Central Truth

Facing His death in a few days, Jesus is thinking far ahead to a wedding— His wedding—and His love for His bride.

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Reflections

A Jewish wedding in biblical times helps me understand the heart of this prophecy. After engagement, a bridegroom returned to his father's house. For the wedding ceremony, he took his bride from her father's house (usually at night), and while he was expected, no one knew the exact hour. The bridegroom returned with his bride for a grand seven-day party at father's house, but the bride remained veiled. After seven days, the bride was presented, and the union was not to be put asunder.

After His resurrection Jesus returned to His Father's house to prepare for His bride (believers who are dead in Christ and believers who are alive). One day, He will take us back to His Father's house. This rapture will be followed by a "week" of seven years of terrible times on earth. This also will be a time of reengagement with Israel.

Jesus' prophetic words here are a loving warning to the people alive on the earth during this terrible time to be looking for His physical return to earth. Imagine His words as a series of YouTube clips:

1) An observer noticing budding fig tree hurries for sunscreen.
2) Noah building the ark while surrounded by merry crowds eating, drinking, and marrying with no concern for the Bread of Life, the Living Water, or the Eternal Bridegroom.
3) Newscast showing images of homeowners behind locked doors with TV scroll warning of possible thief attack.
4) A restaurant scene contrasting good waiter and very bad waiter.

Jesus is not entertaining His followers, but warning them that the Bridegroom will be returning soon to present His bride and set up His 1,000-year Kingdom headquartered in Israel. Afterward, Satan will be cast into the everlasting pit, and the Bridegroom and His bride will be together forever after. This wedding has cost the Father a great price.

We can't send Save the Dates with an exact date, but we can save the date by being expectant, alert, prepared, faithful, and pure as a love response to our Bridegroom every day.  He is coming at any time. This wedding's on!

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Discussion Questions

1. If you have not accepted the Bridegroom's proposal, will you talk to someone who can answer questions for you or join an Explorer group?

2. Is there someone that you can tell about His proposal?

3. Are you waking up thinking "wedding" and comparing your daily "to-do list" with the biblical fact that "He is coming"? How would that change your daily priorities?

4. Take a moment to pray for Israel and its people—that they will reengage with their Bridegroom.

5. Are you keeping yourself pure as His bride? Reading Proverbs is a practical way to keep pure our minds, hearts, tongues, hands, and feet.

6. When you observe the Lord's Supper, do you remember what it has cost the Bridegroom to propose? Do you look forward to the great marriage dinner of the Lamb, which He will share with all who belong to Him?

FAMILY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Reread verses 42-50. How does God want us to live while we wait for Jesus’ return?

2. What would this look like for your family?

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