Scripture Text: Revelation 19:1-10
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 19:7-9 (ESV)
Most of us still get so-called snail mail, but we probably get a lot less than we used to. In the last decade the volume of mail delivered by the Philippine Postal Service declined by 36 percent. It is presently at a 13-year low. A few things are still mailed and although many people also still send wedding invitations the old-fashioned way, this too may be slowly changing.
In today’s text, invitations to the Lamb’s wedding are not sent by the postal service or Evite. First, the invitation is issued audibly by “what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder” (v. 6). The invitation is part of a larger ovation that celebrates the destruction of “the great prostitute” Babylon (v. 2).
Next, the Lamb’s wedding invitation is put in writing. The angel tells John to write, “Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” (v. 9). Clearly these words are addressed to all who read the book of Revelation. In a sense, it is an invitation from the future that has been sent to those of us who have not yet arrived there.
The multitude says that the bride has “made herself ready” by arraying herself in “fine linen, bright and clean” (vv. 7–8). “Fine linen” represents the righteous acts of God’s holy people, and a subtle implication in these words hints at the relationship between grace and righteous behavior. On the one hand, the bride puts on what has been given to her. On the other hand, she makes herself ready. The righteousness of the bride is not her own but is the righteousness of Christ, which comes as a gift and is reflected in her practice.
Reflect
1. How does the loud invitation imagery show how important the Lamb's wedding is for your faith?
2. What does it mean to get an invitation from the future? How does this change how you think about time and God's plans?
3. Think about "getting ready" by accepting Christ's goodness and living right. How does this change how you live your life?
Remember
The passage in Revelation talks about how people are invited to the Lamb's wedding. They hear the invitation loudly and also read it in the book. The loud sounds show it's a big celebration and victory over Babylon. The written invitation is for everyone who reads Revelation, inviting them to join the wedding feast The imagery of the bride's fine linen represents the righteousness gifted by Christ, reflected in believers' actions, emphasizing the transformative power of grace and righteous living in preparing for this divine event.
Read
Hosea 2:19-20; Isaiah 61:10; Luke 14:15-16; 2 Corinthians 11:2
Pray
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for the invitation to the Lamb's wedding, conveyed in such powerful ways. Help me to hear and understand this invitation through Your Word. May I always be ready, as I am clothed in Your Son’s righteousness, and live a life that reflects Your grace. Thank You for including me in this joyous celebration and for transforming me with Christ’s righteousness. In Jesus' name. Amen.
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