Sunday, April 20, 2014

A Glass Box, and a Study.

I trust your Easter holiday was joyful.
I was with my family, so my heart was happy.
While down state this weekend, I visited Home Goods, and found this pretty glass box.
I thought it would make a nice gift for someone.
That reminded me of a study I did a few years ago.

I studied Jewish Wedding traditions practiced in the Old Testament, and found it both interesting, and beautiful.  I love how it correlates  the Old Testament to the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament.
The betrothal was initiated by the young man.  He would travel to the young woman's house to ask for her hand in marriage.  The family might see him approaching, and knew why he was coming, because he was carrying the traditional wedding pouch.

The young man would knock on the door, and the door was opened unto him by the father.
The entire family stayed for the engagement.
The man would ask for the woman's hand, and he would offer a gift.
The gift was the BEST that he could offer. If he was a jeweler, he would offer the jewel that was of the most value to him.  A farmer would offer livestock. A carpenter would offer a wood craft.
The wedding pouch held another wedding gift...a katuba.
The katuba was a list of promises.  It was beautifully written, and decorated. It was filled with promises the groom was making to the bride.  The bride could hold this katuba in her hands. It would give her hope, and assurance that her future groom loved her, and would take care of her.
The other thing in the pouch was the covenant cup.
If the proposal was accepted by the father, and the rest of the family....then the father would pour wine into the cup.
The man, and the woman would drink the wine from the same cup.
This sealed the marriage agreement between the couple.
It was considered a contract.
The couple was considered married at this point.
The young man would then leave, and go back to his father's house.
He was to build a chamber onto his father's house that would sustain the couple for seven days after the marriage ceremony took place.
The young man wouldn't return for his bride until the father decided the marriage chamber was finished.


During the time the groom was away building the chamber, the bride would be waiting at her parent's house.
She had her katuba to remind her of her groom's love for her.
She also had the gift that he had given her, as well as the covenant cup.
Every night, the bride was to keep her oil lamp lit in her window.
It let the groom know that she was ready to go with him when he returned for her.
Traditionally, the groom came with his wedding party in the night.
He comes as a thief in the night....and the best man cries out.....the bridegroom cometh!
If the lamp is not lit in the window, the groomsman does not cry out, and the wedding is off.
If the lamp IS lit, the cry goes out, and the whole wedding party goes out to meet the groom.

As the bride is in the waiting period, she must keep fuel for her lamp.
She doesn't know how long it will take her groom to build the chamber onto the father's house.
When she goes out to buy oil for the lamp, she must wear a veil over her face.
The veil signifies that she is betrothed to another.  She is sanctified.  She belongs to someone.
The bride must wear the veil whenever she is out in public.
When the father decides the chamber is finished, he sends the son to get his bride.  The bride is waiting with her wedding party, with her lamp lit.  The groom goes with his groomsmen. They see the lamp in the window, and it is lit. The cry goes out....the bridegroom cometh!!  the bride and her party take the lamp, and meet the groom, and his men. They travel to his father's house.  The bride, and groom enter into the bridal chamber for seven days. Her veil is lifted, and all is revealed between the bride, and groom.
The next morning the brides parents awake, and find the daughter is gone. They travel to the groom's home. There, the wedding party begins. After seven days, the bride and groom emerge from the wedding chamber, and the wedding feast begins.
Can you see how this correlates in Scripture?
The Jewish wedding tradition is lovely. They still use a huppah (canopy) in their ceremony.  The Old Testament traditions are no longer honored....but it's amazing how they line up with the New Testament scriptures.
I used Zola Levitt as my main source for this study.
I hope you have a wonderful week!!!  
I really appreciate Diana for all of the people she sent over to visit here at Seashells and Lavender for my first post...last week.  Love to you Diana!!!
AND thank you all for your encouraging comments on this new blog!
*********Debbie***********

26 comments:

  1. Very enlightening and I remember us doing some kind of skit like this at FUB didn't we? And I must tell you that you are my FAVORITE all time most interesting teacher when it comes to biblical awakenings. My teacher is back, thank you Father

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  2. I never knew that. Thanks for sharing Debbie! That's kind of neat. Can't wait to see what you write about next week :) see you at work tomorrow. Love Lou who!

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  3. Such a beautiful illustration of Christ and His bride...the church. I love how you have shared the story, and illustrated it with your beautiful pictures.

    So glad you opened a new blog....

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  4. Hello, Just loved this! And yes we must keep our oil in our lamps and not allow the light to go out! This was beautiful!!
    Come visit me soon...
    Blessings, Roxy
    It would not allow me to sign up to follow it may take a few..Geesh..

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  5. First off, Thank you, Debbie. I was happy to send some traffic your way. You are a great gal. Thiw was a really informative post for me. I love the research you did on it.
    Easter night blessings to you- xo Diana

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  6. I love this post! I learned something new! You are so amazing, you know that? I love this new blog and this new part of you that is emerging. Diana is pretty cool. She does so much for so many. I would have sent them over, but my followers are not as many, so I am glad she did it.
    Glad you went south for Easter and had your family around you. We had a grand time here and wonderful weather.

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  7. Came to visit you via Diana. That marriage tradition was beautiful. It was full of love and respect between the couple and their families. What a shame it is not more like that today. Thank you for a beautiful post.

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  8. What a beautiful tradition Debbie! Thank you for sharing! Isn't Diana wonderful/ She is always looking out for others, and is a true friend. So glad that you had a nice Easter weekend with your family. HomeGoods is amazing, isn't it? I could buy alot of stuff there that I didn't even know that I "needed"! Love your glass case, have a great week!

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  9. I never knew about most of this... so lovely.
    Have a beautiful day!
    Lin

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  10. Thanks for sharing Debbie. I must have heard that story a long time ago because it sounded vaguely familiar. Too bad some of the old traditions are no longer followed.

    The glass box is pretty. Love it with the nest in it.

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  11. Hi Debbie, How are you?
    I haven't been reading blogs for a while, kind of got bored with it all.... all the decorating tips... agh... who needs it? : ) So this morning I just decided to see what Diana was up to & she sent me here.... What a delight to find you back...
    What a great post, I absolutely loved it... & it brings a whole new pic in my mind to the parable of the brides & the lamps in Matthew... Thanks for sharing.
    Hope you are well.... Have you sold your cottage? How is your niece that we prayed for?
    Off to follow you now.... & looking forward to your new posts : )

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  12. Debbie, This was an interesting post. I can't even imagine a wedding like that today. Blessings for you through this new week. I had a wonderful Easter with my family and my Teddy bear. xoxo,Susie

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  13. What a beautiful post and a lovely story!!

    i mentioned you in my latest post if you have time to stop by...

    hugs,
    Deb

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  14. I really enjoyed learning the history of the jewish wedding. I've never heard about it before.

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  15. I wasn't aware of the traditions and ceremony for a Jewish wedding, very interesting.

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  16. Some of this I knew, but most of it I didn't. I found it fascinating...I had my 19 yr old daughter read it and she burst out laughing. Youth! It makes me think of "the Fiddler on the Roof".

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  17. This is a very nice post. Thank you.

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    1. Thank you Lynn. and Thank you for visiting here at Seashells and Lavender. Enjoy the rest of your week.
      Debbie
      xo

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  18. This is the first time I've read the Jewish custom in its entirety, Debbie. Several years ago after the Lord called my late husband home I read a grief book for widows that explained the adding on of the marriage chamber, how it correlates to Christ's words about "many mansions" in His Father's house, and His return for His bridge, the Church. Knowing the rest of the custom makes it even more precious to me. Thank you for sharing this. ~ Nancy

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    1. Sorry. . .that should read His bride, not "bridge". :(

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  19. I sought out your blog to do some catching up and find you have moved here. I understand your reasons. It is easy to get caught up in materialism. I think you have always struck a balance between decor posts and posts with a deeper meaning.

    I have studied this Jewish marriage tradition in the past. It is a beautiful picture of the bride of Christ (his church) and how he has gone to prepare a place for us. We need to be ready when he returns to take us there. So many of the Jewish traditions and holidays point to Christ when you take the time to study the meaning.

    Bless you Debbie
    Hugs, Deborah

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  20. Hi Debbie, what an informative and interesting post. Love this tradition and learned so much. So glad to have found you through Diana. She is an angel among us and always quick to help others and extend her friendship. A true fiend indeed. Lovely glass box too.
    Wishing you a wonderful day.
    Blessings to you, Hugs!!

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  21. Hi Debbie! I had seen this the same day you posted it, but didn´t have time to read it properly (I mean, to really "savour" it) until now... What a beautiful tradition, so plenty of significant details! I was delighted while reading, and it allowed me to understand the parables later told by Jesus from a new perspective... Thanks for sharing such interesting knowledge, somehow you enlightened my day!
    Warmest hugs,
    K.

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  22. Wow, quite the tradition!!!! Complex!

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  23. This is wonderful! I loved reading and learning more about Jewish customs. You're a very good writer. I wish I was. I look forward to more studies here!

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