There are lots of different wedding traditions. Jewish couples stand beneath a canopy called a chuppah, and everyone dances the hora at their reception. Up north, guests tend to be invited to a sit-down dinner after the wedding, while Southern folks generally prefer a stand-up reception, mingling around tables of finger food. But everyone everywhere comes to a wedding for one reason – to celebrate the union of the bride and groom and to extend our congratulations (to him) and best wishes (to her).

Just so, John sees the coming of Christ for His people as a wedding (19:7) followed by a feast (19:9). All those who long for His coming are thus called to “rejoice and exult and give Him glory” (19:7) in the same way that we share in the joy of the bridal party. For one day, Christ will keep His promise to return and to take us to Himself, to a place that He has prepared for us (John 14:3), just as a bridegroom comes for His bride. What greater reason could there be for a celebration?

But every culture also has expectations for the wedding guests. It’s important for women who attend a Jewish wedding to cover their shoulders and for men to wear a head-covering. Some Southern weddings are black-tie affairs while others are semi-formal, but only the bride is ever allowed to wear white.

In the same way, John points out that the bride of Christ, the Church, “has made herself ready” not with jewels and fancy clothes, but with “the righteous deeds of the saints” (19:7-8). So, while we are invited to the wedding by the grace of God alone through faith alone in Christ alone, it’s important for us to respond to such an invitation with works of faith and love, preparing ourselves for His coming by acting like we belong to Him.

And that leads to the most important way that a bridal couple prepares for their wedding – by their mutual faithfulness. After all, the bride’s white dress is a symbol of her purity, and during the wedding the bride and groom both promise to cleave only to one another and to forsake everyone else. Marriage, simply put, is both a permanent and an exclusive relationship.

In the same way, when John, overcome by the splendor of his visions, is tempted to fall down and worship the angel who revealed them to him, he is given a sharp rebuke. Instead, the angel tells him to “worship God” (19:10). Just so, while we wait for Christ to return, we must forsake the beast and the false prophet and the prostitute. We must not put our faith in governments or man-made religions, or in cultures, but must remain faithful to Christ alone, putting Him first in our lives, and devoting ourselves completely to His glory and His service. Then, we will be truly blessed, truly happy when we finally sit down to the marriage supper of the Lamb (19:9).

Revelation 19:5-10 (ESV)

5 And from the throne came a voice saying, “Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great.”
6 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.
7 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;
8 it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”– for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
9 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.”
10 Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.