We are his Beloved!

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.”  John 14:2

In New Testament times when a young person came of marrying age, his or her parents would select an appropriate mate and negotiate a bride price to be paid to the bride’s father to repay him for the loss of a daughter.  When the price was agreed on, a betrothal ceremony would take place.  The young man would offer the young woman a cup of wine, saying in essence “By offering this cup, I vow that I am willing to pay the bride price and to dedicate my life to you.”  The young woman had the right to refuse the cup.  If she chose to accept the cup, she also vowed to dedicate her life to him.  From that moment on, they were considered married, even though the wedding had not taken place yet.  To dissolve this agreement required a divorce.

The young people would then return to their parents’ homes to prepare for their wedding day.  The woman would put together all the things she would need for her household, would make her dress, and would learn all the things a bride would need to know to run her house.  The groom would begin to add on to his parents’ home.  Homes were often built around large courtyards where the family would gather for meals and celebrations.  Off of this courtyard were wings or rooms belonging to other family members.  The groom would begin building the rooms he would bring his new bride home to, preparing them just for her and for her pleasure. 

There was no official wedding date.  The only one who knew when the wedding would take place was the father of the groom.  He watched the preparations, and when he decided that the groom had added sufficient room on and that adequate preparations were made, he would announce that today was the day, the shofar would blow, and the groom and his friends would sweep through the city to collect the bride.  

The bride price has been paid; Jesus paid it with His blood.  Those of us who have accepted His cup are the bride.  Jesus has returned to His Father’s house, and is preparing our rooms, our dwelling place, and we await His return.  Only the Father knows the day.  Only He decides when the preparations are ready and the Groom can collect His bride.

Our challenge, our call, is to prepare ourselves for the day of His return through study, prayer, and faithfulness to His direction in our lives so that when that day arrives we can meet our Bridegroom, arrayed in our wedding clothes, ready for eternity.

“Hallelujah!  For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.  Let us rejoice and be glad and give glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready…”  Rev. 19:6-7