Compelling Love

In Hosea 2:19-20, the LORD (Yehovah’) declares His betrothal and promise to the believing remnant of Israel: “I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and justice, in lovingkindness and mercy; I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, And you shall know the LORD (Yehovah’).

The LORD (Yehovah’) has betrothed himself to the believing remnant of Israel, which includes Gentiles grafted into Israel through faith and loving obedience to Yeshua the Messiah, Jesus Christ.  The redeemed who enter into this love relationship with The LORD (Yehovah’) through the Messiah are described as His wife.  The Father is preparing through the Holy Spirit this bride who will be His gift of love to his Son, and the bride is making herself ready!  (Revelation 19:7-8)

Teacher and Minister Carmella Gillons writes about Jesus, Yeshua, preparing a bride for himself:

“He is putting finishing touches on His bride.  Between now and the coming of Messiah, let us put out the call, the invitation to the wedding banquet:

 Revelation 22 (NKJV)
¹² “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.
¹⁴ Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.
¹⁷ And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

“Jesus wants us to know that all we have to focus on is a close intimate relationship with Him.  And through this love relationship His life will simply flow into ours and through us to others just exactly as the Father’s life and words and strength flowed through Jesus.  Not only that but all the fruit, all the power needed to enable us to live a holy life comes from Him.”

Jesus, Yeshua obeyed the Torah (God’s instructions given through Moses), and he said, “Follow me.”  Hebrew Roots teacher Jim Staley declares that those who follow Yeshua obeying the Torah by the Spirit are walking down the aisle to be part of Messiah’s Bride.

Yeshua’s bride includes people of Israelite ancestry and others who are grafted into Israel by faith in Him.  This is the believing remnant of Israel who believe in Yeshua the Messiah and implicitly obey him out of love.  Revelation 14:12 (CJB) describes this company, “This is when perseverance is needed on the part of God’s people, those who observe his commands and exercise Yeshua’s faithfulness.”

Jesus gave this parable of the Wedding Feast, showing different reactions people have to this invitation.  Many decline, even violently; others accept but do not prepare as he calls them to prepare, and end up not taking part:

Matthew 22 (NKJV)
¹ And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: ² “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, ³ and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. ⁴ Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.”’ ⁵ But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. ⁶ And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. ⁷ But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. ⁸ Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. ⁹ Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ ¹⁰ So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.

¹¹ “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. ¹² So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. ¹³ Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

¹⁴ “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

 One reason many are called but few are chosen is that so few do what they are called to do.  Jesus is calling us to abide with him and to walk as he walked; the two go together.

Jesus obeyed God’s instructions given to Moses and so should we, wherever possible!  A close relationship with him is only possible through loving obedience, as he declares in the following verses:

 “If you love me, keep my commands.”  (John 14:15 NIV)

“If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.”
(John 15:10 NIV)

Jesus gave this parable to describe the importance of getting ready to meet the Lord as part of the bridal company when he returns:

Matthew 25 (NKJV)
The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins
¹ “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ² Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. ³ Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, ⁴ but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. ⁵ But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

⁶ “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ ⁷ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ ⁹ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ ¹⁰ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.

¹¹ “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ ¹² But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ ¹³ “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

We have this assurance from Jude that Jesus, Yeshua is able to keep us from stumbling and to present us faultless before the Father’s throne:

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever.  Amen.  (Jude 24-25 NKJV)

David Krause, dhkrause@neteze.com