Examination of Marriage and Betrothal Symbols in Old Testament Stories
The First Four Midrashic Bridegroom Threads of the Bible
(Old Testament and New Testament)
1. The Ancient Jewish Marriage Ceremony Thread.
The entire Bible, both the Jewish Bible and the New Testament are held together by this Primary Thread the Biblical marriage traditions. The structure is what is known as a Chiasm. A chiasm is a type of literary device that creates a ‘mirror’ effect by repeating a sequence of ideas in reverse order. This reversal is connected by a repeated word, often in a related form, creating a 'X' shape like the Greek letter chi. Chiasms can be found in works from both the Old and New Testament and can range from simple to complex. This is often expressed by using letters, with each one representing a distinct idea. For example, the structure ABBA is composed of two ideas (A and B) that are repeated in reverse order (B then A). To add further complexity, another idea (X) can be added in the middle of the repetition, resulting in the structure ABXBA. Where the two ideas (A and B) are repeated in reverse order, but a third idea is inserted before the repetition (X). The purpose of the inserted idea is to emphasize it.
Longer ‘…examples include the flood narrative of Genesis 6-9 and David’s encounters with Saul in 1 Samuel 24-26, in which a center chapter or event centers the mirror events that precede and follow it.
In fact, the entire biblical narrative and whole of human history hinges on Jesus Christ as the turning point of one giant narrative chiasm. A story that begins with Creation will culminate with the New Creation following Christ’s Second Coming. Everything in between mirrors itself, Old Testament to New Testament, with Jesus Christ and the cross as the center point of the chiastic crisscross.’[39]
The Ancient Jewish Wedding Ceremony structure of the Bible is:
A: Wedding
B: Betrothal
X: Divorce
B: Betrothal
A: Wedding
Everything in between the two Weddings is about the struggles of marriage, character and relationship building. Here are some non-exhaustive examples:
1. There is a wedding at the beginning of the Bible and a Wedding at the end of the Bible.
2. There is a betrothal ceremony between Israel (the Bride) and God that is started but not completed, although the ‘Bride’ is still considered God’s (the Bridegroom’s) wife.
3. Bride-Israel rebels in the Wilderness and 3000 people die, while in the Book of Acts, when Israel hears about the resurrection of the Bridegroom, 3000 enter into relationship with him.
4. The Bridegroom divorces his wife, Israel, but provides for a process of reconciliation.
5. Father God sends his Son, the Bridegroom, to Israel the Bride, and some agree to a new betrothal period.
6. The Bridegroom prepares a place for Bride-Israel in the Wilderness, where for 40-years he converses with Moses, while Joshua often participates. Jesus in the New Testament explains that he will go away to prepare a place for his Bride in his Father’s house, according to the ancient wedding tradition also followed by Jacob and others in the Jewish Bible.
7. The Bride—made up of Israel and non-Israel followers of the Bridegroom are to regularly drink the betrothal wine cup together as a reminder of what Messiah has done, renewing their vows, and while awaiting the return of the Bridegroom and the celebration of Great Wedding Feast (The Marriage Supper of the Lamb).
8. The Bible ends with the Bridegroom coming, the great Marriage Supper happening and the Holy City he built coming down out of heaven in which they will live as Husband and Wife.
Key Lesson Concepts:
- Marriage and betrothal symbols are significant themes in the Old Testament stories
- Key stories like Adam and Eve, Isaac and Rebekah, and God's relationship with His people illustrate these theological structure of the Bible
- Exploring these symbols can provide insights into theological concepts and deeper understanding of how God relates to His people using His Word.
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2) The Marriage Cup Thread.
2) The Marriage Cup Thread.(also expressed as New Wine, Grapes, and Vineyards)
· Adam ate a soured fruit (something like a large grape), and caused all creation to fall in his rebellion, consummating his marriage to Eve in sin. The fruit of the Tree of Life was available to them, but instead they ate the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and their wedding was consummated in sin. In the New Testament, the first miracle of Jesus could be seen as the Bridegroom’s ability to reverse the original sin by providing pure Wine in opposition to the corrupted wine imbibed by the first couple. New Jerusalem will be presented as a bride descending out of heaven with the Tree of Life inside of it as part of the wedding gift for Messiah’s Bride.
· Noah, a second Adam figure, drinks wine, and ending with the cursing of one of his grandsons, that was likely conceived in incest with his wife.
· Israel at the first Passover, drinks the betrothal wine accepting a formal relationship with their God, the Bridegroom. And even though they later fail at the actual wedding ceremony, still the Bridegroom himself lives among them for 40 years in the wilderness. Him, meeting regularly face-to-face with Moses.
· Israel-the-bride in rebellion, later gives her precious wine away as she plays the prostitute with the strange nations all around her.
· For this reason, the Bridegroom divorces her.
· Under the Pagan Kind Cyrus, Israel-the-Bride is commissioned to go up to Jerusalem from Babylon and rebuild the House of Meeting with the Bridegroom, The Temple. They go, but it isn’t finished for hundreds of years.
· Under great persecution, another half-Israeli dictator completes the building of the Temple for his own glory.
· The Bridegroom comes to Israel in fetal form to grow up before Israel, later to declare with signs, wonders, healings, words of wisdom and knowledge beyond any typical education available to him in his region.
· The Bridegroom’s final Passover Supper with his students says, ‘I have greatly desired this,’ as he presents the Cup of the Betrothal Covenant to them, and they accept it. He ends with, ‘I will not drink of this cup again until I drink it with you ‘new in paradise.’ Which is a reference to the great wedding celebration ceremony to occur at some future date when the marriage will be consummated in a special section of His Father’s House.
· The then renew their vows to their Bridegroom weekly (or more), on the Sabbath Day, as Jewish people have always done. And they do so during their other gatherings as well.
· The New Testament letters are written as a guide for helping the ‘Bride to make herself ready for that great wedding day.’
· The Book of Revelation then describes the final stages of planet earth as the Bride is making herself ready, and then the Bridegroom comes gathering his Bride to himself and into the intimate place he’d prepared for them to live forever with him: the heavenly City, New Jerusalem, the New Holy of Holies, where the Marriage Supper of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world--takes place.
3) Specific Marriages Thread.
(both good and bad, mostly bad), certain marriages are highlighted and have commonalities such as these examples (not an exhaustive list):
· It begins with the failed bridegroom, Adam.
· Followed by the failed bridegroom, Noah, whose drunkenness leads to sin reentering the world and cursing of his grandson.
· Then several other examples of failed marriages and failed promises in marriages, except for Abraham & Sarah, who still had many difficulties and failures, but had the promised son, Isaac, who did not live up to the standards of his father, Abraham. Who in the end, chose his evil son Esau, over God’s promised son, Jacob. His wife and Jacob were faithful to the Word of the Lord, but Isaac was not.
· This was followed by Jacob, the first major failure of a righteous man with multiple wives, but through whom the ultimate Bridegroom would come into the world.
· Moses was a man of the Law who did not follow the law and was nearly killed for not following the law of circumcision, when he did not circumcise his sons, leaving his wife to do it. He later showed he still did not follow the law when he hit the Bridegroom-Messiah instead of speaking to Bridegroom-Messiah with whom he had spoken face-to-face for 40-years. Consequently, he was then not allowed to enter the Land of Promise.
· In Exodus 33, the Bridegroom Himself, came down upon Mount Sinai after the Bride-Israel had purified and made herself ready, beginning with the Betrothal Ceremony at Passover. However, the marriage ceremony was not completed when Bride-Israel refused to approach the volcanic appearing Mount Sinai, asking Moses only to speak to the Bridegroom on their behalf. Not long after, the Bridegroom was so angry. He wanted to destroy all the people and start over with Moses and his family, but Moses interceded and changed the Bridegroom’s mind.
· Before dying, Moses promised to Israel that God would send a ‘Prophet like himself to the Bride and that she could listen to him,’ then he set in place a new leader to take his place who had the name of that future Bridegroom: Joshua (God is Salvation), whose name was changed from simply, Hosea (Salvation).
· The Bridegroom eventually divorces Bride-Israel, but provides a promise of reconciliation, which the Prophets, especial Ezekiel (chapter 16 and beyond), describe.
Each of the Marriage threads form a Midrashic template that was noticed and built upon by the New Testament authors. In the next section I will explore how Thread Four, The Thread of the Name of the Bridegroom, continues the outline of the meaning of the names and themes of the Hebrew Bible’s book order of the Writings into the New Testament. Why would exploration of this subject be important for New Testament scholars, pastors and laypersons? Because there is a strong possibility that due to New Testament being historically divorced from its Jewish context, that there are overlooked historical contexts and insights that can be gleaned from the text that have been missed, even worldview changing perspectives that affect basic understandings of faith and practice, common understandings for First Century followers of Jesus that are completely unknown to modern readers of the Bible. Context that can only be revealed by understanding the New Testament through a pre-Talmudic Midrashic lens that looks remarkably and authentically Hillelian.
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4) The Thread of the Name of the Bridegroom.
4) The Thread of the Name of the Bridegroom.The Jewish Order and Structure of the Bible’s Books. Most do not realize that the Hebrew Bible is organized on purpose in a specific order, the ‘glue’ is that holds the Threads of the books together. In addition to what I have outlined with Threads 1-3, that glue is a person. Sometimes the Bible uses his name, a variation of his name, a reference to his name, or reference to this person’s character, characteristics, or relationships. Either way, it is organized to highlight who this person is.
The entire Jewish Bible has a structure and it organized into a Theological order. This Theological order utilizes the name of the Messiah. The Messiah’s Name is the Thread! In addition, Ezra used references to Messiah’s character, variations of his name, attributes, titles, and as you will see in a moment as I highlight the structure of the ‘Writings,’ they present a progressive theme. This Thread of the Name is the structure upon which the Bible is built, or if you will, it is the outline of the entire Bible. The Hebrew Canon today consists of 24 books ordered accordingly since the days of the Great Synagogue (the time of Ezra the Scribe). It is divided into three sections:
The Torah (Instructions)
(alternatively known as the Pentateuch and the Book of Moses) contains five books:
- Bereshit (בְּרֵאשִׁית) "Genesis" translation: “Beginnings”
- The Creator/The Word/Bridegroom Began all
- Shemot (שְׁמוֹת) "Exodus" translation: “Names”
- The Bridegroom Names you specifically
- Vayikra (וַיִּקְרָא) "Leviticus" translation: “He called”
- The Bridegroom Called you out
- Bamidbar (בַּמִּדְבָּר) "Number" translation: “In the wilderness”
- The Bridegroom rescued you in the dry and lonely place
- Devarim (דְּבָרִים) "Deuteronomy" translation: “Words”
- The Bridegroom gave you his words of life to live by follow them and don't turn away from your Bridegroom, he really will come in person and be a miracle worker and prophet like Moses
The Nevi'im (The Prophets) comprise eight books divided into the
Former Prophets, containing the four historical works:
- Yehoshua (יְהוֹשֻׁעַ) "Joshua" translation: The Word/Pre-Incarnate Bridegroom is Salvation
- Shoftim (שֹׁפְטִים) “Judges” translation: The Bridegroom is Judge
- Sh'muel (שְׁמוּאֵל) Samuel "translation" Heard of Creator/Pre-Incarnate Bridegroom or Asked of Creator/Bridegroom
- Melakhim (מְלָכִים) “Kings” translation: Kings
- The kings you demanded instead of the Bridegroom
The Latter Prophets, which are the oracular discourses of:
- Yeshayahu (יְשַׁעְיָהוּ) “Isaiah”: Salvation of The Word/Bridegroom
- Yirmeyahu (יִרְמְיָהוּ) “Jeremiah”: The Word/Bridegroom will uplift
- Yechezqel (יְחֶזְקֵאל) “Ezekiel”: The Word/Bridegroom will strengthen
- Trei Asar (תרי עשר) “The Twelve”:[40]
- Hoshea (הוֹשׁע) “Hosea”: Salvation
- Yoel (יוֹאל) “Joel”: The Bridegroom is Creator/The Word
- Amos (עמוס) “Amos”: Burdened or Burden-bearer
- Ovadyah (עובדיה) “Obadiah”: Servant of the Bridegroom
- Yonah (יוֹנה) “Jonah”: Dove
- Mikhah (מיכה) “Micah”: Who is like the Bridegroom?
- Nachum (נחום) “Nahum”: Comforter or Full of Comfort
- Habakuk (חבקוק) “Habakkuk”: Embrace or wrestler
- Tsefaniah (צפניה) “Zephaniah”: Hidden by the Bridegroom or Protected by the Bridegroom
- Haggai (חגי) “Haggai”: Festive or festival
- Zekhariah (זכריה) “Zechariah”: The Bridegroom has Remembered
- Malakhi (מלאכי) “Malachi”: My Messenger or My Angel
The Ketuvim (The Writings) consist of religious poetry and wisdom literature:
- Tehillim (תהלים) “Psalms”: Praises
- Iyov (איוב) “Job”: Persecuted or Hated one (Job is placed after Pslams in the most ancient manuscripts)
- Mishlei (משלי) “Proverbs”: Proverbs or Parables
The Five Megillot (Festival Scrolls), grouped together according to the annual cycle of their public reading in the synagogue:
- Shir HaShirim (שיר השירים) “Song of Songs” or Canticles: Song of Songs
- Rut (רות) “Ruth”: Friend or Companion
- Eikhah (איכה) “Lamentations” : How!
- Kohelet (קהלת ) “Ecclesiastes” : Preacher or Assembler
- Esther(אסתר ) “Esther” : Star
The Final Prophets/Writings
- Daniel (דָּנִיֵּאל) “Daniel”: Creator is my Judge
- Ezra- Nechemya (עזרא- נְחֶמְיָה) “Ezra- Nehemiah”: Help Comforted by the Bridegroom/Word
- Divrei Hayamim (דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים) “Chronicles”: The Words of the Days, The Matter of Days, The events of the times
Looking at the Thread of the Bridegroom in the Structure of the Hebrew Bible, in the ‘The Writings’ due to the ease of clarity in seeing this structure. The Writings are ordered in a way to express the life and character of The Bridegroom (Messiah), and his relationship with his Bride.
Psalms
Thread: The Character of the Blessed Man
· Translation: Praises
· The Blessed Man’s internal thoughts, character, emotions, struggles, joys, highs, lows, feelings about his enemies, everything that makes up his person. All the dialogue he has with his Father and with himself throughout his life in five distinct ways (Psalms is subdivided into five books)
· If the name of this book followed the naming order established by Moses for books of the Bible, the name of this book should be, ‘The Blessed Man,’ taken from Psalms 1.1. We also know the book of Psalms is about The Blessed Man, who is Messiah the offspring of God the Father, because Psalm 1-2 together clearly tells us so.
Job
Thread: The Blessed Man is persecuted by the Adversary and overcomes
· Translation: The Persecuted
Proverbs
Thread: The Book of the Truths of the Blessed Man
· Translation: Truth
Song of Solomon/Canticles of Canticles
Thread: The Desire of the Blessed Woman for the Blessed Man
· Translation: The Song of all Songs
· It is read at Passover to commemorate Bride-Israel’s deliverance from slavery as an allegory.19
Ruth
Thread: The Blessed Woman Loses her Husband, and is Redeemed by the Righteous Blessed Man
· Translation: Female Friend, Companion, Beauty (etymology disputed)
· The Blessed Woman’s Redemption Story reflecting the story of Bride-Israel but telling the story of the non-Jewish bride joining Israel through the intervention of the Righteous Elder Judge of Israel.
a) It is read on Shavuot (the Feast of Weeks, aka: Pentecost). There are many explanations given for the reading of Ruth on Shavuot.[41] The most quoted reason is that Ruth’s coming to Israel took place around the time of Shavuot, and her acceptance into the Jewish faith was analogous of the acceptance of the Jewish people of God’s Torah.
b) A second explanation relates to genealogy. Since the Book of Ruth ends with the genealogy of David, whose forbearer Ruth was, it has been suggested that it is read on Shavuot because there is a legend that David died on Shavuot.
c) Another reason for the reading of Ruth on Shavuot is that its story takes place at harvest time, and Shavuot also occurs at the time of the spring harvest.[42]
Lamentations
Thread: The Blessed Man in mourning after Divorcing the unfaithful Blessed Woman
· Translation: ‘How!'
· Lamentations is read publicly on the fast day of Tisha B’Av. Tisha B’Av marks the end of the three weeks of dire straits in Jewish culture. It is regarded as the saddest day in the Jewish calendar on which several disasters in Jewish history occurred, primarily the destruction of both Solomon's Temple by the Neo-Babylonian Empire and the Second Temple by the Roman Empire in Jerusalem. Many other disastrous events have occurred to the Jewish community on this day throughout history.
Ecclesiastes
Thread: The Wisdom of the Blessed Man suffering after his Divorce from the Rebellious Blessed Woman
· Translation: ‘Someone speaking before an Assembly’
· The Blessed Man shares his thoughts with friends on the meaning of life, reckoning with death, futility, and purpose after experiencing adultery.
· It is read on the Holy Day of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) also known as Chag ha-Asif, the Festival of Ingathering. Why it is read on this holiday is not clear to most Jewish scholars, the Rabbis recognized historically that Sukkot is a Wedding Celebration that foreshadows being Bride-Israel being married to Messiah.[43]
Esther
Thread: The Rebellious Blessed Woman Replaced by the Righteous Blessed Woman
· Translation: (Etymology uncertain)
o Star (if Persian)
o Myrtle (if Hebrew: Hadassah: a plant with tiny flowers like stars in the night sky. a) The Blessed Woman rises from squalor to intercede for her people while being advised by the Friend of the Blessed Man Bridegroom
· The book is read on the Feast of Purim (lots), in commemoration of the events of the book itself.
Daniel
Thread: The Blessed Man is a Prophet and Interceding for the Blessed Woman[44]
o Translation: God is My Judge, God Rules Me, or God has Judged
Ezra-Nehemiahh
Thread: The Blessed Woman Has Returned to the Blessed Man’s City of Peace, and the Friends of the Blessed Man Prepare the Blessed Woman to Remarry the Him
· Translation:
o Ezra: Help, with the connotation of Strong Vision.
o Nehemiahh: Yah [The Word[45]] Comforts, Consolation Is Yah [Messiah Pre-Incarnate[46]]
· Both names together: ‘God Helps and Comforts with Strong Vision.’
Chronicles
Thread: The Friend of the Blessed Man Recounts to the Blessed Woman her rise, fall and call to go up to remarry her first love, her Bridegroom, in the city where she searched for him (Song of Songs)—in his City of Peace.
· Translation: The Matter of Days
· When translated into Greek it was rendered Paralipomenon, meaning ‘Of Things Omitted’
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