The Bridegroom
Screen
1
Welcome to this new section! Let's pray together:
Father,
During our lessons, we noticed that Your prophetic Word speaks of a great wedding which
will take place at the end of time.
Now, we would like to identify the bridegroom at this great wedding.
Please enlighten us through the presence of Your Spirit. In Jesus Christ we pray.
Amen.
Screen
2
Revelation 21:9
Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls
filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying,
«Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife.»
In our last few lessons, we have studied the seven bowls of the wrath of God.
One of the seven angels having poured out these bowls now invites us to turn our eyes
towards a more rejoicing picture: a great wedding.
This wedding will be the subject of this lesson and the next three.
Screen
3
Revelation 21:2,9
Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming
down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (...)
Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues
came to me and talked with me, saying,
«Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife.»
In our first lesson about this great wedding, we will study the bridegroom.
Who is he?
The angel holding one of the seven bowls clearly indicates that the bridegroom is none
other than Jesus, the Lamb of God.
Screen
4
Revelation 19:6,7,9
«Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be
glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife
has made herself ready.» (...)
«Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!»
The book of Revelation, in chapter 19, certainly
confirms that the marriage to be celebrated at the beginning of God's reign is really «the marriage of the Lamb».
Screen
5
Matthew 9:14,15
Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying,
«Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?»
And Jesus said to them,
«Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the
days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will
fast.»
During His ministry on the earth, that is, many years before the book of Revelation was written by John, Jesus was already referring to
Himself as «the bridegroom», and His disciples as «the friends of the bridegroom».
Screen
6
Matthew 22:2
The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged
a marriage for his son.
Revelation 19:6,7
Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!
Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come.
The book of Revelation announces the celebration
of the marriage of the Lamb at the coming of God's reign.
Likewise, Jesus, while here on earth, symbolized the institution of God's kingdom as the
marriage of the king's son.
Screen 7
John 3:27-30
John answered and said,
«A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. You yourselves
bear me witness, that I said, "I am not the Christ", but, "I have been sent
before Him".
He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and
hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine
is fulfilled.
He must increase, but I must decrease.»
John the Baptist, describing himself as «the friend of
the bridegroom», also referred to Jesus as «the
bridegroom», to whom the bride is promised.
Screen
8
2 Corinthians 11:2
For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy.
For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to
Christ.
Ephesians 5:25
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the
church and gave Himself for it.
The apostle Paul also described Jesus as being «the
bridegroom».
Many times, he compared the relationship between husband and wife to that between Jesus
and His Church.
Screen
9
Isaiah 54:4,5
Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed; nor be
disgraced, for you will not be put to shame; for you will forget the shame of your youth,
and will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore.
For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is His name; and your Redeemer is the
Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth.
If we go still further back in time, we find in the Old Testament many passages
referring to God as the bridegroom, or the husband.
Let's note that this comparison is another confirmation of Jesus Christ's divinity.
Screen
10
Isaiah 62:4,5 (New American Standard Version)
It will no longer be said to you, «Forsaken», nor to
your land will it any longer be said, «Desolate»; but you will be called, «My delight
is in her», and your land, «Married»; for the Lord delights in you, and to Him your
land will be married.
For as a young man marries a virgin, so your sons will marry you; and as the bridegroom
rejoices over the bride, so your God will rejoice over you.
Besides, the description of God as the bridegroom, in the Old Testament, is
very similar to that found in the New Testament.
Let's see...
Screen
11
Isaiah 62:4,5
The Lord delights in you, and to Him your land will be
married.
For as a young man marries a virgin, so your sons will marry you; and as the bridegroom
rejoices over the bride, so your God will rejoice over you.
2 Corinthians 11:2
For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy.
For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to
Christ.
The similarity of the comparisons and the words used here, whether they come
from the Old or the New Testament, clearly demonstrates that Jesus is really the
bridegroom, and as such, He is also God.
Screen
12
Ephesians 5:25,29
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the
church and gave Himself for it. (...)
For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does
the church.
In our next lesson, we will give closer study to the subject of the bride - or
wife.
For the moment, let's focus our study on the bridegroom - or husband -, on his character
and deeds.
We can see here that the husband - Jesus - shows unconditional love for His wife - the
Church -, thus showing everyone a perfect model of the conjugal relationship.
Screen
13
Jeremiah 31:3,4
The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying:
«Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have
drawn you.
Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt, O virgin of Israel! You shall again be
adorned with your tambourines, and shall go forth in the dances of those who rejoice.»
God's eternal love for His people is a subject which recurs often in the
Scriptures.
In fact, the very heart of the Bible's message is what God did for us, 2000 years ago, to
show everybody His eternal love...
Screen
14
Romans 5:8,9
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that
while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath
through Him.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten
Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
God's unconditional love for each of us expressed itself through the gift of
His Son Jesus Christ, who sacrified Himself for the forgiveness of our sins.
Screen
15
John 15:13-15
Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's
life for his friends.
You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.
No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing;
but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made
known to you.
Jesus Himself said that supreme love consists in giving one's life for others.
This is what He did when He died for the forgiveness of our sins.
But this passage also reminds us of another parallel with the bridegroom.
Screen
16
Hosea 2:16,19,20
«And it shall be, in that day,» says the Lord, «that
you will call Me "My husband", and no longer call Me "My Master".
(...)
I will betroth you to Me forever; yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and
justice, in lovingkindness and mercy; I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, and you
shall know the Lord.»
Just as Jesus no longer calls us «servants», but
rather «friends», God's people no longer call Him «Master», but rather «Husband».
This passage perfectly illustrates the kind of relationship God wishes to establish with
each one of us: a close relationship based on love, trust, and faithfulness.
Screen
17
Ezekiel 16:8
«When I passed by you again and looked upon you, indeed
your time was the time of love; so I spread My wing over you and covered your nakedness.
Yes, I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine»,
says the Lord God.
In addition to demonstrating eternal and unconditional love for His people, God
also shows watchful and fond solicitude for them, just as a model husband does for his
wife.
This careful solicitude is also described many times in the Holy Scriptures.
Screen
18
Deuteronomy 32:9,12,13
For the Lord's portion is His people; Jacob is the place
of His inheritance. (...)
The Lord alone led him, and there was no foreign god with him.
He made him ride in the heights of the earth, that he might eat the produce of the fields;
He made him to draw honey from the rock, and oil from the flinty rock.
On many occasions, God clearly and patiently demonstrated that He was taking
good care of His people, just as a husband must take good care of his wife, providing her
with everything necessary to fulfill her spiritual, emotional, and physical needs.
Screen
19
Exodus 19:4,5
You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore
you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself.
Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a
special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.
Moreover, casting a compassionate look over His people, God often miraculously
saved them from the hand of their enemies, and granted them special protection, as would
an exemplary husband who watches over the safety of his wife.
Screen
20
Psalm 91:1,4,10
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall
abide under the shadow of the Almighty. (...)
He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth
shall be your shield and buckler. (...)
No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling.
This same special, miraculous protection will protect the people of God when
the seven last plagues are poured out, as we have seen in our last few lessons.
Screen
21
Hosea 2:7
She will chase her lovers, but not overtake them; yes,
she will seek them, but not find them.
Then she will say,
«I will go and return to my first husband, for then it was better for me than now.»
The love of God - the husband - for His people - the wife - cannot be equalled
by anyone else.
And this is exactly what the wife realizes, each time she unfortunately chooses to be
unfaithful to her husband, as we will see in more detail in our next lesson.
Screen
22
2 Samuel 12:2,3
The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds.
But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and
nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children.
It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom; and it was like a
daughter to him.
The emotional bond between husband and wife is often illustrated by a shepherd
taking care of his lamb.
The parable told by the prophet Nathan, sent by God to reveal the sin of King David, is a
moving example of this.
Screen
23
2 Samuel 12:9
Why have you despised the commandment of the Lord, to do
evil in His sight?
You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife,
and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon.
The continuation of the parable clearly shows that the prophet Nathan, with the
account of the poor shepherd and his little lamb, was describing the sad story of Uriah
and his wife Bathsheba whom King David coveted.
Screen
24
John 10:11,26-28
I am the good shepherd.
The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. (...)
But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear
My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch
them out of My hand.
Jesus again takes up this symbolism of the shepherd and his lamb, and uses it
to illustrate the relationship of love and trust between Him and His people, just like He
did with the symbolism of husband and wife.
Screen
25
Psalm 23:1
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Psalm 23, which is certainly the most famous of
all, creates a link between the status of shepherd and that of husband.
This psalm illustrates the growth of love and trust in the heart of the faithful believer
- the lamb or wife -, who thus develops a closer and closer relationship with God.
Let's look at this progress in Psalm 23.
Screen
26
Screen
27
Song of Solomon 2:3,4
Like an apple tree among the trees of the woods, so is my
beloved among the sons.
I sat down in his shade with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.
He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.
Among all the books of the Holy Scriptures, the Song of
Solomon is without a doubt the one which best describes the relationship between
two lovers representing God and His people.
But, if we study this book more closely, we can find a lot more than a simple love
story...
Screen
28
Song of Solomon 5:2
I sleep, but my heart is awake; it is the voice of my
beloved!
He knocks, saying, «Open for me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one.»
Revelation 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and
he with Me.
The powerful, vibrant call to the beloved woman, asking her to open the door,
is very similar to Jesus' call, inviting us to a closer relationship with Him, as we go
through the last moments of this world.
Screen
29
Song of Solomon 5:2,3,6
I sleep, but my heart is awake; it is the voice of my
beloved! He knocks, saying,
«Open for me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one; for my head is covered with
dew, my locks with the drops of the night.
- I have taken off my robe; how can I put it on again? I have washed my feet; how can I
defile them?» (...)
I opened for my beloved, but my beloved had turned away and was gone. My heart went out to
him when he spoke. I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no
answer.
Jesus knocks at the door of our hearts, as the night is far advanced.
If we do not open our door to Him right now, someday our «Later» will become a «Too
late».
Screen
30
Matthew 25:1,5,6
Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten
virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. (...)
But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
And at midnight a cry was heard:
«Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!»
The coming of the bridegroom, in the middle of the night, is also illustrated
by the parable of the ten virgins, which we will study very soon.
In a dramatic way, this parable will show us the great importance of seriously preparing
ourselves, as we are waiting for the coming of the bridegroom.
Screen
31
Joel 2:15,16
Blow the trumpet in Zion, consecrate a fast, call a
sacred assembly; gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather
the children and nursing babes.
Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, and the bride from her dressing room.
Very soon the bridegroom will come out of his chamber: Jesus will leave the
heavenly sanctuary and come to get His bride, that is, the congregation of faithful
believers who followed Him until the end.
But why must the bride also come out of her chamber?
Screen
32
Isaiah 26:20,21
Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors
behind you; hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, until the indignation is past.
For behold, the Lord comes out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for
their iniquity; the earth will also disclose her blood.
Joel 2:16 (New International Version)
Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her
chamber.
Being in her chamber, the bride - God's people - will be protected from the
seven bowls of God's wrath.
Afterwards, when the pouring out of the seven bowls is completed, she will be allowed to
come out of her chamber, to meet the bridegroom, Jesus Christ.
Screen
33
Revelation 14:17,18
Then another angel came out of the temple which is in
heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a
loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying,
«Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her
grapes are fully ripe.»
Jesus, the bridegroom coming out of His chamber, will soon leave His temple,
the heavenly sanctuary where He is now interceding for us.
His coming will have fatal consequences for those who rejected His call to salvation.
Screen
34
Song of Solomon 2:8
The voice of my beloved!
Behold, he comes leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.
Luke 3:5,6
Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill
brought low; and the crooked places shall be made straight and the rough ways made smooth.
And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
On the contrary, the coming of the bridegroom will bring inexpressible joy to
the bride's heart, for she will be ready for this glorious event.
Screen
35
Revelation 21:9
Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls
filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying,
«Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife.»
Our next lesson will present the bride, the Lamb's wife, and show us how she
must prepare herself in order to be ready for this wonderful wedding.
Screen
36
Let's thank God:
Lord,
For too long a time, You have knocked at our door, inviting us to open to You, in order to
develop a closer relationship with You.
We want to respond right here and now to Your loving call, and join Your people, Your
bride.
Please help us seriously prepare ourselves for the great day of the coming of the
Bridegroom, Jesus Christ. In His precious name we pray.
Amen.
Source of the Pictures of this Lesson
Screen 1: Photo in: «Master Clips 500,000» by IMSI, CD #16,
C0000972.JPG. Screen 2: Photo in: «Master Clips 500,000» by IMSI, CD
#19, 111534.JPG. Screen 3: MANISCALCO, Joe. In: «Images from the Bible
and Sacred History CD», Chosen Works, MLI Software, JM134.BMP. Screen 4: In:
«Le Moniteur», Pacific Press Publishing Association, Second Quarter 2000, front cover.
Screen 5: In: «Egermeier's Bible Story Book» (EGERMEIER, Elsie E.), The Warner
Press, 1963, p.422. Screen 6: In: «The Triumph of God's Love, volume 1»
(WHITE, Ellen G.), Pacific Press Publishing Association and Review and Herald Publishing
Association, 1950, front cover. Screen 7: LEE, Manning de V. In: «The
Bible Story, volume 7» (MAXWELL, Arthur S.), Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1956,
p.121. Screen 8: In: «Adventist Review» (April 1999), Review and Herald
Publishing Association, p.24. Screen 9: MICHELANGELO. «Creation of
Adam» (1508-1512), Sistine Chapel, Vatican. In: «La Peinture de la Renaissance
Italienne» (BECK, James H.), Editions Könemann, 1999, p.365. Screen 10: OTTO.
«The Ascension». In: «Beautiful Bible Stories» (MARTIN, Patricia Summerlin),
Southwestern Company, 1964, p.450-h. Screen 11: Photo in: «Master Clips
500,000» by IMSI, CD #19, 110362.JPG. Screen 12: In: «Vous pouvez vivre
éternellement sur une terre qui deviendra un paradis», New York, Watch Tower Bible and
Tract Society, 1982, p.243. Screen 13: RAPHAEL. «The Vision of
Ezekiel», Pitti Palace, Florence. In: «Great Bible Stories and Master Paintings»
(RACHLEFF, Owen S.), New York, Abradale Press Publishers, p.221. Screen 14: STEEL,
John. In: «L'Espoir de l'Humanité» volume 3 (Ellen G. White), éditions Le Monde
Français, Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1972, p.802. Screen 15: Picture
Collection «Corel Gallery Magic» by Corel, 1997, CD #8, Photo Library 4, 696008.PCD.
Screen 16: BLOCH, Carl. «Come Unto Me». Landskrona Church, Sweden.
Screen 17: Photo in: «Master Clips 500,000» by IMSI, CD #19, 111378.JPG.
Screen 18: In: «The Bible for Children - Retold by Bridget Hadaway & Jean
Atcheson», London, Octopus Books Limited, 1973, p.73. Screen 19: In:
«The Watchtower» magazine (June 15, 1993), New York, Watch Tower Bible and Tract
Society, p.1. Screen 20: In: «Revelation Seminars», Seminars Unlimited,
1986, lesson #22 («Les Sept Fléaux de l'Apocalypse»), p.4. Screen 21: Image
from SuperStock. In: «Who's Who in the Bible», Publications International Ltd., 1995,
p.182. Screen 22: JUSTINEN, Lars. In: «Adult Sabbath School Lessons -
Teacher's Edition», Pacific Press Publishing Association, Second Quarter, 1992, front
cover. Screen 23: In: «The Watchtower» magazine (October 15, 1994), New
York, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, p.24. Screen 24: In: «The
Watchtower» magazine (September 15, 1988), New York, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society,
p.23. Screen 25: In: «Revue Adventiste» magazine, Special issue
«Semaine de Prière» 1988, front cover. Screen 26: BERRAN, Robert. In:
«My Bible Friends, volume 5» (DEGERING, Etta B.), Pacific Press Publishing Association
& Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1977, p.91. Table of Screen 26: COLEMAN,
Ralph Pallen. In: «The Way, the Truth, and the Life», Philadelphia, The John C. Winston
Company, 1958, p.119. Screen 27: MUSIO, Nino. In: «Illustrated Bible
Stories for Children» (HUGHES, Ray), Joshua Morris Publishing, 1988, p.64. Screen
28: ANDERSON, Harry. In: «Vers Jésus» (WHITE, Ellen G.), Editions Le Monde
Français, Pacific Press Publishing Association, front cover. Screen 29: Photo
by CREWS, Dennis. In: «Ministry» magazine (December 1999), Seventh-day Adventist
Ministerial Association, front cover. Screen 30: In: «The Bible Story,
volume 8» (MAXWELL, Arthur S.), Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1956, p.179.
Screen 31: PROVONSHA, Clyde N. In: «Votre Bible et Vous» (MAXWELL, Arthur S.),
Press Publishing Association, p.333. Screen 32: Photo in: «Master Clips
500,000» by IMSI, CD #19, 111553.JPG. Screen 33: MOLAN, Chris. In:
«Forever Stories, volume 5» (BYERS, Carolyn), Review and Herald Publishing Association,
1990, pp.42,43. Screen 34: BERRAN, Robert. In: «Uncle Arthur's Bedtime
Stories, volume 1» (MAXWELL, Arthur S.), Review and Herald Publishing Association and
Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1976, p.190. Screen 35: Photo in:
«Master Clips 500,000» by IMSI, CD #19, 310820.JPG. Screen 36: Photo
in: «Master Clips 500,000» by IMSI, CD #16, SSGP5820.JPG.
Any copyrighted images not bearing a statement of permission, are used
for the purpose of non-commercial scholarly commentary or criticism in accordance with section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law, and with article 29 of Canada Copyright Act (Chapter C-42), which by
law can be without the consent or endorsement of the copyright holder. Images lacking
attribution are either known or assumed to be in the public domain, or have an as yet
undetermined status. Anyone having knowledge of proper attribution for an image is
requested to contact us via email below so that it can be correctly noted. It is our
intent to comply fully with applicable laws regarding intellectual property rights.
The test of Lesson 90 is waiting for you!