With written permission and our deepest gratitude!

 

Thank You Jesus

Bridal Chamber Time of Confession

The Bride is now sequestered with her Bridegroom. There are expectations and expectations are known to destroy relationships! What if she is found wanting? Can she trust this One who chose her to take her as she is not what he desires her to be? Will He be kind? Is he loving and gentle, full of tender mercy? The next few hours may turn into a nightmare for her. Why? This part of the wedding is a time of confession prior to the consummation. The bride is supposed to “own up to any transgression” she has committed during the bridegroom’s absence. She is to report her infidelity no matter how large or small. Has she looked at another man? Has she been unfaithful? Did she keep herself pure? Will he find her a virgin bride? The Jewish wedding is a picture of God’s plan for the ages.

Reality of Committment

I have a friend who is a pastor. He tells the story of marrying this beautiful girl and they go to the beach on their honeymoon. He arrives at the beach ahead of her with all the beach gear. After setting up their spot on the beach he sits down and does what we all do at the beach: people watch! He said it took about thirty seconds to think to himself: “I am now committed to this one woman for life and I am not supposed to do what I have been doing since I was about thirteen years old!” Watch girls in bikinis at the beach. He knew His Bible and what it says about looking at a woman with lust being equal to adultery. He was thinking: What on earth have I done?

We laugh at this story because we see ourselves and justify it with, “I am human.” We justify because it is our guilt that convicts us. Marriage is a covenant. It is cut in blood……

The Importance of Purity

The bride is the one who must confess. The bridegroom is the one who will decide if he will accept her as his virgin bride regardless of the transgression. Does he love her that much?

It is the bride who will be found out if she is not a virgin bride. So, confession before consummation is vital. The groom can reject her before the consummation but not after.

What about the Bridegroom?

There is a big part of me that wants to scream, “What about him?” Doesn’t the bridegroom have to confess? The answer is, “No.” Remember, the whole Jewish wedding is a rehearsal for God’s plan for His Sinless Son’s Wedding: The Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

Forgiven by the Blood

Now, THIS is the most amazing part of this time sequestered together. When the consummation occurs, if the Bride is not proven to be a virgin bride by the shedding of blood onto the wedding linens, the Bridegroom will, as an act of love, bleed on the sheets for her! It requires cutting his own flesh. The wedding linens are vitally important to the bride. They provide her security, a testimony of her virginity, and act as irrefutable proof of her purity!!!! The sheets that are stained with blood, are folded and presented to the Bride’s father for safe keeping. It is assurance that the bridegroom can NEVER accuse the Bride of impurity and these linens act as evidence of her virginity for all in attendance to see and later if need be attest to. She is fully accepted, fully loved, wholly forgiven! She is her bridegroom’s heart’s desire.

Yom Kippur

This is a picture of the time in Israel known as Yom Kippur: A time of confession and repentance and receiving forgiveness. It is a picture of the blood Jesus shed to cover our sins (the bridegroom covers the bride’s indiscretions) and of the taking away of the sin for all eternity. The Lamb of God takes away the sin of His Bride, the Church!

Feasting Begins

Now the feasting can begin! The cup of consummation has been shared! The bride is found acceptable and the union is complete. They will rule and reign together forever!

Worth the Scars

Casting Crowns song, Scars In Heaven talks about this kind of love. Jesus, our Bridegroom loves us with a love that says we are worth the scars, the bleeding, and His death. He loves us and forgives us of everything we have ever done, or will ever do! Nothing can change this!

Scars in Heaven, Casting Crowns

Together Forever

From here the Bridegroom and His Bride are together forever. No more separation No more pain. No more destruction, disease, disability, demons to battle, and no more death! No more sin. They have returned to the Garden to live eternally in peace and harmony with God and man. The Bride of Christ, the red thread of redemption that runs from Genesis to Revelation, given to Gentiles by the rejection of God’s plan for the Jews! Come all you who are weary and heavy laden and He will give you rest! Your tears will be poured out and there will be no more tears! The Spirit and Bride say, “Come! There is room for you!”

Heavenly Father, Lord God of the Universe, and my own small world.

I thank You for leading me to study the Bride of Christ and Jewish culture, language, and customs. Scripture has sprung to life with meaning, and richness, and pours out the blood of Jesus which is pure love. Come quickly, Lord Jesus is my plea!

In Jesus’ name may it be so!

Yvonne Jones