The Hidden Mystery of the Kallah כַּלָּה ; phonetically pronounced (kal-law’).
These days there is much chatter about the signs of the times, end of days and Jesus soon return. The catching away from 1 Thessalonians is often termed the rapture.
Also called the Parousia and the blessed hope of Titus 2:13
The rapture is an eschatological term used by certain Christians, particularly within branches of American evangelicalism, referring to a end time event when all Christian believers will be “caught up”, translated into the clouds, in a moment in time, to join the Lord in the air. 
In fact the specific word ‘rapture’ itself does not appear anywhere in the scripture text however It has become a much used by word and originated right out of the Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible.
…deinde nos qui vivimus qui relinquimur simul rapiemur cum illis in nubibus obviam Domino in aera et sic semper cum Domino erimus.. –1 Thessalonians 4:17 (Latin Vulgate)
In the New American Standard Version, the English phrase, “caught up,” is used. The same phrase is used in the King James and New International Versions. .” In the Latin Vulgate, one of the oldest Bibles in existence, the appropriate tense of rapio appears in verse 17. (Raptus is the past participle of rapio, and our English words “rapt” and “rapture” stem from this past participle.)
So this term “Rapture” comes from a Latin word, “rapio,” that means “to catch up, to snatch away, or to take out.” It is, in turn, a translation of the Greek word, “harpazo. the Harpz, the “snatching up” of the Church.
The Latin equivalent of the Greek Harpazo is the Latin verb rapio, “to take away by force.
The very definition of the word “harpazo” that we get the word “rapture” from, is: to openly and forcibly snatch something from someone.
Strong’s Greek Concordance #726 harpázō – properly, seize by force; snatch up, suddenly and decisively – like someone seizing bounty (spoil, a prize); to take by an open display of force (i.e. not covertly or secretly).
Notice in the preceding definition, “harpazo” means to “openly seize” – not covertly or secretly.
Used in the late 16th century (in the sense ‘seizing and carrying off’): from obsolete French, or from medieval Latin raptura ‘seizing,’ partly influenced by rapt. 
This post is not attempting to focus on or to prove/disprove any of the options proffered by believers. Intended only to show Messiah’s use of and reference to ancient Israel and the Jewish/Hebrew wedding and how it relates to forthcoming events; and to those that have already occurred, including the fulfillment of the promise which our Lord confirmed at the Last Supper: John 14:1-3
This is a wide subject however this focus is on the wedding part.
The elements of a Jewish wedding normally include the following: one chosson (the groom), one kallah (the bride), and a ceremony sometimes referred to as kiddushin. Separate steps usually accompany a traditional wedding: Shidduch – it’s a match! Vort – formal engagement; Ketubah – or Betrothal marriage contract.
We the believers in Jesus the Messiah/Yeshua Ha Mashiach are His kallah /Calah. kallah /Calah is Hebrew for bride. (Seems both spellings are used.)
It may be easier for ladies than for men, in identifying with being a bride. The likeness is simply for God’s purposes, and to reveal His covenant and the deep close relationship that the children of Israel have with Him; which would be a reminder for them beginning with Moses at Sinai.
This mystery is hidden in the Hebrew covenant of a marriage and the wedding ceremonies in which the focus was originally more on the groom than the bride!
Looking at Isaiah 62:5: “For as a young man marries a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee. And as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.”
In the first part of this verse in Isaiah it appears that Israel is playing the role of a bridegroom rather than a bride if we consider the word sons as male. Then in the second part he is addressing Israel as if they were to be a husband to God, as this second part of the verse declares that the ones he is addressing are now the bride to God who is in the role of the bridegroom.
The word bridegroom here is katan, which is another word for marriage. This word for marriage has the idea of joining together in complete truth and honesty. When God as the bridegroom is married to us He is joined to us in complete truth. Remembering here Jesus words, “They that worship God must worship Him in Spirit and in truth.” John 4:24.
So that is God’s side of the deal, He is the bridegroom, but what are we as the bride or Kallah? In it’s primitive form the word Kallah has a double lamed which represents prayer with uplifted hands.
Hebrew letter Lamed
This word is a picture of reaching up to your lover with an open empty heart asking him to fill your heart with his presence. The root word is a little strange because it means both a filling or completion and a wasting away. However, the sages chose this word to represent a bride because a bride is to fill her heart with the desires of her bridegroom while her own desires waste away. Hard for us to understand, as this flies in the face of our modern thinking.
God gave us a marriage relationship to help us understand our relationship with Him. It cannot be just one sided, looking to God as a bride to a bridegroom, there is the other side of the coin to consider, our beloved God has a heart similar to the heart He breathed into us.
Just as our hearts can be broken, so too can we break His heart. He has chosen to make Himself vulnerable to those He loves and love Him in return.
We must make sure we do not break His heart.
כַּלָה is the Hebrew word for bride is Kallah, (Calah) which comes from the root word Kalah meaning; to finish, complete, prepare, to make perfect (in the sense of totality rather than of being unblemished) and to consume. (Strong’s #3618 and 3634).
There is also the meaning in this word of something fulfilling its purpose. Also means daughter in law.
From the Cross Jesus said, “It is finished” or in keeping with our Hebrew word for completed/fulfilled.
Jesus returns to initiate the catching away of believers.
Lekhah Dodi means “come my beloved,” and is a request of a mysterious “beloved” that could mean either God or one’s friend(s) to join together in welcoming Shabbat that is referred to as the “bride“: likrat kallah (“to greet the [Shabbat] bride“).
Chatan: Hebrew word for groom.
Strongs 2860 Chathan חָתָן
phonetic pronounced (khaw-thawn’) חָתָן
The biblical word chatan means both son-in-law and bridegroom, (most scholars believe that the initial meaning was only son-in-law, and that bridegroom was a later development) and ‘ka•la’ also means daughter-in-law.
In the Hebrew wedding song: “The voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom [hatan] and the voice of the bride [kalah].” the voice of those who shall say, Praise the Lord of Hosts; for the Lord is good; for his mercy endures for ever; and of those who shall bring the sacrifice of praise to the house of the Lord. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, says the Lord’.
Jeremiah 33:11
The wedding in Jesus day began with an agreement between the bride and groom, like engagement today. The bridegroom Journeys to the bride’s house for the covenant is made at her house.
Applying the process to believers, the Bridegroom has already made his visit! We are engaged, we are betrothed to Him.
At the time of this agreement a formal document called the Ketubah , was signed.
The Ketubah Agreement or covenant of marriage/ betrothal, included a price to be paid for the bride. In Hebrew the Mohar/Mohair.
We sometimes know it as a Dowry.
It was considered that the husband and his family were gaining an asset and the bride’s family were losing one. And the price was according to the wealth of the Groom’s Father. The choice of whom the Bride would be and the Bride price or Mohar as it was called, was to reflect the Father of the Groom’s honor, integrity and stature; His future generations were at stake. Even if the Bride’s family was not wealthy, if the Groom’s Father was, the price was to reflect his wealth.
At that time the couple was considered to be married, even though the marriage was not consummated. She belongs to him now, for she has been “bought with a price’, and this purchase has been witnessed and confirmed.
Matthew 26: 27-28
“Then having taken a cup, after He gave thanks He gave the cup to them saying, “You must all drink from this, for this is My blood of the covenant, which is being poured out on behalf of many for forgiveness of sins.”
Luke 22:20
“This is the cup of the New Covenant in My blood which is being poured out on your behalf.”
Considering the stature and wealth of the heavenly Father, what would be a better fitting price for the Bride of Christ, the Church other than the life of His Son.
Jesus already paid the ultimate price for us His bride. By giving up his life for us at Calvary’s cross. 
The father of the bride may accept the bridal price. If he does, then it is up to the bride to accept the offer of marriage. She (the bride to be) accepts his offer when she drinks from the cup filled with wine or grape juice.
In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the renewed covenant in My blood. As often as you drink it, do this in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the death of the Master until He comes. 1 Corinthians 11: 25-26
After the wine is drunk, the young man says the words in John 14:2-3: “In My Father’s house are many rooms. I go to prepare a place for you. And, if I go to prepare and place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself, that where I am, there you may be also”.
This is not so we can have a mansion of our own and do nothing but sit around. It is so we can be with Him and to share eternity with Him and be a part of the future He has planned for us.
The groom then went back to where he came from, his father’s house. He prepared a place, usually on family property, for the couple .
This Ketubah has 2 parts involving a shared cup of wine, with one at the initiation of the agreement and the other at the consummation.
The first part happens at the initial acceptance of the agreement with the sharing of the first cup of wine.
The second part happens when the wedding actually happens with the sharing of the second cup of wine. 
The groom steps on the glass breaking it to indicate that this is a serious commitment and just as serious as the shattered glass is not repairable.
Notice how Jesus says to do the New Covenant, Communion, in remembrance of Him. He is the Groom going away. But He will return for His Bride and bring her unto Himself.
I Corinthians 11:25-26
“Likewise also the cup after supper saying, “This cup is the New Covenant by means of My blood: you must regularly do this, as often as you would drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you would eat this bread and you would drink the cup, you are proclaiming publicly the death of the Lord until He would come.”
Mark 14:24-25
“And He said to them “This is My blood of the covenant which is being poured out on behalf of many. Truly I say to you that never again am I drinking from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the Kingdom of God.”
When we take the Cup, Communion, we are remembering Him, the price He paid with His Body and His Blood; this is symbolic of the first cup of the Ketubah.
We should also stop, pause and rejoice in that: The next time the Lord takes the cup of wine again, it will be with us, His Bride. This will be symbolic of the second cup of the Ketubah. We should take Communion in honor of Him as He has asked, but also with the comfort and intent of someday, being with and sharing the Wedding Cup with Him at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
The entire New Testament (New Marriage Covenant) is a reflection of the Ancient Jewish Wedding, whereby Yeshua, the Bridegroom, will one day come back for His Bride (all 12 tribes and those grafted into the olive tree, One New Man).
Right now He is preparing many dwelling places in his Father’s house (John 14:2) for his Bride.
When we choose to accept the offer of the Lord, as Lord and Savior, we enter into a covenant relationship. We are betrothed to the Lord spiritually and we reject all other gods and idols and stay faithful to Him. We are like the Bride of those days, in that we have all the legal rights of being betrothed, even though the marriage is not complete until the final ceremony.
Having been bought with a price, the Bride now keeps herself for him.
During this time, the Bride is to be eagerly awaiting his return.
Then the Father of the Groom will tell his Son to go snatch up his bride.
1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17
It is important to realize that in the Ancient Jewish Wedding, there is no date set for the wedding unlike in our western world. The custom back then was that the date was to remain a mystery and only the father of the groom had an idea of when the wedding would take place.
Only when everything was completed to the fathers satisfaction would he tell his son to go and get his bride.
This is where at the reference (Matt 24:36). that no one knows the day nor the hour when he will become for his bride, but the father only.
Because neither the bride nor groom knew when the father would say it was good enough, it was critical that they both needed to be ready as the finishing touches were about to be completed.
This prophecy is a reflection of the Fall Appointed Feast Days of Yom Teruah (The Feast of Trumpets) as it is accustomed for the High Priest to say, “No man knows the day or the hour.” The reason for this saying is that no one would know on which day the sighting of the crescent moon would appear that would be necessary in order to initiate the feast day celebrations starting with Yom Teruah. Here we see the connection with the wedding as well as with Yom Teruah.
Scriptures attributed to Yom Teruah are (1Thess 4:16-17)(Rev 19:7-9).
The couple do not see each other again until the day of the wedding but spend their time in preparation for it.
As was the custom, the bride was to prepare herself for the wedding ceremony that would take place from one to two years from the acceptance of the proposal.
(For us it has been 2000+ years (1000 years as a day?) and we are still waiting for Him to come and get us, His Bride).
There is much anticipation of this event and it is meant to be a surprise for the Bride as the Bridegroom comes as a thief in the night at the Appointed Time/Feast (Mow’ed).
For the bride, life seems the same, she lives with her family doing daily activities, she is married but What has changed? Everything! For she is now CALAH.
God came to our house as Jesus 2000+ years ago and made a covenant with us if we said yes to Him. Then the bridegroom according to the Hebrew custom leaves to return to His home, His Father’s house. Jesus returned to heaven and where we are now, these are the days of separation. The bride in her house, Earth. The groom in His House, heaven.
John 14:2-3: “In My Father’s house are many rooms. I go to prepare a place for you. And, if I go to prepare and place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself, that where I am, there you may be also”.
We are still in this in the present world, still in the same House, everything seems the same it looks unchanged. But, something unseen has changed, not the exterior House or the world around us. However, we have changed inside, and we are no longer OF this world even though we are still IN it.
The time of preparation:
Again, it’s important to realize that the custom was, the wedding date was to remain a mystery and only the father of the groom had an idea of when.
The wedding was a prophetic type of the coming Messiah set in for the children of Israel as a symbolic preparation of the spiritual life enacted as the marriage process. The wedding, the covenant, the betrothal, the holy convocation, the rehearsal. This was on purpose so every time two individuals became a couple they enacted God’s eternal plan out in their own lives.
Just as many modern Western ceremonies today, have a rehearsal dinner or Church rehearsal meetings to go through the order of ceremony to be performed at the appointed time. So the cycle of 7 appointed times of the Lord throughout the year are also a rehearsal and a preparation for the fulfillment of God’s plan of the ages through Jesus and His coming as Messiah in fulfillment of those prophetic events.
So is the wedding a type and shadow of His relationship with us and why He referred so much to it. The people of His day who were around Him listening to Him were familiar with such events and understood the process. It made sense to them and it’s why He used it to explain His mission, Ministry and ultimate future in relationship to us, His Calah.
After the building of the wedding chamber/room is complete, and after the father has determined that his son is ready, then the father would send His son back to where the bride would be eagerly awaiting his return from her hometown (Earth) to retrieve her for the Wedding.
“Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Master is coming. Matt 24:42
Then the groom would go for the bride, often at night and she would have to be ready.
The guests too would be notified at the last minute.
At that time, there would be a procession led by the bridegroom back to where the bride is from (Earth). The processional wedding party would stop outside the town, and there would be a cry made for the bride with the sounding of the shofar to go out to meet the Bridegroom.
14 For if we believe that יהושע died and rose again, so also Elohim shall bring with Him those who sleep in יהושע.
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Master, that we, the living who are left over at the coming of the Master shall in no way go before those who are asleep.
16 Because the Master Himself shall come down from heaven with a shout, with the voice of a chief messenger, (archangel) and with the trumpet (Yom Teruah) of Elohim, and the dead in Messiah shall rise first.
17 Then we, the living who are left over, shall be caught away together with them in the clouds to meet the Master in the air – and so we shall always be with the Master. 1 Thess 4:14-17
50. And this I say, brothers, that flesh and blood is unable to inherit the reign of Elohim, neither does corruption inherit incorruption.
51. See, I speak a secret to you: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52. in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.
For the trumpet shall sound,
and the dead shall be raised incorruptible,
and we shall be changed.
1 Corinthians 15: 50-52
The following is a parable by Yeshua describing how there will be those who would not be made aware of the times of His second coming and will miss this moment.
“Then the reign of the heavens shall be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.” (Matt 25:1-13)
“Now while the bridegroom took time, they all slumbered and slept.
6. “And at midnight a cry was heard, ‘See, the bridegroom is coming, go out to meet him!’ (Matt 25:5-6)
At the voice of the Bridegroom calling them up, Messiah Yeshua comes out of heaven with a trumpet blast, to gather His whole Bride for the wedding, and the 7 days in the chuppah. The “bride has made herself ready”. He collects His Bride who is alive and waiting for Him on the earth. 
As betrothed brides, they were supposed to be preparing for their wedding, sewing the various garments, purifying, learning, etc. in anticipation of the Big Day… but 5 grew drowsy and were sleeping.
They were to keep a light in the window during the nighttime and have more oil on hand, ready to make the journey to meet the Groom.
Without a light in the night, how would they find their way to meet the Groom? They would stumble and fall, stray off the path being unable to navigate in the dark.
They were to “meet up” with the Groom and head for the Wedding Ceremony, Honeymoon and Marriage Supper.
Five of the betrothed made it, Five did not…. All ten had the opportunity.
Five had their heart in it were focused and kept to their purpose. These 5 stayed on course with well supplied lamps, trimmed wicks and fresh oil on hand. This is how we must be as the betrothed Church waiting for our Groom, Messiah Jesus/Yeshua.
Only the “prepared ones” will make it. There will not be any second chances.
Those arriving late will be locked outside the door. We must remain passionate for our Lord and be able to stay on course through the darkness, and many times that darkness can seem very heavy.
We must set our hearts and live our lives as the prepared Bride of the Lord.
The parable of the wise virgins, of Matthew 25:1-11, shows us that only the prepared Bride gets to go into the chuppah with Him. The guests are shut out.
“And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut. (Matt 25:10)
The bride, and her family would go out to meet the bridegroom. The bridal company (bridesmaids) would join the procession back to the bridegroom’s hometown (Heaven). 
It is clear in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-5 that Paul was speaking to a Jewish audience who understood the cultural idoms of the day.
The true meaning is to “take by surprise.” And the Lord makes it clear to His church through His Word, that He does not want us to be taken by surprise but on the contrary for us to be faithful, alert and watching.
The phrase is not about the Lord being like “the kind” of a “thief” that would come in the night by sneaking in and sneaking out. In the day and age of Jesus and the apostles, most people lived in one or two room houses. Anyone would know when someone came in or out, including in the night. Jesus will be coming “like” a “thief in the night” in that “He will take the world by surprise” when He comes to get His church.
When he spoke of, “as a thief in the night,” those listening would realize that he was possibly speaking about the Captain of the Temple that may have been the high priest. The Captain’s job was to make sure that the watchman or guards were not sleeping but rather doing their job. If the Captain of the Temple found any guards asleep, then he would set their garments on fire with his torch. ‘Not found naked’, as he would have ripped off his clothes to save from being burned.
Thus, the Captain of the Temple was known as a Thief in the Night. The term/idiom, A Thief in the Night, was used by Jesus/Yeshua Himself and is used to identify a sleeping or dead church.
1 Now, brothers, as to the times and the seasons (mow’ed), you do not need to be written to. 2 For you yourselves know very well that the day of יהוה comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then suddenly destruction comes upon them, as labour pains upon a pregnant woman, and they shall not escape. 4 But you, brothers, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5For you are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. (1 Thess 5:1-5)
Returning to the wedding reference:
and when his father approved of the apartment or house, the son would come for his bride and the wedding ceremony would take place. Today the ceremony takes place under a chuppah, a prayer shawl over 4 supports representing the room that was prepared.
Once the ceremony is over, the two would go into the bridal chamber (chuppah) for 7 days (now known as a honeymoon). The tradition of a husband staying home with his new wife for the first year of marriage symbolizes the millennial reign the 1000 years, (1day=1000 years), when we rule and reign with Him
Revelation 14:1-3; 20:1-4; Romans 8:17
Picture this: It was in the early morning while it was still dark, the Morning Star Shone upon his opening tomb.
Everyone was sleeping as it was still during the hours of darkness and rest for the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Jesus arose, His rising did not disturb the slumbering citizens. The watchmen of the night saw and heard nothing to alert them that in the spiritual realm everything has changed. For them it was just another early morning and that they would begin in the natural realm just like any other.
It may well be that it is very early in the morning while it is still dark, when 1 Thess 4:16 occurs; when only the morning star is shining that the believers who make up Messiahs body on earth shall be called up to Him joining the dead in Christ who have been raised exactly a twinkling of an eye before them.
Like Him, somewhere in the earth His saints will awake, while the children of the night and darkness are still sleeping. Not one will be disturbed and as on that morning in Jerusalem, the rest of the world will not hear the voice of the archangel, nor the trumpet that calls them to His side.
He will awaken each one when the hour arrives. The words of Isaiah 26:19 Will accompany the quickening. ‘awake and sing you that dwell in dust.’
What does the phrase “in the twinkling of an eye” mean? Many say it is “faster than a blink.” Whatever it means, it’s very very fast! The next question is, “what happens in the twinkling of an eye?” This verse in 1 Corinthians 15, may be one of the most misquoted verses of all time.
“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed– in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:51-52
It says “we shall be “changed” in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. It does not say that the Rapture happens in the twinkling of an eye.
In the previous verses..
“As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed– in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.
For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”
This whole section of scripture seems to be about “how we shall become like the Lord.” How “corruption” is not fit for heaven. The flesh and blood bodies that we now have are mortal and of corruption.
Both the bodies of the saints in heaven and those who are still alive, must be made “fit for heaven.” It is about the speed of the changing of the bodies and remains, not about the speed of the Rapture.
Our very DNA miraculously revived and made alive supernaturally as the power of the risen Savior re-creates all bodies new and in His image.
The first rays of the sun penetrate the darkness of each saints grave, one massive unprecedented miracle around the globe simultaneously re-creating each and every child of God who died in faith believing in His return.
The rays of His glory will penetrate each one, pouring into the depths and as the shadows of the morning and the eastern clouds slide away hope is rewarded and mortality is flung aside and all at once the uprising glorified bodies changed at the speed of light, faster than an eye blink we meet Him in the air, the Lord of glory, Creator of the heavens and the earth, the King of the universe.
(From quantum physics considerations, this transformation, “in the twinkling of an eye,” will possibly occur digitally in 10-43 of a second.) 
His Glory like the Star of Bethlehem which heralded His first coming and shone beams of light guiding those seeking Him into His presence;
the star of the morning will again shine beams of light to direct us Heavenward. A new path for us but also the last leg of the journey along life’s Way, in the Truth and to the everlasting Life He promised.
The sleeping church, or believers who do not understand the Appointed Feasts, may miss the wedding!
1“And to the messenger of the assembly in Sardis write, ‘He who has the seven Spirits of Elohim and the seven stars, says this, “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.
2“Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete before Elohim.
3“Remember, then, how you have received, and heard. And watch and repent. If, then, you do not wake up, I shall come upon you as a thief, and you shall not know at all what hour I come upon you. (Revelation 3:1-3)
The wedding takes place and the bride and the bridegroom are married in the bridegroom’s hometown (Heaven).
(Maybe under the grooms prayer shawl/ chuppah)
The bride and the bridegroom would consummate the marriage in the bridal chamber built by the bridegroom at their new home, while the entire wedding party would wait outside the bridal chamber.
Once the consummation had taken place, there would be a great celebration as the wedding party would last for 7 days or less. (Marriage supper of the Lamb 7 years)
And he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who have been called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” Revelation 19:9
“Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him praise, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife prepared herself.”
8And to her it was given to be dressed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteousnesses of the set-apart ones.
9And he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who have been called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true words of Elohim.” Revelation 19: 7-9
After 7 days or less of celebration, a processional of the entire wedding party would return back to the Bride’s hometown (Earth) to continue with the celebrations. (Messiahs second Coming.)
They really DO live happily ever after!
The Archangel whether it be Michael, Gabriel, Rafael or another, whose voice we shall hear is like a morning call for all of us. It’s time to wake up to arise, weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning of our resurrection.
Encourage one another with these words.
He will receive us and so shall we ever be with Our Messiah.
“He came among His own people, but His own did not take* Him. And so many as did receive Him, He gave them authority to become children of God, to those who believed in His name, they are not from blood and not from the desire of flesh and not from the will of man but were begotten from God. ” John 1:11-13
*take: This word means to take as your betrothed, speaking of the intimate relationship Y’shua came to seal.
Jesus did not come just to be lightly received. He came from the Father to bring us back to Him. To “take Jesus, to receive Him,” meant to “believe in His Name in a life changing manner.” It was (and is) entering into a Covenant relationship with our Holy God. Because He called us out, chose us. Note it says, He gave them authority to become children of God, not just became children of God.
“The coming of the Lord” will be “unexpected” by those who “are not watching and waiting” for Him.
This great day will surprise the lost “as” a “thief in the night.” But God’s people – who are not of the night nor of darkness – will be looking for Him. God’s people know the signs and nearness of His coming and are watching for Him.
The Amplified Bible has verse 4 as this: “But you are not in [given up to the power of] darkness, brethren, for that day to overtake you by surprise like a thief.”
There may not be much more time to trim the lamps or seek more oil… We should decide which of the groups we are a part.
For the bridegroom cometh and when ever He comes, let‘s make sure that we are awake, prepared and ready to go with Him.
The wedding process is already in motion and we are His Calah/Kallah, כַּלָּה, pronounced (kal-law’).
Even so, maranatha, come Messiah!
Extra Point of interest to explain what were Jewish Night Watches:
The Jewish people in the Old Testament divided the 12 hour night into three military watches instead of hours. Each watch was 4 hours long.
The first or “beginning of the night watches” was from sunset (or for practical purposes, 6pm) until 10pm and was mentioned in Lamentations 2:19.
The “middle watch” is from 10pm until 2am and was mentioned in Judges 7:19.
The “morning watch” was from 2am until 6am and was mentioned in Exodus 14:24 and 1 Samuel 11:11.
“Night watches” are also mentioned in Psalm 63:6 and Psalm 119:148.
Each new 24 Jewish day began at sundown (or 6pm.) That is why the Jewish Sabbath begins at sundown.
In contrast our Roman days begin at midnight.
Jewish Daytime began at 6am; and ends at 6pm for counting hours. The first hour is therefore 7am; the second hour is 8am; the third hour is 9am, the sixth hour is noon or 12pm; and so forth.
Examples of some time references
Matthew 27:45, Mark 15:33, Luke 23:44 – “from the sixth hour” refers to noon and “until the ninth hour” refers to 3pm
Matthew 20 – In verse 3 “third hour” refers to 9am/ “Sixth and ninth” hours in verse 5 refers to noon and 3 pm/ “eleventh hour” in verse 6 refers to 5pm
Acts 2:15 – “third hour of the day” is 9am
Acts 3:1 – “ninth hour” is 3pm
Acts 10:3 – “ninth hour” is 3pm
Acts 10:9 – “sixth hour” is noon
Acts 10:30 – “during the ninth hour” is 3-4 pm
Acts 23:23 – “third hour of the night” is 9pm
Roman Night Watches: Rome takes over in the time period between the Testaments and rules the Jewish people. The Romans broke their number of military watches into four 3-hour watches. These were called:
First Watch, also called Evening Watch – sundown, 6pm to 9pm
Second Watch, also called Midnight Watch – 9pm to midnight
Third Watch, also called Cock-crow or Cock-crowing Watch – midnight to 3am
Fourth Watch, also called Morning Watch – 3 am to sunrise, 6am
Some Roman watches are mentioned in the New Testament:
Matthew 14:25 – “fourth watch of the night” refers to 3-6am
Mark 13:35 – “evening”, “midnight”, “when the rooster crows”, “morning”
Luke 12:38 – “second watch” refers to 9pm to midnight and “third” refers to midnight to 3am
Note this was the reference to Peters 3 denials by Jesus!
Older versions of the Bible say the Gospel of John used Roman time. (Again, Roman time is how we keep time.) Newer versions of the Bible say the hours mentioned in John are Jewish time. Looking at the context of the verses, I would agree with Jewish time.
John 1:39 – “the tenth hour” could refer to the Roman time of 10am or the Jewish time of 4pm. (4pm makes more sense.)
John 4:6 – “the sixth hour” is perhaps Roman time of 6am or Jewish time of noon (The heat of the day at noon makes more sense.)
John 4:52 – “the seventh hour” is either 7am Roman time or 1pm Jewish time. (Again, Jewish time makes more sense.)
It’s not clear why scholars of the newer versions have decided it is Jewish time in the Gospel of John. Matthew, Mark, and Luke were written between AD 58-67. John was written about AD 80-90 when the Roman Empire ruled and the Jewish people had been scattered after the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in AD 70. Perhaps when John wrote the gospel most people kept time by Roman standards and that is why older versions say it was written with Roman time. But John being Jewish, the advancement in scholarship of ancient texts and the context of the verses makes the thought feasible that he wrote using Jewish hours.
