On Eagle's Wings Inc.

Perhaps, the most important institution ever created by Yahuwah is the institution of Marriage. It contains a great mystery that, when found, can lead to eternal life with the Creator of the Universe. This institution is so important that the Bible begins with a marriage in Genesis between Adam and Eve, and then ends with a marriage between Yeshua and His Bride. Yeshua is Jesus' Hebrew name and is very important. Yeshua not only means Salvation, but is the very word "Salvation" in Hebrew.

Biblical Marriage and Salvation (Yeshua) go together. In fact, when marriage is conducted according to the plan given by [Yahuwah] in the Hebrew culture, it acts to reveal the Great Mystery spoken of in Ephesians 5:31-32. Unfortunately, most people do not follow this plan. Instead, they follow the patterns given in their own culture, or others. The Bible has strong warnings leading [Yahuwah's] people not to follow the patterns of the nations around them. (Jer 10:2-4) The reason for this is because the Biblical Pattern and the Revelation of this Great Mystery is lost when people stray from [Yahuwah's] established pattern.

So lets look at Yeshua's culture and the Scriptures to see if we can reveal this Great Mystery.

The Beauty of the Bride
The beauty of the Bride can be seen in most cultures. The long white gown flowing majestically behind her. The guests look in awe as she makes her entrance to approach the Groom. This beauty is not man's doing, and is no accident. Once a person learns the mystery of the Bride and Yeshua, they will never see the Bride in quite the same way, she will be even more beautiful! The term, “Bride of Yeshua” refers to all of the believers of Yeshua who have received Him as Savior. Yeshua is betrothed to one Bride, often called the church. Messianic believers prefer to use the phrase “congregation,” because the word “church” has been used by evil people in the past, who claim to be followers of Jesus but were actually not. At any rate, no matter what you call her, the Bride of Yeshua actually follows Him, and is in the process of preparing for her Groom's return. There is nothing more important to her than that. As she prepares for her Groom's return she attends to different parts of her body making herself ready. Individual believers are known as parts of the body. Each part has it's role, as given by [Elohim], and each part loves the Groom. All parts are known to be One in Yeshua, just as a Human Bride and Groom become one. Malachi 2:15 NIV says: “Has not the LORD [Yahuwah] made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth.”

Steps to a Hebrew Marriage
The first step to a Hebrew marriage actually begins at conception, or prior to this. In Deuteronomy 6:6-7, [Yahuwah] is speaking of His instructions to His people when He says, “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” (KJV) Yahuwah's Word is to be on the minds of parents throughout the entire day. As they meditate on His Word they will pray for their children even before they are conceived. After this, they are to speak and pray [Yahuwah's] Word into their lives, even while still in the womb. They are to protect them from the dangers of the world by staying close to them as a good shepherd would do. By including [Yahuwah] in their lives moment by moment, and precept by precept they will be laying the foundations for their child's all important marriage, not only to their human spouse but to their Heavenly Groom.

The Father Seeks a Bride for His Son
In the Hebrew culture, as given by [Yahuwah], it is the Father who is to seek a Bride for his son. This is seen in various Scriptures. An example is found in Jeremiah 29:6 where [Yahuwah] says, “Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease.” (NIV) Many cultures have a problem with this, because they do not understand Biblical love. Instead, they have adopted the Greco-Roman myth of love. This kind of love is not love at all, but more closely relates to infatuation. Thus, people “fall in love” when the emotional feelings come, and “fall out of love” when the emotional feelings leave. It is the most selfish kind of love there is. Biblical Hebrew love can be defined as a choice that leads to action accompanied by emotion.1 It doesn't go away when times get hard.   This kind of love can be applied to anyone and is the kind of love the Father seeks. It's source is [Yahuwah] Himself.

Once the father finds a potential Bride for his son, and hopefully led by the Holy Spirit, he then approaches the Bride's parents to obtain their blessing and approval. This is best done secretly, in order to protect the hearts of the future Bride and Groom. That way, if the parents do not approve of the match, the Bride and Groom's hearts are protected. After discussions and much prayer, a contract is drawn up called a “ketubah”. It stipulates many things such as the Bride Price, the Groom's obligations to care for and protect the Bride, and the Bride's obligations to the Groom. The ketubah for the Bride of Yeshua is [Yahuwah's] Word written on the minds and placed on the hearts of [Elohim's] Betrothed.

The Bride Price
Once an agreement is made between the parents, the offer is presented to the Groom by His Parents. After looking at the ketubah and considering the Bride, He decides whether or not to accept the offer. One consideration he must take into account is the Bride Price. The price Yeshua had to pay for His Bride was his very life. Many times the Groom may defer to his parent's will instead of his own. Yeshua may have been referring to this when He was on the mount of Olives just prior to His crucifixion. He was in great agony knowing the price He was about to pay for His Bride. Scripture records:

“Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, 'My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.'" (Mat 26:39 NIV)

However, both Yeshua and His Father knew what had to be done to redeem His Bride. And they did it!

The Invitation of Betrothal
Once the Groom accepts the offer of Betrothal from the parents, the offer is then presented to the Bride.    A betrothal ceremony is set up where family and friends are invited. Hebrew tradition has the Groom approach the Bride with a cup of wine. It is called the cup of the covenant and represents the entire marriage agreement. The Groom then drinks from the cup and then offers the cup to the Bride. She then has a decision to make. If she drinks from the cup, that signifies her acceptance of the Betrothal. If not, then it is rejected. Once she does drink, the Betrothal is officially established and the two are legally married or betrothed.

Jewish Biblical Betrothal is very different from modern wedding engagements. In a betrothal, the two are legally married but do not live together or consummate the marriage until a future date. Unlike an engagement, there is no way out of a betrothal except through divorce, and that only in cases of marital unfaithfulness. The penalty for that is death, so betrothals were, most assuredly, meant to be permanent.

At the Passover meal just prior to Yeshua's crucifixion, Scripture records that Yeshua took the cup of wine and said, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Mat 26:27-28 NIV)

As young Jewish men, the idea of [Yahuwah] betrothing Himself to His people would not have been new to them. They would have understood from Jeremiah 2:2 that [Yahuwah] betrothed Himself to Israel at Mount Sinai. They would have also been familiar with the Jewish custom of betrothal and offering the cup of wine as an invitation for betrothal. So when Yeshua took the cup of the covenant and asked them to drink, they may have known what this meant, although they didn't yet know how it was going to play out.

Every time communion is held, it commemorates this Passover meal and Yeshua's offer of Betrothal, even if nobody happens to know what it means. It points to the Bride Price Yeshua paid and His continued offer of Betrothal to those who will receive Him. It points to the New Covenant that He will place on our minds and write on our hearts if we accept Him.

Water Cleansing Ceremony
At some point during the Betrothal period, both the Groom and the Bride will partake in a water baptism, known as a “mikveh” in Hebrew. It represents death and spiritual cleansing. Yeshua's mikveh was recorded in Matthew 3:13-15 where it says, “ Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented.” (NIV)

Yeshua understood that for the Biblical Pattern of Marriage and Betrothal to take place, He would need to be baptized or have His mikveh, even though He was without sin. In fact, it would be His very death that would make spiritual cleansing possible for His Bride. That is why they must be married and become one, so that she can die in Yeshua and be raised from the dead with Him. If one dies outside of Yeshua there is no way to cleanse them from their sins, because they have died in them. This is also why false religions are worthless and can not save. They have no method of atoning for sin and their participants die in their sins and receive the eternal punishment called the second death. It consists of a life without [Elohim] and His Goodness, and will be located in a place called the Lake of Fire.

But we're digressing; lets get back to [Yahuwah's] offer of love. The very word for Bride in Hebrew has significant meaning in relation to cleansing. It's a translation of the Hebrew word “kallah”, pronounced “kal-law,” and comes from the primary root “kalal”, pronounced “kaw-lal” and means to complete:--(make) perfect. (Strongs: H3618 and H3634 respectively)

After the Bride takes the cup of the covenant and drinks from it, a new family is established spiritually and in the sight of [Yahuwah]. This is reason for great celebration, even though they will not live together until some time in the future. Every time a person says “yes” to Yeshua's free gift of Salvation, they are saying “yes” to His offer of betrothal and a spiritual union of marriage is made. The Church or Congregation is currently in the stage of Betrothal as it relates to it's relationship to Yeshua at the present time. As the Hebrew word for Bride implies; this brings cleansing and makes her perfect in the sight of [Yahuwah].

I Go to Prepare a Place for You
After the betrothal is accepted and the celebration is over, the Groom then goes away to prepare a place for his new bride. He usually goes to his father's house where a new residence is added to their land. It is only when the father declares that the place is complete that the son can go to get his bride. This reflects Yeshua's Words found in the Scriptures below:

“In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:2-3 KJV)

“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” (Mat 24:36 KJV)

This picture of not knowing the day or hour is so important, that the [Elohim] of the universe (Yeshua), set things up so that He, as the Son, would not know the day or hour of His return for His Bride. Even though as [Yahuwah] the Father He knows everything, as the Son, He has chosen to wait in great anticipation for the great day that He gets to go and receive His Bride!

The Bride Prepares for Her Groom's Return
After the Groom leaves for his father's house it is time for the Bride to get busy. There is a Hebrew word associated with this period of betrothal called “kiddushin”. It means “sanctification” or “set-apart”. It is at this time, that the Bride is to begin to fashion herself after her Groom. She is to learn about his likes, his dislikes and become like his people. It is at this time that they were allowed to give their hearts to one another in love. Up until that time, their hearts had been guarded from other men and saved for their future mate. The modern practice of dating was almost unheard of, and would have been considered a form of emotional promiscuity. Even courting is nowhere to be found in the Scriptures. Courting is basically dating while supervised, for the purpose of marriage. There is no commitment, and the possibility of giving your heart to one who will not be your mate is great.

There are four important safeguards in the concept of Betrothal. One, is that the Bride and Groom's hearts are protected and guarded for their future mate only. The second, is that it requires the practice of true biblical love which is a choice followed by emotion and not just an emotion based on feelings. Third, the parents participation in the selection of their mate adds wisdom, that comes through years of experience that the child does not have yet. Fourth, the Biblical Pattern is retained and the Great Mystery of Yeshua and His Bride may be revealed, leading others to a saving relationship with the Messiah.

When this happens, people are acting out the Scripture found in Romans 12:1-2 where it says: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (KJV) In other words, one way to do this is to pattern your betrothals and marriages according to [Yahuwah's] pattern rather than the worlds; and to do this as a “living sacrifice” or service, that will prove [Yahuwah's] perfect will as He uses it to lead others to His loving truth. When done the right way, and led of [Yahuwah], it is not a hurtful sacrifice, but very sweet and beautiful.

The book of Acts records an amazing account of the need for the Bride to get busy preparing for her Groom's return. The disciples were with Yeshua for the last time while He was on earth. They had all experienced His miracles and were shown His great love for them. He gave an important message just before going back to His Father. Then as they watched, He left them by raising up with a cloud into heaven. They stood there looking into heaven in awe as one would do. Then suddenly an angel appeared and said,

"Men of Galilee,... why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
(Acts 1:11 NIV)

So basically, the Angel was telling them, “don't just stand there; get busy with your Sanctification because your Groom will be returning again to receive you.” Part of that Sanctification is to prepare the rest of the Bride for the Groom's return and the wedding. Revelation describes one thing a Bride is to do to prepare for her Groom: “I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.” (Rev 21:2 NIV)

This beauty is not physical, although [Yahuwah] certainly uses the physical beauty of a bride as a picture. Revelation reveals what this beauty stands for:

“Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear. (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)” (Rev 19:7-8 NIV)

The beauty of the Bride stands for the righteous acts of the saints, who are all those who are one in Messiah. The power of the Holy Spirit poured out in a believer's life, making it possible for them to walk in a righteous way and do righteous acts.

This leads us to a very important part of a Jewish betrothal: The Bridal Gift. It is customary for the Groom to give a gift to the Bride at the initial time of the betrothal. This was normally done by giving her coins of silver or gold. These were very important to the Bride, far more important than their monetary value. That is why in the Bible, Yeshua speaks of a woman who loses one of ten coins. He says, "Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.' In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." (Luke 15:8-10 NIV)

When a person understands Jewish customs, this passage makes more sense. Otherwise, why would a person call her friends and neighbors together to rejoice over one coin? The party could cost more than the coin, or the people could lose more money by being taken away from their work to attend the celebration. And why would the celebration of a found-coin be compared to the celebration of a person's soul being saved? The answer to these questions lies in the Great Mystery of Marriage. The Betrothal represents Salvation in Yeshua. The coin represented the Bridal gift. The Bridal gift of Yeshua to His Bride is the Gift of the Holy Spirit, sealing us for redemption!

“Peter replied, 'Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the LORD [Yahuwah] our God will call.'" (Acts 2:38-39 NIV)

The Friend of the Bridegroom
There is a very important person in a Jewish Betrothal and Marriage. He is known as the “Friend of the Groom” or “Bridegroom”. It was his responsibility to escort the Bride to the Groom for their Betrothal. This process was alluded to by John the Baptist when he was giving “mikvehs” (baptisms) to Yeshua's Bride. Someone had come to John and said that Yeshua was now giving mikvehs to people. John replied by saying: “The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.” (John 3:29 NIV) When John was preaching repentance in the wilderness he was in effect leading Yeshua's Bride to Him. Repentance means turning around. In this case, it means turning from sin to [Yahuwah].

Moses was also considered a “Friend of the Groom,” because he escorted Israel for their Betrothal to [Yahuwah] in the Wilderness at Mount Sinai. [Yahuwah] refers to this in Jeremiah 2:2 when He says: “I remember you, The kindness of your youth, The love of your betrothal, When you went after Me in the wilderness, In a land not sown.” (NKJV)

It is also the responsibility of each believer to be “The Friend of the Groom” as they lead others to a saving relationship with the Messiah. Yeshua refers to this when He says, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other.” (John 15:13-17 NIV)

So as a Friend of the Groom, we obey His command to love one another by leading them to their Betrothal and personal relationship with Yeshua.

The New Covenant Wilderness Betrothal
In the not too distant future, there will be a profound prophetic work to be done by the Friends of the Groom. It is spoken of in Hosea 2:14-23, where [Yahuwah] says that He is going to bring dispersed Jews into the wilderness for the purpose of Betrothal. As [Yahuwah] beckons to the Gentiles, He will call many friends of the Groom to lead His Jewish Bride to Himself. This is also spoken of in Isaiah, and reveals that [Yahuwah] is going to use it to bring His Salvation to the ends of the earth. As the Friends of the Groom participate in this work, they will experience the same joy John the Baptist spoke of. What a joyous time this will be!

The Groom Returns for His Bride
The last and best part of a Jewish Betrothal is when the Groom comes back to receive His Bride. He comes at a time that is unknown; Often in the middle of the night. His immediate arrival is announced with a shout of, “Behold, the Bridegroom comes!” and the sounding of a trumpet or rams horn. Scripture prophesies this when it says:

“For the LORD [Yahuwah] himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the LORD [Yahuwah] in the air: and so shall we ever be with the LORD [Yahuwah]. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 KJV)

“Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-- in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.” (1 Cor 15:51-56 NIV)

This Great Mystery revealed in the Scriptures, and in the Biblical pattern of marriage tell us that a day is coming when the Bridegroom will return for His Bride. As we participate with Yeshua by patterning our earthly marriages according to this mystery we proclaim: “The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.” (Revelation 22:17 NIV)

Reference
1 Baucham, Voddie; Family Driven Faith

Copyright © 2009
Myron Martin
Used with Permission
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