Jesus will be last
Did the title grab your attention? Do you think that maybe I’m a heretic? Let me explain.
This past weekend, I had the honor of being a bridesmaid and a wedding coordinator for one of my dear friends. It was the sixteenth wedding I’ve been in. 😳 Yep, you read that right- SIXTEEN!!!
Being in a wedding while nursing a broken heart is no easy task, but it was one I felt that the Lord had asked me to take on, even when I was given the option to simply come as a guest. Sometimes we need to give even when it hurts; even when it costs us something.
There was a moment during the reception, when I was watching my dear friend and her new husband, that I felt as if my heart was bleeding inside of me. The pain felt momentarily unbearable.
“Will I be the last one to get married?” I wondered to myself.
“No, I will be.” I heard Jesus whisper to my heart.
I have stood beside 16 of my friends and watched them say, “I do.” I’ve been part of planning 16 beautiful dream-come-true days. I have seen 16 brides walk towards 16 grooms and have watched 16 love stories be fulfilled right before my eyes while waiting for my own fulfillment.
But Jesus has watched 61.5 million weddings take place in America alone in the last 50 years, while He remains separated from His Bride. I thought the 16 that I’ve walked through was hard- I can’t imagine 61 MILLION!!!!! But each one that passes is one closer to HIS wedding day.
No one has been waiting longer for their wedding day than Jesus.
Read that again.
No one has been waiting longer for their wedding day than Jesus.
The very last thing that will take place in this entire age will be Jesus’ wedding. Jesus will be the very last one to get married.
Lets take a look:
His wedding, the wedding supper of the Lamb, will be the last thing to happen in this age and the first thing to happen in the New Heaven and New Earth. The Last will very literally be the First.
His wedding isn’t the last one because He’s done something wrong. God isn’t withholding The Bride from Jesus or Jesus from the Bride due to disobedience or needing to earn something or for Him to reach some level of maturity- His wedding will be last because it is the will of the Father. Jesus is waiting for His Bride. She isn’t ready yet and that’s okay; she’s getting ready.
“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” - Hebrews 4:14-16
There are moments in life when we walk through super specific struggles that can tempt us to feel like Jesus doesn’t fully understand our situation… (even though He does) but waiting to get married is not one of those struggles.
No one understands the longing for their Wedding Day as Jesus does. No one has waited longer than He has. No one has been single for longer, WITH THE PROMISE of a spouse, than Him.
When we say that Jesus is “in the waiting with us” He very truly is.
May that bring you a great deal of comfort today, especially if you feel like you are the “last one” to get married. You haven’t done something wrong, you have not been forgotten, and you are in GREAT company.
I can promise you this: you will either get married before Jesus does… or His Wedding Day will be yours.
Take heart.
Lift your eyes.
He is with you.
The Marriage Supper of the Lamb
“Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,
“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
the Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and exult
and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his Bride has made herself ready;
it was granted her to clothe herself
with fine linen, bright and pure”—
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”
- Revelation 19:6-9
