Jesus our Bridegroom

22 March 2021

Isaiah 54:4-10

Many cultures, including many in India, have the evil system of Dowry. It is the practice of a bridegroom’s family demanding from a bride’s family money, jewelry and property. The greater the earning capacity of the bridegroom the greater the demand. From the time a girl child is born, parents put in great effort to save a large amount of wealth, in the form of cash, jewelry or property. At the time of marriage of their daughter, they are forced to give in to the greedy demands of the bridegroom. This evil practice leads some families to enter into  great debt, inorder to meet the dowry demands. One is left wondering whether the boy loves the money or the girl.

But interestingly there are cultures where there is a Bride Price. This is especially found in certain cultures in Africa. The bridegroom has to pay a large sum of money in order to marry a girl. The more attractive a girl, the higher the Bride Price.  The more a boy loves a girl the higher the price he will pay for the bride. We see an example of this in Jacob serving his father in law for 14 years because he loved Rachel.  On the other hand, the lesser the worth of a girl, the lesser the bride price. But what if a girl is worthless? Well, there will be no one who will consider her as a bride.

The Scripture tells us that “All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” In the sight of Jesus, the Bridegroom, none of us have any worth that would draw Him to us. There was nothing in us that made us attractive to Jesus. We were worth not even a few pennies. We were so undesirable that if Jesus would have walked by us he would have just turned the other side. In fact, we are such an affront to the very character of Jesus that He will banish us from His very presence for eternity. Then why Oh why did Jesus our Bridegroom, offer His own blood as a Bride Price to make us His wife? Why did He allow His body to be broken? Why did He drink the cup of God’s fury and wrath for a worthless bride like us? What manner of love is this? As we see in the scripture the Bride Price Jesus paid was not with silver or gold but with His own precious blood 1Pet 1:18-19. Not only Jesus has cleansed us of all our filth with His blood, but by adorning us with His Righteousness He has made us of great worth. We are now the objects of His love. Jesus desires that we be with Him where He is for eternity Jn 17:24. Jesus has promised us, His bride, that He will come back one day to take us, so that we will be with Him for eternity Jn 14:1-3.

The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” Rev 22:17 

Upon that cross of Jesus
  Mine eye at times can see
The very dying form of One,
  Who suffered there for me;
And from my smitten heart, with tears,
  Two wonders I confess,
The wonders of His glorious love,
  And my own worthlessness.

Elizabeth Cecilia Clephane (1830-1869)