Ancient Jewish weddings

[baptist senior]

I've recently learned that in Ancient Jewish Weddings (esp. Galilean)  were a type of the rapture.  The groom would abduct the bride, take her to a chamber in his father's house where they would stay for seven days before coming out and finalizing their marriage ceremony.  Where could I find actual Jewish documentation on this subject?  

[Jerry]

I have never heard it the way you present it here. The couple would be espoused/engaged - which was more lasting and a stronger bond in Jewish society than in our day (hence why Joseph would have needed a divorce to separate from Mary, though they were not yet actually married).

John 14 presents the aspect of the engagement where the bridegroom goes away to prepare the house for his bride. When all is ready, he comes back for her and takes her away. (There is no abduction or anything weird like that.)

Song of Solomon 3 speaks about Solomon and his bride's espousal/engagement, picturing our walk with the Lord - and that song ends on the same note as the last book of the New Testament - waiting for the Bridegroom to come back to take His bride home to the place He has prepared for her. Note, the day break is when the Morning Star rises and day dawns, and the shadows flee away - when Christ returns to take His bride home (the same thing is pictured when Jacob wrestled all night with the angel of the Lord/Christ, until the day break).

Genesis 32:24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.

Song of Solomon 2:17 Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether. (Bether means divisions._

Song of Solomon 4:6 Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense. (The mountain of myrrh is Calvary, where Jesus died for our sins - and the hills of frankincense is in Heaven where the Lord Jesus Christ is petitioning the Father on our behalf as our great High Priest - various places in Scripture incense is symbolic of prayer - note: both of these must happen before He returns, before the day break and the shadows flee away.)

Song of Solomon 8:14 Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices.

The Song of Solomon ends with the bride awaiting the return of her Bridegroom to take her home - so does the whole Bible (Revelation chapter 21 presents the eternal home, the New Jerusalem that our Heavenly Bridegroom has prepared for us):

Revelation 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

Edited March 22, 2023 by Jerry

[BrotherTony]

I have heard of it the way it was presented. My brother-in-law was raised Jewish, and I have Jewish family in my background. I've heard this story often about the betrothed being carried away by the "husband." It is very much representative of the second coming. 

[baptist senior]

13 hours ago, BrotherTony said:

I have heard of it the way it was presented. My brother-in-law was raised Jewish, and I have Jewish family in my background. I've heard this story often about the betrothed being carried away by the "husband." It is very much representative of the second coming. 

I heard the bride would be caught up (carried away) to chamber in father's house (type of heaven), stay seven days, type of tribulation, then return to present as Bride and Groom, (type of millennial reign.   would love to see documentation, wonder if Josephus ever wrote about it 

[heartstrings]

Someone "abducted" my daughter I'd be out for blood and destruction.

[BrotherTony]

27 minutes ago, heartstrings said:

Someone "abducted" my daughter I'd be out for blood and destruction.

I wouldn't necessarily call this an "abduction." It was expected, but the bride was never sure when it was going to happen. It was a common occurrence in Hebrew society.