There’s Another Wedding Coming!

All week long people kept asking me, “Are you going to watch the wedding of William and Kate on Friday?” I kept growling back things like, “Are you kidding?” “Not if I can help it.” “I couldn’t care less!” “Not unless some earthquake rocks me out of my bed.” The best line I heard all week was that the Royal Wedding is the “Super Bowl for Women.” But I’m a man and I watched my Super Bowl three months ago.

When I got up today and stumbled out to the kitchen to start making my toast, there was my wife in front of the computer in the next room, watching the wedding. She was kind of glowing and was beckoning me to come and see. I sneaked a quick look. And then another, and another.  It was more interesting than I thought it would be, but I had a breakfast date with my daughter and had to go.

It was one of those fast food restaurants with a big TV on the wall and guess what was on. There we sat and I was drawn in, completely. We were both transfixed. The colour, the crowds, the cavernous church with trees down each side of the aisle(!), the pomp and ceremony, the choirs and the trumpeters, the carriages, the majestic horses and their riders. Honestly, it was almost as good as the Super Bowl.

It truly was spectacular! I don’t know if it’s because I just finished reading the book of Revelation or what, but I couldn’t help thinking of an immensely more glorious future spectacle which we will actually be part of someday.  Check this out -

After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting:

“Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
for true and just are his judgments.
He has condemned the great prostitute
who corrupted the earth by her adulteries.
He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”

And again they shouted: “Hallelujah!
The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever.”

The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried: “Amen, Hallelujah!”

Then a voice came from the throne, saying: “Praise our God,
all you his servants,
you who fear him,
both small and great!”

Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah!
For our Lord God Almighty reigns.

Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.

Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)

(Revelation 19:1-8)

Those of us who belong to Jesus will be there on that day. We won’t just be in the crowd – the crowd will be the angels, intimidatingly glorious in their own right, dressed in their finest - we will be the bride – the Bride of Christ! It just fries my brain to think about it.

So, did I watch the wedding (or at least some of it)? Yes, and I’m glad I did.

“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’”