In a previous article, The Jewish Wedding, we considered the tabernacle symbolically representing the marriage of Christ to the church and the three parts to the Jewish wedding ceremony (Contract, Consummation, and Celebration). We noticed the first symbol in the outer court of the tabernacle as the “Bride Price” paid for the bride. The altar represents the shedding of the body and the blood of the Lamb of God. “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion [fellowship] of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion [fellowship] of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. Behold Isreal after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?” (1st Corinthians 10:16-18)
This same fellowship (marriage relationship) is considered in Ephesians 5 at verse 29: “For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” Are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar (Bride Price)? When we partake of this fellowship service we focus on the price that the husband paid for the bride at the cross.
The next symbol in the tabernacle marriage of the Lamb of God is the Laver or bath. In fact, the Greek word [Loutron] used for this symbolic act is found in Ephesians 5:25-27, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing [Loutron] of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” This too is part of the ancient Jewish wedding ceremony.
We also noticed the word is the wedding contract. The husband and wife abide by that contract signed by the Father and Son before the marriage is consummated beyond the veil. There are two veils in the tabernacle. The first veil that we pass through in this physical life is death. “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.” (Revelations 2:11) As you can see, we have not entered the second veil until after the physical death or first veil.
When considering the first death we often speak figuratively. We talk about the coming of the Lord in the clouds and while that is true most all of us will experience the first death or veil that is physical. This death is depicted by the old law or marriage contract. Only the high priest passed through the second veil of the tabernacle. The first covenant is the covenant of death because those that practice the Old Law will not live with the husband. They will never pass through the second veil except to be found “not a maid.” “Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.” (Matthew 27:50-53) This was a physical thing representing the coming of Christ.
What was it like in the first wedding of Christ to be found not a maid? “If any man take a wife, and go in unto her, and hate her, And give occasions of speech against her, and bring up an evil name upon her, and say, I took this woman, and when I came to her, I found her not a maid: Then shall the father of the damsel, and her mother, take and bring forth the tokens of the damsel's virginity unto the elders of the city in the gate: And the damsel's father shall say unto the elders, I gave my daughter unto this man to wife, and he hateth her; And, lo, he hath given occasions of speech against her, saying, I found not thy daughter a maid; and yet these are the tokens of my daughter's virginity. And they shall spread the cloth before the elders of the city. (Deuteronomy 22:13-17)
If you are like me this is such a revolting thing. Can you even imagine having to be proved a chaste virgin (having a token of virginity) during the consummation phase of the marriage on your wedding night? What an embarrassment just as it will be at the judgement seat of Christ if we are found “not a maid.” “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.” (2nd Corinthians 11:2) However, as we noted in the first two symbols in the wilderness tabernacle we find the bride price paid by Christ upon the altar and we find the cleansing bath (laver) to be presented without spot or blemish. We all recognize this act as baptism or washing of regeneration. “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:4-7) Jesus paid it all because he lived by the marriage contract perfectly under the old marriage contract (he labored like Jacob for Rachel instead of Leah his first wife).
“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:31-33) In other words, the second contract was a labor of love instead of a labor of death or deceit.
Unfortunately, he found his OT wife not to be a maid because she did not live according to the marriage contract (when they agreed to the contract they were 100% married unlike today). What happens when that is the case? “But if this thing be true, and the tokens of virginity be not found for the damsel: Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die: because she hath wrought folly in Israel, to play the whore in her father's house: so shalt thou put evil away from among you.” (Deuteronomy 22:20-22)
If I was a woman the very thought of this kind of wedding night might just keep me from ever getting married. The embarrassment and suspense of not being able to by found a maid and the virginity cloth required after consummation (in such a public fashion) in the ancient Jewish wedding is so foreign to each of us. In fact, it is revolting isn’t it except for the anticipation of ecstasy and love. “A man who fears nothing loves nothing.” King Arthur. Thankfully, today we can be washed or cleansed by the blood of the lamb and not experience what Christ experienced in life. He has provided the proof of virginity and even Christ exhibited great fear, as well as love, in the Garden of Gethsemane before his death. “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him…. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:7-11) “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh….” (Hebrews 10:19-20)
What will keep us from the second death? What will allow us to pass through the second veil unharmed? First and foremost it is recognition of the husband and wife when the wedding veil is removed. There are so many types of Christ in the Old Testament because we see this over and over in the reading of the OT. We see this even in the book of Genesis. “And Laban [white, glorious] had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah [weary], and the name of the younger was Rachel [a lamb]. (This represents the Old Testament and New Testament marriage contracts.) Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favored. And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter…. (Jacob served seven years for the older daughter too.) And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?” (Genesis 29:16-25) We realize too that Jacob was the second son of Isaac (Esau was the first son) that tricked Isaac for Esau’s birthright. The name Jacob means following after or supplanter. Of course, we understand that Jacob was renamed Israel and that name means “ruling with God.” “And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel. And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land.” (Genesis 35:10-12)
Christ paid the price for his first bride and his second bride because salvation comes from the sacrifice going back in time and going forward into the future. We must recognize that Christ is the Groom. “Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come. Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come. And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” (John 8:21-24)
We all should realize that the bride of Christ under the first marriage contract was veiled or hidden. Leah was veiled on her wedding night and was not recognized by the groom. Thankfully, Christ has a new bride: “And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.” (Genesis 29:6)
“But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. But if our gospel be hid [Kalupto, veiled], it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” (2nd Corinthians 3:15-4:4)
The lamb or bride of Christ is plainly seen in Christ Jesus our Lord. It is not hid [Kalupto, veiled] as was the first wife Leah [weary] when she fooled Jacob or Israel. We will pass through the second veil (day of judgment) in Christ Jesus or Lord.
“Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee. At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:20-28)
Are you weary (Leah) are you heavy ladened? With open face tell it to Jesus alone.
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