23. The Marriage and the Reception - Pastor Stephen Bohr - Matthew 24

Summary

Pastor Stephen Bohr delves into the intricacies of marriage customs during biblical times, comparing them to modern practices. He emphasizes the spiritual symbolism found in the parables of the ten virgins and the wedding feast. These parables teach readiness and faithfulness in the Christian journey, relating to Jesus' eventual return. The video underscores how the ancient customs reflect spiritual truths about Christ's kingdom and the importance of living a genuine faith in anticipation of the ultimate divine 'wedding' reception.

Highlights

• Explore the fascinating marriage customs from the times of Jesus and their spiritual symbolism. 🌟
• Discover how these ancient practices teach us about readiness for the divine union with Christ. ✨
• Understand the 'midnight cry' and what it means for believers to light the way to the wedding chamber. 🔔
• Learn about the significance of the ‘wedding garment’ and its implication for believers. 👗
• Gain insight into the preparation process for the wedding supper with the Lamb. 🐑

Key Takeaways

• Biblical marriage customs revealed deep spiritual truths about readiness and commitment. 💍
• The parable of the ten virgins teaches us to always be prepared for Christ’s return. 🔥
• Faithful living means having your spiritual 'wedding garment' ready for the divine banquet. 👗
• The ‘wedding’ happens in heaven, while we await the 'wedding supper' here on earth. 🍽️
• Understanding these parables can strengthen our walk with Jesus every day. 🕊️

Overview

This captivating exposition by Pastor Stephen Bohr uncovers the rich tapestry of marriage customs from biblical times, drawing parallels and contrasts with today's weddings. He begins with an intriguing comparison of Eastern and Western wedding traditions, grounding his insights in scripture and the teachings of Jesus.

Pastor Bohr skillfully weaves through the parables of the ten virgins and the wedding feast, revealing them as more than mere stories—they are profound spiritual lessons on being ready for Christ’s return. He explains how these tales reflect the importance of having a prepared heart and a genuine faith, symbolized by the wedding garments.

The teachings culminate in an exploration of the heavenly marriage, where Jesus unites with his bride—a metaphor for the church. Pastor Bohr eloquently explains the significance of the 'marriage supper of the Lamb,' urging believers to live faithfully and expectantly as we await this ultimate divine celebration.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 01:00: Introduction and Prayer This chapter begins with a music introduction and a prayer led by the speaker, who invokes divine guidance as the series on marriage customs approaches its conclusion. The focus is set on exploring various traditions and practices related to marriage. The speaker asks for wisdom and clarity in discussing these cultural aspects, indicating an intention to provide a thoughtful and insightful dialogue.
• 01:00 - 06:30: Understanding Wedding Customs in Biblical Times In this chapter, the focus is on understanding wedding customs during biblical times. It seeks divine wisdom to explain these ancient biblical customs and prays for the viewers to gain insights that might be instrumental in their daily lives and spiritual walk with Jesus. The chapter emphasizes the differences between marriages then and now, and the importance of learning from these customs.
• 06:30 - 14:00: Overview of the Parable of the Ten Virgins This chapter sets the stage for understanding the parable of the ten virgins by highlighting the differences between eastern and western wedding customs during the time of Jesus Christ. It suggests that a comprehension of these cultural practices is essential for interpreting the parable accurately. The chapter is an introduction to the next lesson which will delve deeper into the specifics of the parable of the ten virgins, emphasizing the symbolic and spiritual lessons embedded within it.
• 14:00 - 23:00: Analysis of the Parable in Matthew 22 The chapter begins with a focus on the parable of the ten virgins, with the intention of setting up a more detailed study in the following session. It introduces the historical context of a wedding during the time of Christ and the Old Testament, starting with the betrothal or engagement process.
• 23:00 - 34:00: Linking Scripture with the Wedding Parables The chapter explains the traditional engagement process within the context of biblical times. It begins with a ceremony at the bride's father's home, where the groom pays a dowry to the bride's father. Afterward, the groom returns to his own father's house to prepare a permanent home, drawing a parallel to the biblical imagery and wedding parables.
• 34:00 - 44:00: The Marriage Supper and its Significance This chapter discusses the cultural significance and preparatory rituals surrounding the Marriage Supper. It describes the period of preparation both the bride and groom undergo, with a particular focus on the bride. During this time, they make necessary arrangements for their forthcoming marriage. An important aspect mentioned is the sending out of invitations to guests, marking it as a pivotal part of the wedding process. This represents not only a social function but a crucial step in building anticipation and readiness for the wedding ceremony itself.
• 44:00 - 59:00: Conclusion and Final Thoughts The chapter discusses the logistics and considerations involved in determining the legitimate guests for a wedding. It emphasizes the importance of invitation and the tradition where the groom's father would sometimes send out a special garment that invitees needed to wear to attend.

23. The Marriage and the Reception - Pastor Stephen Bohr - Matthew 24 Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 [Music] shall we pray father in heaven as we near the end of this series and speak about marriage customs in
• 00:30 - 01:00 scripture we need your special wisdom and guidance marriages in biblical times we're different than marriages today so give me the wisdom to explain the biblical customs give those who are watching this understanding that the lessons we learn might be instrumental in our personal walk day to day with jesus we thank you for hearing our prayer for we ask it in
• 01:00 - 01:30 jesus name amen there's a big difference between eastern weddings and western weddings today we're going to talk about wedding customs as they existed in the days of jesus christ the customs were very different than the customs for weddings today now in our next lesson we are going to study about the parable of the ten virgins we're going to dedicate an
• 01:30 - 02:00 entire session just to that one parable however today i am going to make reference to the parable of the ten virgins so that we are introduced to what we are going to study more fully tomorrow so first of all let's go through the process of a wedding in the times of christ and in the old testament first of all you have the betrothal or the engagement the engagement between
• 02:00 - 02:30 the bride and the groom took place at the home of the bride's father and at that place when the engagement was made the groom paid the dowry to the bride's father for having the bride then after this the groom would return to his father's house to prepare a home a permanent home where
• 02:30 - 03:00 he and his wife to be were to live out their lives during the period of preparation the bride at her home also prepared for the wedding of course it was necessary to send out invitations so that the guests to the wedding would be able to come and so invitations were set out sent out after the engagement inviting those
• 03:00 - 03:30 who would be guests or invitees to the wedding now it needed to be determined once uh the people were in the wedding chamber who had a right to be there who was a legitimate guest who had received the invitation so in some cases the groom's father would send out a special wedding garment that the invitees had to wear in order
• 03:30 - 04:00 to be in the wedding chamber officially in a moment we're going to see some examples of this and then the wedding would eventually take place in the father of the groom the father of the groom's home that's where the wedding would actually take place and then of course following the wedding you had the celebration you had the wedding reception
• 04:00 - 04:30 now the parable of the ten virgins gives us some idea of what eastern weddings were like the story is found in matthew chapter 25 and verses 1 to 13. now jesus instructed his individual followers to be ready to go in with him to the wedding chamber as invited guests to the wedding
• 04:30 - 05:00 in other words the individuals who are followers of jesus they are invited to be guests at the wedding we'll unpack that further as we move along now let's take a look at the parable of the ten virgins all of the ten virgins claimed to be believers in jesus christ but five were genuine believers and five were counterfeit believers now the virgins were supposed to light
• 05:00 - 05:30 the way to the wedding chamber this represents the fact that god's people who have accepted the invitation to the wedding need to lighten the way to the wedding chamber they need to provide light so that other people will join in going to the wedding and the wedding chamber but you find in the parable of the ten virgins a delay the groom does not come for the wedding as soon as
• 05:30 - 06:00 the virgins were expecting and so they slumber but then when the groom is about to arrive to enter the wedding chamber you have what is called the midnight cry there's a cry behold the bridegroom cometh prepare to receive him and so now all of the virgins wake up five of them have extra oil in their vessels and five of the five of them
• 06:00 - 06:30 had oil in their lamps but no provision for extra oil and so the groom arrives the wise versions enter the wedding chamber and the door is shut meanwhile the foolish virgins have gone to try and buy oil but when they come back they realize that the door is shut the wedding takes place beside behind closed
• 06:30 - 07:00 doors and the foolish are left outside in fact they are sent into outer darkness where there is wailing and gnashing of teeth now it's very important for us to understand that jesus told his followers to watch because they did not know when the groom was coming now we need to understand that that is not referring to the second coming of christ that is referring to the moment that
• 07:00 - 07:30 jesus comes to his father to marry his bride or to receive the kingdom in other words when jesus says you know watch because you don't know when your lord is coming it's not talking about his coming to this earth in his second coming it's talking about jesus going to the father for the marriage to his kingdom or to his bride we will unpack this more as we move along now another wedding parable that jesus
• 07:30 - 08:00 gave is found in matthew chapter 22 and verses 1 through 14. i want to read a short statement from ellen white great controversy page 428 where ellen white sets the stage for a very important event in this particular parable this quotation says in the parable of matthew 22 the same figure of the marriage is introduced as in the parable of the 10 virgins that is
• 08:00 - 08:30 and the investigative judgment is clearly represented as taking place before the marriage so before the marriage before jesus is in the wedding chamber and he marries his bride or he marries the kingdom there is an investigation of the guests to see if they have the wedding garment and they are actually authorized to be there for the wedding so let's go through this parable in matthew 22 verses 1 through 14. and i'm only going to
• 08:30 - 09:00 synthesize we don't have time to go into all of the details i did one entire presentation that lasted an hour on every detail of this parable but i'm only going to give you the highlights in the parable a first invitation is given to the jewish theocracy they reject the invitation then the fatted cattle are killed a symbol of the death of christ and then a second invitation goes out to
• 09:00 - 09:30 the same group of people to the hebrew theocracy but the hebrew theocracy rejects the second invitation as well so then in the year 70 god the father sends his armies the roman legions and they destroy the city of jerusalem and the temple in the year 70. now the wedding has not taken place at this point invitations are being sent out so because the first two invitations were rejected it's necessary
• 09:30 - 10:00 for now the invitations to go more broadly and so now the message the invitation goes to the gentiles to the outermost parts of the earth and so through the lighting of the way to the wedding chamber through the preaching of the gospel many people are accepting the invitation to come as guests to the wedding in fact in matthew 22 and verse 10
• 10:00 - 10:30 we are told so those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found both bad and good and the wedding hall was filled with guests so throughout the christian era throughout the christian dispensation invitations are being sent out people are accepting the invitations to the wedding that will take place later on and now comes the next event in the
• 10:30 - 11:00 parable and that is the examination of the garments of those who accepted the invitation to see if they had the right to be in the wedding chamber where the wedding will take place we find in uh chapter 22 and verses 10 verses actually 11 and 12 the following words but when the king king came in to see the guests now that word see is very interesting there's a common
• 11:00 - 11:30 word in greek for seeing it's the word blepo that is not the word here the word here is which is better translated that the king came in to examine or to scrutinize the guests it continues the king saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment in other words he was in the wedding chamber but he didn't have a wedding garment
• 11:30 - 12:00 at this point the wedding has not taken place it's the examination of the guests to see if they have the garment for the wedding verse 12. so he said to him the king says to him friend how did you come in here without a wedding garment and he was speechless you see the groom's father sent out an invitation to the wedding with a special garment for each guest
• 12:00 - 12:30 once in the wedding chamber the the father examined the garments of the guests to determine if each was wearing the wedding garment that the father had sent out we find in the book great controversy page 482 a very interesting passage explaining the fact that the invitation is given during the gospel dispensation the guests who accept the invitation are
• 12:30 - 13:00 believers during the gospel dispensation however the wedding we're going to find takes place in heaven while the invited guests are still on the earth in other words their garments are examined in a heavenly investigative judgment because their names are up there their records are up there the records are examined up there but believers are here they have gone to the wedding by faith not physically in other words the examination of the garments does not
• 13:00 - 13:30 take place after the second coming of christ it would be absurd to think that jesus comes the second time he takes his uh followers those who accepted the invitation to heaven and then in heaven the king comes out and he finds an individual who doesn't have the wedding garment and say sorry buddy you've got to go back to the earth that's not what this is talking about you see the examination comes before the wedding and once the examination is finished the wedding takes place in heaven in the chamber jesus marries
• 13:30 - 14:00 his bride he takes over the kingdom but his followers are on the earth here's the statement from ellen white those who in the judgment are accounted worthy that is those who have the wedding garment will have a part in the resurrection of the just so those in the examination who are found to be worthy because they have the garment will have a part in the resurrection of the just jesus said and now she's going to quote
• 14:00 - 14:30 scripture luke 20 35-36 they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world that is the world to come and the resurrection from the dead are equal unto the angels and are the children of god being the children of the resurrection she continues and again she's going to quote another verse john 5 29 and again he declares that they that have done good shall come forth
• 14:30 - 15:00 unto the resurrection of life john 5 29 then she comments the righteous dead will not be raised until after the judgment at which they are counted worthy of the resurrection of life in other words the righteous are not going to resurrect until their garments have been examined in heaven through their records and then if they are accounted worthy they will resurrect from the dead so she once once again says the
• 15:00 - 15:30 righteous dead will not be raised until after the judgment at which they are counted worthy of the resurrection of life hence they will not be present in person at the tribunal when their records are examined and their case is decided in other words they're going to be on earth but their cases are examined in the pre-advent investigative judgment in heaven and so then the wedding takes place in heaven jesus marries his kingdom
• 15:30 - 16:00 jesus marries the totality of his people see the bride is not the individuals the bride are the totality of the saved those who accepted the invitation and had the garment and those individuals who professed jesus but their records show that they did not live as followers of jesus will be cast out into outer darkness where there is wailing and gnashing of
• 16:00 - 16:30 teeth we find in matthew 22 13 the following words then the king said to the servants bind him hand and foot take him away this is the man without the garment and cast him into outer darkness there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth so the wedding takes place in heaven jesus marries his bride which is the totality of saved believers which is the same as jesus taking over
• 16:30 - 17:00 the kingdom because his kingdom is complete it's been revealed who are subjects of his kingdom his kingdom are his people his bride are the totality of his people now let's notice other enlightening texts that help us understand this go with me to luke chapter 12 and verses 35 to 37 luke 12 35 to 37. here jesus tells his disciples his followers
• 17:00 - 17:30 let your waist be girded and your lamps burning so the lamps burning connects actually with the parable of the ten virgins let your waist be girded and your lamps burning and you yourselves be like men now here's an important point who wait for their master when he will return from the wedding that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately now did you notice something
• 17:30 - 18:00 interesting here it says that the followers of jesus are waiting for the master to return from the wedding so the wedding must take place in a different location the wedding takes place in heaven but the individual followers of jesus are on earth and the totality of the followers of jesus are his kingdom or his bride now it continues saying in verse 37 blessed are those servants
• 18:00 - 18:30 whom the master when he comes will find watching and then notice that after this you have the wedding supper or we call it the reception after the wedding it continues saying assuredly i say to you that he that is jesus will gird himself and have them sit down to eat and will come and serve them now let's notice another passage in scripture
• 18:30 - 19:00 that helps us understand this daniel chapter 7 verses 9 and 10 and verses 13 and 14. now i need to give you a little bit of context so you understand in daniel chapter 7 you have a lion which represents the kingdom of babylon you have a bear medo-persia you have a leopard greece you have a dragon beast which is the roman empire then the dragon beast sprouts 10 horns which means that the roman empire was
• 19:00 - 19:30 divided and the division was complete in the year 476 after christ and then among the 10 rises a little horn and rules for 1 260 years that little horn represents the papacy from 538 to 1798 and after this you have a judgment scene in other words the judgment has to take place sometime after 1798. notice daniel chapter 7 9-10 after
• 19:30 - 20:00 speaking about the 1260 years that the little horn basically did whatever god allowed it to do we find these words verses 9 and 10 i watched till thrones were put in place and the ancient of days was seated his garment was white as snow and the hair of his head was like pure wool his throne was a fiery flame its wheels are burning fire a fiery stream issued and came forth from before him
• 20:00 - 20:30 a thousand thousands ministered to him ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him the cart was seated and the books were opened that means that the judgment is going to begin sometime after 1798 and it's actually in 1844. now this doesn't end the story you see the father lives in heaven we pray our father which art in heaven so the ancient of days is in heaven
• 20:30 - 21:00 he's surrounded by all the angels by ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands the angels live in heaven and now once the father is seated and the judgment is to begin you have another scene and that is in verses 13 and 14. here daniel describes i was watching in the night visions and behold one like the son of man coming with the clouds of heaven
• 21:00 - 21:30 now some people say well yeah see that's the second coming no it's not the second coming we need to read the text carefully it says he came to the ancient of days the father is in heaven he's coming to the father what is he coming to the father for let's continue he came to the ancient of days and they brought him near before him they as the angels bring jesus near before the father why does he go there verse 14
• 21:30 - 22:00 then to him that is to jesus was given and obviously the father is the one who is giving it to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom that all peoples nations and languages should serve him his dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away and his kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed so this is the beginning of the investigative judgment the father sits the books are open and now jesus christ
• 22:00 - 22:30 moves to the father because jesus is going to receive his kingdom which is the same thing as jesus marrying his bride let's notice another text with which explains this luke 19 verses 11 and 12. luke 19 11 and 12. this is a parable of the pounds now as they heard these things he spoke another parable because he was near jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of
• 22:30 - 23:00 god would appear immediately therefore he said now this is a short parable therefore he said a certain nobleman this is jesus went into a far country that is heaven to receive for himself a kingdom where is he going to receive the kingdom in the far country where he went so it says a certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for him for himself a kingdom but that doesn't end
• 23:00 - 23:30 it says to receive a kingdom and to return so he receives the kingdom in the far country and then he comes according to this ellen white understood this very well that the marriage is jesus taking over the kingdom the marriage of jesus with the bride means that all of the garments have been examined it's been revealed who are true subjects of the kingdom christ's kingdom is complete his bride is complete and after the bride is complete then the
• 23:30 - 24:00 door closes as we'll see the time of trouble comes and then jesus will return to pick up his people ellen white wrote in early writings page 280 every case had been decided for life or death this is when probation closes while jesus had been ministering in the sanctuary the judgment had been going on for the righteous dead and then for the righteous living now notice this
• 24:00 - 24:30 christ had received his kingdom having made the atonement for his people and blotted out their sins and now notice what what she means by christ had received the kingdom she explains the subjects of the kingdom were made up so notice clearly that after the investigative judgment the subjects of her king of the kingdom have been made up because the judgment has revealed who has accepted the invitation to the wedding wedding and who is genuine and then
• 24:30 - 25:00 she goes on to say the subjects of the kingdom were made up and then she uses another illustration she says the marriage of the lamb was consummated so taking over the kingdom which is composed of all his people is the same as jesus marrying his total people now the quotation continues the marriage of the lamb was consummated and the kingdom and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven was given to jesus and the heirs of
• 25:00 - 25:30 salvation and jesus was to reign as king of kings and lord of lords now the lamb's bride in the bible is the new jerusalem which is the capital and symbol of his kingdom so we know that jesus marrying the new jerusalem is the same as jesus taking over the kingdom notice revelation chapter 21 and verse 2. here it refers to the new jerusalem as
• 25:30 - 26:00 the kingdom of christ as the bride of christ it says there in revelation 21 verse 2 then i john saw the holy city new jerusalem coming down down out of heaven from god prepared as a bride adorned for her husband so it says here the new jerusalem is like a bride prepared for her husband what does that mean is the new jerusalem just as a physical
• 26:00 - 26:30 city the bride of christ does jesus marry brick and mortar and gold and silver no he's marrying the new jerusalem with all of the citizens of the city inside in other words he's married marrying his kingdom his people that are found within the city notice luke chapter 19 41-44 where jesus referred to jerusalem as the people
• 26:30 - 27:00 in jerusalem it says there in verse 41 of luke 19 now as he drew near he saw the city and wept over it sane now he's talking he's talking to the city of as if the city is is a person if you had known even you especially in this your day the things that make for your peace but now they are hidden from your eyes for days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you surround you and close you in on every
• 27:00 - 27:30 side and level you and now notice what is included and level you and your children within you so it's not only the city it's the children in the city and they will not leave in you one stone upon another because you did not know that is the city of jerusalem and of course the children within it you did not know the time of your visitation so the city of jerusalem is not only the physical city it is the people within the city the
• 27:30 - 28:00 kingdom of jesus the conglomerate of god's people notice also matthew 23 and verse 38 oh jerusalem jerusalem the one who kills the prophets did the physical city of jerusalem the brick and mortars mortar kill the prophets of course not o jerusalem jerusalem the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her how often i wanted to gather your children see the city has the children how often i wanted to gather your children together as a hen gathers her
• 28:00 - 28:30 chicks under her wings but you were not willing now let's talk for a few moments about the wedding reception we've talked about the wedding taking place in heaven we've talked about the invited guests individually are on earth the totality of god's people on earth are the kingdom or the bride whereas the individuals are the invited guests to the moment when jesus marries the totality of his kingdom
• 28:30 - 29:00 or his bride revelation 19 verse 9 reads as follows then he said to me right blessed are those who are called to the married supper of the lamb and he said to me these are the true sayings of god so we find that after the wedding you have the wedding reception or the marriage supper now let's put all of these things into perspective let's look at the composite
• 29:00 - 29:30 picture of this i'm going to go through several points here first those who preach the gospel are inviting the guests to the wedding there are many who accept the invitation to the wedding there are genuine believers and counterfeit believers but they all receive an invitation to the wedding and they receive a garment but they have to wear the garment in order to be accepted as invitees to the wedding so you have those who
• 29:30 - 30:00 preach the gospel inviting the guests to come to the wedding which will take place near the very end of time once again i cannot emphasize enough that the bride is the totality of god's people the kingdom is the totality of faithful believers in 1844 jesus came to his father this is in daniel 7 to begin the process that would eventually make it possible for jesus
• 30:00 - 30:30 to receive the kingdom or to marry his bride the church as a whole since 1844 the king has been examining the garments of each person individually who has accepted the gospel invitation to the wedding to determine if they have a right to remain in the wedding chamber for the wedding the judgment began with those who first
• 30:30 - 31:00 lived upon the earth that is with adam the first being to live on this earth and this judgment will end with those who are alive just before the close of probation i repeat once again these persons as individuals are the invited guests to the wedding however the people as a whole the faithful church of all ages in its entirety both those who died and will be resurrected and those who are alive at the second coming of christ
• 31:00 - 31:30 they are christ's kingdom or christ's bride i want to read a statement that we find in christ object lessons page 307 where it explains that the wedding is the wedding between jesus and humanity that is faithful humanity it says there the parable of the wedding government opens before us a lesson of highest consequence by the marriage is represented the union
• 31:30 - 32:00 of humanity with divinity that is all of humanity with jesus christ the wedding garment represents the character which all must possess who shall be accounted fit guests for the wedding now people say well why would jesus want to do an investigation isn't everybody who's accepted jesus christ a genuine believer absolutely not the bible tells us that in the church there are wheat and tares
• 32:00 - 32:30 both the wheat and tares claim jesus as savior there's foolish and wise virgins there are those who have a wedding garment and those who don't in the wedding chamber and there are also those who are good fish and bad fish there are those who have a form of godliness and people who have true godliness you see not everyone who has claimed jesus christ as savior and lord has been true and faithful those who are found without a wedding garment
• 32:30 - 33:00 are removed from the book of life however god's faithful people who have been purged and examined they will be pure and faithful and clean at the time when the probation closes the bride has made herself ready she is complete and jesus will marry his kingdom jesus will marry his bride after the marriage takes place then
• 33:00 - 33:30 the door of probation shuts actually before the wedding takes place the door of probation shuts and those who are left out are lost they're cast into outer darkness where there is wailing and gnashing of teeth so at at the moment when the marriage takes place the marriage is about to take place the door closes the chamber is shut
• 33:30 - 34:00 and those who arrive late are not saved however after the wedding takes place god's people will still be on earth there will be a time of trouble such as never has been seen in the history of the world matthew chapter 24 verses 21 21-22 tells us that it's the worst time of trouble in the history of the world we're told that the beast and his image will try to impose the mark of the beast
• 34:00 - 34:30 and those who do not comply they will be under a death sentence they will not be able to buy or sell but jesus will come from heaven and he will rescue his people and when he rescues his people he will gather his elect from the four winds of heaven and take them to heaven for the marriage supper of the lamb let's notice this quotation from adventist home
• 34:30 - 35:00 page 503 to the mind of jesus the gladness of the wedding festivities pointed forward to the rejoicing of that day when he shall bring home his bride to the father's house the bride is all of his people and the redeemed with the redeemer shall sit down to the marriage supper of the lamb so you notice jesus goes to his father does a work of examination those who
• 35:00 - 35:30 have the wedding garment they become part of christ's kingdom permanently christ marries his kingdom marries his bride then the time of trouble ensues jesus returns to this earth and he picks up his bride and takes his bride to heaven for the celebration of the wedding supper once again to the mind of jesus the gladness of the wedding festivities pointed forward to the rejoicing of that day when he shall bring home
• 35:30 - 36:00 his bride to the father's house and the redeemed with the redeemer shall sit down to the marriage supper of the lamb we also find in counsels to the church page 36 soon we heard his lovely voice again saying come my people you have come out of great tribulation this is after they've gone through the time of trouble and done my will and suffered for me come into supper for i will gird myself
• 36:00 - 36:30 and serve you ellen white who has seen this in vision says we shouted hallelujah glory and entered into the city and i saw a table of pure silver it was many miles in length yet our eyes could extend over it obviously god is going to fix our eyes if we're going to see a table many miles in length and her eyes could extend over all of the table and then she speaks of
• 36:30 - 37:00 the fruit that is going to be on the table for the married supper of the lamb most of these products are california products because ellen white retired and died in the napa valley in california but she has a caveat she says that there's all going to be other kinds of fruit besides the ones that she mentions let me read it i saw the fruit of the tree of life the manna almonds figs pomegranates
• 37:00 - 37:30 grapes and for those who love tropical fruits and many other kinds of fruits perhaps many of them that ellen white was not acquainted with now we need to solve a potential problem at this point the bible makes it clear that the wedding takes place in heaven before jesus returns to this earth for the second time to pick up his bride and take his bride to heaven however many modern versions leave the
• 37:30 - 38:00 impression that jesus will gather his people to take them to heaven after the wedding supper has taken place these translations are confusing because other texts as we have noticed clearly affirm that we will literally sit at the table at the supper of the lamb and jesus will serve us so the question is when is the marriage supper of the lamb
• 38:00 - 38:30 does it take place before jesus comes and he comes after the supper or does it take place after he takes his people to heaven and they will sit with him let me read you two versions of the bible that present different scenarios the new king james version reads here jesus is speaking this is luke 12 35-37 let your waist be girded and your lamps burning and you yourselves be like men
• 38:30 - 39:00 who wait for the master when he will return from the wedding notice when he will return from the wedding that when he comes and knocks they may open time immediately blessed are those servants whom the master when he comes will find watching assuredly i say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat and will come and serve them so you'll notice you have here the return of jesus from the wedding and then the redeemed will sit down to partake of
• 39:00 - 39:30 the marriage supper of the lamb the niv however presents it differently here's what it says be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him it will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes i tell you the truth he will dress himself to serve
• 39:30 - 40:00 we'll have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them so it gives the impression that there's going to be two married suppers one before jesus comes and the one after jesus takes his people to heaven it will be noticed that the niv and many other contemporary versions jesus returns to the earth from the heavenly wedding banquet to gather his waiting people in other words the wedding takes place in heaven
• 40:00 - 40:30 before jesus comes and the wedding supper takes place also before jesus comes the question is which translation fits best with all of the biblical evidence we need to understand the use of terms the greek words used for marriage which are gamos and gamoy include both the wedding and the wedding feast in other words the greek words gamos and gamoy that are used for a marriage they include both they include the
• 40:30 - 41:00 wedding and the wedding feast in our times we make a distinction between the wedding and the wedding feast or the reception however in biblical times the covenant vow in the marriage lasted very few minutes but the celebration of the feast sometimes lasted days even months and in some rare cases even years the greek language does not have a word that distinguishes between the wedding
• 41:00 - 41:30 and the feast as we do today we call it the wedding and the reception the greek did not have two distinct words for these two distinct things because people at that time perceived that the wedding and the reception were actually part of one single event however there's an interesting detail the greek does have a word that is used only for the feast only for the wedding feast
• 41:30 - 42:00 and that word is the word dapenon and that word is used in revelation chapter 19 and verse 9 where it says blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast so we know that jesus will come to receive his people those invited guests who were proved faithful who had the garment and he will take them to heaven for the wedding feast so this is the process jesus will marry his kingdom in heaven
• 42:00 - 42:30 the church or the kingdom is on earth then jesus will return from the wedding in heaven and he will take his waiting people from earth to heaven where there will be the reception at the marriage supper of the lamb i cannot emphasize enough folks that the bride is the church or the kingdom as a whole all of the believers while the church members
• 42:30 - 43:00 as individuals are the guests to the wedding the bride is the new jerusalem a symbol of christ's entire kingdom all of his faithful people within the city ellen white had a remarkable statement where she puts everything together see this woman had two and a half years of primary education she's criticized by many but how precise he was in what she said about
• 43:00 - 43:30 wedding customs and the processes that we've been looking at this statement is long but i'm going to read the entire one because it's very significant great controversy 4 26 and 4 27 i saw angels hurrying to and fro in heaven an angel with a writer's in corn by his side returned from the earth and reported to jesus that his work was done and the saints were numbered and sealed so this is the end of the judgment in other words all
• 43:30 - 44:00 of god's people are in the wedding chamber their cases have been examined they have the garment and now the wedding is going to take place she continues then i saw jesus who had been ministering before the ark containing the ten commandments throw down the sensor in other words he was using the sensor to intercede now intercession has ended she continues he raised his hands and with a loud voice said it is done then all the angelic hosts laid off their crowns
• 44:00 - 44:30 as jesus made the solemn declaration he that is unjust let him be unjust still and he which is filthy let him be filthy still and he that is righteous let him be righteous still and he that is holy let him be holy still then she continues the marriage represents the reception by christ of his kingdom see really clear but in order to receive the kingdom he has to show beforehand who belongs to the kingdom by the investigative judgment
• 44:30 - 45:00 so the marriage represents the reception by christ of his kingdom the holy city the new jerusalem which is the capital and representative of the kingdom of course because all of his people are in it is called the bride the lamb's wife send the angel to john come hither i will show thee the bride the lamb's wife he carried me away in the spirit says the prophet and showed me that great city the holy jerusalem depend descending out of heaven from god clearly then
• 45:00 - 45:30 the bride represents the holy city that is the entirety of god's people in the city folks it's not the bear city the physical city a brick and mortar if there is such a thing in gold and silver once again it says here clearly then the bride represents the holy city and the virgins that go out to meet the bridegroom are a symbol of the church that is of the individuals in the church
• 45:30 - 46:00 in revelation the people of god are said to be the guests at the marriage supper if guests they cannot be represented also as the bride so as individuals they are guests they cannot be represented as individuals as the bride the bride is the totality of christ's kingdom the totality of his people she continues christ as stated by the prophet daniel will receive from the ancient
• 46:00 - 46:30 of days in heaven dominion and glory and a kingdom he'll receive the new jerusalem the capital of his kingdom prepared as a bride adorned for her husband having received the kingdom he will come in his glory as king of kings and lord of lords for the redemption of his people who are to sit down now comes the wedding feast who are to sit down with abraham and isaac and jacob at his table in his kingdom
• 46:30 - 47:00 to partake of the marriage supper of the lamb she continues the proclamation behold the bridegroom cometh she's going back to the parable of the ten virgins in the summer of 1844 led thousands to expect the immediate advent of the lord at the appointed time at the appointed time the bridegroom came not to the earth as the people expected but to the ancient of days in heaven to
• 47:00 - 47:30 the marriage the reception of the kingdom can't be any clearer jesus went to the ancient of days in heaven to the marriage comma the reception of the kingdom the marriage is christ receiving the kingdom she continues they that were ready went in with him to the marriage and the door was shut they were not to be present in person at the marriage so the guests are not there personally
• 47:30 - 48:00 for it takes place in heaven while they are upon the earth the followers of christ are to wait for their lord when he will return from the wedding she's quoting luke 12 36 however they are to understand his work and to follow him by faith as he goes in before god it is in this sense that they are said to go into the marriage so people don't go
• 48:00 - 48:30 physically into the marriage chamber they go there by faith because the records are in heaven in another statement by ellen white in desire of ages page 151 she wrote in both the old and the new testament the marriage relation is employed to represent the tender and sacred union that exists between christ and his people that is all of his people she continues to the mind of jesus
• 48:30 - 49:00 the gladness of the wedding festivities pointed forward to the rejoicing of that day when he shall bring home his bride who is his bride not individuals but the entirety of god's people so it says once again to the mind of jesus the gladness of the wedding festivities pointed forward to the rejoicing of that day when he shall bring his bride to the father's house that's to heaven
• 49:00 - 49:30 and the redeemed with the redeemer shall sit down to the marriage supper of the lamb it cannot be any clearer than this let me give you another illustration that jesus presented in a parable it's known as the parable of the dragnet let's read matthew 13 verses 47 to 50. this is another way of looking at the same teaching matthew 13 verse 47 again the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet
• 49:30 - 50:00 that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind which when it was full they drew to the shore and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels but threw the bad away and now comes the comparison so it will be at the end of the age angels will come forth separate the wicked from among the just and cast them into the furnace of fire and now notice
• 50:00 - 50:30 there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth now what does the c in this parable represent the sea represents all the inhabitants of the world the fish in the sea represent the individual members of humanity individual persons the fishermen are those who proclaim the gospel those who have accepted the invitation and proclaim the gospel of to others they are fishers of men
• 50:30 - 51:00 according to jesus the net is the gospel message the casting of the net means the preaching of the gospel message to catch the fish the boat represents the church [Music] the separation of the good fish from the bad fish is the investigative judgment and the casting out of the bad fish and the gathering of the good fish
• 51:00 - 51:30 represents the execution of the judgment when god's people will be received into the kingdom and share in the marriage supper of the lamb in matthew chapter 4 verses 18 through 20 jesus wrote jesus said matthew wrote and jesus walking by the sea of galilee saw two brothers simon called peter and andrew his brother casting a net into the sea for they were
• 51:30 - 52:00 fishermen then he said to them follow me and i will make you fishers of men so there's going to be a separation of the good fish from the bad fish just like there would be a separation of the wheat from the tares a separation of the wise versions versions from the foolish virgins a separation of those who have a form of godliness from those who have true godliness and we could go on many parables of jesus speak of this
• 52:00 - 52:30 idea of an investigative judgment to determine if an individual deserves to remain within the wedding chamber for the wedding the bible is clear on this point now if there's one doctrine that the christian world rejects that the seventh-day adventist church holds is the idea of a pre-advent investigative judgment they say why would jesus have to make an investigative judgment in heaven
• 52:30 - 53:00 to examine all those who have professed his name well i think the answer is obvious after we've studied in the church there are true and counterfeit believers so the judgment has to determine who is counterfeit and who is genuine before jesus comes to give his reward see the christian world the problem is that they believe that a person's situation a person's sentence takes place when a person dies you know the basic teaching is that when
• 53:00 - 53:30 a person a person dies a person that accepted jesus christ well they immediately their soul flies off to heaven if the person did not receive jesus christ as savior and was considered a wicked person that person then goes at the moment of death to burn in the fires of hell so in other words judgment has taken place when the person died because if the person's soul goes to heaven when they died their case is
• 53:30 - 54:00 decided if a wicked person goes to hell when they die their case is decided so why would there be a pre-advent investigative judgment that begins in 1844 in heaven if everybody's case is decided when they died many christians also believe that the judgment is when jesus comes you know the creed says that he will come to judge the living and the dead well if he's coming to judge the living and the dead that means that the cases are going to
• 54:00 - 54:30 be decided when jesus comes but the bible does not teach that the bible teaches that we go out and preach the gospel those who hear the gospel accept the invitation their names are written in the book of life then a moment comes in history 1844 where the judgment begins the examination of each person who professed jesus it begins with those who first lived beginning with adam each successive generation ends with those who are alive
• 54:30 - 55:00 before the door of probation closes when every case has been decided the kingdom of jesus is complete the bride is complete and now jesus marries his kingdom marries his bride in heaven while the members of his bride are here on the earth and then after the severe time of trouble such as never has been seen in the history of the world jesus at the end of the tribulation when his
• 55:00 - 55:30 beautiful bride is about to be destroyed by the powers of the earth jesus will come to the rescue not one of god's individual people will die during the time of trouble his entire bride his entire kingdom will remain alive during the time of trouble except for those of course who died in christ which will resurrect when jesus comes and then jesus as 1st thessalonians chapter 4 tells us he will call forth the dead from the
• 55:30 - 56:00 grave and they will resurrect those who are alive he will catch up together with those who die and resurrect and he they will be caught up in the clouds to meet the lord in the air and then jesus will take them to heaven for the married supper of the lamb and god's people will be there for a thousand years and they will examine the cases of those who were left behind those individuals who were wicked who were found to be wanting they will remain on earth dead and
• 56:00 - 56:30 during the thousand years judgment will be committed to god's people to do an investigative judgment of the wicked their cases will be examined to see why they were excluded from being in heaven at the marriage supper of the lamb and then after the thousand years the wicked will see their cases above the holy city even god will convince them that he was right and leaving them outside the holy city and after they see their
• 56:30 - 57:00 cases they say just and true are your ways o god and then of course the execution of the judgment takes place the judgment that was determined by the examination of the records in heaven during the thousand years and before the wicked after the thousand years then the execution of the sentence takes place and god's people are secure in the city the wicked are destroyed and god makes a new heavens and a new earth where righteousness dwells
• 57:00 - 57:30 now one final point our case if we are alive will this will be decided when probation closes there is a close of probation what i call the corporate close of probation at the end of time where the door will be closed no one can be saved this is right before the tribulation and before the second coming but there's another close of probation and that's the individual close of probation you see if i should die and not have
• 57:30 - 58:00 accepted jesus christ as my savior my case is decided it only remains for my case to be examined and to find that i that i am wanting this is the reason why i should always watch i should always pray i should always occupy i should always be awake my relationship with jesus must be strong because if i should die my probation is closed i trust that god will bless us and keep
• 58:00 - 58:30 us and make us one of those who are ready for the wedding supper [Music] you