The Bible contains illustrations demonstrating that Jesus is the bridegroom and the church, or Body of Christ, is His bride (Ephesians 5:21–33; 2 Corinthians 11:2). It’s been almost 2,000 years since He left, and I believe His return for His love is close at hand. More on that in a minute.
To briefly summarize the Jewish betrothal process, the bridegroom would come to the father of the bride’s house, pay a price, and establish a marital covenant. However, he would leave for an extended period of time without her, prepare a place for her, and later return at a time unknown to her. She would then go through ritual cleansing just before a private ceremony, followed by a wonderful public wedding feast that could last up to a week.
When Jesus came two millennia ago, He, too, was betrothed to His bride. He established a covenant with “the church” and paid the ultimate price with His life. He then left to prepare a place for her (“I go to prepare a place for you” in John 14:1–3) and will return one day. There will then be what is referred to as the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, the Lamb being Jesus. (Revelation 19:7). The ultimate celebration is in our future as we reunite with our Bridegroom forever.
There is a much richer explanation to this Jewish marital custom and how it has unfolded between God and the Jewish people and between Jesus and the church. You should pursue further study on this yourself, because it really is fascinating. For now, let’s transition nearly 2,000 years to the present.
I’ve written more about what follows in two previous blog posts: God’s 7,000-Year Plan? and, more specifically, The Final 3,000 Years? Most scholars agree that Jesus was crucified, buried, and two days later was resurrected, sometime around 30–33 AD. A thousand years is like a day to the Lord (Psalm 90:4; 2 Peter 3:8). If this expression can also be taken literally, could Jesus be returning for His bride on the third “day”? We are less than a couple of decades from the two thousand year mark—at least on the Gregorian calendar—from His departure.
What is my point? Regardless of when He comes, as the church, the Body of Christ, His bride, we need to be ready for His Second Coming. We need to prepare and purify our hearts, be about serving the Lord by serving others, and focus on the Lord’s calling on each of our lives.
Instead, we have become an arrogant bride who is mainly living a self-indulgent life, who turns a lazy, indifferent eye to the suffering of the worldwide body of Christ, and who is not ready to face hard times. We have become a bride that needs purifying—and this might happen the hard way.
What also greatly distresses me is the attitude of the American Church in regards to the End of the Age. They make a HUGE assumption that followers of Christ are raptured before bad things happen. Few have considered the possibility that our country could go down the tubes before prophesied events take place.
Let’s wake up, church! Jesus wants His bride to be ready for His return and to make good use of our lives in the meantime.