1. Do you know what the word “MARANATHA” means?

“The LORD COMES”! (1Cor 16:22)

Some translate the phrase to mean, “The Lord HAS come.”
Others translate the phrase to mean, “The Lord WILL come.”

2. Did you know, “The LORD JESUS will Come”?

First, He will return for His bride as He said He would.

“1Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:1-3)

Here is a great parallel between a Jewish wedding and the rapture of the Church.

First, the bride and groom to be, would make a covenant. Sometimes this consisted of rings, money, or at least a guarantee to stay pure and true until marriage. Meanwhile, the bridegroom would go away to his Father’s house to prepare a place for his bride. Jesus said the same thing in John 14:2,“In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” While the bridegroom was gone, the bride must be “WATCHING & WAITING” for his return.

Do you see the parallel with the Church today? Are you watching and waiting? Working? Worshiping? Witnessing?

And then, at the right time, the bridegroom would send out a procession to announce his coming for his bride. They would shout, “BEHOLD the BRIDEGROOM COMETH”! Sound familiar?

Paul writes to the Thessalonians, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God.” (1Thess 4:16)

When the bridegroom would be approaching, the bride would go out to meet him.

Paul says, “….and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air:” (1Thess 4:17) 

Next, the bride and groom would return to his Father’s house and the marriage would be consummated. Guess how long they would stay in the marriage chamber? 7 days. Interesting, do you know why? Because that parallels with the 7 years of tribulation on earth, while the Church is married to her bridegroom in heaven.

John writes, “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.” (Rev 19:7,8)

After the 7 days, the bride and the groom would come out of their chamber and enjoy & celebrate the “Marriage supper” with the marriage guests. Likewise, after the marriage in heaven to our Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus (Eph 5:25), we shall return to the earth to celebrate the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. John says, “And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.” (Rev 19:9)