The bridegroom is a central figure in Biblical teachings about marriage and God’s covenant. Today, we’ll see how Scripture uses this image to explain Christ’s role as the bridegroom of His people.
Also Read: What Does The Bible Say About Bride And Bridegroom
What Does The Bible Say About Bridegroom
Matthew 9:15
“Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.”
This verse speaks of Jesus referring to Himself as the bridegroom. He acknowledges that while He is present, there is joy and celebration. However, He also foretells of a time when He will be taken away from His disciples, and in that time, they will fast and mourn.
As Christians, we understand Jesus to be the ultimate bridegroom, and His followers are His beloved bride. This verse reminds us that even in times of fasting and mourning, we can find hope and joy in our relationship with Jesus.
John 3:29
“The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.”
In this verse, John the Baptist refers to himself as the friend of the bridegroom, highlighting the anticipation and joy that comes with the arrival of the bridegroom. John finds fulfilment and completeness in hearing the voice of the bridegroom.
Similarly, as believers, we are eagerly awaiting the return of Jesus, our bridegroom. Just as John experienced joy in the presence of the bridegroom, we can find true fulfillment and joy in our relationship with Jesus as we eagerly anticipate His second coming.
Revelation 19:7
“Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.”
This verse speaks of a future time when the wedding of the Lamb, referring to Jesus, will take place. The bride, representing the collective body of believers, has made herself ready for this blessed occasion.
As Christians, this verse reminds us of the ultimate hope we have in Jesus’ return. We are encouraged to live in anticipation of the wedding day when we will be united with our bridegroom for all eternity.
Matthew 25:6
“At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’”
This verse is a part of the parable of the ten virgins, where Jesus teaches about preparedness and readiness for His coming. The cry of “Here’s the bridegroom!” signifies the arrival of Jesus, encouraging His followers to be prepared and eagerly await His return.
As Christians, we are reminded of the importance of being watchful and ready for the coming of our bridegroom. We should live with an expectation of His arrival and ensure that we are spiritually prepared to meet Him when He comes.
Matthew 25:10
“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.”
In this continuation of the parable of the ten virgins, Jesus emphasizes the need for readiness. The five wise virgins who were prepared with oil entered with the bridegroom to the wedding banquet, while the five foolish virgins who were unprepared were left outside.
This verse serves as a warning to believers to always be spiritually prepared for Jesus’ return. It teaches us not to delay in our pursuit of righteousness and intimacy with Christ, or we may miss the opportunity to be united with Him in the great wedding feast.
John 14:2-3
“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.”
Jesus speaks to His disciples, assuring them of His impending departure to prepare a place for them in His Father’s house. He promises to return and gather them to be with Him.
This verse provides great comfort and hope to believers. We have the assurance that Jesus is preparing a place for us in heaven, and He will come back to bring us into His eternal presence. It reminds us of the promise of everlasting union with our heavenly bridegroom.
Ephesians 5:25-27
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.”
The apostle Paul instructs husbands to love their wives sacrificially, using the example of Christ’s love for the church. Christ gave Himself up for the church, purifying and sanctifying her, desiring to present her as a beautiful and blameless bride.
As believers, we see in this verse the immense love that Jesus has for His church, His bride. It challenges husbands to love their wives with the same sacrificial and cleansing love, and it encourages all believers to strive for holiness and purity as we prepare to be presented to Christ, our bridegroom.
2 Corinthians 11:2
“I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.”
Paul expresses his godly jealousy for the Corinthians, desiring to present them as a pure virgin to Christ, their husband. He wants them to remain faithful and devoted to Christ alone.
This verse reminds believers of the exclusivity of our relationship with Christ as His bride. We are called to be faithful and loyal to Him, avoiding any form of spiritual unfaithfulness or idolatry. Our aim should be to remain pure and devoted solely to our heavenly bridegroom.
Revelation 21:2
“I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.”
This verse describes the vision of the apostle John, where he sees the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, descending from heaven, adorned like a bride for her husband.
The imagery in this verse beautifully portrays the marriage between Christ, the bridegroom, and the church, His bride. It symbolizes the union of God and His people in eternal glory and emphasizes the perfection and beauty of this divine relationship.
Jeremiah 33:11
“…the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings to the house of the Lord, saying, ‘Give thanks to the Lord Almighty, for the Lord is good; his love endures forever.’ For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,
This verse speaks of a time of restoration and rejoicing, where the sounds of joy and gladness, as well as the voices of bride and bridegroom, will be heard once again as they bring thank offerings to the Lord.
It reminds believers of the future restoration and celebration that awaits us in the presence of our heavenly bridegroom. We are encouraged to give thanks to the Lord for His enduring love and the ultimate restoration He brings to our lives.
Song of Solomon 4:9
“You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride; you have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace.”
In the poetic language of the Song of Solomon, the beloved expresses their love and admiration for their bride, captivated by her beauty with a single glance.
This verse serves as a reminder of the intimate and affectionate love that exists between Christ and His bride, the church. It symbolizes the irresistibility of the bride’s devotion and beauty, which steals the heart of the bridegroom.
Isaiah 62:5
“As a young man marries a young woman, so will your Builder marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.”
In this verse, Isaiah prophesies about a future time when God will rejoice over His people, likening His joy to that of a bridegroom over his bride.
As believers, this verse is a source of great comfort and encouragement. We can find solace in the knowledge that our God delights in us as His cherished bride. It reminds us of the deep love and joy that God has for His people.
Psalm 45:10-11
“Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention: Forget your people and your father’s house. Let the king be enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord.”
In this psalm of praise, the psalmist instructs the bride, the daughter, to focus on her new life with the king, prioritizing him over her previous connections and family. She is encouraged to honor the king and captivate him with her beauty.
Similarly, as believers, we are called to leave behind our old ways and allegiances, fully committing ourselves to Christ, our heavenly bridegroom. This verse prompts us to honor and delight in Him, recognizing Him as our ultimate Lord and source of beauty and fulfillment.
Proverbs 18:22
“He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.”
This proverb speaks of the goodness and favor that come to a man who finds a wife. It highlights the importance of a godly marriage and the blessings that it brings.
In light of our relationship with Christ as the bridegroom, this verse holds spiritual significance. As believers, we find ultimate goodness and favor from the Lord as we enter into a covenantal relationship with Him. We are blessed by His love, grace, and guidance in our lives.
Revelation 22:17
“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come!’ Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.”
In the closing verses of Revelation, the invitation to come is extended by both the Spirit and the bride, inviting those who thirst to freely partake of the water of life.
This verse demonstrates the unified desire of the church, Christ’s bride, and the Holy Spirit to extend the invitation of salvation and abundant life to all. It serves as a reminder for believers to actively participate in sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and inviting others to experience the everlasting satisfaction found in a relationship with Him.
Isaiah 54:5
“For your Maker is your husband—the Lord Almighty is his name—the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth.”
Isaiah proclaims that the Lord Almighty, the Maker and Redeemer of His people, is their husband. This verse emphasizes the intimate relationship between God and His chosen ones.
As believers, it is a tremendous privilege to have the Lord as our heavenly husband. We can find comfort, security, and love in knowing that our God is deeply committed to us. This verse reminds us of the profound relationship we have with our divine bridegroom.
Mark 2:19-20
“Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast.”
When questioned about His disciples not fasting, Jesus uses the analogy of a bridegroom’s presence to explain that fasting is not appropriate during times of celebration. However, He foretells a future time when the bridegroom will be taken away, and fasting will be appropriate in that season.
This verse reminds believers that our relationship with Jesus is full of joy and celebration. It also acknowledges that there may be seasons of fasting and mourning, but ultimately, they are temporary. We can find comfort in knowing that there will come a time when our bridegroom will return, and our mourning will turn to joy once again.
Joel 2:16
“Gather the people, consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders, gather the children, those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber.”
This verse is a call for repentance and fasting in response to a looming judgment. It instructs the people to gather and consecrate themselves, calling upon both the bridegroom and the bride to leave their chambers.
In a spiritual sense, this verse encourages believers to set apart dedicated times of fasting and consecration. It reminds us of the importance of repentance and preparing ourselves as the bride of Christ, ready and pure for our bridegroom.
Isaiah 62:4
“No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the Lord will take delight in you, and your land will be married.”
In this verse, Isaiah prophesies to the people of Israel, promising that their land, which was once deserted and desolate, will be called Hephzibah (meaning “My delight is in her”) and Beulah (meaning “Married”). It signifies the restoration and blessing that God will bring to His people.
As believers, we can apply this verse to our own lives, recognizing that God takes delight in us and desires to bring restoration and spiritual abundance. We are reminded of His faithfulness as our divine bridegroom, who cares deeply for our well-being and rejoices in His relationship with us.
Song of Solomon 6:3
“I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine; he browses among the lilies.”
In this poetic book, the bride declares her exclusive commitment to her beloved, emphasizing their mutual love and relationship.
As Christians, this verse represents the intimate bond we have with Jesus, our beloved bridegroom. It speaks of the reciprocal nature of our relationship, knowing that we belong to Him, and He belongs to us. It serves as a beautiful expression of the deep love and devotion that exists between Christ and His bride.