Before The WrathSample

The Key to Understanding the Rapture

DEVOTIONAL:

Weddings are among the most exciting events of our lives! Weddings point to love, hope, faith, new beginnings, and of all the beautiful things in this life, not just for the couple being married but for all of us. Yet even in the midst of all the excitement, the couple must gather and compose themselves, so they are able to adequately handle the planning and preparation not just for the ceremony itself, but also for the countless details that lead up to the ceremony.

But unlike today’s modern wedding, the 1st century Galilean wedding ceremony had very different customs, traditions, and rituals. In order for us to better understand the words and parables of Jesus, we must first understand the culture He was in. All of the disciples of Jesus were from Galilee. And, when it came to weddings, the Galileans’ traditions were distinct from the rest of Israel. Learning more about these wedding customs from Jesus’s time can dramatically help us understand what the Bible has to say about the return of Christ and the rapture of the church.

TALK IT OVER:

1.  What are some of the similarities between a Galilean wedding ceremony and the rapture? How does this shape your view of the end times? 

2. How does understanding the nuances of a Galilean wedding provide insight and clarity on the return of Christ? 

3. What do you know now that you didn’t realize before this Reading Plan? What will you do to better prepare for Christ’s return?