? (Theme Song)?
?Jesus is worthy ?
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? oh yes, he's worthy
? ? worthy of all... ?
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? all the praise... ?
Pastor Byrd: If you would, take
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your Bibles and go to the
book of Revelation, chapter 19.
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Revelation,
chapter 19, verse number 7.
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The Word of God says to us today
in Revelation 19:7, if you have
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it, let me hear you say Amen.
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The Word of God says, "Let
us be glad and rejoice, and give
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honour to him: for the marriage
of the Lamb is come, and his
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wife hath made herself ready.
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And to her was granted that
she should be arrayed in fine
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linen, clean and white: for the
fine linen is the righteousness
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of saints." Verse 9: "And he
saith unto me, Write, Blessed
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are they which are
called unto the marriage supper
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of the Lamb.
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And he saith unto me, These
are the true sayings of God."
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Father, we ask that you now
would bless us as we go into
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your Word today.
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Teach us and inspire us,
we pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
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It's not about the bride.
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It's not about the bride.
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Statistics reveal that nearly
2-1/2 million people, million
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couples get married each
year in the United States.
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Which means that on average
7,000 weddings occur every day.
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Staggering also is that in
the United States there is one
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divorce every 13 seconds.
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Which means, then, that are
roughly 6,646 divorces per day,
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which means there are almost
as many divorces taking place
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as marriages.
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Which means, then,
marriage is not something
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to be taken lightly.
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Too many people in this
day and age, they rush to marry
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for the wrong reasons.
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Perhaps they feel that their
biological clock is ticking,
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and running out.
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So they say, I'd better get
married because it's getting
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late in the evening and the sun
is almost set, and I'd better
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catch Last-Chance
Johnny before it's too late.
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Perhaps somebody else
felt the pressure of family
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and friends who say, you
need to go on and get married,
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because if you don't,
you're going to end up
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like so-and-so.
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And then maybe there's somebody
else who got married because
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you made a
mistake and got pregnant.
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And so they felt that if I marry
my baby's daddy, that this will
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make it right.
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But sperm donorship does
not qualify soulmate-ship.
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Just because you made
one mistake, don't make two.
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And then, others, you
might meet somebody whose resume
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looked good.
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They're shot
callers and ballers.
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Their bank account
looks like your bank account.
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And together you
all got it goin' on.
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So you thought, hey, we
need to hook this thing on up.
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And what really
happened was not a marriage,
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but a merger.
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Then there are those who love
the Lord, I mean, you really
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love the Lord with all
your heart, all your mind, body,
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soul and spirit.
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You're sold out for God.
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You're to the point where you
feel like, hey, I love the Lord
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and I'm not going to fornicate.
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I believe in celibacy.
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But celibacy has run its course,
and now you feel like it's time
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to turn out the
lights and light the candle.
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So you say, we might as well go
ahead and get married, because
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I can't hold
onto all this passion.
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It's time to excel and release.
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Some of you found out, and you
don't have to wave your hands
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this morning or say Amen too
loud, because you might tell on
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yourself, but you realized a
few months after you released
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all that passion that there
wasn't anything else going on.
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So don't say
Amen, say have mercy.
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Weddings are big today.
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Big money is spent on weddings,
$72 billion a year is spent
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on weddings.
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The average
wedding costs $20 thousand.
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As the father already of
two girls, with one on the way,
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you all know what
we're praying for.
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Come on, say Amen.
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At the wedding the
bridge wants to look her best.
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The groom wants
to look his best.
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There has to be a photographer,
there has to be a videographer,
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there has to be a florist,
a wedding director, musicians,
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singers, a
reception, a honeymoon.
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But, you know,
times have changed.
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Nowadays the couple has
the honeymoon first, and if
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it's a success, they have
the engagement next, and if that
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works out all right,
they may have a wedding.
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Do I have a
witness in this place?
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Society has always said that
the wedding is for the bride.
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It's the bride's day.
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We put emphasis on the bride.
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Nobody can walk down the
center aisle but the bridge.
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Before the bride, though, walks
down the aisle, somebody comes
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yelling down the
aisle, "here comes the bride."
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Flowers are thrown
down before the bride walks
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down the aisle.
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The brides chooses the colors.
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The bride choses the music.
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The bride
chooses the photographer.
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The bride
chooses the videographer,
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the bride chooses the
florist, the bride picks out
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the invitation, the
bride's name comes first
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on the program.
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The bride is the only one
who's supposed to wear white.
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The bride is the center
of all the wedding pictures.
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That's our culture.
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It's all about the bride.
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But remember,
marriage didn't begin with man.
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Marriage began with God.
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Marriage is a
divine institution of God.
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It didn't begin in Western
culture like we understand
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it now.
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But it was first instituted in
the Garden of Eden, my friends,
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by God.
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Adam and Eve were created by
God and then they were married
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by God, which means that what
we know and understand about
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weddings today was not
how it was back in the day.
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Our understanding of weddings
is based on Western culture.
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The United States,
Canada, Australia, Europe.
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But life in Eastern culture,
the Middle East, Asian, life
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in Eastern culture developed
before life in Western culture.
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History says that in ancient
Eastern culture it wasn't
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all about the bride.
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But ancient Eastern
culture says it was all about
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the groom.
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Come on, say Amen.
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In fact, in ancient days brides
had little if anything to say
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about the
wedding, whom they'd marry
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or where they'd be married.
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It wasn't about the bride.
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Now, let's be clear, so
you don't misquote me, that you
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don't
misinterpret what I'm saying.
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I'm not suggesting that
we return to a chauvinistic
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society or reverse the current
cultural trends of the wedding
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tradition that gives
implicit autonomy to the bride
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for the preparation and
planning for her wedding.
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But when you understand
the wedding customs of old,
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it might cause you to see
Revelation 19 and all the other
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biblical wedding
references in a different light.
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You see, friends of mine,
if you study very carefully,
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ancient Jewish weddings never
involved a wedding ceremony
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like we see today.
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It never involved a
woman walking down the aisle,
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ready to get
married, like we see today.
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There was no wedding ceremony
where the bride and the groom
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would hold hands and say "I do"
before an audience of friends
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and family.
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The wedding ceremony, in
fact, is something that did not
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develop until
after Jesus' ascension.
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You see, in the ancient Jewish
wedding, number one, the bride
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was selected.
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Picture that.
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Brides didn't have the
autonomy they had today.
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They were selected.
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In ancient Israel,
brides were usually chosen by
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the father of the groom.
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Yes, the bride had to consent
to be married, as Rebecca did,
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when she was asked in
Genesis 24, will you go
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with this man?
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And she said, "I will go,"
giving consent to her version
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of "I do." But understand,
back in the day, the bride
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was selected.
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The groom's father would send
his most trusted servant to go
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search for a bride for his son.
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Picture that, my daddy
sending somebody else to go look
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for a bride for me.
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Ain't gonna work,
come on, say Amen.
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But in today's times a woman
falls in love, gets married.
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A man decides to get married,
and then he looks for a wife.
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But back in the day, whether
the woman fell in love or not,
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whether a man was ready to
get married or not, the groom's
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father, when he got ready, he
went to select his son's bride.
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It wasn't about the bride.
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Number two, back in the day,
there was a price for a bride.
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Brides in biblical
times were purchased.
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Picture that, you have
to purchase your bride.
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Can you imagine people
having women stand up, and say,
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I think she's worth $5.99.
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I think she's worth $99.99.
00:11:07.36\00:11:10.10
I think she's
worth a thousand dollars.
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I wish somebody would
offer some money for my girls.
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My girls are
not a piece of meat.
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Come on, say Amen.
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The price was paid to the
bride's father to compensate
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him for the loss of a
worker, and to show him how much
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the groom valued the bride.
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This price was what
many of us know as the dowry,
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which was usually set
at 50 shekels of silver,
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and there was a cash penalty
for divorce without cause.
00:11:34.66\00:11:40.36
Which means if I don't want her
anymore, give me my money back,
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and you can have her.
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I must admit, I was
actually in a wedding, my wife
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and I talk and laugh
about it all the time,
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where I was a groomsman.
00:11:55.13\00:11:56.33
A great preacher stood up
and asked, you know, who giveth
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this woman to be
married to this man.
00:12:01.16\00:12:05.13
And the young lady's two
brothers responded, "We do."
00:12:05.13\00:12:08.50
And then the groom
turned around and yelled back,
00:12:08.50\00:12:10.93
"But if I don't want
her, I'll give her back."
00:12:10.93\00:12:12.93
The church erupted in applause
and laughter; sad to say,
00:12:12.93\00:12:20.56
they're not together
today, Lord have mercy.
00:12:20.56\00:12:26.93
Number three...
00:12:26.93\00:12:28.76
[laughter] ...the
betrothal or engagement.
00:12:28.76\00:12:33.50
The betrothal is much
like our engagement today.
00:12:33.50\00:12:36.43
But back in the day, there was
a greater sense of commitment.
00:12:36.43\00:12:40.00
During betrothal, the
couple is actually entering
00:12:40.00\00:12:43.13
into covenant.
00:12:43.13\00:12:44.30
Covenant in
biblical times was serious.
00:12:44.30\00:12:46.53
It wasn't like today where
people break commitments like
00:12:46.53\00:12:48.96
they break appointments.
00:12:48.96\00:12:50.10
Covenant was serious.
00:12:50.10\00:12:52.53
Covenant was final.
00:12:52.53\00:12:53.53
Covenant was sealed in blood.
00:12:53.53\00:12:55.20
Covenant was legally binding.
00:12:55.20\00:12:57.30
Once a couple enter
into covenant of betrothal,
00:12:57.30\00:13:00.70
they were legally
married in all aspects except
00:13:00.70\00:13:04.40
for the physical
consummation of the marriage.
00:13:04.40\00:13:07.93
At the betrothal ceremony, a
marriage contract, or ketubah,
00:13:07.93\00:13:12.70
was presented to
the bride's father.
00:13:12.70\00:13:14.70
Now, this contract, the
ketubah, consisted of all
00:13:14.70\00:13:17.40
the groom's promises that
he would make to the bride.
00:13:17.40\00:13:20.60
It was the contract.
00:13:20.60\00:13:22.03
It was the agreement.
00:13:22.03\00:13:23.96
The bride's father would review
the ketubah, and if he was okay
00:13:23.96\00:13:28.13
with it, he'd sign the ketubah.
00:13:28.13\00:13:30.33
The bride did not sign it.
00:13:30.33\00:13:33.43
But her father signed it.
00:13:33.43\00:13:36.06
The groom signed it.
00:13:36.06\00:13:37.90
And then the third copy
was filed with the court,
00:13:37.90\00:13:40.93
and with the seal only
to be broken by a judge.
00:13:40.93\00:13:44.06
The bride signed nothing.
00:13:44.06\00:13:46.26
Again, it's not about the bride.
00:13:46.26\00:13:50.20
Once the ketubah was signed,
the couple was 100% married,
00:13:50.20\00:13:54.06
but the marriage had not been
consummated yet, which is why
00:13:54.06\00:13:56.93
when the Bible says, "Mary was
betrothed to Joseph," they were
00:13:56.93\00:14:01.53
100% married, but they had
not had sexual relations yet,
00:14:01.53\00:14:05.83
so when she became
impregnated by the Holy Ghost,
00:14:05.83\00:14:08.83
it was culturally logical
to think she was running around
00:14:08.83\00:14:11.76
on Joseph, because
they had not yet consummated
00:14:11.76\00:14:14.63
their marriage.
00:14:14.63\00:14:16.36
That's why the Bible
says Joseph was a just man.
00:14:16.36\00:14:19.50
He was a good brother, because
he didn't want to disgrace her,
00:14:19.50\00:14:22.53
even though he
believed her to be an adulterer.
00:14:22.53\00:14:24.96
He was just going to divorce
her secretly, the Bible says,
00:14:24.96\00:14:27.76
without making an accusation
of adultery, and still pay
00:14:27.76\00:14:31.03
the 50-shekel fine, but somebody
knows, we serve an on-time God.
00:14:31.03\00:14:34.80
Just in the nick of time,
God revealed himself to Joseph
00:14:34.80\00:14:39.96
in a dream, told him
his wife was pregnant
00:14:39.96\00:14:42.30
by the Holy Ghost,
that she would bring
00:14:42.30\00:14:44.43
forth a son.
00:14:44.43\00:14:45.60
Thou shalt call his name Jesus,
for he shall save his people
00:14:45.60\00:14:49.23
from their sins.
00:14:49.23\00:14:51.73
Number four, the
departure of the groom.
00:14:51.73\00:14:56.86
Once the marriage
covenant was signed, sealed
00:14:56.86\00:14:58.86
and delivered, the
groom had to leave his
00:14:58.86\00:15:00.93
bride, and he had to go
leave his bride and deal with
00:15:00.93\00:15:02.93
and finish and fulfill his
financial obligation to his
00:15:02.93\00:15:05.70
bride's father.
00:15:05.70\00:15:06.70
Which means that he had to
go back to his father's house
00:15:06.70\00:15:09.23
to work.
00:15:09.23\00:15:10.43
Listen to me good.
00:15:10.43\00:15:11.86
He had to go back to
his father's house to work,
00:15:11.86\00:15:13.86
which also meant then
that the physical consummation
00:15:13.86\00:15:17.10
did not take place for
an extended period of time.
00:15:17.10\00:15:21.26
So, in other words,
there was no honeymoon night.
00:15:21.26\00:15:24.73
There was no memorable evening.
00:15:24.73\00:15:28.86
There was no
physical consummation.
00:15:28.86\00:15:32.60
In fact, a delay might
last years, as was the case
00:15:32.60\00:15:37.53
with Jacob.
00:15:37.53\00:15:38.80
You know the story of Jacob.
00:15:38.80\00:15:40.00
Jacob had to work seven years
for Labin before he could have
00:15:40.00\00:15:43.06
his wife, Rachel, and then
on what Jacob knew would be his
00:15:43.06\00:15:46.16
honeymoon night, you've waited
all this time, and you know
00:15:46.16\00:15:49.90
it's going to be your honeymoon
night after seven years of
00:15:49.90\00:15:52.90
working, Labin tricked
Jacob by giving him Leah
00:15:52.90\00:15:55.93
instead of Rachel.
00:15:55.93\00:15:57.06
You talkin'
about disappointment.
00:15:57.06\00:15:59.06
You talkin' about being mad.
00:15:59.06\00:16:02.66
Talkin' about being hurt.
00:16:02.66\00:16:05.16
You worked seven years for
your wife, time is running out,
00:16:05.16\00:16:09.10
you're to getting any younger,
and man, you see, has needs.
00:16:09.10\00:16:15.66
Oh, you all don't know
what I'm talkin' about.
00:16:15.66\00:16:18.30
You see, back in those
days they didn't have blue pills
00:16:18.30\00:16:20.46
like they do today.
00:16:20.46\00:16:21.46
But somebody knows that
before there were blue pills
00:16:21.46\00:16:25.40
there was faith in God.
00:16:25.40\00:16:26.63
Do I have a
witness in this place?
00:16:26.63\00:16:28.83
You work hard seven
years, knowing that a better day
00:16:28.83\00:16:33.76
is coming after a while.
00:16:33.76\00:16:36.40
And then one is scheduled
to be your honeymoon night.
00:16:36.40\00:16:39.53
You're feeling good,
smelling good, looking good.
00:16:39.53\00:16:45.23
You're ready.
00:16:45.23\00:16:47.00
All that motion and
emotion has been pent up in you
00:16:47.00\00:16:53.20
for years.
00:16:53.20\00:16:55.70
And then when you're ready
you discover it's not your wife.
00:16:55.70\00:17:00.46
And then he had to make a
second legal contract causing
00:17:00.46\00:17:03.00
him to work another seven
years for his honeymoon night
00:17:03.00\00:17:05.36
with Rachel.
00:17:05.36\00:17:06.36
Poor Jacob.
00:17:06.36\00:17:07.36
But I bet after 14 years
of waiting for Rachel, he was,
00:17:07.36\00:17:09.50
like, get out of my way.
00:17:09.50\00:17:10.50
Leave me alone!
00:17:10.50\00:17:15.06
Don't call me, don't answer
me, because good things come
00:17:15.06\00:17:19.53
to those who wait.
00:17:19.53\00:17:21.36
And I've waited my
time, it's my time.
00:17:21.36\00:17:24.46
Do I have a
witness in this place?
00:17:24.46\00:17:26.96
After the groom left,
the groom went to work.
00:17:26.96\00:17:31.83
The bride was
separated from her groom.
00:17:31.83\00:17:34.13
While waiting for his
return, the bride, however,
00:17:34.13\00:17:36.76
was to remain faithful.
00:17:36.76\00:17:38.06
It was probably easy
at first to be faithful.
00:17:38.06\00:17:42.40
But when his return was
delayed, temptation was great.
00:17:42.40\00:17:46.80
After a while, the bride
may even start to question
00:17:46.80\00:17:50.10
his return.
00:17:50.10\00:17:51.90
But then, number five,
the return of the groom.
00:17:51.90\00:17:57.76
Jewish grooms usually came
to their brides late at night.
00:17:57.76\00:18:01.36
In the midnight hour.
00:18:01.36\00:18:04.30
There would be the sound
of a shofar, which was a ram's
00:18:04.30\00:18:07.76
horn trumpet used by Jews in
ancient religious ceremonies.
00:18:07.76\00:18:12.03
And the sound of the
shofar would break the silence
00:18:12.03\00:18:14.66
of the night, and there would
be great dancing, great singing
00:18:14.66\00:18:17.66
and great
shouting in the streets,
00:18:17.66\00:18:19.66
because the groom was on
his way home to get his bride.
00:18:19.66\00:18:22.96
This was illustrated in
the parable of the ten virgins.
00:18:22.96\00:18:24.96
You will remember, the
Bible says at midnight a cry
00:18:24.96\00:18:28.96
was heard.
00:18:28.96\00:18:30.36
Behold, the bridegroom cometh.
00:18:30.36\00:18:33.40
And go out now to meet him.
00:18:33.40\00:18:36.10
But then number six,
there was the hoopah.
00:18:36.10\00:18:39.86
Everybody say hoopah.
00:18:39.86\00:18:41.90
The hoopah was the home-taking.
00:18:41.90\00:18:44.60
The hoopah of ancient
times was a special room built
00:18:44.60\00:18:48.66
in the groom's father's house.
00:18:48.66\00:18:51.50
The room, friends of
mine, was eventually replaced
00:18:51.50\00:18:53.93
by a bridal canopy.
00:18:53.93\00:18:56.23
The hoopah symbolized the new
home to which the groom would
00:18:56.23\00:18:58.56
now take his bride.
00:18:58.56\00:19:00.40
The hoopah was the bridal suite.
00:19:00.40\00:19:03.53
Praise God for the hoopah.
00:19:03.53\00:19:06.76
The hoopah began as the
virginity cloth that lay
00:19:06.76\00:19:11.43
under the bride when the
marriage was consummated.
00:19:11.43\00:19:14.53
Then the cloth changed
its position from under
00:19:14.53\00:19:17.06
the bride on the bed to
over the bride on the bed
00:19:17.06\00:19:20.16
as a canopy.
00:19:20.16\00:19:21.16
So the sheet began
under the bride, then over
00:19:21.16\00:19:24.86
the bride in private, and
then over the bridal couple
00:19:24.86\00:19:28.43
in public.
00:19:28.43\00:19:30.30
After the return of the
groom, the bride and the groom
00:19:30.30\00:19:33.50
were escorted to
the bridal chamber,
00:19:33.50\00:19:36.33
the hoopah, where they
would be alone for seven days.
00:19:36.33\00:19:41.16
Completion.
00:19:41.16\00:19:42.16
Come on, say Amen.
00:19:42.16\00:19:43.16
Where the marriage
would be consummated.
00:19:43.16\00:19:47.60
Following the
seven days in the hoopah,
00:19:47.60\00:19:51.20
following the seven days in
the bridal chamber, the bride
00:19:51.20\00:19:54.70
and the groom would now join
their guests for number seven.
00:19:54.70\00:20:02.36
Now, you know number seven
is going to be good, because
00:20:02.36\00:20:05.83
number seven
signifies completion.
00:20:05.83\00:20:10.33
There's something
special about number seven.
00:20:10.33\00:20:15.16
God created this earth
in six days and rested on
00:20:15.16\00:20:17.76
the seventh day.
00:20:17.76\00:20:19.40
There are 77 words
in the Ten Commandments.
00:20:19.40\00:20:22.70
Elisha ordered Namath to
dip in the Jordan seven times.
00:20:22.70\00:20:26.10
Jesus uttered seven
last words on Calvary.
00:20:26.10\00:20:29.30
In Revelation, where we're
just about to go, the Bible says
00:20:29.30\00:20:32.30
there were seven churches,
seven seals, and seven angels
00:20:32.30\00:20:35.00
who sounded seven trumpets.
00:20:35.00\00:20:37.90
So now we come to number seven.
00:20:37.90\00:20:40.56
The marriage feast.
00:20:40.56\00:20:42.06
The bride and groom
would now join their guests
00:20:42.06\00:20:47.06
for the marriage feast.
00:20:47.06\00:20:49.10
They would eat, be
merry, rejoice, play music.
00:20:49.10\00:20:55.43
They would
celebrate the wedding feast.
00:20:55.43\00:20:58.36
They would laugh, they
would play, they would have joy,
00:20:58.36\00:21:03.66
they would celebrate.
00:21:03.66\00:21:05.63
It was now time
for the wedding feast.
00:21:05.63\00:21:10.86
The bride had been selected.
00:21:10.86\00:21:13.76
The price for the
bride had been paid.
00:21:13.76\00:21:16.46
The betrothal or the
engagement had taken place.
00:21:16.46\00:21:20.40
Understand, there was
then the period where the bride
00:21:20.40\00:21:24.13
was alone and the
groom had to leave.
00:21:24.13\00:21:26.43
The return now of the groom.
00:21:26.43\00:21:28.66
The hoopah, and then now number
seven, the marriage feast.
00:21:28.66\00:21:34.66
And when I was studying
this this week, and when
00:21:34.66\00:21:37.66
I understood now the contextual
meaning of ancient Jewish
00:21:37.66\00:21:41.33
weddings, I now can better
understand Revelation 19:7-9.
00:21:41.33\00:21:47.36
The Bible says, "Let us be glad
and rejoice, and give honour
00:21:47.36\00:21:52.16
to him: for the
marriage of the Lamb is come,
00:21:52.16\00:21:55.63
and his wife hath
made herself ready.
00:21:55.63\00:21:59.40
And to her was granted that
she should be arrayed in fine
00:21:59.40\00:22:03.10
linen, clean and
white: for the fine linen
00:22:03.10\00:22:06.26
is the righteousness of saints.
00:22:06.26\00:22:08.13
And he saith unto me, Write,
Blessed are they which are
00:22:08.13\00:22:12.43
called unto the
marriage supper of the Lamb.
00:22:12.43\00:22:15.00
And he saith unto me, These
are the true sayings of God."
00:22:15.00\00:22:19.03
And so when I read this text,
and when I contextualize it
00:22:19.03\00:22:23.60
to ancient Jewish
history, this whole thing is not
00:22:23.60\00:22:28.70
about the bride.
00:22:28.70\00:22:32.00
This whole thing
is about the groom.
00:22:32.00\00:22:37.43
You see, the bride
is Christ's church.
00:22:37.43\00:22:40.90
The groom is Jesus Christ.
00:22:40.90\00:22:44.46
The head of the church.
00:22:44.46\00:22:46.63
And one day, Jesus is going
to come back to get his bride.
00:22:46.63\00:22:52.13
Now, remember number
one, the bride was selected
00:22:52.13\00:22:55.80
by the groom, which
means Jesus said in John 15:16,
00:22:55.80\00:23:00.86
"Ye hath not chosen
me, but I have chosen you
00:23:00.86\00:23:05.06
and ordained you, that ye
should go forth and bring forth
00:23:05.06\00:23:08.23
fruit, and that your fruit
shall remain; but whatsoever ye
00:23:08.23\00:23:11.46
shall ask my father in my
name, he may give it unto you."
00:23:11.46\00:23:16.13
Which means
Jesus has selected you.
00:23:16.13\00:23:18.76
Jesus has selected me.
00:23:18.76\00:23:20.80
Jesus has chosen me.
00:23:20.80\00:23:23.00
We are not our own.
00:23:23.00\00:23:24.56
We have been selected by Jesus.
00:23:24.56\00:23:26.46
So I don't do what I want to do.
00:23:26.46\00:23:28.46
I don't go where I want to go.
00:23:28.46\00:23:30.46
But I go where
he tells me to go.
00:23:30.46\00:23:32.86
I do what he tells me to
do, because he selected me.
00:23:32.86\00:23:36.76
But not only did the
groom pay for the bride.
00:23:36.76\00:23:40.90
Jesus paid the price for me.
00:23:40.90\00:23:45.43
Just like brides were purchased,
you've been purchased.
00:23:45.43\00:23:50.73
I've been purchased.
00:23:50.73\00:23:52.53
We've been bought with a price.
00:23:52.53\00:23:55.46
I'm blood bought.
00:23:55.46\00:23:56.73
I said, I'm blood bought.
00:23:56.73\00:24:00.10
There is a fountain
filled with blood drawn from
00:24:00.10\00:24:03.60
Emmanuel's veins.
00:24:03.60\00:24:04.93
And sinners plunged
beneath that flood lose all
00:24:04.93\00:24:08.03
their guilty stains.
00:24:08.03\00:24:09.36
When someone tells you
of your past, tell them
00:24:09.36\00:24:12.20
that's all right.
00:24:12.20\00:24:13.90
I'm blood bought.
00:24:13.90\00:24:15.76
I've lied, but I'm blood bought.
00:24:15.76\00:24:18.20
I've cheated, but
I'm I'm blood bought.
00:24:18.20\00:24:20.63
I've stolen, but
I'm blood bought.
00:24:20.63\00:24:23.03
I've talked about
somebody, but I'm blood bought.
00:24:23.03\00:24:26.26
I've done drugs,
but I'm blood bought.
00:24:26.26\00:24:29.03
I've fornicated,
but I'm blood bought.
00:24:29.03\00:24:31.66
I've messed up,
but I'm blood bought.
00:24:31.66\00:24:34.43
I've sinned,
butI'm blood bought.
00:24:34.43\00:24:36.86
I'm born again, free from sin,
because of the blood I'm saved,
00:24:36.86\00:24:41.90
I'm cleansed, I'm
washed, I'm blood washed.
00:24:41.90\00:24:46.10
Blessed
assurance, Jesus is mine.
00:24:46.10\00:24:49.76
Oh what a
foretaste of glory divine.
00:24:49.76\00:24:52.76
Heir of
salvation purchased of God,
00:24:52.76\00:24:57.10
born of his spirit,
washed in his blood.
00:24:57.10\00:25:01.73
I've been bought.
00:25:01.73\00:25:03.70
Number three, not only did they
have a betrothal, a commitment
00:25:03.70\00:25:08.00
or covenant, but I've
got a marriage contract
00:25:08.00\00:25:11.36
with my Jesus.
00:25:11.36\00:25:12.83
My marriage contract is
found in the Word of God.
00:25:12.83\00:25:17.36
I've got my ketubah,
I've got my contract.
00:25:17.36\00:25:21.76
Jesus died for me and all
he asks is that I live for him.
00:25:21.76\00:25:28.50
I've got my contract.
00:25:28.50\00:25:30.30
Where he leads
me, I will follow.
00:25:30.30\00:25:33.33
I've got my contract.
00:25:33.33\00:25:35.50
I said, where he
leads me, I'm gonna follow.
00:25:35.50\00:25:38.16
I've got my contract.
00:25:38.16\00:25:40.76
I love the Lord and
I won't take it back.
00:25:40.76\00:25:43.73
He's been too good to me.
00:25:43.73\00:25:45.90
I've got my contract, God's
Word shows me what I'm entitled
00:25:45.90\00:25:51.03
to as his bride.
00:25:51.03\00:25:52.53
You see, all of the
promises of God are for us.
00:25:52.53\00:25:55.60
The promises of
God are Yea and Amen.
00:25:55.60\00:25:59.43
I've got a contract,
which means when I'm sick,
00:25:59.43\00:26:02.93
the contract says he was
wounded for my transgressions,
00:26:02.93\00:26:05.93
bruised for my iniquities.
00:26:05.93\00:26:07.93
The chastisement of our peace
was upon him, but by his stripes
00:26:07.93\00:26:11.30
I'm healed.
00:26:11.30\00:26:12.30
The contract says I may be in
financial trouble, but God says
00:26:12.30\00:26:15.80
I will supply all of your
needs according to his riches
00:26:15.80\00:26:19.53
in glory.
00:26:19.53\00:26:20.53
Seek ye first the kingdom
of God and his righteousness,
00:26:20.53\00:26:23.86
and all these things
shall be added until you.
00:26:23.86\00:26:26.46
I once was
young but now I'm old.
00:26:26.46\00:26:29.30
But I've never seen
the righteous forsaken
00:26:29.30\00:26:31.70
nor his seed begging bread.
00:26:31.70\00:26:33.60
Bring ye all the tithes into
the storehouse, that there may
00:26:33.60\00:26:36.83
be meat in my house.
00:26:36.83\00:26:38.16
Prove me now herewith,
saith the Lord of hosts,
00:26:38.16\00:26:40.56
if I would not open you up
the windows of heaven and pour
00:26:40.56\00:26:43.16
you out a blessing
that there shall not be room
00:26:43.16\00:26:45.30
enough to receive it.
00:26:45.30\00:26:46.40
I've got a contract.
00:26:46.40\00:26:48.13
Aud: Amen.
00:26:48.13\00:26:49.40
The Breath of Life gift offer
this week is ,"Surprised by
00:26:49.40\00:26:51.60
Love,,"by pastor and
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00:26:51.60\00:26:54.03
Viera Talbot.
00:26:54.03\00:26:55.76
Find out how people in the
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00:26:55.76\00:26:57.76
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00:26:57.76\00:26:58.66
Adam and Eve were surprised.
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00:27:00.26\00:27:03.00
It surprised the disciples
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00:27:03.00\00:27:06.63
And God's surprises of love
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00:27:06.63\00:27:10.33
Join with Elizabeth as you
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00:27:10.33\00:27:12.93
story ever told.
00:27:12.93\00:27:14.23
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00:27:14.23\00:27:17.06
the ransom to the reunion.
00:27:17.06\00:27:19.23
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