Living in Readiness:

The Fetching of the Bride

Why is it so difficult to be patient? Generally, we resent postponements and delays of scheduled events because we live in a society that is accustomed to immediate gratification. None of us have enough love and patience for the next phase of the Jewish wedding. This is a time that will test the forbearance of even the most committed bride. We always have a choice to trust and be patient or we can choose not to trust and be impatient. As we learn from the life of the newly appointed King of Israel, being impatient and not trusting God’s timing can have costly consequences. In fact, Saul learned the hard way that it could cost him his kingdom.

Disregarding God’s Word has Consequences

The narrative of this account is found in 1 Samuel 13:7-8. We find Saul waiting in Gilgal for the prophet Samuel to come and bless the impending battle with the fierce Philistines. As Saul was waiting for Samuel to arrive, “the people were scattering from him.” Impatient Saul decided to take matters into his own hands and do something that was strictly forbidden by God (see 1 Samuel 13:9-14).

Saul’s impatience caused him to disregard and disobey the clear word of God. Samuel was the one to offer the sacrifice and bring the blessing of the battle upon the children of Israel. If only Saul had trusted God and waited just a little longer. His impatience cost him his kingdom. He disregarded the words of the Lord and His prophet Samuel by taking matters into his own hands.

God’s Slowness equates His Kindness

Today we live in an impatient society just as in the days of the apostles. Listen to what Peter says to those who are mocking the Lord and ignoring His warnings to trust in Messiah.

2 Peter 3:3-4, “Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.”

2 Peter 3:8-9, “But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”

Do we eagerly Anticipate His Return?

What we consider to be the tarrying of His return is in fact the very demonstration of His compassion toward those who reject Him. Moreover, how great is His patient love toward His chosen bride? Instead of considering the groom to be slow to return we should see this time as a gift to prepare for our groom’s arrival. This particular stage has both an element of surprise and mystery. This eager anticipation for His return has an intrinsic value to be ready at any moment since the exact timing of the groom’s return is not known.

Redemption of the Soul and Body

At the very first Passover when God was redeeming the children of Israel from bondage, they had to be ready to leave at a moment’s notice. They were to prepare the meal by slaying the lamb and placing the blood on the door. How did they eat the first Passover meal with lamb, bitter herbs and matzah? The Scriptures explain that they were to partake of this meal with their sandals still on their feet, their long robes fastened about them to be able to travel, and a staff in their hand. As they heeded the instructions of Moses, it is evident that they had to be ready to leave at any moment. They were to anticipate their release from bondage with readiness and preparedness. This is our job, as well as we wait for our groom. At any time, our Groom could return, and He expects us to be ready to leave.

Get Ready!

Instead of growing anxious or doubtful, the wise bride knows in her heart that because of her groom’s great love for her, when all the preparations are finished and the time is right, he will return at just the right moment. She knows that she is desired by her beloved. Every day she must keep in the forefront of her thinking that this present betrothal period is her opportunity to make herself ready to meet her groom.

Auspicious Preparations

While the bride is making herself ready, what is the groom doing? The groom is also getting ready; he is preparing a place for his bride. During this betrothal time the groom has many responsibilities. As the provider and protector of his bride, he has to prepare a suitable home for his beloved. This home would reflect upon his love and value that he placed on his bride. Typically, the groom would build an addition to his father’s home. After his father gave the final approval, then, and only then, could his son fetch his bride and bring her to their new dwelling place. This initiates the third phase, the fetching of the bride.

Don’t be Worried or Anxious

With this in mind let’s consider the words of Yeshua to His disciples just before He died as the Lamb of God to pay the bride price and return to His Father’s house. In John 14, Messiah not only tells His disciples that he is going away, but He also tells them what He will be doing while He is away from them. Messiah assures them that even after He is gone from the earth that He will return and He will bring them to His Father’s home. He tells them not to be worried or anxious. In light of this hope, He will be busy preparing an eternal home for them (see John 14:1-3).

The Father Knows

When the time is right, He will return and bring His bride there to be with Him. It is important to recognize that even Messiah, our Groom, did not know the exact time that He would return for His bride. When His disciples were growing impatient, in eager anticipation for the establishment of the Messianic Kingdom, they pressed Yeshua to give them an idea of when He would return. Yeshua answered, “But that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone” Matthew 24:36.

In Jewish tradition the groom’s coming was to be so unexpected and unpredictable. It was customary for the groom to snatch his bride at night with excitement, noise, and blazing torches lighting the way. The parable of the ten virgins illustrates this tradition. It clearly communicates the sense of suddenness at the Groom’s appearance and the needed readiness of the Bride (see Matthew 25:10-13).

Heavenly Shout!

In the New Covenant, the snatching away of the Bride has a specific name and it is commonly known by the term, the rapture (see 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Messiah will rise first.”

Sudden Appearing

Note that this is a personal appearance of the Lord Himself. Messiah will leave His position where He sits enthroned at the right hand of God the Father (Romans 8:34, Eph. 1:20 and Colossians 3:1). The shout implies authority and urgency and is followed by the voice of the archangel and the great shofar of God.

The shofar of God is spoken of in 1 Cor. 15:51-53, which is a parallel portion regarding the rapture of the Bride of Messiah. 1 Corinthians 15:51-53, “Behold I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last shofar; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.”

The sound of the trumpet will be a clear signal to the believers; both to those who have died and those who are still alive to meet the Lord in the air. What a wonderful event to live for, to anticipate, to contemplate, and to absolutely expect even in our lifetime.

(Excerpted from Miriam’s book Eternally Desired)