It is June, the month for weddings. Statistics tell us there are more weddings in June than in any other month of the year. Weddings are an event that usually enlists two different responses. Women love them and start dreaming of their own when they are little girls. Men endure them because they love the woman who wants this perfect wedding. From the largest to the tiniest wedding, the central focus is on the bride. Everyone sits patiently, listening to the music, watching each groomsman and bridesmaid walk down the aisle. Finally, after everyone else is in place, the doors swing open, and the bride is in view. This is the moment when the beautiful bride is finally ready to enter the next chapter of her life. She is ready to approach the groom, and they will vow to spend the rest of their lives together. Months have been spent preparing for this moment. Yet, in all the weddings I’ve been involved in, and there are many, I’ve never seen one that didn’t have an “oops” somewhere in the event. A perfect wedding is wanted but not achieved. However, there is one more wedding that I plan on participating in that I am sure will be perfect. It will be a wedding made in Heaven.
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 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 God.”
The wedding I am preparing for is the marriage supper of the Lamb. This is the time when all those who have trusted Christ as their Savior and have persevered until the end will sit down as the bride of Christ. In verse 19:7, the bride makes herself ready. We see in verse 8 that she has made herself ready by wearing fine linen, pure and white. We are clothed in the righteousness of Jesus. His righteousness is pure, and no garment with any stains will adorn this bride. We cannot depend on our righteousness to clothe us in the pure white garments required by the groom because Isaiah 64:6 reminds us that our righteousness in compassion to His appears as filthy rags!
Isaiah 64:6 “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags;”
Their righteousness was given to them; it is not something they acquired on their own. Because of their faith, they are justified by the merits of the Redeemer. His righteousness becomes their righteousness.
Philippians 3:9 “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:”
This white garment is reserved for those who persevere and overcome the temptation of the world. They have been tried and tested, and they passed the test. They have put their love and faithfulness to the groom, Jesus Christ, at the pentacle of their life. Just like the earthly bride, their desire is to do whatever it takes to please the love of their life. The groom also will do what is necessary to show his love for his bride. This is what the groom, Jesus, did for us: He laid down His life.
Revelation 3:5 “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.”
I Peter 1:7 “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it is tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”
This wedding will be the most joyous wedding of all time. All those whom God has given to the Son will comprise the Bride. The Bride will not be an exclusive group based on race, nationality, wealth, or gender. All are invited but all don’t accept the invitation to become the Bride. There will be those from the most remote parts of the world. I can’t help but think about a missionary friend who ministers to tribal people in Kenya. As I read about those who have accepted Christ through their ministry, I remind myself that even though I will probably never be able to meet these brothers and sisters in Christ, while on this earth, I will spend eternity with them. They will be with me at the marriage supper of the Lamb. Wow, that excites me and makes me say, even so, Lord Jesus, come quickly!
Revelation 5:9 “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;”
Revelation 7:9-10 “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.”
The invitation to become the Bride of Christ has been extended to all. Some will receive it and cherish it. They will get themselves ready and keep themselves ready for the wedding. The invitation will be written upon their hearts and never replaced with another appointment. Yet, there will be many more who will reject the invitation than those who receive it. They will not be innocent when they stand before God. They are without excuse. They will remember the invitation that they rejected before they are cast into the outer darkness of Hell.
Romans 1:20 “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:”
Are you ready for this wedding? I look forward to the day when I will meet many of my readers who live in other parts of the world. It will also be a day when I will finally get to spend time with other brothers and sisters in Christ that I haven’t seen in years. Those that God gave me for encouragement and love at each move in our lives. That will be a day that is beyond my imagination. As I anxiously await that day, I pray that others become part of the Bride of Christ. It is truly a marriage made in Heaven.
