TV Program CURRENT EPISODE Waiting for a Wedding 2008-03-02 PRODUCTION #: 1105 SPEAKER: Shawn Boonstra There s a moment in a young man s life when he asks a girl to marry him and, believe it or not, that moment has something important to say about Bible prophecy and the end of time. It was my girlfriend s 21st birthday and I was more excited than usual to pick her up from work, because this was the day I was going to ask her to marry me. I had it all planned. It would happen by the bridge that crossed the pond in Beacon Hill Park, a spot so romantic there was no way that a girl could possibly say no. And so we drove for about a half an hour across town, and I tried to dodge all the questions she was asking about why we were driving anywhere other than her house. And then faster than I expected, it happened. We stood by the pond and I dropped to one knee and I asked her to marry me. You know what? She said yes. And you know, the interesting thing is, we didn t get married right that afternoon. That is because there was an awful lot to do before the big day could actually take place. We had to plan a guest list. We had to pick the wedding cake and the menu, and decide where all the guests were going to sit and who was going to wear which colors, and on, and on, and on, and on. And it actually took us about a year and a half to get ready for the main event. Now, what does that have to do with Bible prophecy? Well, more than you might expect. Maybe you ve noticed that in addition to things like the harvest cycle and the branches on the fig tree, Jesus actually uses marriage to describe the Second Coming, and he does it more than once. For example, listen to this rather famous passage found in Matthew 25. Here is what the Bible says (Matthew 25:1-4): Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. Now in this story, Jesus compares His people to a group of women waiting for the wedding to start. Half this group is ready for the long haul. They understand that it might be a little while before the bridegroom returns. So they make provision to stay where they are until he comes back. They have plenty of oil to last them until the return. Oil is a symbol of the power of the Holy Spirit. The other half of the group, unfortunately, they don t take matters as seriously. And they are caught off guard when the bridegroom doesn t come back right away. Now, there are a lot of lessons we can learn from this parable. But the very next verses hold the key to what I want to show you today. Listen to this (Matthew 25:5-6): But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard: Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him! Over the centuries, people have snickered at the fact that Christians believe in the Second Coming of Christ. And they point to the passage of time as supposed evidence that it is never going to happen. You know something? I ve even sadly met Christians who has kind of gave up, because they think the fact that it is been a long time discredits the promise of God. But before you throw in the prophetic towel, it s a good idea to look at the details, because it is clear that the Second Coming is going to take a while. In Jesus own words right here in the Bible, He says the bridegroom is delayed. For the last 2,000 years, we ve had the key to the Second Coming right here in our hands. It doesn t take place right away. In fact, there is enough time, according to the parable, for the church to actually fall asleep. And fall asleep she did. Especially through the period known as the Dark Ages.
asleep she did. Especially through the period known as the Dark Ages. According to the Bible, the delay goes on just long enough that a lot of the world makes fun of those who still believe. Just listen to this amazing prediction made in Second Peter three. Listen to these words (2 Peter 3:3): Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation. There comes a point in prophetic history where the people of this world actually quit believing that Jesus will come again. Never mind the fact that Jesus made an emphatic promise, and never mind the fact that all of the other prophecies have come to pass exactly the way God said they would. The world still chooses not to believe. But of course that kind of thinking is really a logical fallacy. Students of symbolic logic could be quick to point out that just because something happened the same way a thousand days in a row, it doesn t necessarily mean it is going to happen the same way on day 1001. You can t argue that because you have never had a car accident, for example, that you never will. It doesn t make any sense. And to argue that Jesus won t come back because He hasn t done it yet is simply faulty reasoning, especially when you discover that Jesus said it is going to take a while. Now add to that the number of breathtaking prophecies you find in the Bible that clearly outline centuries of human existence after Jesus went back to heaven. The picture is crystal clear. The day Jesus bought us at the Cross of Calvary is not the day the heavenly wedding takes place. Now, I don t want to be misunderstood, because I m not saying that you can t be sure of your standing in Christ, because even though the wedding hasn t taken place yet, all is crystal clear in the Book of Ephesians that we have already obtained our inheritance. The deal is done. You can count on God. But it is hard to deny the fact that you are not quite in heaven, at least not yet. And that is because with the possible exception of Las Vegas, you just don t get married the day you get engaged. Even though your salvation is paid for, and even though you have nothing to fear, there are still some things that have to happen before the wedding feast actually takes place. And that explains this amazing passage found in the Book of Ephesians, chapter 1. Listen to this (Ephesians 1:13-14): In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. You ll notice that the wording is very certain. Our inheritance has been guaranteed. Our faith has been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. If you hear the word of truth, and trust in God for your salvation, there is absolutely no question that you are on your way to the kingdom. It is as if you hold a ticket, a guaranteed seat on a flight that is bound for heaven. But all you have right now at this moment is the ticket. In some translations of the Bible like the old King James Version, the Holy Spirit is actually called the earnest of our inheritance, which is something like a down payment. The presence of God s Spirit working on our hearts is strong evidence that he is getting us ready for the heavenly wedding feast, and that one day soon that feast is going to come. It is kind of like those five young women who had oil in their lamps. So the real question I want you to think about today is this: Why in the world didn t Jesus just take His disciples straight to Heaven with him the moment He rose from the dead? Now, the answer s not that hard to find. Because when Jesus goes back to Heaven, He sends the disciples to the far corners of the earth to teach the world what God has done at the cross of Calvary. And again, in Peter s second letter, we read that the major reason Christ hasn t come yet is because there are still those who might choose life. So, if you think about it really, to a tiny degree, the timing of the Second Coming is a little bit up to us. You see, God is not going to wait forever, but He is going to wait if there is still a chance that somebody might accept the gift of life.
But still, that is not quite the reason you don t get married the day you get engaged. That has more to do with functions that have to happen before you can be ready, and here is what is interesting. When you search the Bible, you discover there is something Jesus has to do before He comes again. One of the best places to read about it is found in an Old Testament wedding story told in the Book of Ruth. This is an encounter between Boaz and Ruth, where she asks him to take her under his wing, and the reason she has to do that is because she is a widow. It all begins when a man named Elimelech takes his family to the country of Moab, because there is a famine in the land of Israel. Now the Moabites happen to be the descendents of Lot, and they were a people whose roots were more than a little questionable, because they really got their start with a horrible moment of indiscretion by Lot s daughters. So the story starts with God s people giving up their land and moving away to the land of Moab. The sons of Elimelech naturally marry Moabite girls, and all goes well until disaster strikes and all the men are dead, leaving behind Elimelech s wife and two daughters-in-law. One of those girls, whose name was Ruth, begged Naomi, the wife of Elimelech, to take her back to the land of Israel. That is the Reader s Digest condensed version of the story, and you really need to read it for yourself, because the details are rather striking, especially when you compare them to last-day events. But for now that is all you need to know, and what happens next shows us something about why Jesus couldn t just come right away. As the story progresses, Ruth begins to glean the field of a man named Boaz, who is a relative of her dead husband. And, as such, Boaz has the right under Israelite law to buy back the land her in-laws sold when they left for the land of Moab. Now, at this point in the story, Ruth is completely destitute, and somebody else owns the land that was supposed to belong to her family. That is exactly where the Second Coming comes into play. In a startling scene that takes place in Ruth chapter three, Ruth asks Boaz to serve as her kinsman redeemer and buy back the land. In essence, she asks him to marry her, and that is where we are going to pick it up now, in verse 9. Listen to this Ruth 3:9: And he said, Who are you? So she answered, I am Ruth, your maidservant. Take your maidservant under your wing, for you are a close relative. Then he said, Blessed are you of the Lord, my daughter! For you have shown more kindness at the end than at the beginning, in that you did not go after young men, whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you request, for all the people of my town know that you are a virtuous woman. Now this is really important stuff. All of the Bible points us somehow to the person of Jesus Christ, and this story is no exception. Ruth comes to Boaz and asks him to serve as her redeemer, and he agrees. In fact, he does more than agree, he actually gives her an airtight promise. Don t worry, he says, I m going to do what you ask. But you ll notice, he doesn t do it right away. And why doesn t he do it right away? Because there is this little detail he needs to clear up, and you ll find it in verse 12 (Ruth 3:12): Now it is true that I am a close relative; however, there is a relative closer than I. Now, did you catch the problem? There is a relative who has a prior claim on Ruth, and before Boaz can marry her, he is going to have to clear that up. So what does that have to do with the Second Coming of Christ? Absolutely everything. You see, the Bible says that when you come to Christ, you are adopted into His family. Now there is no question at all, he is a relative. In fact, the Bible teaches that he was made in the likeness of human flesh, and it called Jesus the second Adam. But as close to you, as that is in your sinful condition, you are really much more closely related to the first Adam, who bartered away this planet in a thoughtless moment of rebellion. The parallels are striking. Adam sold the planet to the devil, who claims this land as his own. This is obviously from the fact that Satan tried to give the land back to Jesus in exchange for worship, and the family that Ruth married kind of did the same thing. They sold the land that God had given them, and they moved themselves away to a pagan country. And of course, just like Adam s sin was the ruin of the planet, Elimelech s plan ended in disaster, and it left his whole family destitute. More than anything, Ruth wanted to have the family property back, and she needed a relative to buy it for her. And again the analogy is striking, because the human race, if they want this planet back, they
for her. And again the analogy is striking, because the human race, if they want this planet back, they are going to need a kinsman redeemer, because they don t have the resources to do it themselves. Now, I m simplifying this a whole lot, but I want you to see the obvious parallels. What you and I need is a kinsman redeemer. And we find that in Jesus Christ, who became one of us for exactly that purpose. And at the Cross of Calvary He earned the right to seize the whole world. You find that in such startling passages as Revelation chapter five, where Christ appears as a sacrificed lamb, and the sinners gathered around the throne singing this important song. Listen to this (Revelation 5:9-10): And they sang a new song, saying: You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals; for you have slain, and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth. Do you see it? Jesus is our kinsman redeemer, and He gives us back our land. But still, you ll notice the wedding doesn t happen right away. Before Boaz can marry Ruth, he has to appear at the gates of the city to discuss the matter with the village elders. And really, the gate to the city is the place where ancient Israelites held their court. If you want to think about it in legal terms, and that s perfectly fair because it s a legal decision that needs to be made, the judgment has to happen before Boaz can marry Ruth. Now, what I want you to notice is the fact that a closer relative had a prior claim on Ruth. SB: In the judgment process, the onlooking city discovers that the closer relative doesn t actually love her, but Boaz does. So again, what does that have to do with the Second Coming? Well, more than you might think. When we first gave this planet away, when we first chose rebellion against God, we made ourselves more closely aligned to a fallen angel than to the kingdom of God. We surrendered our sovereignty over this world. And now we have an unfortunate relative who simply doesn t love us. Even worse, his agenda seems to be as a murderer and the father of lies, to use us to bring disrepute on God. At the cross the Bible says the devil was defeated by the blood of the Lamb, the gift of Christ makes it possible for you to be adopted into the family of God. We actually get the chance to have everything restored, and not because of something we have done, but because Jesus, the second Adam, is our kinsman redeemer and He has the means to save us. The whole deal is done. Just like Boaz, Jesus says, don t worry about this. It is going to happen. You ve been saved and I will come again. There is just this one little detail to fix, and I know the court is going to rule in my favor. You know, a lot of people think that earth s judgment hour is all about us. And I ll be the first to say that human beings really will go on trial, because the Bible says that all of us are going to stand before the judgment seat of Christ, but there is more to the heavenly judgment than us. Don t forget that in the beginning a fallen angel maligned the very character of God, and over all these years God has been allowing Satan to expose himself as a murderer and a liar. And that is the best way to preserve everyone s freedom of choice and still get rid of sin, simply by giving the devil enough leash to hang himself. You see, that way everybody can see the consequences of rebellion firsthand, and the universe can be inoculated against a second rebellion. And don t forget, the heavenly angels were actually there when the rebellion began, so you know they ve got questions just like you and me, because angels aren t omniscient beings. So, before everything comes to a close, God simply opens the books of judgment and lets the universe weigh the evidence. Who has been telling the truth? Was the devil right when he said that God should be removed from the throne of the universe, or is it possible that God is everything He is ever claimed to be? And in the end whom does planet earth belong to? The fallen prince who deceived the world, or the King of Kings who became a man and gave His life for it? The dramatic conclusion is found in Daniel 7. Just verses after a description of the judgment hour, where the books of heaven are open and the evidence is carefully examined. Listen to this Daniel 7:13-14: I was watching in the night visions, and behold, one like the son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and the brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass
languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed. There is the end of the story and the whole human race can breathe a sigh of relief. Just before Jesus returns the judgment convenes and the decision is made. The kingdom belongs to the Son of God, because He is the one who loves you the most, and He is the one who gave his life, and when he returns, the wedding takes place. All that remains for you to do now is ask. You see, just like Ruth, you can ask the Son of God to be your kinsman redeemer. And if you ve done that, if you ve pledged yourself to Christ, you can look forward to the judgment hour with eager anticipation because you ve got nothing to fear. Many years ago there was a terrible fire and a little boy was trapped on the second floor of a house. The crowd outside was horrified because there was no way into the house, and the little boy was doomed, and that is when a mysterious man suddenly appeared and walked straight into the raging inferno. Moments later, he came back out carrying the boy. He put him down and disappeared into the crowd. Moments later, the little boy appeared in court because the town wasn t sure what to do with him. His whole family had been killed in the blaze and he had no place to call home. So who is going to take care of him? Well, a little battle broke out in the courthouse as the members of the town presented their reasons that the boy should live with them. And then, just like on the day of the fire, the mysterious man walked into the back of the courthouse, walked down to the bench, and quietly rolled up his sleeves. His arms were a mass of fresh scars, the result of having saved the boy. Your Honor, I believe these scars prove who loves the boy the most. I m asking you to release him into my custody. Well, you know there was no question about it, and the boy found a new home. And when it comes to your salvation, there will be no question about it if you ve chosen Christ as your own, because in heaven s judgment the scars in His hands are going to prove who loves you most. And right now, the whole matter is in your hands. Why don t we pray together? PRAYER: Father, we know we need a kinsman redeemer. We want the peace of mind that you can give us. We want to know that we ll be saved, and we want to know the God who gave His life for us. Forgive our sins we ask. Underline our names in the Book of Life, and above all, come quickly, we pray, in Jesus name, Amen. Scriptures Used in Waiting for a Wedding Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. Matthew 25:1-4 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard: Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him! Matthew 25:5-6 Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation. 2 Peter 3:3 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1:13-14 And he said, Who are you? So she answered, I am Ruth, your maidservant. Take your maidservant under your wing, for you are a close relative. Then he said, Blessed are you of the Lord, my daughter! For you have shown more kindness at the end than at the beginning, in that you did not go after young men, whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you request, for all the people of my town know that you are a virtuous woman. Ruth 3:9
Now it is true that I am a close relative; however, there is a relative closer than I. Ruth 3:12 And they sang a new song, saying: You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals; for you have slain, and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth. Revelation 5:9-10 I was watching in the night visions, and behold, one like the son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and the brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed. Daniel 7:13-14 Keywords: Shawn Boonstra It Is Written Box O Thousand Oaks, CA 91359 USA Tel: (805) 433-0210 Fax: (805) 433-0218 Copyright 2010, It Is Written International Television. All rights reserved. Webmaster