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When will the Marriage Supper of the Lamb take place?

When will the Marriage Supper of the Lamb take place?
Restoration End Times & Eternity End Times

TL;DR:

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb will be the joyful celebration of Christ’s union with His people. Within a dispensational, pre-tribulation framework, it occurs in heaven near the end of the Tribulation, just before Jesus returns to judge the nations and establish the Millennial Kingdom.

what does the bible say?

As with all questions about the timing of events in the end times, one’s eschatological view affects one’s understanding of the subject. Because of the many interpretations and the limits of space, this answer reflects Got Questions Ministries’ dispensational, pre-tribulation view. However, genuine believers disagree.

In the pre-tribulation view, Jesus raptures the church before (or early into) the Tribulation period (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17), and believers will be in heaven, awaiting Jesus’ return. Additionally, dispensationalists believe Jesus will have a literal thousand-year reign on earth, known as the Millennial Kingdom (Revelation 20:1–6).

Within that framework, three primary views exist as to its timing. The first is that it happens at, or shortly after, the rapture, evidenced by the supper being listed before Jesus’ return, though Babylon’s fall being listed before the supper is a weakness (Revelation 18). Second, it culminates the Millennial Kingdom, but it’s listed before Jesus returns and the kingdom, which is a weakness. The most likely view is that this supper is after the final bowl judgment and just before (or just after) Jesus comes to earth to judge the nations and set up the Millennial Kingdom (Revelation 19:11–21). Regardless of the timing, it will be a glorious day, one remembered for the rest of eternity!

from the old testament

  • The timing of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb is not found in the Old Testament.

from the new testament

  • Revelation is notoriously difficult to read, not just because of the symbols, but because of doubt about whether the chronology is strictly linear, always recapitulatory (repeating the same events from different views), or a mixture of the two. Adding to that difficulty is that different eschatological frameworks affect whether one considers the Marriage Supper literal, a recapitulation of another event, or symbolic of other events. That means we must, at the outset, limit the options to fit this article's constraints. This site holds to a pre-tribulation, dispensational view of Scripture. That will determine how we understand Scripture.
  • Two key factors apply to those who hold this or similar views. First, Jesus will rescue His people from the world before He judges it. This is known as the rapture, and passages such as 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 support it. Second, dispensationalists view Scripture in distinct “dispensations,” with the Millennial Kingdom being understood as a specific “dispensation,” a period of time. Most hold that it is a literal thousand years (Revelation 20:1–6).
  • Everyone in this camp believes the Marriage Supper is literal. A “marriage supper” is an event before a wedding, and this Supper is a one-time, unique start to believers' eternal state with Jesus.
  • Additionally, most of these views treat Revelation as largely chronological, though not all take it strictly. This difference, even among those with a similar eschatological view, leads to three opinions on when the Marriage Supper will occur:
  • At or Just After the Rapture: Because the supper is placed before Jesus returns to judge the nations (Revelation 19:11–21), they view it as happening in connection with the rapture. A weakness of this view is that Revelation 18 describes the fall of Babylon in connection with the final bowl judgment. This is generally thought to be a part of the Tribulation, a time after the rapture. Additionally, being before Jesus returns does not mean it has to happen in connection with the rapture, being a second logical weakness.
  • At the End of the Millennial Kingdom: This view assumes the passage is not chronological, arguing that the supper happens after Jesus rules on earth for a thousand years. They link it to God’s final judgment and believers' entry into their eternal state. While plausible, its placement in Revelation before Jesus’ return and the kingdom is a significant weakness.
  • Just before the Millennial Kingdom: The best fit for a strictly chronological view of the passage is near the end of the Tribulation (Revelation 18) and before Jesus comes to earth to judge the nations and initiate the Millennial Kingdom. This view seems to have the fewest weaknesses in terms of the chronology it provides or implies, placing it just before Jesus judges the nations and in heaven. Note, however, that some understand Jesus’ return and the Kingdom as events happening almost at once, and argue it may be possible that it’s as the Kingdom starts and happens on earth.

implications for today

Many views exist of the Marriage Supper. Even when limiting the options as this article does, its timing still varies. However, when it happens isn’t nearly as important as why it happens.

For the believer, that Supper culminates our relationship with Christ. The church is described as Jesus’ bride, but the “wedding” hasn’t yet happened. We are being prepared for it (Ephesians 5:25–27; Revelation 19:7–8). The Supper is when that reaches its fulfillment. At that time, the church no longer waits and longs for Jesus to come, but celebrates that He has fulfilled His promises.

Currently, we still wait for it. The act of communion anticipates that Supper. As we eat and drink the elements, we are certainly proclaiming Jesus’ death (1 Corinthians 11:26). But it’s more than that. It reminds us that we will one day eat and drink with Jesus (Matthew 26:29). That our faith will be made sight (1 Corinthians 13:12). That God will dwell with us and we will be His people (Revelation 21:3). That this life, with its sorrows and miseries, will pass away (Revelation 21:4).

Exactly when the Marriage Supper happens is uncertain, but it will be a joyous time!

understand

  • The Marriage Supper of the Lamb is a literal, one-time celebration marking the beginning of believers' eternal union with Jesus.
  • Revelation's chronological complexity and differing eschatological frameworks produce multiple views on the supper's timing.
  • Within a dispensational, premillennial view, three views exist: at or just after the rapture; at the end of the Millennial Kingdom; or just before Jesus returns to judge the nations—with the third view best fitting the chronological sequence of Revelation 18–20.

reflect

  • As a believer, how does the image of the Marriage Supper excite you, and what does that tell you about what's still to come in your relationship with Jesus?
  • How do you seek to hold a biblical view of the timing of the end times while holding open-handed what is not specific?
  • How should acknowledging that genuine believers disagree on the timing of events such as the Marriage Supper affect how you engage with Christians who hold different eschatological views?

engage

  • How does the placement of the Marriage Supper announcement in Revelation 19 position it before Jesus returns to judge?
  • What does Jesus’ use of wedding and feast imagery in His teaching reveal about the future relationship between Christ and His people?
  • Why should the promise of the Marriage Supper matter to believers today, especially as they wait for Jesus’ return?

More Resources

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