Saturday, January 21, 2012

JEWISH MARRIAGE CUSTOMS: Part Fourteen

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Wedding Chamber (Nissu’in)

Once they were back at the father’s house, the couple would enter what they called the Huppah. This was the second ceremony and required by the Talmud (Jewish oral law). The Huppah was originally a four-posted structure with an enclosed cloth covering. It very well could have been any structure or room that had been designated as the Huppah and belonging to the groom.

Here the wedding ceremony would take place and then the taking (consummation) of the bride (Nissu’in). Nissu’in literally means, "Taking." The covering was sometimes a talit, which is a Jewish prayer shawl. At the ceremony, the groom and the bride wore crowns and they dressed extravagantly.

After the ceremony, the bride and groom entered the huppah for seven days and there they would consummate the marriage. Only until recently was it even required that a Rabbi officiate at a wedding ceremony.

During the seven days of Huppah, the marriage festivities would be in full force. After the seventh day, the bride would emerge unveiled and the groom's friend would show the blood stained bedding to prove that the bride was, in fact, a virgin and that the groom had taken her. It proved that they had consummated the marriage.

Parallels to the Church. . .

Once Christ abducts us (raptured/caught up), He will adorn us with the crown of life [1] and our garments will be the clothes of righteousness [2]. Christ will also wear a crown [3].

The steps of the betrothal have ended and we now stand in the huppah as the Bride of Christ and we will be His Bride forever and ever.

v15 Therefore, they are before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple; and He Who sits on the throne will spread His tent over them [4].

Another Jewish name for the “Wedding day of the Messiah,” is “The Feast of Trumpets.” Revelation 19:7-9 tells us of the Wedding of the Lamb.

v7 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.
v8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
v9 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 God [5].

It is my contention that the seven days that Christ and His Bride will stay hidden in the huppah, will actually be the seven remaining years of history before Jesus comes with His Saints [6], (which is His Bride). All will see who the true Bride of Christ is [7] because she will not be wearing her veil.

This presupposes that there will be a pre-tribulation rapture of the church [8]. Although this is what the Bible teaches, many think otherwise. The Bible also teaches a three and a half year tribulation [9] and not seven, but once we see the beginning construction of the temple, we will know that there are seven years left of human government. These are minor points but believers will be debating them until Christ comes. This is just a point of interest.

Do you remember the groom showing the guests the blood stained sheets of the marriage bed? Could the blood stained clothes of Christ at the Cross, be the bloodied clothes shown to the world [10]? As believers, we are the Christ’s body and because of His death on the Cross, we are all righteous, holy, true, and pure.

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[1] 1 Peter 5:4; James 1:12; 2 Timothy 4:8
[2] Revelation 19:8
[3] Revelation 14:14
[4] Revelation 7:15 NIV
[5] Revelation 19:7
[6] 1 Thessalonians 3:13; Jude 1:14
[7] Colossians 3:4
[8] Main Scripture is Revelation 3:10. To learn of 16 more proofs, http://www.thepropheticyears.com/reasons/rapture.htm
[9] Daniel 7:25, 12:7; Revelation 12:6, 13:5. Time = one year, times = two years, and half a time = half a year. Forty-two months = 3 1/2 years. 1260 days = 3 1/2 years.
[10] Matthew 27:35

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