RSVP

Originally posted May 15, 2011

According to some, the world, as we know, it is going to end this Saturday.  5.21.11.  

"Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made." Genesis 7:4  

The “End Of The Worlder’s” loosely based theory is all about numbers and goes something like this:

#1. God referred to seven days, he meant both seven days and seven thousand years, because "one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." The flood occurred in 4990 BC. Seven thousand years later is 2011.

#2. looks at the significance of the number of days between the Crucifixion and May 21, 2011.

There are 722,500 days between these dates. 722,500 is a significant number because it is composed of the significant numbers 5x10x17x5x10x17. Five signifies redemption; ten signifies completion; and 17 signifies heaven. The numbers represent the day of redemption (5) and the end of the Christian era (10) and the ascent to heaven (17) -- and these factors are doubled for added significance.

I know, confusing, right?  I’m not real worried about next Saturday, but they are right on one account: the world is gonna end.

In Jewish tradition, when a couple became engaged, the bridegroom’s family would give a gift to the bride’s family signifying the intent to marry.  Then, in essence, the marriage contract was signed at that point in time.

Then the bridegroom would go away for one year.  It gave the bride time to prepare, not only for the big day, but to fix her heart on her bridegroom.  She would concentrate on no one and nothing else, but making sure she was ready when the bridegroom came.  

The groom would work the whole year to build a house for his bride and keep working for his father in preparation for starting his own home.  

No one knew when the wedding would take place except the bridegrooms father.  When he deemed it appropriate he gathered his son and headed out on a wedding march to the bride’s  house, collecting family and friends along the way.  

And here-in lies the analogy. Jesus is the bridegroom. The church (body of believers) is the bride.  Jesus has gone away to prepare a place for us, if it wasn’t true, he would have told us.  “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home.If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. St. John 14.

The bride should be getting ready.  Not searching out other bridegrooms or wasting her time on other lovers (pursuits), but  preparing for her wedding day. Preparing her heart to meet her bridegroom.  Preparing a feast and inviting everyone to get ready themselves.  Inviting all to come and taste and see that the Lord is good.  It is he who love us.  It is he who made us, and not we ourselves. ~ The Psalms

And guess who knows when this great marriage feast will take place? 

God the (bridegroom’s) Father. 

Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids from St Matthew:

Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’ All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps.  Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’“But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’ “But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’ But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you! So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.

Accept the invitation for the free gift of salvation ... or give your regrets. It’s your choice. And it IS a choice.  If you’ve already already responded (believed) then what are you doing as far as preparations go?