Building a Relationship with God

To know God is to Love Him. We are His Bride, and he is the bridegroom. This relationship is the plan and pattern of God for mankind to build a personal, lasting relationship. To understand our relationship with God, Yeshua has made a Marriage Contract with His Bride. To understand this concept, we must understand the culture and time of the Messiah and the Hebrew culture. In the following outline, I have retold them in a way that evokes the feeling and meaning of what was said, and in all instances, the essence of the dialogue is accurate. https://followyeshuanow.com/yeshuas-torah-wedding/

Betrothal or Engagement

Kiddushin is derived from the word Kadosh, meaning holy! Once a bride and bridegroom enter into this initial phase of marriage, they are considered married. In other words, they would have to get a divorce, called a “get” to break off the engagement. This period lasts from one to two years.

The betrothal is parallel to the engagement in most ways except that in the ancient Jewish custom, it was binding! It was so binding that it could not be broken without an orthodox divorce. You were considered bound together from the period you entered the betrothal contract until the wedding day. When Joseph discovered that his betrothed wife Mary was with child, he had real grounds to obtain an orthodox divorce and would have if the Angel had not appeared unto him and explained what was going on. Even though the couple is engaged, they do not have a physical relationship, and they do not live together either.

“If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”

(John 15:6-7KJV)

1. The Arrangement:

The groom’s Father made and approved the choice of the bride. In traditional Jewish customs, marriages were arranged by their fathers. It is quite often that the Bride and Groom have never seen one another before they are engaged. In Judaism, the Sabbath is seen as the bride. In Torah Following, the Church, the Body of Believers is the bride, and Yeshua is the bridegroom. The Father makes and approves the choice.

“No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

(John 6:44 KJV)

“For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.”

(2Co 11:2 KJV)

The Betrothal:

“And I will betroth thee unto me forever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD.”

(Hosea 2:19-20 KJV)

The Bride Price:

“What? know ye not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.”

(1 Corinthians 6:19-20 KJV)

2. The Groom’s Promise: Tenaim – Conditions

The groom makes a covenant or contract promise. The Ketubah is a document that is used to assure a bride will be provided. Once this document was signed and witnessed by two people, then it was binding, the couple was considered married.

The Bride’s Consent

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus (Yeshua the Messiah), and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart, man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth, confession is made unto Salvation.”

(Romans 10:9-10 KJV)

Kiddush -Drink the cup of wine to seal the covenant.

The 1st Cup of Wine Matthew 26:27-29 At the Pesach (Passover Meal) with His disciples Yeshua … took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in My Father’s kingdom. “Groom pays the price to show he is serious; today the wedding ring is used for this purpose. Groom’s promises to his bride, He will come to claim her soon, making the Engagement Promise.

“In my Father's house are many places to live. If there weren't, I would have told you; because I am going there to prepare a place for you. Since I am going and preparing a place for you, I will return to take you with me; so that where I am, you may be also. Furthermore, you know where I'm going; and you know the way there."

(John 14:2-4 CJB)

Personal Relationship – Marriage Contract

Yeshua drank a cup of redemption at Passover. Yeshua paid the bride price of redemption for us on the Cross.

"For this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Isra'el after those days,' says Adonai: 'I will put my Torah in their minds and write it on their hearts; I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

(Hebrews 8:10 CJB)

“It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers on the day I took them by their hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt; because they, for their part, violated my covenant, even though I, for my part, was a husband to them," says Adonai.”

(Jeremiah 31:31 CJB)

“Also he took a cup of wine, made the b'rakhah, and gave it to them, saying, "All of you drink from it! For this is my blood, which ratifies the New Covenant, my bloodshed on behalf of many, so that they may have their sins forgiven. I tell you, I will not drink this 'fruit of the vine' again until the day I drink new wine with you in my Father's Kingdom."

(Mat 26:27-29 CJB)

Betrothal Gifts

Gifts are presented to the bride to encourage and enable her to perform the Marriage Contract.

“Every good act of giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father who made the heavenly lights; with him, there is neither variation nor darkness caused by turning. Having made his decision, he gave birth to us through a Word that can be relied upon, in order that we should be a kind of firstfruits of all that he created.”

(James 1:17-18 CJB)

“Now there are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit gives them. Also, there are different ways of serving, but it is the same Lord being served. And there are different modes of working, but it is the same God working them all in everyone. Moreover, to each person is given the particular manifestation of the Spirit that will be for the common good. To one, through the Spirit, is given a word of wisdom; to another, a word of knowledge, in accordance with the same Spirit; to another, faith, by the same Spirit; and to another, gifts of healing, by the one Spirit; to another, the working of miracles; to another, prophecy; to another, the ability to judge between spirits; to another, the ability to speak in different kinds of tongues (Languages); and to yet another, the ability to interpret tongues (Languages). One and the same Spirit is at work in all these things, distributing to each person as he chooses.”

(1 Corinthians 12:4-11 CJB)

3. Chuppah - Groom Prepares a Place for His Bride:

Groom prepares a bridal chamber where they stay for seven days. He works on it until it pleases his Father. Then he may go after his bride. The Chuppah canopy is derived from this type of a bridal chamber. Yeshua tells us that He does not know when He will come; only His Father knows. We must be alert and ready! He is preparing our place now. Be alert: Be ready: Do all He asks while you’re here. Develop an active prayer life and study his instructions on how to live life, keeping ourselves from doubt and failure.

“Moreover, dear friends, do not ignore this: with the Lord, one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some people think of slowness; on the contrary, he is patient with you; for it is not his purpose that anyone should be destroyed, but that everyone should turn from his sins. However, the Day of the Lord will come "like a thief." On that Day, the heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will melt and disintegrate, and the earth and everything in it will be burned up. Since everything is going to be destroyed like this, what kind of people should you be? You should lead holy and godly lives, as you wait for the Day of God and work to hasten its coming. That Day will bring on the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt from the heat; but we, following along with his promise, wait for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness will be at home.”

(2 Peter 3:8-13 CJB)

4. Waiting for the bridegroom to come for the bride.

This could take up to two years.

As John the Baptist was filled with joy when he saw Yeshua, so we too shall be filled when we join Yeshua in the heavenly bridal chamber. Some liken those 7 days in the chamber to the 7 years as to the Seven Thousand years of mankind’s history on earth. Then we will return as the wife, not the bride.

Yeshua Teaches About Fasting

“And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bride chamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.”

(Mark 2:19-20 KJV)

Nisuin or Chuppah – Ceremony or Nuptials

The word Nisuin means “to lift up” or “carry.” Lifting up the bride is an ancient wedding custom of carrying the bride to the ceremony in a carriage lifted by poles. Although seldom done today, the ceremony bears the name. The Chuppah is not only related to the bridal chamber, but it is also “lifted” by poles like the ancient carriage. The custom of lifting the bride and now the groom in chairs is rooted in this processional.

5. The Mikvah – Ritual Immersion

Today, the Jewish Bride and even the Groom are immersed in a ritual pool of (Mayim Chaim), Living Water, known as a Mikvah. The Mikvah is a pool of water that has a source and exit stream. A river, lake, or sea is a natural mikvah. A man-made pool could work as well if there is a constant inflow and exit drain. In the Torah, women were immersed for various reasons, such as their monthly menstrual cycle. The immersion is a requirement for Gentile converts to Judaism. The Mikvah was not a ritual started by John the Baptist. This is an ancient Jewish practice dating back to the time of Moses. Remember, John, the Baptist…. He was Jewish. The act of Baptism or immersion did not begin as a Follower concept. It is rooted in the Jewish cleansing rituals from the Torah. It had been a practice of the priests to wash or immerse themselves. John’s Baptism itself is understood as an adaptation of Jewish ritual washings.

Baptism of Repentance

“I (John) indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

(Mathew 3:11-12 KJV)

“John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.”

(Mark 1:4 KJV)

“Now, before the coming of Yeshua, Yochanan (John) proclaimed to all the people of Isra'el an immersion in connection with turning to God from sin.”

(Acts 13:24 CJB)

“Sha'ul ( Paul) said, "Yochanan (John) practiced immersion in connection with turning from sin to God, but he told the people to put their trust in the one who would come after him, that is, in Yeshua." On hearing this, they were immersed into the name of the Lord Yeshua; and when Sha'ul placed his hands on them, the Ruach HaKadosh (Holy Spirit) came upon them; so that they began speaking in tongues (Various Languages) and prophesying.” (Acts 19:4-6 CJB)

6. The Bride Waits:

While the groom builds the new home, the bride waits and wears a veil. This shows she belongs only to the groom. She prepares for her wedding by … preparing herself as a spotless bride. She also shows gratitude to her family for raising her, and she mends hurt relationships. She has to be ready at all times, not know the day or the hour she occupies her time preparing herself as a perfect bride. This is the anticipation we all have waiting for our loving Groom Yeshua. We must do His Instructions in our daily lives. Yeshua tells us that He will come like a thief. So, we must be living “His Love” at all times. The Body of Believers, too, is veiled with the promise of Yeshua soon return. The Bride (Believers in Yeshua) should be living consecrated lives, keeping themselves pure and Holy in preparation for the wedding.

“For I (Paul) am jealous for you with God's kind of jealousy; since I promised to present you as a pure virgin in marriage to your one husband, the Messiah; and I fear that somehow your minds may be seduced away from simple and pure devotion to the Messiah, just as Havah (Eve) was deceived by the serpent and his craftiness.”

(2 Corinthians 11:2-3 CJB)

“But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched, and not have left his house to be broken through. Be ye also ready: for in an hour that ye think not the Son of man cometh.” (Luke 12:39-40 ASV)

“Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.”

(1 Corinthians 15:34 KJV)

Feast of the Lamb

The bridegroom makes final preparations – anticipating “catching away” His Bride

"Again I passed by you, looked at you and saw that your time had come, the time for love. So I spread my cloak over you to cover your private parts and entered into a covenant with you,' says Adonai Elohim, 'and you became mine. Then I bathed you in water, washed the blood off you, and anointed you with oil. I also clothed you with an embroidered gown, gave you fine leather sandals to wear, put a fine linen headband on your head, and covered you with silk. I gave you jewelry to wear, bracelets for your hands, a necklace for your neck, a ring for your nose, earrings for your ears, and a beautiful crown for your head. Thus you were decked out in gold and silver; your clothing was of fine linen, silk, and richly embroidered cloth; you ate the finest flour, honey, and olive oil. You grew increasingly beautiful—you were fit to be queen. Your fame spread among the nations because of your beauty, because it was perfect, due to my having bestowed my own splendor on you' says Adonai Elohim.”

(Ezekiel 16:8-14 CJB)

“He who wins the victory will, like them, be dressed in white clothing, and I will not blot his name out of the Book of Life; in fact, I will acknowledge him individually before my Father and before his angels. Those who have ears let them hear what the Spirit is saying to the Messianic communities."

(Revelation 3:5-6 CJB)

7. Kittel – The Wedding Garment:

The Kittel is a white robe; it looks somewhat like a bathrobe. It is a garment worn at Passover. It is also worn by the groom at a wedding. The word Kittel is rooted in the Hebrew word Katal – To Slay. A garment is worn by priests during certain sacrifices, such as Passover or Yom Kippur Sacrifice. In Biblical times the Kittel was warned by all the men attending the wedding.

The Parable of the Wedding Feast

"Now when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who wasn't dressed for a wedding; so he asked him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man was speechless. Then the King said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, and throw him outside in the dark!' In that place, people will wail and grind their teeth, for many are invited, but few are chosen."

(Mathew 22:11-14 CJB)

8. The Bridesmaids:

Unmarried friends who attend the bride will provide light for the groom who comes at night. This is a traditional custom for friends to light Havdalah candles in the processional or during the veiling ceremony. Light is a symbol of Adonai‘s presence, the Shekinah Glory.

Parable of the Ten Virgins

"The Kingdom of Heaven at that time will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom. Five of them were foolish, and five were sensible. The foolish ones took lamps with them but no oil, whereas the others took flasks of oil with their lamps. Now the bridegroom was late, so they all went to sleep. It was the middle of the night when the cry rang out, 'The bridegroom is here! Go out to meet him!' The girls all woke up and prepared their lamps for lighting. The foolish ones said to the sensible ones, 'Give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.' 'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both you and us. Go to the oil dealers and buy some for yourselves.' But as they were going off to buy, the bridegroom came. Those who were ready went with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut. Later, the other bridesmaids came. 'Sir! Sir!' they cried, 'Let us in!' But he answered, 'Indeed! I tell you, I don't know you!' So stay alert, because you know neither the day nor the hour.”

(Mathew 25:1-13 CJB)

The Witness is sent before the Bridegroom

“And I will give unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.”

(Revelation 11:3 ASV)

9. The Bridegroom Comes:

The groomsmen would run ahead of the groom sound the Shofar and shout that he was coming. While the Father’s head was turned, the groom would steal the bride. The wedding party then went back to the groom’s house to meet the guests. The voice of the archangel will blow the trumpet of Adonai, and Yeshua will come like a thief to snatch away His Bride. When we arrive in heaven, a host of people will be waiting for us.

“He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, that standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy, therefore, is made full.”

(John 3:29 ASV)

“For this, we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep. For the Lord, 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 that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

(1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 ASV)

“Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly; gather the people, sanctify the assembly, assemble the old men, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts; let the bridegroom go forth from his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.”

(Joel 2:15-16 ASV)

10. The Bridal-Chamber – Chuppah

The bride and groom enter the bridal chamber where the marriage is consummated. The party waits outside until the groom tells the best man that it is consummated. Then, the guests rejoice for 7 days. After the marriage was consummated, there was a Wedding Feast or Marriage Supper. This is also a Theme of the Festival of Sukkot.

The Second Cup of Wine

11. The Kiddush- The shared cup of wine is a Simcha, joy, at a Jewish Wedding. When the bride drinks from the cup after the bridegroom, it is a sign that she is accepting the covenant he has signed during the Ketubah signing.

Yeshua’s first miracle was turning water into wine at a Jewish wedding. – John 2

Matthew 26:27-29 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”

13. Breaking of the Glass – A symbol of the destruction of the Temple. A sign that the covenant broken cannot be put back together. The Temple was destroyed in the year 70 A.D. A Traditional end to a Jewish wedding serves as a reminder of the fragility of life, even during the most joyous of celebrations. Life is fragile. We break this glass as a symbol of our past. Forgiveness is an end to a shattered past. As the groom smashes the glass, everyone will shout Mazel Tov! Which means Good Fortune, may your lives here on out not be shattered, but full of fortune and joy.

14. Married life Begins: The new couple goes to the Father’s home to begin married life. We, too, will go to the Father’s house for the Marriage Feast of The Lamb, and then go with Yeshua in His reign and His kingdom here on earth for 1,000 years.

Revelation 21: 1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also, there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from Adonai, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

15. Yichud – Seclusion- after the Wedding Ceremony, the Bride and Groom now retreat to a private room to enjoy one another. This is a time of togetherness before the great feast that awaits them.

Revelation 19:5 Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb!’

Coronation of the King Revelation 5:11-14;Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice, they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever!” The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped. Revelation 19:7-9

Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him; for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white; for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, these are the true sayings of Adonai. - 1 Thessalonians 5:1-2