So much has been forgotten about the Jewish roots of our faith, and many Jews remain rightly suspicious of Christianity because of the anti-Semitism perpetrated by the church establishment in many parts of Europe. But because the Bible is a Jewish book, it uses expressions, stories and messages immediately familiar to a Jewish audience—not a Chinese, American or Indian one.

So the more we understand the customs, traditions and geography of the people to whom the Scriptures were written, the clearer and more illuminating the Scriptures become. If we read the Old and New Testaments, we see that God seeks union with both the Jewish nation of Israel, and the nations of the world—spanning billions of people across time, from every tongue, tribe, people and nation. God’s heartbeat is for the nations to return to Him, and to walk in His light (Revelation 7:9, 21:24).

The image of Israel as a wife married to God Himself appears over and over again in the Old Testament, often as the Lord laments over the treachery and idolatry of His people. Yet He never stops calling them back to Himself (Jeremiah 3:14). Perhaps this was what John the Baptist had in mind when he declared Jesus Christ as the Bridegroom:

“The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete” (John 3:29).

If Jesus is the Bridegroom, His wedding supper will include not only His Bride, but His friends like John the Baptist.

These are His invited guests, and as John the Baptist was the last of the Old Testament-style prophets, the wedding supper will be one where redeemed Jews of the Old Testament rejoice with the God who brought all peoples to Himself!