“Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!” Revelation 19:9
Revelation 19 announces the Lamb of God’s coming marriage and His marriage supper, complete with guests. Who are they? To better understand this prophecy, we must examine a few ancient Israeli wedding customs.
A traditional wedding in Jesus’ time included three primary steps and took many days to complete. First, the parents of both the bride and groom signed a marriage contract, then the groom presented a dowry to the bride’s parents. Thus began the betrothal, or engagement, period. Mary and Joseph were in such a period when Mary became pregnant by the Holy Spirit (Matt 1:18; Lk 2:5).
Second, the groom and his friends grabbed torches several days later and paraded to the bride’s house at midnight. The bride fully expected their arrival and would have her maidens ready as well. The ladies would join the parade and walk back to the groom’s house. Such a parade is the basis for the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1-13.
The third and final step was a wedding ceremony followed by a marriage supper, which included many guests and usually lasted several days or longer. The wedding at Cana, where Jesus turned water into wine, was such a wedding feast (John 2).
The prophecy in Revelation 19:9 refers to the first two steps of the wedding. The first step has already been taken. God the Father paid the dowry when He sent His Son Jesus (the Groom) to shed His blood on a cross for all believers, i.e., the church (the bride). As such, the church is officially “betrothed” to Jesus.
As it stands currently, the bride now waits for the Groom to come (step 2), and Jesus warns her (that is, us) to be ready (Matt 25). We do not know when He will come; not even Jesus knows. But many Bible scholars believe Jesus will rapture the church (1 Thess 5) and take us back to the Father’s house (heaven) at that time.
“My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:2-3)
Upon our arrival, we will enjoy the marriage feast (supper) with the Groom.
“Let us be glad, rejoice, and give Him glory because the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has prepared herself. She was given fine linen to wear, bright and pure. For the fine linen represents the righteous acts of the saints.” (Rev 19:7-8)
It will be a spectacular, festive time in heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ. But we will not be alone; we will have guests.
The Full Guest List
Returning to the original question, who are the guests at the marriage supper? They cannot be the church since the church is the bride. She does not get invited to her own ceremony! So, who are they?
The wedding guests are those who died in their faith before Pentecost and the birth of the church (Acts 2:1), i.e., all Old Testament saints. God will resurrect them along with the church during the rapture, and we will reign together with Jesus in the millennial kingdom
“We who are still alive at the Lord’s coming will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are still alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.” (1 Thess 4:15-17)
The guests will also include all those who come to faith during and after the Tribulation period. Zechariah 8:23 tells us,
“Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days, ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'”
Many will come to faith during the Tribulation, led by believing Gentiles as well as a select group of Jewish people who will come to trust and believe that Jesus is the promised Messiah. Revelation 7:1-8 and 14:1-5 describe this in more detail.
“Then I saw another angel…He cried out with a loud voice to the four angels who were allowed to harm the earth and the sea, ‘Don’t harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we seal the servants of our God on their foreheads.’ And I heard the number of the sealed: 144,000 sealed from every tribe of the Israelites.” (Rev 7:2-4)
“Then I looked, and there was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with Him were 144,000 who had His name and His Father’s name written on their foreheads. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. They were redeemed from humanity as the firstfruits for God and the Lamb.” (Rev 14:1, 4)
Once the guests arrive, Jesus will present His bride “in fine linen, clean and bright” (Rev 19:8). Together, we will celebrate the marriage supper in an eternal, joyous celebration.
“Blessed are those invited to the marriage feast of the Lamb!” (Rev 19:9)
