Shortly after the Apostle John finishes describing the final outpouring of God’s wrath in the Bowl Judgments, as described in the book of Revelation, he pivots from the declared doom, prophesied fall, and worldly lament over Babylon. John then hears praise resonating in Heaven. With a loud voice, the great multitude shouts, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God; because His judgments are true and righteous; for He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her immorality, and He has avenged the blood of His bond-servants on her” (Revelation 19:1-2). Four times the multitude cries, “Hallelujah!” The last exclamation emphasizes the finality of the judgments poured out upon the Earth: “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns”(Revelation 19:6).
We might expect that the next scene John witnesses is Jesus Christ returning in glory at the Second Coming, as described later in chapter 19. But first, John tells of a great marriage feast that will take place before Jesus returns to defeat the Antichrist and the armies of the earth gathered in the Valley of Jezreel.
The details of the Marriage Supper remain somewhat mysterious, but we know from Scripture that it is an “invitation only” event.
Continuing to record the expressions of praise by the heavenly multitude, John hears them say, “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His Bride has made herself ready” (Revelation 19:7). This passage alone presents several questions:
- Who is the Bride?
- How has she prepared herself?
- What is the nature of the relationship between Jesus Christ (the undisputed Lamb of God) and the Bride whom He marries?
- When and where exactly does this marriage (and accompanying supper) take place?
- Are other attendants invited who are not the Bride?
Let’s step through those questions one by one to get a handle on the great promise made to all who have put their trust in Jesus Christ.
The Bride is the Church of Jesus Christ. That includes every Jew and Gentile who has confessed their sin and believed on the Lord Jesus Christ—trusting in Him alone for eternal salvation. As the Bridegroom, Jesus gave Himself for the Bride (Ephesians 5:25-27). He loves His Bride and is eager to gather her to Himself and bring her into His Father’s house.
Bible scholar Dr. Randall Price emphasizes the beneficiaries of this special promise: “This is designed for the Church—the raptured saints, and that’s why it’s the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.”
The idea conveyed here is that the Bride takes a proactive role in preparing for the marriage. In Jewish tradition, once a betrothal had been agreed upon, the marriage was legally binding. But it was not fully manifested (or consummated) until the bridegroom came to collect his bride and take her back to the place he had prepared in his father’s house. While she waited, the bride was expected to keep herself pure, prepare her heart, mind, and body for the covenant and conjugal relationship of marriage, and eagerly await her bridegroom’s arrival.
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