Dress Rehearsal, Our Preparation | 9.17.23 | Sunday AM | On Fire Christian Church
Dress Rehearsal, our preparation
“Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.” Revelation 19:7-9 NKJV
Feast of Trumpets will one day kick off the marriage supper of the lamb
in Rev 19:7-10 John begins to see heaven rejoicing in his vision as he see the marriage supper of the land about to begin
Marriage customs of Jesus day point to the plan of God
These wedding customs had three major parts. First, a marriage contract was signed by the parents of the bride and the bridegroom, and the parents of the bridegroom or the bridegroom himself would pay a dowry to the bride or her parents. This began what was called the betrothal period—what we would today call the engagement. This period was the one Joseph and Mary were in when she was found to be with child
The second step in the process usually occurred much later, when the bridegroom, accompanied by his male friends, went to the house of the bride. If he came in the night, he and his companions would create a torchlight parade through the streets. The bride would know in advance this was going to take place, and so she would be ready with her maidens, and they would all join the parade and end up at the bridegroom’s home. This custom is the basis of the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1–13.
Matt 22:1 a king throws a wedding feast for his son
Good and bad
King came to see the guests-inspect
A man without a wedding garment
An exclusion from the marriage supper
Throw that man to outer darkness
This parable was about preparation for the marriage
Matthew 25 10 virgins
In order to understand this parable, we must remember that here is an allusion
John 14:1 Jesus shares of His leaving and returning I go to prepare a new lace for you! In a marriage a father during the betrothal would prepare a home for the new couple. The disciples would know this custom.
Be prepared
Marriage supper
The Lord has gone to prepare a place!
For 2000 years souls have been being invited in
While we live we are preparing our lives for. An eternity with the King
“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”. II Corinthians 3:18 NKJV
Becoming more like Jesus!
“whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.” II Corinthians 4:4 NKJV
People who practice certain things will not enter or inherit the Kingdom (1 Corinthians 6:9-10), and even Revelation lists those that aren’t invited to the party (Revelation 21:8).
“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.” I Corinthians 6:9-10
“But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”. Revelation 21:8 NKJV
The secret to escaping condemnation (and, more importantly, being in the Marriage Supper of the Lamb) is to stay in Christ, walking by the Spirit and be ready for the trumpet sound!
“Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance. In Your name they rejoice all day long, And in Your righteousness they are exalted. For You are the glory of their strength, And in Your favor our horn is exalted.” Psalms 89:15-17 NKJV
