Sermon Central
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Behold, The Bridegroom Cometh
Contributed by Brian Barrett on Mar 26, 2006 (message contributor)
Summary: G-d gave the wedding customs, service, and ceremonies to the Jewish people (Romans 3:2; 9:4) to teach us about the Messiah Yeshua (Colossians 2:16-17). With this in mind, let’s examine the biblical wedding ceremony that G-d gave to the Jewish people. The
Behold, the Bridegroom Cometh!
1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
(KJV)
Defining the Word “Rapture”.
According to a Newsweek poll in May of 2004, 55 percent of Americans, “think that the faithful will be taken to heaven in the Rapture”.
One might say, and some have said, “rapture isn’t in the bible”. True, the word rapture is not in the bible. You can search all 774,747 of your King James Bible and you will not find the word, “rapture”.
What you will find is the phrase, “caught up”. In the Greek that is harpazo, which means, to snatch, seize or take suddenly or vehemently.
1Thes 4:17
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
(KJV)
This Greek term, “harpazo” appears thirteen times in the New Testament with meanings such as, “take forcibly, snatch, or caught up”.
We get the word, “rapture” from a 4th century scholar named, Jerome, who translated the New Testament from the Greek text into Latin text. The word, “rapture” is derived from the Latin word, “raeptius”, which means, to seize, snatch or to seize away. In Latin the word, “raeptius” is used in place of the Greek word, “harpazo”.
True, the word, “rapture” is not in most of the English bibles but the doctrine certainly is present, such as in
1 Cor 15:51-55
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
(KJV)
A Wedding Ceremony
G-d gave the wedding customs, service, and ceremonies to the Jewish people (Romans 3:2; 9:4) to teach us about the Messiah Yeshua (Colossians 2:16-17). With this in mind, let’s examine the biblical wedding ceremony that G-d gave to the Jewish people. The ancient Jewish wedding ceremony G-d gave to the Jewish people to teach us about the wedding of the Messiah consisted of 12 steps.
. The selection of the bride.
The bride was chosen by the father of the bridegroom. The father would send out a trusted servant, known as the agent of the father, to search for a bride. Genesis 24 shows us this. Abraham wishes to secure a bride for Isaac, so he sends out Eliezer. Eliezer finds Rebekah who would marry Isaac.
Just as the bride was chosen by the father of the bridegroom, so it is with believers being chosen by God to be betrothed to Christ.
16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you,
(KJV)
44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
(KJV)
In Genesis 24 Rebekah gave consent to marry Isaac before she ever met him face to face. Today you must give consent to become the bride of Christ though you have never seen him, but that day will come and it is nigh at hand.
1 Pet 1:7-9
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
(KJV)
. A bride price was established.
A price would have to be paid for the bride. Jesus, being our bridegroom, paid a very high price for His bride, the body of believers. The price He paid was His life. Jesus considered the price He had to pay for His bride before His death as He went into the Garden of Gethsemane to pray in
