Yesterday’s devotional discussed the philosophy and reasons for the Earthly betrothal process. Today’s devotional will examine some of the detailed workings and implementation. As with the Jewish holidays, betrothal embeds many concepts that point to our LORD Jesus Christ, the bridegroom who is betrothed to His bride, the Church.
The first step in betrothal is to select the bride for the groom, which is called Shiddukhin and means “sanctification” or “set apart”. In this step, the legal arrangements were made and in ancient Israel this was commonly done by the father. In Genesis 24:1-4, Abraham was unable to select the bride for his son Isaac, so he designated a shadkhan (matchmaker) to perform the task. As seen in Fiddler on the Roof, women may also serve as matchmakers. In the case of Jesus Christ, it was God the Father.
Once the bride is nominated, the families must write the marriage contract. This process is called the Ketubah, which means “written”, and is still used today in Jewish culture. As in any legal contract, the terms and conditions of the marriage are stipulated expressly. These included the grooms promise to support his wife and the bride’s financial commitment of her dowry (Genesis 24:52-53). Although the marriage was arranged by others, the wife had a say in the arrangements (Genesis 24:5, 55-58).
Conversely, the groom made a bridal payment, or Mohar, to the bride’s family (Genesis 24:53, 29:20, 27). This payment ultimately went to the bride. By accepting this monetary exchange, she was released her from her parents household and her status changed forever.
Commonly, the bride and the groom performed separately a ritual immersion, or mikveh, before entering the actual betrothal period. This was done as a means of spiritual cleansing. This mikveh was very similar to what the Levites priests did to perform ceremonial cleansing.
Step two is the actual betrothal, or Eyrusin. The betrothal commitment is much stronger and binding than our tradition of engagement, which can be broken outside a court of law. To terminate a betrothal required a legal divorce or annulment (Deuteronomy 24:1-4), not just the consent of one or more parties. Thus, one did not enter into betrothal lightly.
After the mikveh, the bride and groom would each appear together publicly under the Huppah, or canopy, to express their intention to be betrothed. During the ceremony, items of value were exchanged, such as rings. The couple also shared a cup of wine to seal their betrothal vows. These acts deemed them officially married, yet they did not have sexual relations or live together for one year.
After the ceremony, the groom would give his bride a bridal gift as a symbol of his love and as a pledge of his love for her. This served as a reminder to the bride that he was thinking of her during their separation and that he would return to her. The groom then returned home to prepare a place for his bride and their future family. This is the same process Jesus promised to do for us (John 14:2-4).
The groom’s responsibility to build a dwelling was typically fulfilled by adding on to the family’s existing home. A condition of the abode, as determined by the Rabbis, was that it must be better than the bride’s previous residence. Importantly, groom did not decide when the dwelling was ready for the bride; rather, the groom’s father made the decision and gave final approval. Thus, the groom did not know when his wedding day in advance. The bride’s responsibility was to prepare the wedding garments.
Our LORD Jesus Christ is a bridegroom awaiting His bride. In the Jewish tradition and as He told His disciples, He did not know the day of His wedding (Matthew 24:32-36). Only the Father knows. As with other Jewish bridegrooms, Jesus must wait for the Father to declare the appropriate time has come. At that time, there will be the greatest wedding feast ever (Revelation 19:7-9). If your name is written in God’s Book of Life, you are on the wedding list for Jesus’s marriage. If not, ask Him today to come into your life to be your LORD and Savior.
It is normal to enter marriage with deliberation and planning, no matter the culture. Marriage is a sacred covenant in God’s eyes and is meant to be a lifetime commitment. Jesus’ marriage with His bride, the Church, is eternal and is in the preparation stage. God the Father already has the plan and has set the date. Jesus is preparing a mansion for us in Heaven and it will be a much better place to live than any other we have experienced. What joy we receive from being part of His betrothal!
“I’m Normal.™ I AM.”
It’s God Talking to You
In His love and service,
Jeff Myers
A servant of Jesus Christ
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