By: John Krug
Weddings and the associated rituals have generated numerous stories over the years. There is the story of the pastor who had a wedding scheduled immediately after the Sunday morning service. Because the benediction had not been given the entire congregation was present at the end of the normal service when the wedding was to start. The problem that faced the pastor was that for the life of him he could not remember the names of the wedding couple. In an effort to solve the problem he simply stated: "Will those who want be joined in the bonds of matrimony please come forward and stand before me?" Immediate five single ladies, two widows, and four bachelors hurried to the front. I guess we are to assume that the original couple were the ones who were eventually married on that day.
The union of a man and a woman in the bonds of matrimony is a time honored tradition that dates back to our first parents, Adam and Eve. Gen. 2:24 For this cause a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. Notice that marriage is more than a tradition. It is a God ordained institution that involves the male and female partners becoming "one flesh". The apostle Paul uses this as an illustration to discourage idolatry when he negatively likens a person joining with idolatry as becoming "one flesh" with the idols (1 Corinthians 6:15-17) The implication of the passage is that believers are bound to Christ and to become involved with idols is to prostitute oneself. Note how Jesus endorses the marriage union when He was speaking to the Pharisees about divorce. Matt. 19:4 And He answered and said, "Have you not read, that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, ' For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh'? 6 "Consequently they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate." We must then conclude that the marriage union is a sacred, God ordained union between one man and one woman and deserves our attention concerning the importance and significance of this union. It is so important that the apostle Paul uses marriage in describing the mystery which is number four (4) in our series as quoted in Ungers Bible Dictionary.
4. The mystery of the Church as the Bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25-32)
In this mystery it is noted that the Church is the Bride of Christ. Eph. 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her; 26 that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless. 28 So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; 29 for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, 30 because we are members of His body. 31 For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh. 32 This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let each individual among you also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see to it that she respect her husband.
As in previous sessions in this series, let's first perform some investigation about the mystery that is involved. Since a Biblical mystery involves something that was hidden in the past, but is now revealed, our first question is: What was hidden in the past? This was answered in our previous mystery where the Church was likened to the Body of Christ. The thing that was hidden in the past was that in a future time, God was going to deal with the Church as a body of believers, consisting of both Jews and Gentiles. In the Old Testament God was dealing primarily with the nation of Israel.
The second question is: Why was it hidden in the past? Again from our previous mystery in the series, we find that the concept of the church consisting of Jews and Gentiles could not have been understood by the Jewish scholars, hence it could not be revealed. In addition, the Church as the Bride of Christ could not have existed since Christ, the Messiah had not yet come.
However, the illustration of marriage as a relationship between God and His people does exist in the Old Testament, but in both a positive and negative sense. Is. 54:5 "For your husband is your Maker, Whose name is the Lord of hosts; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, Who is called the God of all the earth 6 "For the Lord has called you, Like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit, Even like a wife of one's youth when she is rejected," Says your God. 7 "For a brief moment I forsook you, But with great compassion I will gather you. 8 "In an outburst of anger I hid My face from you for a moment; But with everlasting lovingkindness I will have compassion on you," Says the Lord your Redeemer. The nation of Israel was reminded that they were rejected because of their unfaithfulness to God, but like a loving husband, He will bless them in the future. In another illustration, the prophet Hosea was told to take a woman from harlotry as a wife, but she later rejected him, He then takes her back in love as a picture of God's love for the disobedient nation of Israel (Hosea 1-3) The prophet Ezekiel in chapter 16 gives a graphic picture of Israel as an unfaithful wife of God and the judgment pronounced upon her. Israel rejected her Messiah, but we note she will recognize Him in the future and be subject to God's blessing.
Since Israel has been set aside but not forgotten by God, the door then is left open for an illustration to be painted in the New Testament of a faithful relationship between God and His people.
This brings us to the third question: Why is it now revealed? In short, the ideal marriage relationship that God intended becomes an excellent illustration for the relationship between Christ and His Church. To analyze this relationship both the events of a Jewish wedding must be examined along with the scriptural passage in Ephesians 5 that was cited previously.
There are two things about the Jewish wedding that are of interest. First is that before the wedding could be consummated, the groom had to prepare a place in the father's home to bring his new bride. This is exactly what Christ was telling His disciples and us in John 14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 "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. Christ was prophesying that He would be going to His Father's house to prepare a place for His Bride, the Church. Second, the groom was required to provide special care for his new bride. This was spelled out clearly in the Old Testament Law. Deut. 24:5 "When a man takes a new wife, he shall not go out with the army, nor be charged with any duty; he shall be free at home one year and shall give happiness to his wife whom he has taken. As the man in that era was to devote time and attention to his new bride, so Christ gives full attention to His Bride, the Church.
Returning to the passage in Ephesians 5 some important points about Christ and His Bride deserve our attention:
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As the husband is to be the responsible head of his wife, so Jesus Christ is the benevolent head of the Church.
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As the devoted husband is to love and be willing to give his life for his wife, so Christ loved us so much that He gave His life on the cross for our redemption. He is the Savior of the body.
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As the devoted wife is subject to her husband, so the Church is to be in complete subjection to Christ.
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As the husband honors and cherishes his wife, so Christ sanctifies and cleanses the Church.
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The goal of Christ is to present the Church to the Father as holy and blameless. Clearly the goal of any husband is to have a chaste and pure wife. He will do whatever is necessary to keep her that way.
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As the human marriage is to be a permanent bond that no one can divide, so Christ's relationship to His Church is one that will never be dissolved. (Matthew 19:6)
We recognize that the members of the Church, the Bride of Christ are those who have placed their faith in redemption provided in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for His Bride. Because of that relationship, we have great promises awaiting us. Jesus went back to the Father's house to prepare a place for us. In the verses that follow from the Revelation of the apostle John we can be encouraged that we are the Bride that participates in the marriage feast of the Lamb and we have a new heavenly home with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Rev. 19:7 "Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready." 8 And it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 9 And he said to me, "Write, 'Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'" And he said to me, "These are true words of God." Rev. 21:9 And one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues, came and spoke with me, saying, "Come here, I shall show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb."
Do you want to be a part of a wedding that will be the greatest celebration of all times? You can be! By placing your faith in the Jesus Christ who died for your sins, you can not only attend the wedding, but you along with other believers will be a key participant, the Bride of Christ!
TO BE CONTINUED ….
All Scripture from The American Standard Bible, The Lockman foundation.
