Loren Miller received an announcement about a storytelling workshop being conducted in Sept of 2002. Attending that seminar challenged him to continue developing his ability to tell stories. Today, Loren is an apprentice professional storyteller who specializes in Bible stories.

ChristianStorytelling.com is honored to reprint a story Loren has told many times over the last few months. Here is his introduction.

Story of the Month

This is the story of a young Jewish bridegroom and his new bride.  The story describes a typical Jewish betrothal and wedding at the time of Christ.  These same customs had been followed for many centuries before.

Throughout Scripture, the relationship of Christ and His people is depicted as that of a bridegroom (Christ) and bride (His people).  References to the Jewish wedding are made throughout Scripture even though you cannot open the Bible to a specific passage and read the story of one.

As you read this story, remember that the Jewish wedding paints a picture of Christ’s relationship with the church.  It also provides prophetic insight into Christ’s Second Coming.

It is appropriate that the bridegroom’s name is Joshua (Yeshua)
because that is the Old Testament translation of the New Testament name Jesus.

The Jewish Wedding

as written and told by Loren Miller

“Well done.  Tonight is the night.”

Joshua had been waiting two years to hear his father say those words.  As his father walked out the door, Joshua sat down in the newly completed wedding chamber and thought about everything that had happened in the last few years to bring him to this point.

About three years ago, a certain girl caught his eye.  Of course, he couldn’t just walk up and introduce himself.  That simply wasn’t possible.  Men and women didn’t talk to each other in public.  That was especially true for young, unmarried men and women.

So Joshua began to ask around to see what he could find out about this particular girl.  Her name was Sarah and he liked what he heard about her.  She came from a highly respected family and was known to be a quiet, kind, and sweet girl. Everyone said she would make an excellent wife, and would be skilled at running a proper Jewish household.

To his surprise, Joshua found out that she was making inquiries about him.  Was it possible that she was scouting him out as a potential husband? That thought made his heart skip a beat.

After much time in prayer, Joshua approached his father. “Father, I believe I have found just the right girl to be my bride.”

The father stopped his work and looked at his son. There was a prolonged silence as the father tried to recover from his shock. Finally he smiled. “Well now, … who might this … lucky bride be?”

The two sat down to discuss the young man’s choice and to evaluate the wisdom of that choice. Once Sarah’s name was mentioned, Joshua's father lost most of his excitement about the idea.  He knew of the girl’s family.  They were well respected and their social status was definitely higher than his.  Even if her father did agreed to this marriage, the “bride price” would be well above average—perhaps more than they could afford.  This was a good family and Sarah would certainly be highly sought after as a bride.

But Joshua was insistent.  He wanted to marry Sarah, so his father reluctantly agreed to see what he could find out.  He wasn’t optimistic about the outcome, and he cautioned Joshua not to get his hopes too high. (lower voice) Even as he said those words, he knew it was too late for that advice.

Now it was the father’s turn to begin asking around to see what he could find out about Sarah and her family.  He had to admit, he liked what he heard. Still, he continually worried that all this preparation was an exercise in futility.  He couldn’t imagine her father would accept Joshua as a son-in-law.

Finally he decided to talk directly to Sarah’s father.  (pause) He was pleasantly surprised to find out that Joshua would be an acceptable husband for the girl. But he went on to say, “Of course,  … arrangements … would need to be made.”

Oh, … everyone knew what that meant.  As they continued to talk, Joshua’s father found out that it was just as he feared. The bride price was well above average.  Instead of the usual -one-year’s wages, Sarah would not be allowed to leave the family for anything less than - one-and-a-half year’s wages.

Joshua was undaunted by the price, and was thrilled to find out that he was acceptable to Sarah’s family. He and his father talked about how the two of them could make the wedding become a reality. They realized it would take them an extra year to save up enough money, but both agreed that Sarah was well worth the price.

For the next year, Joshua and his father worked extra hard to save the additional money.  They both took on any extra work they could find.  At long last they thought they had enough money to pay the bride price.  So Joshua’s father arranged a formal meeting with Sarah’s father.

Joshua would never forget that evening.  He was so nervous he almost felt sick.  The 30-minute walk to her house seemed to take an eternity, and at the same time it seemed to take only an instant.  In his head, he knew that everything would work out fine.  An informal agreement had already been reached and in many ways this was just a formality.

Still, that didn’t seem to convince his heart.  What if her father had changed his mind?  What if he was insulted by the bride price they offered?  What if she wasn’t interested in him after all? What if …?

When they arrived at her house, Sarah’s father and two older brothers warmly welcomed them.  After the servants had washed their feet, the men reclined at the table to visit. Tea and food were served and each inquired about the others’ health, family and business life. Recent national and community gossip was discussed as the men continued the customary pleasantries of the time. Joshua tried hard to sit still and hide his nervousness.

Both of Sarah’s brothers were becoming very involved in the discussion, but both fathers knew by experience what Joshua was going through. Out of pure pity for him, they got down to the business at hand.

At this point, Joshua was to be quiet and let his father do most of the talking. He was more than happy to do just that. They had brought along three very important items: the wedding contract, money to pay the bride price, and a wineskin filled with wine.

The room grew quiet as Joshua’s father laid out the wedding contract on the table.  The contract explained in detail what was expected of both the bridegroom and the bride.  It explained how Joshua promised to take care of his bride.  It guaranteed Sarah’s family that he would love her and honor her. In it, he promised to remain faithful and committed to her for the rest of their lives and provide for her and their future children.

The contract also said that Sarah would promise to love and honor Joshua and remain faithful and committed to him for the rest of their lives. It was very clear concerning her care for her husband and future children.

Sarah’s father and brothers carefully looked over the contract, even though it followed a fairly standard format. Of course it was customized for Joshua and Sarah.  Finally they stated that they had no major objections or changes. They were now ready for the next step; the step Joshua feared the most—negotiating the bride price.

Sarah’s father smiled and asked the question. “How much are you willing to offer?”

Joshua’s father shuffled some papers and cleared his throat as he prepared to make the initial offer.  Joshua had watched his father negotiate many deals in the course of regular business, but never one that meant this much to him.  He knew his father had done the homework required for success and he was all but certain they could reach an agreement.

The initial offer was made. The three men on the other side of the table got a shocked look on their faces.  They looked at one another and said they couldn’t believe the offer was so low. They even laughed out loud.

Joshua’s heart sank! Even though normally he loved playing the games of negotiation, he didn’t find this as entertaining as usual. His love for Sarah made him more sensitive to the process. Had they just insulted her father?  Would her family walk and out never speak to them again? Or … were they still within the parameters of proper negotiation?

Joshua relaxed a little bit when a counter offer was made.  After some back and forth, and a few sidebar discussions, they reached an agreement.  Sarah was an expensive bride, just as Joshua and his father had expected, … but they knew she was more than worth the price.

Step one and two were now over. Now it was time for the final step.  Joshua tried to remain calm and keep his heart from racing as Sarah’s father stood and left the room. He was going to go get the potential bride.

Soon, he and Sarah stepped back into the room.  She slowly looked from one face to the next as she approached the table.  If she was nervous, she didn’t show it.  Joshua thought he detected a slight smile on her face.  Was that a good sign?

Her father once again reclined at his position next to the low table. Sarah positioned herself next to him.  He showed her the wedding contract and explained in detail everything that was expected of both her and Joshua.  She probably knew the contract better then her father, but it was traditional for him to made sure she understood everything, and that all of her questions were answered.

The entire negotiation was now focused on the young girl.  Was she willing to accept the contract?  Was she willing to become Joshua’s bride?

Joshua’s mouth became dry and his hands grew sweaty. Trying to keep his nerves in check, he set a drinking glass on the table and filled it with wine.  Then Sarah’s father took it and placed it in front of her.  As this was done, a slight smile came across her face and she glanced at Joshua.  Then she paused, looked carefully at the glass, … and did nothing.

For the first time, Joshua truly became worried.  All the preparation, … all the planning, … the whole negotiation process, … all of it hedged on what she would do at this point.

Finally she looked up at Joshua and with her gaze on him, she reached for the glass, put it to her mouth, and drank.  With this, she signified that she accepted the contract.

Joshua’s heart soared!  He wanted to jump for joy, but he maintained his composure. Standing up, he looked directly at his bride-to-be and said the line he had been rehearsing for so long.  “I’m going to my father’s house to prepare a place for you.  I will come again to get you and take you to be there with me.”

With that, Joshua and his father gathered their things, calmly said their good-byes, and left for home.  Once they were out of sight, Joshua started chattering excitedly about all the wonderful plans he had.  “I am going to build a new room on the east side of the courtyard.  And, and, and, … I am going to carefully handcraft all the furniture with the best materials money can buy.  (ha, ha) I am going to buy Sarah the most expensive and exquisite gifts that I can afford.”

Joshua’s father walked along quietly as he listened to all of the wonderful plans.  He smiled to himself.  Oh, how familiar it all sounded.  It seemed like only yesterday he had said the same things as he made preparation for his bride.  (ha) He remembered how his father said what he was about to say. It was time to temper some of Joshua’s enthusiasm with a bit of reality.

He reminded Joshua that there was a lot of work to be done.  He needed to know it would take a couple of years before everything would be ready.  Then he stopped and turned to his son. “Joshua, listen to me. This is very important. You must not even think about getting your bride until I am satisfied with all of your work and preparations.” Joshua vowed he would wait.

[pause]

He was true to his word. Now, two years later, he was thrilled to hear those words at long last. “Well done.  Tonight is the night.”

In one sense, the two years had gone by slowly because Joshua was eagerly looking forward to his wedding day.  In another sense, the time had passed quickly because he was busy with a labor of love.  Joshua had worked hard to furnish the wedding chamber.  And he had saved money and purchased the perfect gifts to present to his bride on their wedding night.

At long last, his father was satisfied.  Tonight was Joshua and Sarah’s wedding night!

[pause]

For the last two years, Sarah had not been sitting idly by.  She had been very busy.  She also had a lot of preparations to make.

She intensified her learning about how to run a proper Jewish household.  She wanted to be a good wife, and mother. … There was so much to do! She purchased a very expensive set of cosmetics, and it nearly took her the entire two years to learn the intricacies of how to use them.  She wanted to please “her Joshua” and present to him the perfect bride.

She didn’t know exactly when the he would come for her, but she did know three things.  It generally took about two years for the bridegroom to complete his preparations.  He usually came around midnight.  And she had to be ready to go with him at a moment’s notice.

As the two years drew to a close, Sarah’s anticipation and longing grew.  She daydreamed about the day “her beloved” would come for her.  As she lay down to sleep every night, she hoped and prayed that that night would be the one.  Next to her bed she kept everything she needed for her wedding night—ready to pick up and go in an instant.

[pause]

Unbeknownst to her, tonight was the night. Joshua began to make the rounds and inform his closest friends.  As darkness fell, they all began to gather at his house.  At exactly the right time, approximately 11:30, he gave the word and they began the 30-minute walk to the bride’s house.

As they quietly walked along, other people noticed the wedding procession and came out to join in the fun.  The closer they got to Sarah’s house, the larger the procession became.  When they were just a short distance from her door, the bridegroom stopped and the crowd grew quiet. … His best friend stepped forward … and gave a great shout to alert the bride that the bridegroom had arrived.  With this, the entire procession broke out into shouts of joy and celebration.

When Sarah heard that long anticipated shout, she was instantly [snap fingers] awake and out of bed.  In a flurry of excitement, she dressed, gathered her things, and was waiting at the door when Joshua arrived to “steal” her away.

With great joy and celebration, both of them led the procession back to his father’s house.  They were met by a crowd of family, friends, and well-wishers.

The wedding ceremony took place right away.  Afterwards, the bride and bridegroom entered the wedding chamber, where they would remain for the next seven days.  Joshua excitedly showed her the bridal chamber and all the furnishings he had so lovingly created.  He presented her with exquisite gifts that he had carefully chosen.  Joshua found her to be the perfect bride, - everything he had ever imagined.

After the seven days had passed, they emerged from the wedding chamber to a great wedding feast.  All that attended knew that this was just the beginning. They knew that Joshua and Sarah would spend a long and happy life together.

At one point, Joshua’s father stepped off to the side of the room and watched the young couple. He smiled and again said, “Well Done!”

Click here if you are interested in some of the Scriptural references that refers to the Jewish wedding.

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