or during the veiling ceremony. Light is a symbol of Adonai ‘s presence, the Shekinah Glory.
We prepare the bride in our ministry to each other. We groom her. We must be ready in our service and not run out of power or conviction as the bridesmaids did.
Parable of the Ten Virgins – Matthew 25:1-13
The Bride is Consecrated Matthew 25 1Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.3They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 9But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came;and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 11Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you,I know you not. 13Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour where in the Son of man cometh.
“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ”
The Witness is Sent before the Bridegroom ( The two witnesses Rev 11)
The Bridegroom Cometh Joel 2: 16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, &those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.
9. The Bridegroom Comes: The groomsmen would run ahead of the groom sound the Shofar, and shout that he was coming. While the father’s head was turned, the groom would steal the bride. The wedding party then went back to the groom’s house to meet the guests.
The angel, Gabriel, will blow the trumpet of Adonai , and Yeshua will come like a thief to snatch away His Bride. When we arrive in Heaven, a host of people will be waiting for us.
John 3:29 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. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled.
Isaiah 26:20-21 Prophesied of this time: “Come my people, enter our chambers and shut the
door behind you, hide yourself as it were, for a little moment until the indignation is past.
For behold the Lord comes out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their
iniquity.”
The Catching Away
Matthew 25:6
And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
1 Corinthians 15:51-52
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
10. The Bridal Chamber – Chuppah
The bride and groom enter the bridal chamber where the marriage is consummated. The party waits outside until the groom tells the best man that it is consummated. Then, the guests rejoice for 7 days.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 – For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the Shofar, trumpet of Adonai. And the dead in Yeshua will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
After the marriage was consummated, there was a Wedding Feast or Marriage Supper.
This is also a Theme of the Festival of Sukkot.
The Second Cup of Wine
11. The Kiddush- The shared cup of wine is a simcha, joy, at a Jewish Wedding. When the bride drinks from the cup after the bridegroom it is a sign that she is accepting the covenant he has signed during the Ketubah signing.
Blessing of the Cup:
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheynu Melech Ha-Olam
Borey P’ree Hagafen.
Blessed are You, O Lord our Adonai , King of the Universe,
Who creates the fruit of the vine. Amen.
Yeshua’s first miracle was turning water into wine at a Jewish wedding. – John 2
Matthew 26:27-29 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 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.”
The Seven Wedding Blessings
Blessed art thou, O Lord our Adonai , King of the Universe,
Who has created everything for His glory.
Blessed art thou, O Lord our Adonai , King of the Universe, Who has created mankind.
Blessed art thou, O Lord our Adonai , King of the Universe, Who has made mankind in thy image, in the image of thy likeness and prepared for him – from himself – a building for eternity.
Blessed are You, O Lord, who fashioned the mankind.
Bring intense joy and exultation to the barren one through the ingathering of her children amidst her in gladness. Blessed are You, O Lord, Who makes Zion joyful through her children. Gladded the beloved companions as You gladdened Your creature in the Garden of Eden. Blessed art thou O Lord, who makes the bridegroom and the bride rejoice.
Blessed art thou, O Lord, our Adonai , King of the Universe, Who created joy and gladness, groom and bride, mirth, glad song, pleasure, delight, love, brotherhood, peace and companionship. O Lord, our Adonai , let there soon be heard in the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem the sound of joy and the sound of gladness, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the groom’s jubilance from their canopies and of youths from their song-filled feasts.
Blessed are You, Who gladden the groom with the bride.
Blessed are You O Lord our Adonai, King of the Universe, Who creates the fruit of the vine.
13. Breaking of the Glass – A symbol of the destruction of the Temple. Also a sign that the covenant broken cannot be put back together.
The Temple was destroyed in the year 70 A.D.
A Traditional end to a Jewish wedding serves as a reminder of the fragility of life, even during the most joyous of celebrations. Life is fragile. We break this glass as a symbol of our past. In the theater they say go break a leg. In a Jewish wedding we break a glass. Forgiveness is an end to a shattered past. As the Groom smashes the glass everyone will shout Mazel Tov! Which means Good Fortune, may your lives here on out not be shattered, but full of fortune and joy.
14. Married Life Begins: New couple goes to the father’s home to begin married life.
We too, will go to the Father’s house for the Marriage Feast of The Lamb, and then go with Yeshua in His reign and His kingdom here on earth for 1,000 years.
Revelation 21: 1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from Adonai , prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
15. Yichud – Seclusion- After the Wedding Ceremony the Bride and Groom now retreat to a private room to enjoy one another. This is a time of togetherness before the great feast that awaits them.
Revelation 19:5 Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb!’
Coronation of the King Revelation 5:11-14Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders.In a loud voice they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
Revelation 19:7-9
Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him; for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his
wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen,
clean and white; for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints. And he saith unto me, Write,
Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me,
These are the true sayings of Adonai.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-2
Now as to the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you.For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.
Isaiah 62: 5
… as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your Adonai rejoice over you.
Traditional Jewish Wedding Customs
&
Relationship to Yeshua and
His Bride, the Body of Believers
Part 1- Erusin or Kiddushin – Betrothal or Engagement
Kiddushin is derived from the word Kadosh, meaning holy! Once a bride and bridegroom enter into this initial phase of marriage they are considered married. Another words, they would have to get a divorce, called a “get” to break of the engagement. This period lasts from one to two years.
The betrothal is a parallel to the engagement in most ways except that in the ancient Jewish custom, it was binding! It was so binding that it could not be broken without a orthodox divorce. You were considered bound together from the period you entered the betrothal contract until the wedding day. When Joseph discovered that his betrothed wife Mary was with child he had real grounds to obtain a orthodox divorce and would have if the angel had not appeared unto him and explained what was going on. Even though the couple is engaged they do not have a physical relationship and they do not live together either.
The Bride is Chosen John 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you …
1. The Arrangement: The groom’s father made and approved choice of the bride. In traditional Jewish customs, marriages were arranged by their fathers. It is quite often that the Bride and Groom have never seen one another before they are engaged.
In Judaism the Sabbath is seen as the bride. In Torah Following, the Church, the Body of Believers is the bride and Yeshua is the bridegroom. The Father makes and approves the choice.
John 6:44 “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
2 Corinthians 11:2 – For I, Paul have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Yeshua.
The Betrothal Hosea 2:19-20 I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice,In love and compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the LORD.
The Bride Price 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 You are not your own; You were bought at a price. Therefore honor Adonai with your body.
2. The Groom’s Promise: Tenaim – Conditions
The Groom makes a covenant or contract promise. The Ketubah is a document that is used for the purpose of assuring a bride will be provided for. Once this document was signed and witnessed by two people then it was binding and the couple was considered married.
The Bride’s Consent Romans 10:9-10 …If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Yeshua, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Drink the cup of wine to seal the covenant. Kiddush
The 1st Cup of Wine Matthew 26:27-29 (At the Pesach Meal with His disciples Yeshua …) … took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in My Father’s kingdom.”
Groom pays a price to show he is serious; today the wedding ring is used for this purpose.
Groom’s speech of promise to his bride that he would come to claim her soon, this is the Engagement Promise.
A Covenant Relationship –
Adonai made a New Covenant with Israel and Judah to replace one He made with Moses. Yeshua drank cup of redemption at Passover. Yeshua paid the bride price of redemption for us on the cross.
Hebrews 8:10 This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord.I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts.
Jeremiah 31:31
Matthew 26:27-29,
1 Corinthians 6:20 John 14:2-3
Betrothal Gifts Are Presented To The Bride James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father …1 Corinthians 12:1, 4, 8-10Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
3. Groom Prepares a Place for His Bride: Chuppah
Groom prepares a bridal chamber where they stay for seven days. He works on it until it pleases his father. Then he may go after his bride. The Chuppah canopy is derived from this type of a bridal chamber.
Yeshua tells us that He does not know when He will come; only His Father knows. We must be alert and ready! For, He is preparing our place now. Be alert: Be ready: Do all He asks while you’re here. Develop an active prayer life. Offer yourself in ministry opportunity. Keep ourselves from doubt and failure.
John 14:1-4 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in Adonai , believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And 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. And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
4. Waiting for up to two years –for the bridegroom to come for the bride.
As John the Baptist was filled with joy when he saw Yeshua, so we too shall be filled when we join Yeshua in the heavenly bridal chamber. Some liken those 7 days in the chamber to the 7 year tribulation period which we will spend not in agony on earth, but in bliss in heaven. Then we will return as the wife, not the Bride.
Yeshua Teaches About Fasting
Luke 5:33-34 Then they said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John fast often and make prayers, and likewise those of the Pharisees, but Yours eat and drink?”
And He said to them, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days.”
Part 2 Nisuin or Chuppah – Ceremony or Nuptials
The word Nisuin means “to lift up” or “carry”. Lifting up the bride is an ancient wedding custom of carrying the bride to the ceremony in a carriage lifted by poles. Although seldom done today, the ceremony bears the name. The Chuppah is not only related to the bridal chamber, it is also “lifted” by poles like the ancient carriage. The custom of lifting the bride and now the groom in chairs is rooted in this processional. Due to the expense of having two ceremonies.
5. The Mikvah – Ritual Immersion – Today, the Jewish Bride and even the Groom are immersed in a ritual pool of Mayim Chaim, Living Water, known as a Mikvah. The Mikvah is a pool of water that has a source and exit stream. A river, lake, or sea is a natural mikvah. A man made pool could work as well if there is a constant inflow and exit drain. In the Torah, women were immersed for various reasons such as their monthly menstrual cycle. The immersion is a requirement for Gentile converts to Judaism. The Mikvah was not a ritual started by John the Baptist. This is an ancient Jewish practice dating back to the time of Moses.
Remember John, the Baptist…. He was Jewish. The act of Baptism or immersion did not begin as a Follower concept. It is rooted in the Jewish cleansing rituals from the Torah. It had been a practice of the priests to wash or immerse themselves.
John’s baptism itself is probably best understood as an adaptation of Jewish ritual washings, with some influence from Qumran in particular.
John’s baptism was primarily a baptism of repentance (Mt. 3:11; Mk. 1:4; Lk. 3:3; Acts 13:24; 19:4).
Mark 16:16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved.
6. The Bride Waits: While the groom builds the new home, the bride waits and wears a veil. This shows she belongs only to the groom. She prepares for her wedding by making blankets, etc. She also shows gratitude to her family for raising her and she mends hurt relationships. No matter what, she had to be ready because he would come at night.
We must do His will in our daily lives. We must be committed to our ministries at home and Body of Believers. We must heal wounded relationships and express our agape love to each other. We must exhort! Yeshua tells us that He will come like a thief. So, we must be living “His Love” at all times. The Body of Believers, too, is veiled. The world is not sure who the Body of Believers is. When we go, it will know.
2 Corinthians 11:2 Luke 19:13 1 Corinthians 13:1 Luke 12:40
Waiting for the Bridegroom Mark 13:32 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no,not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night.
The Bride (Believers in Yeshua) should be living consecrated lives, keeping
themselves pure and holy in preparation for the Wedding
Feast of the Lamb
The Bridegroom makes final preparations – anticipating “catching away” His Bride
Ezekiel 16:8-13 8“When I passed by you again and looked upon you, indeed your time was the time of love; so I spread My wing over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine,” says Adonai .9“Then I washed you in water; yes, I thoroughly washed off your blood, and I anointed you with oil.
10I clothed you in embroidered cloth and gave you sandals of badger skin; I clothed you with fine linen and covered you with silk. 11I adorned you with ornaments, put bracelets on your wrists,and a chain on your neck. 12And I put a jewel in your nose, earrings in your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head. 13Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth.
Revelations 3:5 Yeshua says…“He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.”
7. Kittel – The Wedding Garment: The Kittel is a white robe, it looks somewhat like a bathrobe. It is a garment worn at Passover. It is also warn by the Groom at a wedding. The word Kittel is rooted in the Hebrew word Katal – To Slay. A garment worn by priests during certain sacrifices such as Passover or Yom Kippur Sacrifice.
In Biblical times the kittel was warn by all the men attending the wedding.
The Parable of the Wedding Feast — Matthew 22:11-12 But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’
8. The Bridesmaids: Unmarried friends who attend the to bride and provide light for the groom who comes at night. This is a traditional custom for friends to light havdalah candles in the processional or during the veiling ceremony. Light is a symbol of Adonai ‘s presence, the Shekinah Glory.
We prepare the bride in our ministry to each other. We groom her. We must be ready in our service and not run out of power or conviction as the bridesmaids did.
Parable of the Ten Virgins – Matthew 25:1-13
The Bride is Consecrated Matthew 25 1Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.3They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 9But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came;and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 11Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you,I know you not. 13Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour where in the Son of man cometh.
“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ”
The Witness is Sent before the Bridegroom ( The two witnesses Rev 11)
The Bridegroom Cometh Joel 2: 16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, &those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.
9. The Bridegroom Comes: The groomsmen would run ahead of the groom sound the Shofar, and shout that he was coming. While the father’s head was turned, the groom would steal the bride. The wedding party then went back to the groom’s house to meet the guests.
The angel, Gabriel, will blow the trumpet of Adonai , and Yeshua will come like a thief to snatch away His Bride. When we arrive in Heaven, a host of people will be waiting for us.
John 3:29 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. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled.
Isaiah 26:20-21 Prophesied of this time: “Come my people, enter our chambers and shut the
door behind you, hide yourself as it were, for a little moment until the indignation is past.
For behold the Lord comes out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their
iniquity.”
The Catching Away
Matthew 25:6
And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
1 Corinthians 15:51-52
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
10. The Bridal Chamber – Chuppah
The bride and groom enter the bridal chamber where the marriage is consummated. The party waits outside until the groom tells the best man that it is consummated. Then, the guests rejoice for 7 days.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 – For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the Shofar, trumpet of Adonai. And the dead in Yeshua will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
After the marriage was consummated, there was a Wedding Feast or Marriage Supper.
This is also a Theme of the Festival of Sukkot.
The Second Cup of Wine
11. The Kiddush- The shared cup of wine is a simcha, joy, at a Jewish Wedding. When the bride drinks from the cup after the bridegroom it is a sign that she is accepting the covenant he has signed during the Ketubah signing.
Blessing of the Cup:
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheynu Melech Ha-Olam
Borey P’ree Hagafen.
Blessed are You, O Lord our Adonai , King of the Universe,
Who creates the fruit of the vine. Amen.
Yeshua’s first miracle was turning water into wine at a Jewish wedding. – John 2
Matthew 26:27-29 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 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.”
The Seven Wedding Blessings
Blessed art thou, O Lord our Adonai , King of the Universe,
Who has created everything for His glory.
Blessed art thou, O Lord our Adonai , King of the Universe, Who has created mankind.
Blessed art thou, O Lord our Adonai , King of the Universe, Who has made mankind in thy image, in the image of thy likeness and prepared for him – from himself – a building for eternity.
Blessed are You, O Lord, who fashioned the mankind.
Bring intense joy and exultation to the barren one through the ingathering of her children amidst her in gladness. Blessed are You, O Lord, Who makes Zion joyful through her children. Gladded the beloved companions as You gladdened Your creature in the Garden of Eden. Blessed art thou O Lord, who makes the bridegroom and the bride rejoice.
Blessed art thou, O Lord, our Adonai , King of the Universe, Who created joy and gladness, groom and bride, mirth, glad song, pleasure, delight, love, brotherhood, peace and companionship. O Lord, our Adonai , let there soon be heard in the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem the sound of joy and the sound of gladness, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the groom’s jubilance from their canopies and of youths from their song-filled feasts.
Blessed are You, Who gladden the groom with the bride.
Blessed are You O Lord our Adonai, King of the Universe, Who creates the fruit of the vine.
13. Breaking of the Glass – A symbol of the destruction of the Temple. Also a sign that the covenant broken cannot be put back together.
The Temple was destroyed in the year 70 A.D.
A Traditional end to a Jewish wedding serves as a reminder of the fragility of life, even during the most joyous of celebrations. Life is fragile. We break this glass as a symbol of our past. In the theater they say go break a leg. In a Jewish wedding we break a glass. Forgiveness is an end to a shattered past. As the Groom smashes the glass everyone will shout Mazel Tov! Which means Good Fortune, may your lives here on out not be shattered, but full of fortune and joy.
14. Married Life Begins: New couple goes to the father’s home to begin married life.
We too, will go to the Father’s house for the Marriage Feast of The Lamb, and then go with Yeshua in His reign and His kingdom here on earth for 1,000 years.
Revelation 21: 1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from Adonai , prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
15. Yichud – Seclusion- After the Wedding Ceremony the Bride and Groom now retreat to a private room to enjoy one another. This is a time of togetherness before the great feast that awaits them.
Revelation 19:5 Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb!’
Coronation of the King Revelation 5:11-14Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders.In a loud voice they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
Revelation 19:7-9
Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him; for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his
wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen,
clean and white; for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints. And he saith unto me, Write,
Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me,
These are the true sayings of Adonai.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-2
Now as to the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you.For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.
Isaiah 62: 5
… as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your Adonai rejoice over you.