Two Marriage Suppers: Marriage Supper of the Lamb and the Marriage Supper of Israel

 

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What is the marriage supper of the Lamb?

https://www.gotquestions.org/marriage-supper-Lamb.html

In his vision in Revelation 19:7–10, John saw and heard the heavenly multitudes praising God because the wedding feast of the Lamb—literally, the “marriage supper”—was about to begin. The concept of the marriage supper is better understood in light of the wedding customs in the time of Christ.

These wedding customs had three major parts. First, a marriage contract was signed by the parents of the bride and the bridegroom, and the parents of the bridegroom or the bridegroom himself would pay a dowry to the bride or her parents. This began what was called the betrothal period—what we would today call the engagement. This period was the one Joseph and Mary were in when she was found to be with child (Matthew 1:18; Luke 2:5).

The second step in the process usually occurred a year later, when the bridegroom, accompanied by his male friends, went to the house of the bride at midnight, creating a torchlight parade through the streets. The bride would know in advance this was going to take place, and so she would be ready with her maidens, and they would all join the parade and end up at the bridegroom’s home. This custom is the basis of the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1–13. The third phase was the marriage supper itself, which might go on for days, as illustrated by the wedding at Cana in John 2:1–2.

What John’s vision in Revelation pictures is the wedding feast of the Lamb (Jesus Christ) and His bride (the Church) in its third phase. The implication is that the first two phases have already taken place. The first phase was completed on earth when each individual believer placed his or her faith in Christ as Savior. The dowry paid to the bridegroom’s parent (God the Father) would be the blood of Christ shed on the Bride’s behalf. The Church on earth today, then, is “betrothed” to Christ, and, like the wise virgins in the parable, all believers should be watching and waiting for the appearance of the Bridegroom (the rapture). The second phase symbolizes the rapture of the Church, when Christ comes to claim His bride and take her to the Father’s house. The marriage supper then follows as the third and final step. It is our view that the marriage supper of the Lamb takes place in heaven between the rapture and the second coming (during the tribulation on earth).

Attending the wedding feast will be not only the Church as the Bride of Christ, but others as well. The “others” include the Old Testament (and Tribulation)saints—they will not have been resurrected yet, but their souls/spirits will be in heaven with us. As the angel told John to write, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb” (Revelation 19:9). The marriage supper of the Lamb is a glorious celebration of all who are in Christ!

What is the marriage supper of Israel in the Kingdom?

I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take: their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 8:11

 Jesus is describing who will be present in the kingdom of heaven. Israel's great patriarchs will be there, but so will Gentiles from lands in every direction from Israel. In other words, the kingdom of heaven will not be populated by Israelites alone (Galatians 3:7–9). This should not have been surprising to Jesus' listeners because of God's promise to bless the families of the earth through Abraham (Genesis 12:3).

The essential thing to notice is that Jesus is connecting who will be in the kingdom of heaven to the Gentile centurion's faith in Him and His authority. Faith in Christ will be the deciding factor about who enters the kingdom of heaven, not nationality (Galatians 3:28–29). In the following verse, Jesus may well surprise His crowd by describing who will not be present at such a meal. - Bible Ref. 

Note: Author confuses this with the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. This Marriage Supper on Earth at the start of the millennium. The context is Israel because of the mention of Israel's Patriarchs. I selected the quote that fits the context. 

Matt. 8:5-13 is the account of the Centurion’s servant being healed. A Centurion was an officer of the Roman Army, so it’s presumed that he was a gentile. Also, Jesus said his faith was superior to anyone He had seen in Israel, another indication of the Centurion’s foreign origin. The people coming from the East and the West to take their places at the feast are faithful Gentiles like the Centurion who have accepted Jesus. They will join Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the Faithful of Israel in the Lord’s Millennial Kingdom.

But the sons of the Kingdom will be thrown outside into the outer darkness. These are people who were born Jewish and therefore should have inherited the Kingdom but because of their rejection of the Messiah will be excluded. This was one of the Lord’s first hints that participation in His Kingdom was not a birthright, but would only come to those who believe. -- Jack Kelly Grace Thru Faith

Note: The only two people group in this text is Gentiles and Jews. This is Old Testament and concerns the future in the Millennium. The majority of Interpreters read the Church in this text. The Church would not be revealed by Jesus until the leaders of Israel rejected Him.

(T)he faith of Old and New Testament saints, Jews and Gentiles, is the same; their blessings the same, and so their eternal happiness; they have the same God and Father, the same Mediator and Redeemer, are actuated and influenced by the same Spirit, partake of the same grace, and shall share the same glory. The allusion is to sitting, or rather lying along, which was the posture of the ancients at meals, and is here expressed, at a table, at a meal, or feast: and under the metaphor of a feast or plentiful table to set down to, are represented the blessings of the Gospel, and the joys of heaven; which are not restrained to any particular nation, or set of people; not to the Jews, to the exclusion of the Gentiles. Our Lord here, goes directly contrary to the notions and practices of the Jews, who thought it a crime to sit down at table, and eat with the Gentiles; see ( Acts 11:3 ) and yet Gentiles shall sit at table and eat with the principal men, the heads of their nation, in the kingdom of heaven, and they themselves at the same time shut out.   -- John Gill's Exposition of the Bible 

Note: John Gill interprets this apply to the Church. I have selected his quote and applied it to Israel in the Kingdom. John Gill, like many Reformed Theologians did not have a developed Israelology. This is why I cannot find any Reformed or Dispensational article or commentary for this post that correctly interprets Jesus' words in Matthew 8:11

   Many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham: The fact that such faith was present in a Gentile caused Jesus to announce that there would be Gentiles in the kingdom of heaven. They will even sit down to dinner with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob!

i. This was a radical idea to many of the Jewish people in Jesus’ day; they assumed that this great Messianic Banquet would have no Gentiles, and that all Jews would be there. Jesus corrected both mistaken ideas.

ii. These few words of Jesus tell us a little something of what [the Kingdom will be] like.

· It is a place of rest; [they will sit down in [in the Kingdom].

· It is a place of good company to sit with; we enjoy the friendship of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in [the Kingdom].

· It is a place with many people; Jesus said that many will come into [the Kingdom].

· It is a place with people from all over the earth; from east and west they will come to [the Kingdom].

· It is a certain place; Jesus said many will come, and when Jesus says it will happen, it will happen.

d. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness: As well, Jesus reminded his Jewish listeners that just as the Gentile’s racial identity was no automatic barrier to the kingdom, their racial identity was no guarantee of the kingdom. Though Jews were sons of the kingdom, they might end up in hell.

i. “There could hardly be a more radical statement of the change in God’s plan of salvation inaugurated by the mission of Jesus.” (France)

ii. Trapp on outer darkness: “Into a darkness beyond a darkness; into a dungeon beyond and beneath the prison.”

iii. “The definite articles with ‘weeping’ and ‘gnashing’ (cf. Greek) emphasize the horror of the scene: the weeping and the gnashing…Weeping suggests suffering and gnashing of teeth despair.” (Carson)

iv. “What is it that the lost are doing? They are ‘weeping and gnashing their teeth.’ Do you gnash your teeth now? You would not do it except you were in pain and agony. Well, in hell there is always gnashing of teeth.” (Spurgeon)

v. We see that Jesus was unafraid to speak of hell, and in fact did so more than any other in the Bible. “There are some ministers who never mention anything about hell. I heard of a minister who once said to his congregation – ‘If you do not love the Lord Jesus Christ you will be sent to that place which it is not polite to mention.’ He ought not to have been allowed to preach again, I am sure, if he could not use plain words.” (Spurgeon)

 David Guzik Enduring Word Commentary

Note: The author knows the context is the kingdom "Jesus reminded his Jewish listeners that just as the Gentile’s racial identity was no automatic barrier to the kingdom, their racial identity was no guarantee of the kingdom." But the author places the event in heaven before the millennium 

"ii. These few words of Jesus tell us a little something of what heaven is like.

· It is a place of rest; we sit down in heaven.

· It is a place of good company to sit with; we enjoy the friendship of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in heaven.

I have corrected this [the Kingdom] in place of "in heaven."