The phrase “marriage supper of the lamb” is mentioned only once in the bible, it’s in the book of Revelation.
Rev. 19
7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
9 …Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb…
When we look at the New Covenant as a marriage covenant it makes sense that Christ’s blood paid the Mohar which means “bride price”
The concept behind the Mohar is not that of a “debt” being paid, rather a bride being “purchased”.
If you look through the New Testament you won’t find one verse that says Jesus paid our “debt” but you will find verses that say he “bought” or “purchased” the church with his own blood.
Acts 20:28
…the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
In ancient times the Mohar was meant to compensate the girls father for taking a useful worker out of his household and into the household of the groom’s father.
Hence being “purchased” implies being taken out of one household and brought into another.
Spiritually speaking this means being delivered from darkness and translated into the kingdom of God.
Col. 1:13
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
In bible times it was traditional to drink a cup of wine at the betrothal and another cup of wine at the completion of the marriage.
Let’s keep that in mind as we read the following verses…
Matthew 26
27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.
However he spoke of “that day” (a future day) when he would drink “this fruit of the vine” “new” with them in his “father’s kingdom”.
Jesus was about to go away. Upon his return, the church would enter his fathers kingdom to drink new wine with him in celebration of their marriage.
According to Jewish custom, a groom would go away to build an extension upon his fathers house.
After some time, the groom would return to receive his new bride into his fathers house where the marriage was consummated.
Immediately after the consummation, the marriage supper would begin in the same house.
With all that in mind, let’s carefully read John chapter 14.
John 14
2 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.
3 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.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
To understand this portion of scripture it helps to recognise that Christ and the Comforter are NOT two distinctly seperate persons. The Comforter is …the Spirit of Christ (Rom. 8:9)
When Jesus said “I will pray the father and he will send you another comforter…I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you”, he was identifying himself as the Comforter.
“That day” was the day of Pentecost, when the Comforter filled those waiting for him in the upper room. “Ye in me and I in you” sounds way too intimate to be a mere betrothal.
In the last chapter of Luke, Jesus told his disciples…
Luke 24:49
And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
This flows straight on to a description of Pentecost in Acts 2.
Acts 2
1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
14 But Peter…lifted up his voice…
15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose…
16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh:..
“New wine” was poured out at Pentecost.
Pentecost was when Christ and the church drank the “fruit of the vine” “new” in his fathers kingdom.
Pentecost was “that day” when the marriage between Christ and the church was consummated through the Spirit and the marriage supper celebrated.
How is it possible for the the church to be in the father’s kingdom whilst yet in this world?
It is possible through the quickening Spirit.
Ephesians 2:4-6
But God…hath quickened us together with Christ, by (grace ye are saved;)
And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
The book of Colossians contains very similar language to Ephesians.
Colossians 2:12&13
Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him…And you, being dead…hath he quickened together with him…
Colossians 3:1&3
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
2227. ζωοποιέω zōopoiéō To make alive…to germinate
Imagine a new plant emerging from a dormant seed, breaking through the soil, then shooting upwards towards the sun.
Such is the quickening.
Finally let’s go back to Revelation 19:9
9 …Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.
Now let’s continue to the next chapter in Revelation…
Revelation 20
6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection…
If we join the dots here we see that the marriage supper of the Lamb relates to the “first resurrection”.
The first resurrection is not the “rapture” as some believe, rather it is the “quickening” described in Ephesians, Colossians and Romans.
God still invites ALL to be delivered from darkness and translated into the kingdom of God. To drink “new wine” with Christ in his fathers kingdom. To sit in heavenly places IN Christ Jesus.
God bless.
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