The Wedding Supper Is NOT in Heaven!

The Bible foretells the marriage of the Lamb, followed by the wedding supper, after the saints are born into the God Family as spirit beings. That these events occur, and at some point after the First Resurrection, is not subject to debate, since this is explicitly foretold. What is debated among the people of the seventh era is the exact time and location of these prophetic events.

Herbert W. Armstrong did not spend time emphasizing when and where the wedding supper would take place because the Bible does not directly address these questions. He clearly understood that what is most important for us is to live our lives in a way that will ensure our presence at this event—yielding to God and building His holy, righteous character. Neglecting God’s large body of restored truth will reduce the probability that you will be a part of the wedding supper—but our knowing its location or exact timing will not be a factor.

Getting caught up in false doctrine, such as the modern theories on the wedding supper, can and probably will affect whether you will be there!

Birth of a Theory

The idea for a heavenly wedding supper was born on Pentecost 1981, and began with a pastor in the midwestern United States. This man leads one of today’s popular prophecy-oriented tape ministries. Mr. Armstrong was made aware that he had preached his theory without permission, and told Ministerial Services to instruct the man to stop teaching this idea and to apologize.

As an historical aside, Mr. Pack told the writers of this article that he became involved in this matter in Buffalo, New York, when one of this man’s “disciples” preached this idea there while on vacation visiting relatives. Mr. Pack called Ministerial Services and was assured that the author of the idea would be reprimanded, and the visiting minister sent a written apology that was read from the pulpit. Note that the originator of the idea is the same man who first preached that the final Elijah was not Mr. Armstrong, but rather one of the Two Witnesses.

False Doctrine Develops

The concept of the wedding supper being held in heaven gained momentum shortly after Mr. Armstrong’s death. Although they were not the first to introduce them, the apostate leaders who succeeded him capitalized upon the wedding supper theories, subtly using them to condition the brethren to accept “going to heaven” theology. It perfectly meshed with their doctrinal agenda to promote the idea that as soon as the saints are resurrected to spirit life, they proceed to heaven for the wedding supper.

Throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, the apostates used this (wittingly or unwittingly) as a spearhead for importing carefully crafted Protestant doctrines. In retrospect, their ideas were introduced in staged increments—until most brethren bought into their concepts and allowed themselves to be led back into this world’s false “Christianity.”

After the apostates presented the full-blown theology of “people going to heaven when they die,” there was no more use for this transitional doctrine of “the wedding supper being in heaven.” Yet, the issue still looms large for some who remember the excitement generated when it was first on the table.

A Proper Focus

Before these speculations took hold, emphasis had rightly been on qualifying to be part of the First Resurrection. Mr. Armstrong wisely avoided any speculation on what the saints would be doing immediately after being changed to spirit beings. The Bible is not clear on this matter—and for good reason.

Proponents of these errors actually admit that God’s Word is not explicit on where the saints go immediately after the First Resurrection. It is true that some time does elapse between the First Resurrection and “the battle of that great day of God Almighty” (Rev. 16:14-16; Zech. 14:1-2), when Christ and His saints vanquish the armies gathered to oppose His Return.

However, every detail of the capabilities and itineraries of these newly born spirit beings need not be revealed. The Bible is not filled with the “who, what, where, when, why and how” of every element.

We will see that nowhere does the Bible teach that the wedding supper is in heaven. The case will be clearly made to those who examine all the scriptures that apply to this subject.

Some details are beyond our grasp as physical human beings and serve no purpose in preparing for eternal salvation, training us to be priests, judges and kings in God’s kingdom, or empowering us to do the Work. Though we are now limited in our perceptions, we are assured full understanding at the time of our change: “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known” (I Cor. 13:12).

There are certain issues God has chosen not to reveal: “The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law” (Deut. 29:29). We are held accountable to act according to the knowledge and understanding that God has revealed to us. To spend time speculating about what God has not revealed is truly an exercise in futility.

Some then may ask why we would produce an article on such a subject. The reason is that many of God’s people have become confused on a host of prophetic events, as well as the sequence in which they fall. In other words, the wedding-supper-in-heaven theory is the tip of the iceberg—a catalyst to cause people to become prophetically disoriented. This article will clear up that confusion and expose the many false teachings surrounding it.

As mentioned, during the past few years, many have speculated about the “when and where” of the wedding supper. A longtime minister who served when Mr. Armstrong was alive now openly disagrees with him on this and other matters. This minister is involved in the development of this teaching, while claiming to be complying with the admonition to “grow in grace, and…knowledge” (II Pet. 3:18).

Keep in mind that the reasoning employed by these modern theorists is terribly convoluted. In order to uphold their position, they must twist, spin and butcher numerous prophetic details and other passages. In a sense, the reader will find they build a house of cards that cannot stand under close examination. Countering their errors requires us to first present their faulty ideas before proceeding to debunk them using plain scriptures.

Throughout this article, keep in mind Isaiah 28:9-13. This passage admonishes us that the truth of scripture is revealed by other scriptures “precept upon precept…line upon line…here a little, and there a little,” so that those whose minds are not opened to understanding will stumble in their quest for solutions. Those who are “weaned,” or spiritually mature (I Cor. 3:1-2), are to seek the truth by following these instructions, allowing the Bible to interpret itself.

Because the maze of individual false doctrines that constitute this overall heresy is so complex, a lengthy and detailed rebuttal is required. In order to be inoculated against this theory, the reader must take the time to read the entire article thoroughly.

Let’s understand. This article covers a difficult subject—in fact, one made much more difficult than it ever needed to be because of the many convolutions of thought invented to propound a false theory. If the first half of the article seems difficult to understand, take encouragement. Recognize that we are trying to simplify something made unnecessarily complex. Therefore, be patient with the manner in which the topic is addressed, knowing that the fog lifts in the second half of the article.

For those who really want to grasp every nuance of this subject, more than one reading may be necessary.

One Direct Reference

The wedding supper, which follows the marriage of Jesus Christ to the Church, is specifically described only in Revelation 19:7-9: “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he said unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said unto me, These are the true sayings of God.”

Powerful verses, indeed! They constitute the only direct reference to this glorious upcoming event.

(In this article, we make a point to reference the marriage of the Lamb in connection with the wedding supper. Interestingly, those who subscribe to the modern wedding supper theories rarely mention the marriage itself.)

Aspects of the Wedding Supper From Parables

Let’s now review other passages related to the wedding supper, and how these scriptures are interpreted by some in the splinters. The wedding supper is alluded to in two separate parables. The Church of God has always understood that the purpose of parables is not to make a doctrine more clear, but rather to hide the meaning from those not called at this time (Matt. 13:10-17). There is indeed meaning in these two parables.

Consider Luke 14:16-24. Though this parable speaks of a great supper, it does not specify a wedding supper. The focus here is that, because they failed to comprehend the magnificent honor offered to them, the invitees dismissed the invitation to this momentous occasion. They resorted to making excuses for not attending. The master of the house was justifiably angry, and sought substitute guests to fill the empty seats. Those originally invited were banned from further consideration.

This parable largely pictures the Christian calling. The wedding supper could merge into its meaning, since being called and chosen eventually leads to that event. The parable has special meaning to those called in this present age—the firstfruits. Sadly, most fail to recognize the profound meaning of this parable, and the seriousness of their calling.

Luke 14 is often considered a summary of the more extensive parable spoken by Christ and recorded in Matthew 22. However, publications that harmonize the gospel books, such as A Harmony of the Gospels by John H. Kerr, do not consider them parallel accounts.

Next, read Matthew 22:1-14 in its entirety.

Understand this. This parable does not state, or even imply, that the wedding supper takes place in heaven. The main emphasis is that many people are called to be in God’s kingdom, but few actually respond to this calling. Few will commit to developing righteous, godly character (symbolized by wedding garments), thus few are deemed worthy by God to partake of the supper.

As emphasized in Luke 14, many of the guests took the invitation to this event lightly, making excuses for their absence. Matthew 22 includes a different element—guests who conspire to kill some of the king’s servants. This is a sobering thought, that some initially called (invited as guests) could actually resort to murdering the servants of the king (God)!

After alternate guests were called to replace those who had no desire to attend, another element is introduced: One of the replacement guests lacked a wedding garment, and was cast out as a result. If this parable is a reference to a wedding supper in heaven—and it is not—could someone who is unqualified to attend become a spirit being and ascend to God’s throne in the third heaven? No. Only those who had qualified would be changed into spirit beings—all others would be incapable of ascending there in the first place! Those who misinterpret the parable in this way miss the point.

While this part of the parable is not mentioned when “the case is being made,” some try to explain the presence of the man without a wedding garment by surmising that he must have been one of Satan’s demons, as they apparently have access to heaven (Job 1:6; I Kgs. 22:20-23). But consider. If the man without the wedding garment were, in fact, a demon, then why would God address him as “friend?” God would never address a wicked spirit as “friend.” God says what He means and means what He says!

Also, Revelation 12:7-13 shows that Satan and his demons are “cast out into the earth” at some point well before the Return of Christ. They are not allowed back into heaven after this event: “neither was there place found any more in heaven” (vs. 8).

Predictably, when hemmed in with logic and scripture, the proponents of the wedding supper theory retreat to additional theorizing. In this case, they would likely respond, “This is a parable. It can’t parallel what will take place in every respect.” They must respond this way because, when taken literally, the parable disproves their position.

Certain spiritual principles of our Christian calling, which ultimately lead to being a part of the First Resurrection and this great feast, are evident in this parable. Appreciating our calling and never making light of it, as well as supporting (rather than attacking or opposing) God’s servants and representatives, is crucial. Intense preparation and having a “clean wedding garment” is vital. Qualifying involves making oneself ready and more worthy of that honor.

These are the lessons we can—and should!—take from these parables. But, again, they do not portray the marriage of the Lamb occurring in heaven.

At the Seventh Trumpet

In order to fully understand and appreciate the context of the wedding supper, we must first ask: “When will the First Resurrection take place?”

Let’s first read I Corinthians 15:51-52: “Behold, I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” Our change to incorruptible spirit beings occurs at the sound of the last trumpet. Of course, this is basic.

Now notice I Thessalonians 4:15-17: “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent [precede] them which are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

These verses plainly show that the resurrection occurs at the last trump, at the return of Christ. This is impossible to miss.

More information about the First Resurrection is revealed in Matthew 24: “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (vs. 30-31). Here, we see that as Christ appears in the clouds, He sends His angels to “gather” the elect—the saints who are in the grave, along with a remnant who will survive through the end of the age. Again, this ties the resurrection of the saints to the last trump.

The Trumpets Summarized

Next, to establish when the seventh trumpet sounds, we need an overview to appreciate the order of events.

In Revelation 6, the first four seals (often referred to as the “four horsemen of the apocalypse”) are introduced, followed by the fifth seal (the Great Tribulation and martyrdom of the final era of God’s people) and the sixth seal (signs in the heavens, accompanied by a great earthquake).

The seventh seal is discussed in Revelation 8:1-2: “And when He had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.”

The seventh and final seal consists of the seven trumpets or trumpet plagues. The first six of the trumpets are discussed in chapters 8 and 9, summarized here:

(1) A third part of trees and vegetation is burned up

(2) A third part of the sea becomes blood

(3) A third part of the rivers and freshwater becomes poisoned

(4) A third part of the light from the sun, moon and stars is diminished

(5) The First woe: Revived Roman Empire attacks former Communist bloc of Russia and China

(6) The Second woe: Former Communist bloc nations counterattack the revived Roman Empire

The seventh trumpet occurs next. This is first mentioned in Revelation 11:15: “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever.”

Remember the reference in I Thessalonians 4:16 – “For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God…” What the angel appears to shout are the words recorded in Revelation 11:15.

Grasp this key point: The seventh trumpet includes the seven last plagues, collectively known as the third woe. Again, the seventh trumpet (“the last trump”) is the time of the First Resurrection.

By covering the verses preceding Revelation 11:15, we can see how these events come together.

We pick up the account of the Two Witnesses in verses 11-14: “And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up here. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe comes quickly.”

(As a point of interest, one of the leading proponents of speculation on the wedding supper occurring in heaven asserts that the specific words of the “voice of the archangel” in I Thessalonians 4:16 is the instruction, “Come up here” (Rev. 11:12). This is absurd, as these words are obviously directed “unto them”—the two witnesses who were just raised to life—as opposed to the entire world or even the saints around the world.)

Carefully note that the Two Witnesses are resurrected before the sounding of the seventh trumpet (which announces the First Resurrection of the saints). This is a physical resurrection: “…the Spirit [Greek: pneuma, which can also be translated “breath”] of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet” (Rev. 11:11). The “Spirit of life” is equivalent to the “breath of life,” spoken of in Genesis 2:7: “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul [Hebrew nephesh or ‘breathing creature’].”

Contrast this with the dramatic, instant change into spirit: “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality” (I Cor. 15:52-53).

After the voice directs the two witnesses to “come up here,” Revelation 11:12 shows that “they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.” Just as Enoch and Elijah were taken away to another location for their protection, the Two Witnesses will be taken up into the atmosphere so that they will not be killed again. The Bible does not specify where they will be protected. However, the time between their physical resurrection and the sounding of the seventh trumpet appears to be very short, hardly more than a day or so, after which the Two Witnesses will be included in the glorious First Resurrection.

Notice that verse 14 announces that “the third woe [which is the seventh trumpet] comes quickly.”

Therefore, the First Resurrection at the seventh trumpet occurs after the physical resurrection of the Two Witnesses.

The Seven Last Plagues or Vials of Wrath

Recall that the seventh trumpet begins the seven last plagues. We must examine these now.

Revelation 15 introduces seven angels in heaven preparing to pour out the seven last plagues upon the earth. Chapter 16 continues the sequence of events: “And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth” (vs. 1). Below is a summary of these seven last plagues:

(1) Grievous sores upon those who have the mark of the beast and worship his image (vs. 2)

(2)  The seas become blood (vs. 3)

(3)  The rivers and fresh waters become blood (vs. 4)

(4)  Heat from the sun scorches the earth (vs. 8)

(5)  Plague of darkness over the beast power (vs. 10)

(6)  Armies gather at Megiddo to battle against Christ (vs. 12-16)

(7)  Final plague; great earthquake and hail; completes wrath of God: “It is done” (vs. 17)

All of the last plagues are catastrophic upheavals, as the full wrath of God is poured out. Notice Revelation 14:10: “…the wrath of God…is poured out without mixture” (Greek: undiluted). Also, Moffatt translates Revelation 15:1 in the following way: “the last plagues…complete the wrath of God.”

Notice the distinct difference in these plagues from the earlier trumpet plagues, which primarily reflect God’s measured wrath occurring in thirds, or one-third portions. The seven last plagues are God’s full measure of wrath on those who continue in rebellion.

The sixth of the last plagues shows the armies gathering for battle, but the battle itself is not mentioned here. We need to give special attention to the sixth plague by examining Revelation 16:12-16. The armies of the kings of the east who cross the dried-up Euphrates in verse 12. (This is an entirely different event, at a different time, than is recorded earlier in Rev. 9:13-16.)

The passage continues by describing demonic powers summoning the kings from all nations to mobilize their armies and modern military weaponry against the arrival of Christ and His armies, to prepare for the Battle of that Great Day of God Almighty. Verse 15 is an inset, Christ’s general warning for God’s people to be prepared and urgently watching for His Return. Verse 16 shows the location where the armies will be gathering, in the Jezreel Valley near the hill of Megiddo. (This battle is often referred to as the Battle of Armageddon. To learn more, read our article “What is ARMAGEDDON?”)

Take note. Those teaching that the wedding supper is in heaven assert that the seventh and final last plague occurs before the Battle of the Great Day of God Almighty. Since Revelation 16 does not specifically mention the battle, they turn to other passages describing it to prove that the battle takes place after the seven last plaques. (We will review some of these passages later.)

Some may wonder why the battle is not explicitly mentioned in Revelation 16? One reason is that the topic of this passage describing the seven last plagues (vials of wrath) is confined to summarizing each of these plagues. To explain the battle in detail would require a disproportionate amount of space, thus the battle is covered in detail in later scriptures.

To presume, as do these theorists, that the battle would follow the seventh and final last plague is utterly illogical. Consider what takes place during the final plague: “And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great” (Rev. 16:17-21).

After the greatest earthquake since men were upon the earth, which will cause the cities of the nations to fall and cause islands and mountains to disappear, the conglomeration of armies would hardly be able to pick up their equipment, much less fight a battle! If this were not enough, a great hail, with hailstones weighing about 120 pounds each, would not help matters either. Perhaps some of the heavily armored tanks and half-tracks might withstand the hailstones, but the remaining 90 percent of the army would not fare so well. Rocket launchers, missile launchers, laser weapons and other modern high-tech equipment could not weather a barrage of massive hailstones and still be operative. This final burst of God’s wrath is so decisive that it is ludicrous to think that a fighting force could withstand such an onslaught and still be able to join ranks and fight a battle. In fact, the voices that come out of heaven as this final plague begins sum up the matter with the words, “It is done.” The last vestiges of man’s resistance to God are squashed with this plague. This also ends the Day of the Lord.

It is impossible that a battle could immediately follow this plague!

Consider some more logic: If the seven vials represent God’s fullness—completion—of wrath against all human resistance, why would a final battle that truly is the culmination of God’s wrath take place after the seven last plagues? In other words, after these seven events, such a battle would be unnecessary.

When Does Christ Stand on the Mount of Olives?

Let’s continue building the backdrop of events surrounding Christ’s return.

As mentioned, in chapter 16 of Revelation, we read of the mobilization of the armies to fight Christ, but a description of the actual warfare is not included there. Zechariah 14:1-5 provides more detail of the battle and helps to clarify the order in which these events occur.

Verse 1 mentions the Day of the Lord coming, which is the context of the time we are discussing. Then in verse 2, we read of the gathering of the armies of all nations near Jerusalem for battle, just as we read in Rev. 16:12-14. Verse 2 also shows Jerusalem under attack by these armies. In verse 3, we read of the Lord (the Eternal, who is Christ) going forth and fighting against these armies “as in the day of battle.” Thus, in verse 3, the battle is in progress. Verse 4 shows that His feet stand in that day on the Mount of Olives. In the same general timeframe, we see the earthquake take place. This is discussing the greatest earthquake in recorded history, as we saw in Rev. 16:19: “And the great city (Jerusalem) was divided into three parts…” Finally, Zechariah 14:5 discusses some who flee this earthquake.

To summarize, Zechariah 14 concurs that the Battle of the Great Day of God Almighty has been concluded by the completion of the seventh plague.

How Some Twist the Sequence of Zechariah 14:1-5

In Zechariah 14:3, we read, “Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when He fought in the day of battle.”

Some have taken this phrase “as when He fought in the day of battle” and applied it specifically to Joshua’s long day, as recorded in Joshua 10:12-14. The miracles that occurred during Joshua’s long day were incredible, as summarized in verse 14: “And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Lord hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the Lord fought for Israel.” The reason the revisionists refer to Joshua’s long day is that large hailstones fell at that time and are also prophesied to fall at the time of the seventh last plague. By asserting a parallel with Zechariah 14:3, the seventh last plague is then made to sound as if it had already occurred before Christ engaged those who were gathered to resist His return.

This is an attempt to make a connection between two entirely separate events that have no bearing whatsoever on one another! The sequence of the battle in Joshua simply does not parallel the events of the seventh trumpet. Though hailstones fell before the battle during Joshua’s long day, this does not mean that the hailstones of the seventh last plague must occur before the Battle of the Great Day of God Almighty.

This reinterpretation of Zechariah 14:3 requires an abundance of explanation by the proponents of the theory—who use fancy theological footwork and irrational leaps in logic to change the chronological order of events.

Suppose the hailstones did fall before the battle. In this case, there would be no one left to fight except demons, since the overwhelming majority of all the physical beings in the line of fire would not survive. Anyone who did would have had to take refuge in caves—yet, during the time of the greatest earthquake of all time, caves would not be a wise place to hide, either! The speculators’ shallow arguments require that no one dare ask such “what if” questions, since they are already walking on thin ice.

As already noted, verse 3 is the strongest proof that the Battle of the Great Day of God Almighty occurs before the completion of the final plague. Note that, in this verse, we read, “Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight.” Here, the battle is in progress.

Verse 4 shows that Jesus Christ shall stand on the Mount of Olives on the same day of the battle. The Mount will split in two during the great earthquake, which occurs after His arrival. As noted above, this earthquake is the greatest in the history of man.

Another vital point to show that Christ will stand on the Mount of Olives during the timeframe of the seventh last plague is found in the following scripture: “…If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb” (Rev. 14:9-10).

This shows that not only are these individuals to be consumed by fire, but anyone bearing the mark of the beast shall drink of God’s wrath “in the presence of the Lamb.” Christ will indeed be present on earth as the final plague fulfills the wrath of God. If He did not stand on the Mount of Olives until after the seventh plague was fulfilled, then the verses above would be inaccurate.

When all of the relevant verses are put together, it is obvious that the comparison with Joshua’s long day is a smokescreen used to alter the sequence of events. But those who accept the plain meaning of Scripture can avoid being deceived by such subtle maneuvering.

Are the Saints Present in Heaven During the Coronation Ceremony in Daniel 7?

The details of Daniel 7 are often misunderstood as representing the saints appearing before the Father in heaven to receive positions of authority with Christ. We now closely examine what this chapter truly reveals regarding the saints receiving their reward.

The modern theorists correctly observe that Christ comes to the Father’s throne to receive dominion over Earth. However, mirroring Protestant theology, they then conclude that the saints must also come to heaven to receive their reward in what they term “The Coronation Ceremony.”

The following verses explicitly show that Christ was brought directly into the presence of the Father to receive His dominion. We observe the coronation of Christ in Daniel 7:13-14: “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man [Christ] came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days [the Father], and they brought Him [Christ] near before Him [the Father]. And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”

The term “came” in verse 13, where Christ comes to the Ancient of Days (the Father), derives from the Chaldee term metah (Strong’s #4291) and implies “being found present”; it also means “to come” or “to reach.”

Moving on to verses 21-22, we see that “the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given to the saints…” In this case, the word “came” derived from the Chaldee term athah (Strong’s #858 and #857). Here, it means “to arrive” or “to bring.” The context of verses 21-22 shows that the Ancient of Days (in this case, Jesus Christ) “arrived,” in the sense of intervening from heaven on behalf of the saints who were being prevailed against, or subdued, by the symbolic horn.

Since the horn, representing the papacy, was prevailing against the saints until the Ancient of Days “arrived” to give judgment to them, they were obviously on earth—the saints could not possibly be subject to the horn’s oppression if they were in heaven!

To conclude that the saints receive dominion from the Father in the same manner as does Christ requires another extreme leap in logic. This series of verses does not remotely imply that the saints were ever brought before the Father’s presence, before or after they are given dominion (their reward).

The misguided “teachers” of the wedding supper theories believe that the “Coronation Ceremony” is then immediately followed by the wedding supper—in heaven.

The truth of when and where the saints receive their reward is clarified in a parable given by Christ, beginning in Luke 19:11: “And as they heard these things, He added and spoke a parable, because He was near to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.”

Then, in verse 12, Jesus began to explain His own role: “He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.” This verse parallels His appearing before the Father to receive His dominion—a coronation that precedes Christ’s Return to earth.

Next, before He left them, Jesus gave His servants assignments, as recorded in verse 13: “And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.”

Then, in verse 15, Christ returns: “And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received [past tense] the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.”

Verses 16-17 then describe Christ rewarding His servants according to their works: “Then came the first, saying, Lord, your pound has gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, Well, you good servant: because you have been faithful in a very little, have you authority over ten cities.”

This parable plainly shows us that Jesus Christ brings the rewards with Him at His Return—it does not occur in heaven.

One more verse confirms this understanding: “Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him: behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him” (Isa. 40:10). Again, this is speaking of Christ, who will return to appoint rulership according to how much His servants have applied themselves and grown.

Referring to related scriptures often clarifies uncertainty with a particular verse. But those who neglect to do this, and instead choose reckless speculation, become entwined in confusion.

The Triumphant Return of Jesus Christ

As previously mentioned, the Second Coming of Christ, being the most critical juncture of history, is too important an event to cover in Revelation 16 as one of the subpoints of the seven last plagues. Therefore, it stands to reason that John was inspired to record a separate, detailed description.

We now focus upon Revelation 19:11-16 and the triumphal entry of Christ and the saints: “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He does judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns; and He had a name written, that no man knew, but He Himself. And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations: and He shall rule them with a rod of iron: and He treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

Before continuing, we need to recognize that Scripture does not document every aspect of what happens to the saints immediately after the resurrection. Within these events, there is a window of time on which the Bible is simply silent. This has led many to speculate about the possibility of the resurrected saints going to the third heaven immediately after their change. Those who do so point to the indefinite period of time from the resurrection to the time that Christ and the saints enter the Battle of the Great Day of God Almighty. This span of time appears to be a few days, and coincides with the first five of the seven last plagues.

Those who teach that the wedding supper is in heaven also believe that it occurs during the seven last plagues. Revelation 15:8 is used to support this theory. They claim that the statement “no man was able to enter the temple, till the seven plagues…were fulfilled,” means that the coronation, the wedding and the wedding supper are taking place during this time.

This does not make sense for a number of reasons.

First, the scripture simply does not state that the saints and Christ, as well as the Father, are locked up in the temple during this time. This is not there.

Second, we already read Revelation 14:10, which explains that the wrath of God is “poured out…in the presence of the Lamb.” This could not be true if Christ is in the heavenly temple.

Third, we understand that the Battle of the Great Day of God Almighty will take place during the conclusion of these plagues. So, how could Christ and the saints be locked up in the temple while at the same time fighting those who oppose His Return?

Fourth, could anyone honestly believe that this type of wonderful celebration is taking place at the very time that God is completing—fulfilling—“without mixture”—His wrath upon rebellious humanity?

Let’s now consider the most urgent issue pressing upon Christ and the saints in the few days between the resurrection and the battle.

In Jude 14, we read of the saints who constitute the armies that follow Christ: “And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints.” Also notice what Psalms 149:5-9 shows regarding the warfare the saints will help carry out: “Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand; to execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute upon them the judgment written: this honor have all His saints.”

Since the saints are to take part in this great climactic battle, we might speculate that some preparation may be necessary before engaging in such an event. Although being changed to a Spirit being will be a quantum leap in understanding and capability, a degree of preparation might still be required for this event. In Malachi 4:2, we are shown that spirit beings are capable of growing and learning.

Christ and His saints have to be concerned with Satan using this climactic battle as an opportunity to bring about as much destruction upon the earth as possible. Measures have to be taken to restrain such designs, as the enemy is subdued. The saints will literally “destroy them which destroy the earth” (Rev. 11:18).

In any case, the upcoming battle would take precedence over the marriage and wedding supper, which would naturally occur after the final victory is secured. Even the dispensing of rewards to the individual saints might be delayed until after the battle. Nowhere in the Bible do we find that a celebration occurs in advance of achieving victory.

Think about the implications of the wedding supper taking place while Satan is still influencing humanity and ravaging the earth. Ask yourself: Would it make sense for Christ and His saints to be in heaven celebrating while Satan is still wreaking havoc on earth?

The Marriage of the Lamb: Within the Context of Revelation 19

Let’s continue with the “logic” used in claiming that the wedding supper is in heaven. As mentioned, Revelation 15:8 is used to assert that the saints and Christ are locked away in the temple. In this explanation, chapter 16, which describes the seven last plagues, is largely ignored; the humanly-revised sequence of events jumps to the beginning of Revelation 19. Once again, some twist the timing, teaching that the wedding and the following supper take place before the battle that is described in the second half of the chapter.

The theorists observe that in Revelation 19, verses 7 to 9, reference the marriage and wedding supper before the account of Christ’s Return and the Battle of Armageddon, in verses 11 through 21.

Let’s examine verse 6: “And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigns.”

At the time of this praise in heaven, Christ is already reigning on the earth. The term used for “reign” (or “reigns”) is the Greek word basileuo, which simply means to rule as a sovereign or king. In this case, an imperfect verb tense (which would denote something impending in the course of time) is not implied. When the angelic beings praise Christ, he is already reigning!

This “voice of many waters” continues in verses 7-9: “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he said unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said unto me, These are the true sayings of God.”

Let’s analyze the statement “for the marriage of the Lamb is come…” Does this mean the marriage ceremony is already in process at that time—or, does it mean that it is an impending certainty yet to occur?

Here, the Greek verb for “come” can, and often does, apply to the imperfect tense, which can denote a continuous event or something that is impending—that will happen in the future.

The intended meaning of the word “come (or comes)” is revealed by comparing it with Rev. 11:14: “The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe comes quickly.” “Comes” is identical to the word “come” found in Rev. 19:7. In both cases, the Greek term is from Strong’s #2064, erchomai, and pictures an impending event—one that has not yet occurred! At the time this is voiced in heaven, the marriage has almost arrived, but is not yet in process.

Having already established that, at this point, God (Christ) was already reigning (vs. 6) and that the marriage was an event to take place in the immediate future (vs. 7), it is not possible that the marriage of the Lamb and the following wedding supper could have preceded the beginning of Christ’s reign on the earth!

Even though the exact time of the wedding supper is not explicitly disclosed, when it does occur, Christ will already be reigning on earth.

Misinterpretation of Leviticus 23

As mentioned, these advocates acknowledge that the book of Revelation is not specific as to what happens to the saints as soon as they are resurrected. However, they assert that this is made clear in Leviticus 23—claiming this is “the key” to understanding the subject.

The fact that the firstfruits in God’s Plan were symbolized by the two wave loaves and presented to God at the time of Pentecost leads the promoters of the recent doctrine to conclude that the time of the harvest of the firstfruits, and hence the First Resurrection, will occur at the time of Pentecost. We will examine whether their ideas are scriptural.

First, let’s read Leviticus 23:9-11 in regard to the wave sheaf offering: “And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When you come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: and he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it.”

Verse 17 commands the offering of the two wave loaves of bread, made with leavening. These represent the firstfruits in God’s Plan of salvation. One of these loaves is correctly understood to have represented the Old Testament patriarchs, servants and prophets who constitute the Old Testament Church. The second loaf represented the New Testament Church. Both loaves were baked with leavening, symbolizing that these human servants were not free of sin, although they were in the process of overcoming it.

The word “wave” relating to the wave sheaf offering comes from the Hebrew term nuwph, meaning “to vibrate up and down” or “rock to and fro.” This term can also mean “to lift up, to move, sift, strike or wave.” The promoters of the wedding supper theory stress that the term “wave” means to “lift up” and dismiss the other possible definitions. The Strong’s definition clearly supports the understanding that “wave” can simply mean to “wave.”

The theorists tie the idea of the wave loaves being “elevated” with their faulty assumption that the saints are elevated to heaven at the resurrection.The creative suppositions that the modern advocates draw from this wave sheaf offering ceremony are based on translations of terms that are, at best, ambiguous.

Also, the advocates of these new theories do not emphasize the Law of God being given at Sinai at Pentecost, or the Holy Spirit being given on this day for the New Testament Church. Rather, they stress their idea that the harvest of the firstfruits—which they equate with the First Resurrection—together with the marriage of the Lamb and the wedding supper (in heaven), must all occur during Pentecost.

This represents an entirely new twist to the meaning of the Holy Days—one never taught in God’s Church when it was on track during the Philadelphian era. Not only do they reinterpret the timing of prophetic fulfillments, they also relegate all these events to just one day—and the wrong day!

In reaching their conclusion, the revisionists dismiss many other aspects of prophecy—and the meaning of other Holy Days.

Holy Days and the Day of the Lord

The Day of the Lord begins at the first trumpet. The promoters of the wedding-supper-in-heaven theory concur with Scripture that the Feast of Trumpets starts the trumpet plagues. However, forgetting the duration of the Day of the Lord, they proceed to teach that it ends about eight months later, at Pentecost.

The true Church has long understood that the Day of the Lord lasts for one full year, using the day-for-a-year principle of Ezekiel 4:6 and Numbers 14:34. Also notice: “For it is the Day of the Lord’s vengeance, and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion” (Isa. 34:8; see also 61:2; 63:4).

It has also long been understood that, unlike the spring Holy Days (including Pentecost), the fall Holy Days represent prophetic events that are yet to occur. The Feast of Trumpet is a celebration of triumph in the future event that it pictures—the Return of Christ at the sound of the seventh trumpet, coinciding with the First Resurrection.

Since the fall Holy Days represent future events, it is logical that the Feast of Trumpets would be directly related to the sounding of the trumpets and the fulfillment of the trumpet plagues. Since the Day of the Lord was understood to last one full year, naturally, not all seven of the trumpet plagues would occur on the Feast of Trumpets. However, it is understood that the first and the seventh trumpet will occur on that Holy Day, one year apart.

If the Day of the Lord indeed begins at the sounding of the First Trumpet, it would finalize at that time as well—that is, the seventh trumpet would sound on that day precisely one year later. Ask: Would the seventh trumpet—by far, the most important of the seven—not occur on the Feast of Trumpets?

In order to promote their novel ideas, the advocates of the wedding supper doctrine, in effect, strip the Feast of Trumpets of its intended meaning, reducing it to a “Feast of Plagues” and removing the pivotal element of the Return of Christ.

Although a short period of time will elapse from the sounding of the seventh trumpet until the completion of the seven last plagues, these events may likely be completed by the Day of Atonement ten days later. The reason that the duration of each of the seven last plagues would be so brief is that the cumulative effect of these disasters would erase plant, animal and human life from the earth if they continued for very long. Remember, this is the full measure of God’s wrath, but He limits the duration of these severe plagues in order to preserve the lives of the fraction of humanity that survives into the Millennium. These plagues serve a crucial purpose in bringing the satanic, unyielding and unrepentant human holdouts to their end.

It has long been understood by the Church that Satan will most probably be bound on the Day of Atonement. After all, the Passover was truly fulfilled on Passover day in A.D. 31. Christ ascended on the day of the wave sheaf. About 1,475 years earlier, Israel began to leave Egypt on the First Day of Unleavened Bread. And Israel left Egypt completely on the Last Day of Unleavened Bread. These definitely show a pattern of the ultimate fulfillments of Holy Days occurring on the days that picture those events. In view of this, it is perfectly reasonable to expect these crucial trumpets (the first and last) to occur at the Feast of Trumpets.

If Satan were indeed put away on the Day of Atonement, shortly after the Return of Christ on the Feast of Trumpets, the way would be cleared for a time of peace to be established upon the earth. The survivors of all the traumatic end-time events will only amount to ten percent of humanity.

From all indications, survivors will gather to keep the Feast of Tabernacles, as we see in Zechariah 14:16. (It is interesting to note that this gathering is described right after Christ has defeated those resisting His return.)

Just as a point of interest, we find that the biblical pattern for the duration of a marriage feast is seven days (Judges 14:2, 10, 12). Is it merely a coincidence that the Feast of Tabernacles lasts seven days as well?

The Bible is not clear as to the specific time of the marriage of the Lamb and the following wedding supper. However, we do know from Revelation 19:6-7 that this event will occur after Christ begins His reign on Earth. A case could be made for this to occur at the very first Feast of Tabernacles after Satan has been restrained.

Granted, the remnant of humanity would still be numb from the Day of the Lord and the trauma of wars, earthquakes and other disasters. Also, the logistics of arranging the Feast of Tabernacles would ordinarily be impossible, but now in the most capable of hands, it can quickly become a reality. Remember, the Feast of Tabernacles was originally held in dwellings made of tree boughs; a feast on the heels of such traumatic times might necessitate similar temporary dwellings.

Notice how Christ tenderly deals with these weary survivors at this time: “Comfort you, comfort you My people, says your God…He shall feed His flock like a shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young…He gives power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isa. 40:1, 11, 29-31).

The point here is that, most likely, the marriage and wedding supper will occur very soon after the Return of Christ—but definitely not before He subdues human rebellion and puts other issues in order, as the modern revisionists would have us believe.

The Time of the Marriage Covenant With Ancient Israel

Some claim that the marriage of the Lamb (Christ) to the resurrected saints will occur on Pentecost, based on the assumption that Christ married ancient Israel on Pentecost. This needs to be clarified.

Some points should be considered regarding the original marriage covenant between Christ and ancient Israel, which took place about the time of Pentecost circa 1443 B.C.

Three days before the Law was given at Mount Sinai, the following account took place: “And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; you have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto Myself. Now therefore, if you will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then you shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people: for all the earth is Mine: and you shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak unto the children of Israel. And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him. And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord has spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord” (Ex. 19:3-8).

Three days later, God thundered the Ten Commandments from Mount Sinai—the basis of the covenant that Israel was to keep. However, it was not until one or more days after the Law was given on Pentecost that the covenant was confirmed. This is clearly shown by the account in Exodus 24:3-8: “And Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the Lord has said will we do. And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord, and rose up early in the morning, and built an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the Lord. And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basins; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the Lord has said will we do, and be obedient. And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord has made with you concerning all these words.”

The actual confirmation of the Old Covenant occurred after the Day of Pentecost—not on that day. Therefore, this cannot be used to prove that the wedding will be on Pentecost.

Wearing White Linen

Certain other men proclaim that the armies of Revelation 19:14 are returning from the wedding supper. Since the armies are arrayed in “fine linen, white and clean,” the revisionists assume that these white garments are their actual wedding garments.

First, this would make it appear that the Return of Christ with the saints is merely an afterthought, following the more central and crucial wedding supper. Would the armies casually approach the battle still attired in wedding clothes? Additionally, to use this as proof of their having already been to a wedding feast implies that they would be dressed differently the rest of the time. Does the Bible state, or even imply, that this fine linen is only worn at the wedding feast?

Revelation 15:6 shows that the angels who pour out the last seven plagues are wearing pure white linen. The angel who appeared to Daniel in Daniel 10:5 wore linen, as well. In Ezekiel, the angel who set a mark upon the forehead of those who sighed and cried also wore this same linen attire (9:2, 3, 11; 10:2, 6, 7). The 24 elders at the Throne of God in heaven are also clothed in white raiment (Rev. 4:4). Even the garment worn by God the Father (Ancient of Days) is defined as “white as snow” (Dan. 7:9). It should be clear that white linen attire is not exclusive to the wedding feast.

The significance of fine white linen is plainly stated: “…for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints” (Rev. 19:8). Notice what Revelation 3:4-5 states in relation to the meaning of white raiment: “You have a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white raiment…” In these verses, the white garments relate to being undefiled, being worthy and having overcome. This sounds very much like the righteousness of the saints, as noted.

The Setting

Some insist that the wedding supper must be in heaven because the most inspiring and immaculate surroundings are found there. But they forget the miracle that God performed at Mount Sinai, as recorded in Exodus 24:9-11: “Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: and they saw the God of Israel: and there was under His feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness. And upon the nobles of the children of Israel He laid not His hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.”

Here we see that the marriage and the wedding supper could possibly occur on the sea of glass (see Rev. 4:6) without having to be in heaven. The glory of God’s surroundings can, to a degree, be brought to earth when necessary. The glorified Christ will be here and will be fully capable of providing what is necessary at the time of His marriage.

Other Miscellaneous Miscues

In addition, these modern theorists hold to a number of other doctrinal errors. A review of the scriptures related to the sequence of events surrounding the First Resurrection and the wedding supper reveals other equally erroneous assumptions.

One of the errors involves the duration of the sixth trumpet plague. They do acknowledge that the fifth trumpet plague lasts about five months, as Revelation 9:5 explicitly states, “and they shall be tormented five months…”, during which the beast power attacks the eastern bloc of nations. The next event involves the counterattack (Rev. 9:12-21). Verses 14-16 mention the timing as the battle begins: “Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.”

Upon reading these scriptures, one new school of thought on the wedding supper assumes that the entire sixth trumpet plague lasts only one hour. Yet, verse 15 notes the precise time, to the very hour, when this counterattack begins—not the duration.

Consider for a moment. If the battle lasted only one hour, the war would be over before the vast majority of the ground soldiers even took their positions. Yes, modern warfare can happen quickly. However, it is irrational to conclude that an attack by one side could subdue or disable the enemy for five months, while the counterattack defeats the original attackers in just one hour. These people also claim that the same hour-long counterattack destroys all major cities on Earth—ridiculous!

Another error of the leading wedding supper theorist involves a distortion of the impact of the cumulative trumpet plagues. He feels that—in spite of the calamities, wars and plagues, such as the fourth seal having already killed the fourth part of mankind, and the sixth trumpet plague (of war) killing a third of mankind—the main cause of death during the time of these plagues (synonymous with the Day of the Lord) is diminished food production due to sunlight being reduced to one third, among other factors.

He takes this position partly because he applies Ezekiel chapter 5 (which states that one third will die of famine) to all mankind. What he fails to understand is that this chapter refers specifically to the modern nations of Israel, as indicated by the context in Ezekiel 3:17 and in chapter 4 (verses 3-5, 13). In chapter 5, Israel is also mentioned in verse 4, and then in chapter 6 verses 2, 3, 5 and 11. These chapters clearly do not apply to all humanity. In addition, the deaths caused by famine within modern Israel are to occur early in the Tribulation, long before the Day of the Lord (which he mistakenly assumes is the timeframe of this chapter).

We must ask: If the advocates of the wedding supper theory are in error on most of the peripheral issues, on what basis could one hope that they are remotely correct on their central ideas?

“Before the Wedding Supper”

Finally, we should consider Luke 12:36, which could be misused by some to justify the idea that the wedding supper precedes Christ’s Return. It reads: “And you yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he comes and knocks, they may open unto him immediately.”

The word translated “from” in the phrase “when he will return from the wedding” is translated from the Greek word apo (Strong’s #575). It can also be translated to mean “before,” as it is translated in John 13:19: “Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, you may believe that I am He.” This Greek term is also used in this sense—denoting an event before others in time sequence—in I Corinthians 4:5 and Galatians 2:12. Applying this same translation to Luke 12:36, the key phrase becomes more plausible: “when he will return before the wedding.”

Also notice: “Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he comes shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them” (Luke 12:37). If the wedding supper has already taken place then who are these servants to whom Christ is returning?

The main point of this parable relates directly to Christ’s “flock” (vs. 32) being vigilant and “watching” for His Return, qualifying to be in the First Resurrection and, thus, to take part in the wedding supper. If the marriage and the wedding supper had already taken place before His Return, then this is terribly out of sequence. The idea that Christ returns from the wedding supper does not make sense.

This pattern of faulty reasoning, misguided speculation and butchering of plain scriptures provide ample evidence of the “spirit of error” (I John 4:6) at work.

The Right Focus

We now come full circle to take another look at the big picture.

In Acts 17, we read of a group of “religious” people in Athens, a city described as “wholly given to idolatry” (vs. 16). They took a philosophical approach to worshipping their gods, and this led to a certain mindset: “For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing” (vs. 21).

Though we are instructed to grow in knowledge (II Pet. 3:18), that pursuit is just one part of the overall goal of a Christian—to build holy, righteous character. Some come to view Christianity solely as a daily accumulation of knowledge, rather than a daily qualification to rule with Christ. This breeds intellectual vanity, and, if left unchecked, this tendency will eventually lead them to “worship at the altar of their own minds.” Inevitably, those entangled in this kind of wrong focus allow themselves to be pulled completely out of God’s Way.

Speaking of our present age, Paul wrote, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (II Tim. 4:3-4).

Those who have been seduced by false doctrines—fables!—regarding the wedding supper have lost sight of this warning: “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” (II Cor. 11:3). Convoluted, unsound doctrine does not come from Jesus Christ!

Whether we are examining the wedding supper or any other issue, we should make every effort to focus on the things that God’s Word clearly leads us to believe and practice, rather than speculating about events on which the scriptures are not explicit. We must read all Scripture from the converted point of view, led by the spirit of a sound mind (II Tim. 1:7), and beware of the exotic ideas of apostates, God’s enemies in the splinters and worldly theologians, whose eyes and ears are not open to the truth.

Our extensive book “ANOINT YOUR EYES” – Christ’s Warning to His People explains—in great detail—what is at stake for Christians in this age who lose sight of true doctrine.

A careful study of the scriptures shows that the modern wedding supper ideas can be clearly refuted. Studying these issues and scriptures serves as a review of prophetic events and enables us to counter the false teachings so prevalent at the end of the age.