The Marriage Supper of the Lamb
Our wedding is themed after the marriage supper of the Lamb, because we desire our relationship to mirror the love between Yeshua and his bride. Many parables reflect wedding traditions and are used to convey how Yeshua redeems his people. Since our Heavenly Father has modeled his plan for humanity after these marriage traditions, we were inspired to incorporate them into our wedding. It is our desire that everyone who attends can experience, to some small degree, a sample of what Yeshua has in store for those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!
The Wise Virgins
Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
At midnight the cry rang out: '“Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!”
The foolish virgins were not ready when the bridegroom arrived. The wise virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet and the door was shut. Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’. But he replied, "‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
When joining us everyone will have to wait at the bottom of the Gondola. When everything is ready the bridegroom will come and call the guests to the top of the mountain. Foolish guests who are not ready to load on the Gondola will miss the bridegroom and will not be allowed to ascend the mountain until after the ceremony is complete.
The Wedding Garments
But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless. Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ — Matthew 22:11
We are the bride of Christ and the Bible describes our attire as fine linen. We get the distinct impression that the Marriage Supper of the Lamb will not be a casual event; therefore, we have asked all of our guests to dress their best as if they were attending the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
I will greatly rejoice in YHWH, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. — Isaiah 61:10
Mountain Tops
On this mountain YHWH will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine— the best of meats and the finest of wines. — Isaiah 25:6
Seems like YHWH likes a mountain top venue! We will be serving the best kosher meats and wines. The first wedding covenant, where YHWH became a husband to the people of Israel occurred on Mt Sinai, so there is good prescedent.
Tuesday Wedding
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana in Galilee… — John 2
The 3rd day Yeshua attended a wedding and turned water into wine. Prophetically, the 3rd day refers to the 1000 year millennial reign. Jewish tradition also considers the 3rd day to be doubly blessed because it is the only day in the genesis account where YHWH declared it to be good twice.
Full Moon / Tu B’ Av
Regardless of which feast day Yeshua returns and calls us up, they almost all occur on a Full Moon. The Full Moon gives good light for an evening celebration. Our wedding on Tu B’Av (15th day of month of Av) under a full moon. While we did not know it when we chose the date, we later discovered that Tu B’ Av may be the most appropriate of all feast days for a wedding and was at one point considered among the top two feast days. It is considered the Jewish “Valentine’s Day”. Learn more about Tu B’ Av.
Dancing
When the young women of Shiloh come out to join in the dancing, rush from the vineyards and each of you take one of them to be your wife. — Judges 21:21
It was a tradition on Tu B’Av for women to borrow white dresses and dance in the vineyard and for the men to come find a bride. Whether this was Tu B’ Av or not, it is clear that dancing was a part of Hebrew weddings.
Communion
For I tell you that I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes. — Luke 22:18
We will be doing communion at the feast because Yeshua told us to do it in remembrance of him moments before implying he will drink again with us when his kingdom comes… presumably at the marriage supper of the lamb. Furthermore, there is a Hebrew tradition that after the parents consent to an engagement the father of the groom would pour a cup of wine, hand it to his son. The son would then offer it to his (hopefully soon-to-be) bride, with the promise that “This is a covenant in my blood” or something similar. To accept she would drink it. To reject the request (because hers was the final decision) she would simply return the cup.
In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” — Luke 22:20
Worship
Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude,
like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder,
shouting:
“Hallelujah!
For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear.” — Revelation 19:6
There is clearly worship at the marriage supper of the Lamb!
Not A Jewish Wedding
We are not Jewish. While we may borrow some traditions from them, our wedding will focus mostly on the traditions implied by the parables of Yeshua and other biblical references. We believe that Yeshua is the Messiah, that we are saved by grace alone, and that we demonstrate our belief and love with our obedience to His law.
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets;
I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly,
I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota,
not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
— Matthew 5:17
