THE WEDDING
AND MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB!
“Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” (Revelation 19:7 NKJ).
God has at last revealed when Jesus Christ will come. He had designated three harvest festivals to resurrect His chosen people. The three festivals are 1). The Feast of Unleavened Bread during the beginning of the barley harvest in Israel, 2). The Feast of harvest or Pentecost fifty days and 3). The Feast of Tabernacles at the end of the year.
We, in the Church of God in Truth, understand that each of these harvest are resurrections. God requires all His people to come before Him not empty handed. God has revealed to His chosen few today that Christ will come for His firstfruits at the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
The members prepare themselves like the wise virgins of Matthew 25 to be ready with the oil of truth, so when Christ comes like the thief in the night they could go with Him to the wedding (Matthew 25:10).
We in the Church of God obey and follow God’s truth as revealed to us. We meticulously study God’s word and with the help of His Holy Spirit we obey as we understand them.
We know that Christ is the First of the firstfruits of barley, we are expecting the rest of the firstfruits of barley to be resurrected next in order. Christ and the firstfruits of barley are of the same kind of fruit. “For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren” (Hebrews 2:11).
There is another firstfruits which was offered and accepted by God during the Feast of Pentecost. This firstfruits belong to the wheat crop. Before being offered it was grounded fine and baked with leaven. It is called wave loaves, although still called firstfruits. They were accepted by God but not as bride of the Lamb, but as guest to the marriage supper of the Lamb. They could never be resurrected with the firstfruits of barley for they were with leaven. Luke mentions them in chapter 12 and verse 36, where Christ and the saints come for them after the wedding. “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.”
We understand that the wedding or marriage of the Lamb is a different occasion than the marriage supper of the Lamb. Just like the wedding is in the a church building, the reception is in the residence of the bride or at another hall. This had happened to me many years ago after graduating from college. My first cousin asked me to be his best man. The wedding was held in the archbishop’s palace near the Jaro cathedral but the reception was held in the bride’s home. The guests and relatives of both the bride and the groom had a grand evening of eating and drinking the whole evening.
God has revealed something new for the edification of His people. He does not want them to be ignorant and fall victim to some people who claim that Christ will come only on the Feast of Pentecost. So God’s true firstfruits won’t be deceived, God must show them or reveal to them the truth. God had revealed that Christ will come for His firstfruits of barley, not on Pentecost but at the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Christ was resurrected at this feast. It is only natural that His kind (barley firstfruits) be also resurrected at the same Holy Days.
The resurrection of the barley firstfruits was not revealed just as God did not reveal the actual natal day of Christ. He does not want people to look for it and observe it. But God had it hidden somewhere.
In the New Testament, we read of two men in white (angels) telling those left behind by Jesus Christ when He ascended, that the same Jesus who left will return in the same manner that He ascended. This statement by those angels are hints or clues for us. “Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).
Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem (Luke 2:4) His first advent, Will His second coming confirm the angels statement that He will return during the Feast of Unleavened Bread? Jesus left from the Mt. of Olives (Acts 1:12) and as prophesied in Zechariah 14:4 He will likewise be back there when He returns.
Back to the main topic about the wedding and marriage supper of the Lamb. We know that when Christ returns secretly for the firstfruits of barley, they will immediately go to the wedding (Matthew 25:10). Before the wedding will be the coronation of Jesus Christ. This occasion can be read in Daniel’s vision.”I watched till thrones were put in place. And the ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire; a fiery stream issued and came forth before Him. A thousand thousand ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, and the books were opened” (Daniel 7:9-10, NKJ throughout). “I was watching in the night vision, And behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and thy brought Him near before Him. And to Hm was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all people, nations and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which will not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed” (verses 13-14).
During the time of coronation of Christ in heaven the wrath of God is being poured here on earth. After the coronation of Christ as King of Kings and Lord of Lords the story switches to Revelation 19:1 where the wedding in heaven is about to begin for the bride had already made herself ready (Revelation 19:7). The apostle John is describing scenes in heaven. Revelation 14:1-5 gives us more confirmation and details. Verse 1 describes the Lamb standing in Mount Zion with the 144,000 firstfruits. Note that the 144,000 had the Father’s name written on their forehead. To have the Fathers name in one’s forehead means, he has been sealed with God’s Holy Spirit. It means ownership. He or she now belongs to God. The Father knows him and recognizes him as His (2 Timothy 2:19). “Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal.” “The Lord knows those who are His,”and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” So this tells us that there were actually 144,000 firsfruits that will wed Christ. Most Bible scholars believe that this is
what is called the Philadelphia Church. This 144,000 who were the only ones to sing the song is different from the other 144,000 found in Revelation 7. This other 144,000 are the physical Israelites sealed for protection from God’s wrath. It is speculated that they will be in the millennium as its first inhabitants.
The 144,000 standing with the Lamb on Mount Zion are spirit beings. They were resurrected at the Days of Unleavened Bread. Christ had brought them here in heaven to witness His coronation and subsequent wedding. Revelation 14:3 is proof that they were in heaven because John recorded them as taken from the earth. “And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth” (Rev. 14:3).
The scene being described is not the physical Mount Zion here on earth but the Mount Zion in heaven. “For you have not come to the mountain that maybe touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the words should not be spoken to them anymore.” And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I am exceedingly afraid and trembling. But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels” (Hebrews 12:18-19, 21-22). Yes there is a physical Zion and Jerusalem here in Israel. There is also a heavenly Mount Zion and a heavenly Jerusalem.
Revelation 19:1 pictures the start of the wedding after the coronation of Christ. “After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God!” This verse tells us that there were people in heaven. Strong’s #3793, Greek, ochlos for multitude or throng of people. Who are these people and what are they doing in haven? These noisy multitude in heaven were the 144,000 firstfruits of barley who were being married to the Lamb. They were singing and praising God.
After the wedding, Christ and the saints or firstfruits will return to earth for the reception (Zechariah 14:5). The reception will be here on earth with the other firstfruits, the firstfruits of wheat. They have been accepted by God as “wave loaves” which means they can attend the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9). They are the invited guests to the marriage supper.
Sotero Sonza
Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; And ye your-selves 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. And if He shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.” Luke 12:35-38