NOTE: Weddings are often lavish affairs, but by far the most lavish wedding ever will be the one in our text! The Wedding will not only be fantastic, but every detail will be cared for. What a beautiful ceremony it will be. The Reception (The Marriage Supper) will be a catered affair; the food and drink will be the best (“…I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom." Mt.26:29) The guests will be practically innumerable. The date, time and place has been fixed and will be announced later. Some details are spelled out in our text…
A. The Marriage: vv.7,8
1. The joyous occasion – the wedding:
a. The place is heaven. cf. v.1 b. The false suitors are eliminated. v.2 c. The formal wedding music has been played. vv.4-6 d. The guests and participants rejoice. v.7
ILLUS.: The Lord has been planning for this event since creation. He had originally married Israel, but she became unfaithful. When she finally returns He will gladly receive His erring wife back into His loving fellowship. (Hosea 2:7,19,20) In the meantime the Lord’s Son has espoused Himself to the Church, the Bride of Christ.
2. The jubilant Bridegroom – the Lord:
NOTE: At this wedding it is the Groom, not the bride who is prominent: it is “the marriage of the LAMB.” 3. The justified bride – the Church:
a. The bride’s preparation – she is ready! v.7 b. The bride’s apparel – she is robed! v.8
ILLUS.: ⭐The bride wants to be introduced to the friends of the Bridegroom and to her Groom in the best possible light. She wants to be seen and welcomed into this new society and circle in which she will live clothed in her finest apparel. She adorns herself in that which she will appear with her Bridegroom in public to honor Him – her Head and her Husband. What a tragic thing if she were only to find moth-eaten garments – no fine linen. Or worse still, what if she shows up naked at her wedding! (Rev. 3:18; 1 Jn. 2:28) ⭐The bride of Christ gets to heaven by being clothed in His righteousness, but will adorn herself with “the righteousness of the saints” – her own works which have passed through the Judgment Seat of Christ! What kind of garments will YOU wear at your wedding?
c. The bride’s treasures – rewards: (cf. 1 Cor.3:11-16)
B. The Marriage Supper: vv.9,10
NOTE: First came the bonding, then came the Bridegroom, next comes the banquet! If the wedding was glorious, the reception is fantastic!
1. The wedding consummated in heaven. 2. The reception commenced on earth (?). 3. The guests called: v.9a
QUOTE: Philipps: “Attention is drawn to the blessedness of the King’s invited guests. The church is the bride, the redeemed of other ages are the wedding guests, the friends of the Bridegroom. In they come, rank after endless rank – the patriarchs, the prophets, the princes, the priests, the seers, the scribes, the sages and the saints – all whose names are written down in glory. They greet the Groom and the bride and take their places at the table; they are full of joy; they are blessed of God.”
a. The friends of the Bridegroom are present (O.T. saints, including John the Baptist).
John 3:29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
b. The wise “virgins” are present (Tribulation Jews).
Luke 12:35-37 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.
Matthew 25:10-11 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
c. The guests are present (Tribulation Gentiles)
Matthew 22:8-10 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
1) The time of this event is at the outset of Christ’s earthly (Millennial) Kingdom.
Matthew 26:29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. 2) The theme of this event is the blood shed by Christ on Calvary.
Matthew 26:27-28 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
NOTE: John is so overwhelmed with all that He has been privileged to see, that he makes a giant blunder. 👉He falls down at the feet of the angel presenting this vision in an act of worship. (v.10) 👉He is immediately rebuked.
💥All attention and worship must be directed solely to the Lamb, the Bridegroom, the Savior… “Jesus”(The Son of God in His humanity is the spirit, sum and substance of prophecy).