11 How do we as Messiah's bride prepare

How do we as Messiah’s bride prepare to meet Him at His return?

Those of us who have been immersed into Messiah’s saving name and have been given a portion of the Set-apart Spirit are at this time betrothed to Messiah, to be married to Him when He returns to come and rule the earth from Jerusalem. This is essentially what Rav Shaul explained in Romans 6 & 7, but also what Yahshua insinuated immediately before He died, uttering His final words in John 19: 30, saying: ‘“It is finished!’ And He bowed His head, and gave up His spirit.’ Yes, Messiah’s final words on the stake was it is finished in Hebrew (כּלּה) transliterated as kalah, which also means ‘My bride’ (kallah).

Now some might say that we have no right to even suggest this. But, reading from Romans 6: 3 – 7 we see that when we are immersed into Yahshua’s saving name, we are also immersed into His death, in this way: ‘Or do you not know that all of us who have been immersed into Messiah Yahshua have been immersed into His death? (4) Therefore we have been buried with Him through immersion into death, in order that as Messiah was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. (5) For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection, (6) knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with that we should no longer be slaves to sin; (7) for he who has died is freed from sin.’ We continue reading from Romans 7 where Rav Shaul discussed the Law of divorce and remarriage, and not doing away with Torah, as Christianity wants us to believe. Reading from verses 1 – 4 of Romans 7, we notice that Rav Shaul is actually talking about the remarriage of the house of Israel, whom YHVH divorced because of idolatry (as Jeremiah prophesied in Jeremiah 3: 8), saying: ‘Or do you not know, brethren (for I am speaking to those who know the law {the law of divorce and remarriage}), that the law has jurisdiction over a person as long as he lives? (2) For the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is living; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband. (3) So then if, while her husband is living, she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress, though she is joined to another man. (4) Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Messiah, that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, that we might bear fruit for Elohim.’ As a result, when Messiah died on the impalement stake and exclaimed: ‘My bride’, He became free to remarry the house of Israel, whom He divorced, but who also died with Him in immersion, when he returns one day soon.

It is for this very reason that Yahshua the Messiah, the visible image of the invisible Elohim, will remarry both the house of Israel and the house of Judah at His return, as witnessed in Jeremiah 31: 31 – 33, in this way: “Behold, days are coming,” declares YHVH, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, (32) not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares YHVH. (33) “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares YHVH, “I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their Elohim, and they shall be My people.” Even though YHVH never divorced the house of Judah, and they remained loyal to Him and His Torah instructions for all Israel, Yahshua will also have to remarry them, because He died to make atonement for both the house Judah and the house of Israel, as prophesied by Caiaphas in John 11: 49 – 52, as follows: ‘But a certain one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, (50) nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish.” (51) Now this he did not say on his own initiative; but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Yahshua was going to die for the nation. (52) and not for the nation (of Judah) only, but that He might also gather together into one the children of Elohim (the lost ten tribes scattered into the world because of idolatry) who are scattered abroad.”’

Let me explain by means of the four cups of wine used at the Jewish Passover - which is analogous to the ancient Hebrew marriage procedure, how Yahshua is coming to remarry His bride made up of a remnant from both houses of Israel, when He returns to earth one day soon. Once a young Hebrew man became interested in a Hebrew woman, he made the first move by taking his father to his intended future bride’s home. They took with them the betrothal cup of wine together with the price he was willing and able to pay for his future bride. When they arrived at the prospective bride’s home they would knock and her father would peek through a small window to identify the visitors. When he sees the father and son outside the door, he would look at his daughter for confirmation that she is in agreement to let them in. If she agrees, her father would open the door and the betrothal process will commence. At this point the two parties will start working out the terms of the marriage agreement, which in our case with Messiah is our covenant relationship with Elohim, better known as Torah. This is also in essence what Yahshua was indicating to His future bride in Revelation 3: 20, saying: ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to Him, and will dine with him and he with Me.’ When we open the door to let Yahshua in, the restoration process begins. It is at that point that we are immersed into His saving name and enter into the betrothal covenant with Him. From then on, we need to walk in a loving relationship with Him as our future bridegroom. But, we need to understand that the choice to follow Yahshua remains ours, similar to that of the ancient Hebrew bride. If the prospective bride decided not to open the door to the bridegroom, the young man would simply have turned around and gone back home; and even after opening the door the prospective bride could end the process at any point during the negotiations. However, once the couple is betrothed to one another the agreement is binding and could not be cancelled without proper grounds, such as, if the bride to be is found not to be a virgin. In such a case the agreement had to be cancelled by obtaining a get from the priests and Levites who are in office at the time.

It must be emphasized however that the four cups of wine represents four covenants, which are progressive in nature. Each of the four covenants assists to set up, support and reinforce the ancient Hebrew wedding contract. It all starts when the groom comes to his future bride’s home and knocks at the door. Once he entered his future bride’s home, they would work out the details of the wedding and would dine together. The two families would drink three of the four cups of wine, at certain points throughout the negotiations. The first cup was for Sanctification, which represented a blood covenant between the two families and was drunk as soon as the groom and his father entered the future bride’s home. This is when the two families agree to serve one another and this cup is accordingly known as the servant’s cup. Since the word ‘Sanctification’ shows that the future bride sets herself apart for her future groom only, in this way the two families also agree to become one family. Once the bride-to-be drinks the cup, she would have shown her acceptance of the young man’s proposal and they would be betrothed. The second cup was the cup of Betrothal or bargaining, but also the cup of Dedication which showed a covenant of salt between the two families. This cup was consumed by the future bride and her groom with both their fathers. The families represented by the fathers, agree to become friends with their son and daughter, and with each other. During the meal the two families would thrash out the details of the marriage contract, and once they have ironed out all their differences they would enter into a friendship covenant as they set-out the terms of the upcoming wedding. This is in the same way as Rav Shaul admonished believers in Messiah in Philippians 2: 12, saying: ‘So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling.’

The third cup, the cup of Redemption or the cup of inheritance represents the sandal covenant and also indicate the shared inheritance of the marriage partners. The third cup drunk by the bride and the groom after the meal came to an end, indicated their commitment to one another and officially sealed the marriage contract. After the bargaining was concluded, the families got a scribe to record the terms of the agreement or marriage covenant (transliterated in Hebrew as a ‘Ketubah’), which he will give to the bride-to-be and her father. The marriage contract includes the gift or price he is prepared to pay the young woman’s parents as an expression of his love for her and for bringing her up. This cup corresponds with the cup which Yahshua shared with His disciples during His last Passover before His impalement, when He washed His disciples feet, thereby transferring His inheritance to them with the sandal covenant. Since it was customary for the prospective husband not to drink wine until he returns to fetch his bride one day, Yahshua also said in Luke 22: 17 – 18, “Take this and share it among yourselves; (18) for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of Elohim comes.” After the couple had the third cup of wine, the groom paid the price for his bride, namely thirty pieces of silver, as specified in Leviticus 27: 4. The price that Yahshua paid for us was to pay our death penalty for disobedience to Torah. The free gift He gives us at immersion is when He redeems us and we are saved. This is when we accept Him as our personal Passover. At this point the groom and His father left for their home where the son had the responsibility to prepare a place or position under the control of his father, who was the only one who could judge when the groom’s preparation for his bride were complete and sufficient. After this the bride-to-be has to wait for him to return and collect her. This is when the young man would announce as Yahshua did in John 14: 2, saying: “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.” In ancient times the young man would return to his father’s house and build a room for her there. The young man was not allowed to do a careless job and had to obtain his father’s approval before he could deem the room ready for his future bride. For those who believe that this means the bride will one day go to heaven, they need to understand that this simply means the temple of Elohim, which will also one day in the future be built by the remnant of the lost ten tribes, who qualify to be in Elohim’s Kingdom, as witnessed in Zechariah 6: 15, in this way: ‘”And those who are far off will come and build the temple of YHVH.” Then you will know that YHVH of hosts has sent me to you. And it will take place, if you completely obey YHVH your Elohim.’ This tells us that it all depends on our obedience to Elohim, at this time.

At this point in time neither the young man or his bride-to-be knows when he will return, but it is as Yahshua told his disciples in Matthew 24: 36, saying: “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the son, but the Father alone.” During the groom’s absence, the bride-to-be would prepare herself, in order to be pure and beautiful when the groom returns one day. During this time of preparation she would wear a veil wherever she goes, to show that she is betrothed and spoken for. Once the wedding chamber meets the young man’s father’s approval, the father would send the young man to return to his future bride’s home to collect her. According to the ancient Hebrew wedding custom the bride-to-be kept a lamp beside her bed, and her bridesmaids also waited with her with oil available for their lamps. Similar as to the parable in Matthew 25, at the bridegroom’s return to his future bride’s home, he would come after sunset and could arrive as late as midnight, with a shout and the sound of a shofar to inform her to be ready. Also in accordance with the parable in Matthew 25, only those who prepare for the marriage, by continually studying Torah and thereby getting to know the groom better, will be ready when the groom returns one day as we read from verses 6 – 12, in this way: “But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him’ (7) Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. (8) And the foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ (9) But the prudent answered, saying, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ (10) And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. (11) And later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Master, master, open up for us.’ (12) But he answered and said, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’” The groom will reject the virgins who are not ready at his arrival, and will take his future bride and her maids and leave for the wedding chamber in his father’s house. When they arrive at the groom’s father’s house they will enter the wedding chamber for a period of seven days to consummate the marriage. The groom’s best friend would guard the wedding chamber’s door so that no one could enter or exit during the seven day honeymoon period. After the seven days the groom would hand the bed sheets bearing the blood the bride shed due to her first intercourse. This is to show that his wife was pure before the wedding, but it also represents a blood covenant similar to Elohim’s covenant with His people. In our case, Yahshua’s clothing stained with His own blood, which He shed for His adulterous bride, covers our sins, showing the Father that we are purified by the shed blood of Yahshua our Messiah and Savior. During the seven day honeymoon, the couple’s friends would celebrate their wedding, until the couple comes out of the wedding chamber, at which time there would be congratulations and the marriage supper will commence. The fourth cup of wine will be shared between the bride and the groom during the marriage supper. The fourth cup awaits those who are chosen to be the bride by Yahshua.

Our calling by YHVH at this time is comparable to the parable of the wedding feast for the king’s son in Matthew 22: 1 – 14, as follows: ‘And Yahshua answered and spoke to them again in parables, saying, (2) “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king, who gave a wedding feast for his son. (3) And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come (not many of those called to follow the way of Elohim, are willing to do so). (4) Again he sent out other slaves saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened livestock are all butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast.”’(5) But they paid no attention and went their way, one to his own farm, another to his business (not many people are concerned about the good news of the coming kingdom of Elohim, since they are too busy making a living, and they do not have time to share this important message with like-minded believers), (6) and the rest seized his slaves and mistreated them and killed them. (7) But the king was enraged and sent his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and set their city on fire. (8) Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. (9) Go therefore to the main highways, and as many as you find there invite to the wedding feast.’ (10) And those slaves went out into the streets, and gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests. (11) But when the king came in to look over the dinner guest, he saw there a man not dressed in wedding clothes, (12) and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?’ And he was speechless. (13) Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (14) For many are called, but few are chosen.”

What is the meaning of this parable? Those of us called at this time should feel extremely honored, but not so much so that we get swollen heads. The fact that we are here, is because those who were better than us, did not accept (YHVH)’s call in the first place. It is for this reason that YHVH is calling us from the highways to come and take the place of those who refused to answer His call or who followed the way of Elohim for a while, but got sidetracked and lost their way. We also read about our calling from first Corinthians 1: 26 – 29, in this way: “For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; (27) but Elohim has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and Elohim has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, (28) and the base things of the world and the despised, Elohim has chosen, the things that are not, that He might nullify the things that are, (29) that no man should boast before Elohim.” Most of us called at this time cannot boast about whom we are and where we come from. But, even though YHVH called the weak of the world, He expects us to grow in grace and knowledge, until such time as Yahshua returns, or until we die, as Rav Kepha wrote in 2 Peter 3: 14 – 18, saying: ‘Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, (15) and regard the patience of our Master to be salvation; just as also our beloved brother Shaul, according to wisdom given him, wrote to you, (16) as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction (this is talking about those who teach that Rav Shaul was teaching against Torah observance). (17) You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard lest, being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness, (18) but grow in grace and knowledge of our Master and Savior Yahshua Messiah. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amein.’

Our main aim should be to qualify as kings and priests under Yahshua during His millennium rule, no matter the consequences. Our calling gives us the opportunity to become joint heirs with Yahshua, as we read from Yaa’cov (James) 2: 5, as follows: ‘Listen, my beloved brethren: did not Elohim choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?’ We read further from Romans 8: 29 & 30, ‘For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren; and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.’ Contrary to Satan’s lie that Torah has been abolished by the Christian Messiah, it is spiritual and the everlasting teachings of YHVH our Elohim for both houses of Israel. It was always His will and wisdom for all Israel, and even though the nation of Israel was taken captive because of her idolatrous ways, YHVH is again at this time calling out a remnant to return to Him and His ways. Like with the prodigal son, it is time we realize that the spiritual food that we were given during our period in our exile were totally false and contrary to the way of Elohim. After answering Elohim’s call to return, we repent of our past disobedience to Torah are immersed into Yahshua’s saving name, which is but the beginning of our walk with YHVH our Elohim. We remain His workmanship for the rest of our lives, during which time, if we continue to follow His way, He will create His perfect character in us, as we read from Ephesians 1: 4 & 5, ‘just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (set-apart) and blameless before Him. In love. (5) He predestined us to adoption as sons through Yahshua Messiah to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will.’ As flesh and blood human beings, our characters are not permanent and we may change our minds and the patterns of our behavior – learning from our mistakes and successful decisions. Since we are able to change our minds and repent from our wrong decisions in the past, Elohim is able to create in us the will and capacity to slowly but surely learn to choose the right way. But, as we gain additional knowledge, Elohim requires that we recognize where we have gone wrong, and be willing to change for the better, on an ongoing basis. It is for this reason that He gives us a portion of His Set-apart Spirit, which allows us to produce the fruits of the spirit, mentioned in Galatians 5: 22 & 23 in our lives.

By becoming more Torah observant over time, we are slowly but surely elevated into a higher spiritual plane. This is one way in which we have a relationship with YHVH, which in itself elevates us to a higher level, as we read from Jeremiah 7: 23, as follows: “But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your Elohim, and you will be My people; and you will walk in all the way which I command you, that it may be well with you.’” The word ‘mitzvah’ in Hebrew means commandment, but as we obey YHVH, we also develop a companionship or union with Him. It is true that Yahshua’s death was to reconcile us back to the Father, but it is by keeping Elohim’s commandments that we have fellowship with Him. We read accordingly from first John 1: 6 & 7, ‘If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth (Torah); (7) but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Yahshua His Son cleanses us from all sin.’ As much as we need physical food to survive and grow physically, we need the teachings of Elohim to survive and grow spiritually, as Yahshua also told Satan when He was tempted by him to change a stone into bread, saying: “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE.’” Yahshua did not mean that we also need other foods such as meat and vegetables, but He quoted from Deuteronomy 8: 3, where we read: “And He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of YHVH.” In other words, since man was both created and made, he needs both physical food to feed his body, and spiritual food to sustain the spirit in him.

As much as physical food is required for our physical welfare, so is spiritual food necessary for our spiritual welfare. When His disciples offered Yahshua physical food in John 4: 31, He answered them in verse 32, saying: “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” Continuing in verses 33 & 34, we read: ‘The disciples therefore were saying to one another, “No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?” (34) Yahshua said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work.”’ When we study Torah, we get a better understanding of who YHVH is and what He requires of us. In addition, since Torah is Elohim’s wisdom, we read from Psalm 19: 7, ‘The law (Torah) of YHVH is perfect, restoring the soul (which is an integrated part of the spirit according to Hebrews 4: 12[1]); The testimony of YHVH is sure making wise the simple.’ This also tells us how we are able to improve from the weakness in which we were called, to become sons and daughters of Elohim; if we want to make it into the kingdom of Elohim. The point is that YHVH wants each and every one whom He calls out of the world, to take time out to get to know Him better, as witnessed in Deuteronomy 4: 27 - 29, in this way: “And YHVH will scatter you among the peoples, and you shall be left few in number among the nations, where YHVH shall drive you. (28) And there you will serve gods, the work of man’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell. (29) But from there you will seek YHVH your Elohim, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart (belief system) and all your soul (the way we live).” If you and I build or are at this time busy building our spiritual house on the rock of our salvation namely Yahshua, it will withstand any storm. But those who build their spiritual house on the foundation of mere men, will soon come tumbling down, as we are told in Yahshua’s own words in Matthew 7: 21 – 27, as follows: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Master, Master,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. (22) Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Master, Master, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ (23) And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’ (24) Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, who built his home upon the rock. (25) And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and yet did not fall, for it had been founded upon the rock. (26) And everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does not act upon them, will be like a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand. (27) And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and it fell, and great was its fall.”

Let’s conclude by determining how we as Messiah’s bride need to prepare to meet Him at His return. After we have studied and obeyed Torah for a number of years, Yahshua requires us to teach new believers what we have learnt from Him, through self-study and the teachers commissioned by Him to go into the world to teach the Israelites scattered among all nations of the world, to observe all His commandments. It is only when we study, discuss, and teach Torah that we fully understand its deeper meaning; at which point the Set-apart Spirit which combined with the spirit of a believer, gives him/her understanding of the spiritual things of YHVH and we become clothed with the garment of Torah (which is Spiritual – as per Romans 7: 14). As much as we change our physical clothes because of dirt, etc., so will Torah change our garments of deeds, decisions and speech (which is under control of the spirit in us – as per Job 32: 8), for different thoughts by the renewal of our minds, as witnessed by Rav Yaa’cov in James 1: 21 – 25, as follows: ‘Therefore putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. (22) But prove yourself doers of the word (Torah), and not merely hearers who delude themselves. (23) For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; (24) for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. (It is by looking into Torah like a mirror, that we discover our sins or shortcomings; and it is then that we are supposed to clean the dirt on our faces – the sin which makes us unclean.) (25) But one who looks intently at the perfect law (Torah), the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer, but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does.’

We need to put away our filthy spiritual garments and put on Torah, as recorded in Colossians 3: 8 – 10, in this way: ‘But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. (9) Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, (10) and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him.’ A second witness comes from Ephesians 4: 22 – 24, in this way: ‘That, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, (23) and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, (24) and put on the new self, which in the likeness of Elohim has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.’ We need to put on Torah, so that we may become like Yahshua the image of Elohim, who is the living incarnation of the Torah, which corresponds with the words in Revelation 22: 14, as follows: ‘Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.’ The King James Version replaced the underlined words used in the New American Standard Bible, with ‘they that do his commandments’. We may therefore conclude that the only way to prepare to meet Messiah and to ensure that we are suitably clothed at His return is by keeping the commandments. Think about it!

[1] Hebrews 4: 12, ‘For the word of Elohim is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of the soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.’