April 1 - The Wedding Feast

April 1 – The Wedding Feast
Revelation 19:9-10

Then the angel said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he added, “These are the true words of God.” At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

The bride is ready. She is the church. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 11:2 that he wants to present the church to Christ as a virgin.

The bridegroom is ready. This is Jesus Christ. In John 3:29, John the Baptist identifies Jesus Christ as the bridegroom to whom the bride belongs. He identifies himself as the friend who attends the bridegroom, waiting with expectancy to hear the voice of the bridegroom.

In Old Testament and in New Testament times, the period of engagement occurred for a period of time while the bridegroom prepared his home for his bride. Then, one evening, he and his friends would go to her father’s home and take her back to the home she would live in with him. This was her wedding. Following this would be the wedding feast.

Jesus promises that He will return for His bride.

"In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” (John 14:2-4)

He is returning to take His bride to His home. It happens now in Revelation 19. Following the return to His home, the wedding feast occurs. The guests are invited and are in attendance at the wedding supper of the Lamb!

If the church is the bride – who are the guests? Probably the saints of the past and future. Everyone is invited. Only those who are prepared will come.

“On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine – the best of meats and the finest of wines.” (Isaiah 25:6)

Luke 14:8-14 tells the story of Jesus being invited to a Pharisee’s home. He healed a man (on the Sabbath) and then after watching how the guests arranged themselves at the feast, spoke to them about how they should seat themselves. Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. He then went on to tell them that the banquet should be open to the poor, the humble, the crippled, lame and blind – not just friends and relatives.

These words of Jesus asked His hosts (and us) to examine our priorities. The wedding feast of the Lamb is coming. Whether or not we attend will depend on those priorities. We have no idea the impact that our decisions today will make on our future. We can only pray for God’s guidance.

John is overwhelmed in Revelation 19 at all he sees and falls at the feet of the angel, who reminds him that he too is simply a servant.

Worship God!