Why Have a Wedding Ceremony? - Part 2

Here I give just a few brief additional thoughts about weddings. I would hope to whet the appetites of those reading to investigate this further. ~ CT (picture is of my own wedding day with me and my still very beautiful bride - we have celebrated this occasion 30 years already!)

Wedding ceremonies are a big deal in the Bible. The Bible pretty much begins and ends with wedding ceremonies. Wedding ceremonies also have a prominent place in Jesus' ministry and teaching.

1. The very first human to human interaction was a wedding, conducted by God Himself. It was His main point of the moment, and it set in motion the entire idea of marriage for the human race for all of history. God established marriage with a wedding ceremony that remains the pattern for all humanity today as evidenced throughout the Bible. (Gen 2)
   
2. Jesus performed his first recorded miracle at a wedding ceremony. Jesus’ attendance affirms the importance of such a ceremony. Jesus was invited along with the disciples to attend this wedding. He apparently considered it worthy of His time to witness and celebrate this God-designed union. (John 2:1-10)
   
3. The parable of the ten virgins indicates the “big deal” that weddings held in Jesus’ day. The uniting of a husband and wife was a huge, important event that took several days. Jesus explains the kingdom of God using wedding ceremony terminology. (Matt 25:1-12)
   
4. The key celebratory culminating event that the church looks forward to is a wedding ceremony! Although not much is said about the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, it is obvious that it is something prophesied with the intent of yielding great anticipation by the Church. God pictures the formal uniting of the Church with her Savior by nothing less than an elaborate marriage ceremony, which included preparations throughout this age. It is the formal beginning of an eternity of blessing. God is into formality! The last two chapters of Revelation also highlight this event by continuing to refer to the Bride. (Rev 19:7-9; 21:9; 22:17)

I could further discuss the importance of marriage as expressed throughout the Bible as a key indicator of the importance of a wedding, and the marriage relationship being a huge responsibility as the primary picture of the relationship between Christ and the Church, but that will have to be reserved for another time.

I just wanted to scratch some brief Bible thoughts that seem to elevate a wedding ceremony above personal preference or cultural disregard. Have a wedding ceremony, and let it reflect the importance God Himself places upon this most wonderful occasion!