Devotion 4: A Wedding Celebration
Pastor Ferdinand Sanders
Whether or not you are married, I feel like it is safe to say that we are all familiar with the wedding ceremony. This celebratory occasion is when friends and family all gather together, some traveling great distances, to celebrate love, commitment, and sacrifice. It is the union of marriage. For many women, this is a day that they have dreamed of for almost their entire lives. I have commonly heard people say that their wedding day was “one of the best days of their life.” Coincidentally, I find myself writing this on the anniversary of my wedding day! Some aspects of the wedding I remember in great detail, while other parts of the day are a little bit of a blur. The day somehow felt both very long as well as super quick. I remember the weather was perfect, and it was such a joy to celebrate with people who love and care deeply for both of us as individuals, as well as a wedded couple.
In Revelation chapter 21, after we see all sin and evil defeated, John begins to go into detail regarding a “New Heaven” and “New Earth” that is “prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (Revelation 21:2). The imagery and symbolism of a wedding ceremony is not a foreign concept in the Bible. Many of you may have heard the Church referred to as the “bride” of Christ. I must admit that at first, I found it a little strange to be collectively referred to as the “bride,” but the more I began to think about it and understand it, the more I realized just how beautiful and perfect the imagery is.
As the Church, whenever we look at the marital relationship, one of the best examples we get as husbands is found in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Paul writes, “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25). In fact, I almost feel like we do not fully embrace all that verse conveys when we only view it through the lens of the marital partnership. We see the perfect example, and we try our best to contextualize and apply it to our human nature, but we know that ultimately we will inevitably always fall short through our own strengths.
To me, this concept truly is fulfilled in Revelation because of the Gospel. Through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, our slate is wiped clean. That is incredible imagery of a bride in a perfect and spotless wedding dress! Now imagine Christ at the altar, what I can only imagine is excitedly waiting for His bride to turn the corner, smiling from ear to ear, knowing that we are to be united with Him in the “New Jerusalem.”
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,
and death shall be no more,
neither shall there be mourning,
nor crying, nor pain anymore,
for the former things have passed away.”
Revelation 21:4