Bridegroom

TRE WIGGINS

Scripture Readings: 

Isaiah 62:5

For as a young man marries a young woman, so your sons will marry you; and as a groom rejoices over his bride, so your God will rejoice over you.

John 3:29a

He who has the bride is the groom.

Ephesians 5:22-32

Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord, 23 because the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of the body. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives are to submit to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her with the washing of water by the word. 27 He did this to present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and blameless. 28 In the same way, husbands are to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hates his own flesh but provides and cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, 30 since we are members of his body. 31 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. 32 This mystery is profound, but I am talking about Christ and the church.

Revelation 21:1-2

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 I also saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.

Revelation 22:17

Both the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let anyone who hears, say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come. Let the one who desires take the water of life freely.

Commentary: 

Assured, Coming Marriage

If you’re married, think back to your engagement period, prior to being wed to your spouse. It was a time of great anticipation, was it not? Wondering what life would be like, dreaming about journeying together and navigating through life’s ups and downs. It is a wonderful season of expectancy! 

In a similar way, the Body of Christ is being prepared like a Bride, one day to be united with her Groom, Jesus Christ. In this case, the expectation is increased infinitely; there will be no downs, only ups! When the Church, the Body of Christ, is presented to Him, we will be with Him forever in the new earth. There is no joy like that which will be experienced on the day His Body is presented to Him, to be united together for all eternity. But, until that day comes, the Bride is being prepared. People are coming to saving faith; others are being built up in the faith, maturing and growing in Christlikeness. 

And then, the Groom will come for His Bride. When He does, the Scripture describes to us a great wedding feast, the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. We will live in the celebration of meeting our King! The union we have with Him now, will be perfected on that day. What a day it will be!

Prayer & Reflection: 

Father, we greatly anticipate the day in which we will be united with the Lord Jesus. I pray that the Body of Christ, the Bride, would increase. That many more would come to saving faith, joining me at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. May you use me to spread the gospel message where I am today!