But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
Matthew 24:36
Saw this question and I thought it was interesting. If Jesus is omniscience(Being God), why didn’t He know the time or day of His return?
Thoughts/opinions?
Ancient Jewish Wedding Customs. Jesus followed the steps of a Jewish bridgroom. When taking His own bride, us the Church
Selection of the Bride
In Jesus day, brides were usually chosen by the father of the bridegroom. He would send His most trusted servant to search for a bride for his son. See Gen chapter 24.
We have not seen Jesus, but God’s servant, the Holy Spirit, has revealed Him to us: I Pet 1:8: Whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing.
Price of the Bride
Brides were purchased, the price was paid to the father of the bride, both to compensate him for the loss of a worker & to show him how much the bridegroom loved & valued her.
We as the bride of Jesus, have been purchased with a price. The blood of Jesus. His very own blood shed upon a cross on was the price He paid for, us, His bride. 1 Pet 1:18,19 1 Cor 6:19
Betrothal
The betrothal was like our engagement today, with a greater sense of commitment. During the betrothal the couple is entering into a covenant. this Covenant was serious, final, sealed in blood & legally binding. Once a couple entered into the covenant of betrothal, they were legally married in all aspects. At the betrothal ceremony, a marriage contract, was presented to the father of the bride. Consisting of all the bridegroom’s promises to his bride.
We, have a contract from our Bridegroom. Our marriage contract is God’s Word! It shows us what we are entitled to as the Bride of Christ. All the promises in God’s Word!
Bride's Consent
Although a bride was selected for the bridegroom, she still had a choice. The Bride had to be in agreement with this marriage & so it is with us. By our free will do we enter into this contract.
Gen 24:57 & 58 Rebekah is asked, concerning Isaac: Will you go with this man? She said, “I will go” She gave her consent
God never forces anyone to say “I do” to His Son. We must willingly say “I do” to Jesus
Cup of the Covenant
After the terms of the contract were accepted. A cup of wine was shared to seal the marriage covenant. The cup that Jesus took at His last Passover on earth was the cup of the new marriage covenant with His bride. Lk 22:20,
Every time we share in the cup of Communion we are reaffirming our marriage Covenant with Jesus. & remembering, He paid for us personally
Matt 26:27-29 Jesus, when lifting the cup at the Passover understood that in just a short time. He would also be lifted up on a CROSS. For His Bride, He would suffer & do this! "He alone" cuts this "Covenant" we have no part, other then to accept what He has done for us.
Gifts for the Bride
Every bride received gifts! & our God is a giver of every good & perfect gift. The Betrothal included the giving of gifts by the bridegroom to his bride. The bridegroom gave an object of value to his betrothed/engaged bride. It would always be something special that would help her remember him while they were apart. This was because the real focus of the gift giving was to be on the giver & not on the gift. Today we give an engagement ring. This is a symbol of love & commitment. When the bride to be looks at her ring, she is reminded of the one who gave her the gift
God’s Holy Spirit is our spiritual engagement ring. He doesn't call attention to Himself but to the one who purchased us Jesus
2 cor 1:22 Who hath also "sealed us" & "given the earnest" of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. Through Jesus, we, the bride, receive many gifts: Forgiveness, eternal life, fruits of the spirit, gifts of the spirit, & many more
Full Mikvah - Today we call this baptism
Every Jewish Bride had to under-go full Mikvah prior to her wedding. The word mikvah means a pool of living water which was used for ritual purification. This immersion in water is part of their physical & spiritual preparation for the wedding ceremony. The mikvah represents a separation from the old life to a new life (sound familiar). The Jewish bride was set apart, consecrated, separated unto her bridegroom the one who purchased her. Mk 16:16 He who believes& is baptized (goes to the mikvah)
Departure of the Groom
Jn 14:2: I go to prepare a place for you
In Jn 14:2-3 Jesus said; 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, & 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. Our Bridegroom has gone to prepare a wedding chamber for His bride.
Once the marriage covenant was sealed, the bridegroom left his bride to go to his father’s house to prepare a wedding chamber. The Bridegroom wanted that girl RIGHT NOW! The grooms Father decided when all was ready.
Mk 13:32: the day & hour no one knows - Not even the Son/Bridegroom
Jewish bridegrooms usually came for their brides late at night, near the midnight hour. The best man would loudly shout & blow a shofar that would break the silence of the night. The Bride's only job was to be ready to go. She would go & meet the Brigebroom half way. Together they would return to the place the groom had prepared.
1 Thes 4:16-18 the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, with the trumpet of God, the dead in Christ 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.
As a thief in the night, our Bridegroom will call us to arise & meet Him in the air. We will hear a shout & the sound of the shofar.
The Huppah
The 2nd half of the Jewish wedding ceremony, or huppah, is also called the “hometaking.” Original meaning of huppah was room or covering
Huppah was a special room built in the bridegroom’s father’s home. The room was eventually replaced by a bridal canopy. The huppah symbolized the new home to which the bridegroom would take his bride. The bride & bridegroom were escorted to the bridal chamber where they would be alone for 7 days. The spiritual parallel to the huppah for the bride of Christ begins as we are lifted up off the earth to be taken to our heavenly wedding chamber where we will spend ‘1 week’ (7 years) with our Bridegroom/King. While the Bride of Christ is in the Bridal Chamber with Jesus, the rest of the world will be in a time of great tribulation
Isa 26:20 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
While the wrath of God is poured out on the earth, the bride of Christ will be hidden away with her Bridegroom
The Marriage Supper
Following the 7 days in the bridal chamber, the bride & bridegroom joined their guests for a joyous marriage feast. Music & dancing r part of the celebration
Rev 19:6-9 & I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, 'HAleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad, rejoice & give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come. His wife has made herself ready. To her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean & bright. The fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.' Then he said to me, Write: Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb! There will be shouts of joy & dancing.
For those of us who look forward to the marriage supper of the Lamb, we are to go out to the highways, byways & extend an invitation to others to come (mobilize, evangelize)
Rev 2:17 the spirit and the bride say Come! & let him who hears say, Come! & let him who thirsts, Come & whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely
Rev 22:20 Surely I am coming quickly. Even so, Come Lord Jesus, Come!