According to The Knot 2015 Real Weddings Study, the average cost of a wedding in America (excluding the honeymoon) is $32,641. The median price of the world’s most expensive weddings is millions, and in one recent example, a full billion. Many seek to perpetuate the idea of “a dream wedding” with limousines, designer dresses, elaborate floral displays, extensive meals, exotic destinations, fireworks, and much more. However, all these examples will pale in comparison to the coming “marriage of the Lamb” (Revelation 19:7).

In this chapter, John was looking forward in time to the end of the Millennial Kingdom, a thousand years after the end of the Tribulation. This will be a remarriage of saved Jews, or Israel, back to Jehovah. It has absolutely nothing to do with believers in the Body of Christ. In the Old Testament, Israel was seen as the spiritually adulterous wife of Jehovah (Jeremiah 3:6-8; Hosea 2:2), whom He consequentially divorced (Isaiah 50:1). In eternity, the Lord will remarry Israel after taking her through the trials of the Tribulation and the final rebellion at the end of the Millennium. Their faithfulness in Tribulation persecutions is described as, “His wife hath made herself ready” (vs. 7). Her adornment is described as, “she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of [the] saints” (vs. 8). An angel will announce, “Praise our God, all ye His servants” (vs. 5), and the voice of “a great multitude…(sings) saying Alleluia: for the Lord omnipotent reigneth” (vs. 6). While in our culture, a wedding is “the brides day” to receive the primary attention, at this wedding, those singing will “give honour to Him” [the Lord Jesus] (vs. 7). However, we should note that, technically, the bride is not even Israel. An angel identifies “the bride, the Lamb’s wife” as “the holy Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God” (Revelation 21:10). This will be a magnificent sight and wondrous occasion. This city represents the redeemed of Israel, rejoined in a holy relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ in a future eternal state.

While this “marriage of the Lamb” specifically belongs to Israel, there is a parallel for us in the Body of Christ. In a purely spiritual sense, we too “should be…married to another, even to Him who is raised from the dead” (Romans 7:4). The Savior would have us know that His purpose for us now is to make ready for this eternal state. How? “We should bring forth [spiritual] fruit unto God” (Romans 7:4).