The Bride, the Rapture, the Tribulation:
I have considered this subject concerning the rapture (catching away) of the church a great deal, giving it much of my time, and thoughts. There are those who believe in the pre-tribulation (pre-trib) rapture like myself, and others that believe in the mid, or post-tribulation rapture.
Those who are opposed to the pre-trip rapture say it is a relatively new teaching, an incorrect teaching, and has no Scriptural basis. So the question is, am I waiting in vain for the Lord to return before the Tribulation period begins? And will Christians that are alive have to go through this 7 year period of tribulation?
I will attempt to show that the whole scenario of the bride of Christ, the rapture, and tribulation have been recorded throughout Scriptures, and that the New Testament writers took all the bits and pieces of the O.T. puzzle and put them together for us, giving us a complete picture.
This may be a long article, but I believe it will prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the pre-trib rapture of the church is Scriptural. Let’s begin by giving a detailed sketch of the Jewish custom of engagement and marriage. These are well over 3000 years old. Let’s gather the many pieces of this puzzle and see where they lead us.
Marriage Within the Jewish Community.
The custom of the Jews concerning marriage centered around two events, the engagement and the wedding.
The custom goes back many thousands of years. It closely resembles the words of our Lord concerning His engagement, the catching away, and finally the marriage supper.
The story begins with a young man who may or may not know the family of a particular young virgin (woman) he desires to have for his bride.
First the man will go to the house of the father and bring with him a dowry. After he is seated, he will pour into a cup some wine. The cup is then placed before the young woman he desires to marry.
She may NOT drink of the cup, meaning she is rejecting his offer of marriage. Or she may ACCEPT the cup and drink. In doing so, she has signaled to her family and the suitor that she has accepted his proposal of marriage.
The man now leaves the gifts he brought with him and returns to his father’s home. Upon his return the man tells his father the good news and begins to build his home adjacent to the father’s home.
The father has the authority to examine the new structure, and to tell his son if it needs further work, this according to his own discernment. The son would in most cases be in a hurry to finish, so he could receive his future bride quickly. Only when the home is completed to the satisfaction of the father will he give permission to his son to receive his bride.
When permission is finally granted, the groom’s bridal party will leave at midnight. As they approach the bride’s home, they will ring bells and/or blow a horn. This is to give her notice that they are coming so she may prepare herself.
She will have kept by her side, both her lamp and vessel being filled of oil. Upon hearing the bridal party approach, she will prepare herself, light her lamp, dress herself, and put a vail upon her face.
The bridegroom will be attended by friends and accompanied by musicians and singers.
Matthew 25:6-7, “at midnight there was a cry made, behold, the bridegroom cometh: go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.”
After receiving the bride from her parent’s home and with their blessing, the party will bring her back to the grooms new home. On the way back, other friends of the bride and groom who know them and will join the party. There will then be a great celebration.
Psalms 45:15, “With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought: they shall enter into the king’s palace.”
A feast would then be held at the groom’s house. Later in the evening the bride’s parents will escort her to the nuptial chamber,
Genesis 29:23, “It came to pass in the evening, that he (Laban, Leah’s father) took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him (Jacob) and he went in unto her.”
Genesis 29:27, “Fulfill her (Leah’s) week (7 days,) and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.”
Judges 14:12, “Sampson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast.”
Matthew 26:27, “And He (Jesus) took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it. For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” This celebration will occur during the feast of the bride and Groom.
The following day the festivities would resume, continuing for one week (7 days.)
The weddings did not include a religious ceremony, although it is probable that the betrothal (engagement) was ratified by an oath,
Ezekiel 16:8, “Now when I (the LORD) passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt (wing) over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware (sword by oath) unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest mine.”
Malachi 2:14, “Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.”
After the Exile into Babylon, written contracts were drawn up and sealed. On the day of the wedding the bride dressed in white, and put on a veil.
Genesis 24:65, “she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, it is my master: therefore she took a vail, and covered herself.”
Now:
1. The Groom represents Jesus Christ.
2. The bride represents the church.
3. The engagement period is what we call the period of grace.
4. The gifts left to the father of the bride, represent the Holy Spirit and the gifts He brings.
5. The drinking of the wine represent each individuals acceptance or rejection of the offer made by Christ.
6. The bridal party of the Groom that goes before Him, represent the angels of heaven.
7. The father of the Groom represents the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
8. The new home build by the Groom adjacent to the Father’s home, represents the new Jerusalem.
9. The seven years that pass during which the tribulation is taking place on earth, will be the same seven years of celebration in heaven.
10. The return of the Lord Jesus will be after the 7 years of feasting in heaven. He will then take care of business on earth.
Here are the Scriptural verses, and explanation, also included are the verses mentioned above.
1. The Groom represents Jesus Christ.
Matthew 9:15, Jesus said, “Can the children of the bride chamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom (Jesus) is with them? but, the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them.”
Revelation 18:23, “The voice of the bridegroom (Jesus) and of the bride (the raptured church) shall be heard no more at all in thee (the nations of the earth.)”
2. The bride represents the church.
a. Revelation 21:9, 19:7, “the Bride, the Lamb’s wife.”
b. John 3:29, “the Bride of the Bridegroom = (Jesus.)”
c. Revelation 21:2, “a Bride adorned for her Husband.”
d. Isaiah 61:10, “clothed, as a Bride adorned with jewels.”
e. Song of Solomon 1:8, “fairest among women.”
f. 2 Corinthians 11:2, Jer.31:4, “a chaste virgin.”
g. Revelation 3:4-5, “worthy to walk in white with Christ.”
3. The engagement period is what we call the period of grace. This with the gifts the Holy Spirit brings are the dowry.
For this period of grace a ransom was paid. This new covenant sealed by the death of our Lord upon the cross. The unclean now have a gateway out of bondage. Jesus said, “I am the way.” For those who believe by faith, repent, and are baptized, they are now engaged to the Lord and are washed clean by the blood of the Lamb, becoming as chaste virgins, clean before the Father.
In the N.T. the word “ransom,” signifies that redemptive price offered by Christ upon the cross for the salvation of His people (His future bride.)”
1 Timothy 2:6, “Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.”
Matthew 13:44, “the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.”
4. The gifts left to the father of the bride, represent the Holy Spirit and the many gifts He brings. Jesus said,
John 14:26, “the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things.” Grace is a gift from God.
Some of the gifts are, to speak an unlearned language. This in order to teach the good news to those who do not speak your language. The power to drive out evil spirits: The healing of the sick: Prophecy: Discernment (wisdom.) Knowledge, etc.
5. The placing of a cup of wine before the woman, represent every individuals acceptance or rejection of Christ’s offering, this concerning the new covenant. To drink of it is to be received by Jesus. To refuse makes you as an unclean whore, one who is engaged to Satan.
Matthew 26:27-28, Jesus, “took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
John 6:53, Jesus said, “Whoso drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
6. The bridal party of the Groom that goes before the Lord to receive the bride, represent the angels of heaven.
1 Thessalonians 4:16, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them (this is the bride of Christ) in the clouds, and to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
1 Corinthians 15:52, “the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
7. The Father of the Groom represents the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He only has the authority to know the day or hour of His Son’s return.
Matthew 24:36 thru 44, “of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. — Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”
Matthew 25:13, “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day not the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”
To the sinner, Jesus will return as a thief in the night. They won’t know Him, they will not be prepared, they shall remain on earth for their lamps will have gone out, and their vessels will contain no oil.
The saved have prepared themselves with the knowledge and understanding of God’s word and with the anointing oil of the Holy Spirit. These shall assent into heaven to be with the Lord forever.
8. The new home build by the Groom adjacent to the Father’s home represents the new Jerusalem.
John 14:2-3, Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many mansions (dwellings):– 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 unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
9. The seven years that pass during which the tribulation takes place on earth, will be the same seven years of celebration in heaven.
10. The return of the Lord Jesus will be after the 7 years of feasting in heaven. He will then return to deal with sin.
The parable of the ten virgins distinguishes between those believers who are truly saved, and those who only pay lip service to the Lord. I will be doing a further study on the ten virgins.
I hope you enjoyed this article; your comments are welcomed.
Phillip LaSpino www.seekfirstwisdom.com