The book Song of Songs is known to be a story about the Rapture.  It has many clear parts within it that point to a departure, people left to wonder what was so special about this person, and marriage/intimacy/bridal chamber.

This is speculation, and I wanted to throw it out for further input.  There are 3 bodies within the text of Song of Songs.  There is the Bridegroom/Solomon called “Lover”, there is the Bride/Shulammite called Beloved and the rest looking to these two which I believe may be the eventual wedding party. 

Is it possible for 3 raptures to prepare for The Wedding?

1. Bridegroom, to prepare a place for the Bride.  I know Jesus is the Kinsman Redeemer and the Bridegroom.  I believe that he will take others to be a Bridegroom with him, and to prepare a place for the brides.

2. Brides, to go be with their Bridegrooms, and to consummate the marriage in the Chuppah.

3. The wedding party to feast and celebrate the marriage of the Bride and Bridegroom.

I know all of the regular interpretations of these verses, and agree with most looks at them by persons who diligently study Prophecy (although we never all agree all the time – I guess God will square us away, thank goodness!).  What I am “gleaning” is some additional insight that would lay a layer deeper.  Not necessary for Salvation, or even to be Raptured but simply speculation.  If you can swim up river with me a bit, maybe you can add some additional insight J

Possible Bridegroom verses:

Genesis 17:5-7 (New International Version)

5 No longer will you be called Abram ^[a] ; your name will be Abraham, ^[b] for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. 7 I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.

John 20:17 (New International Version)

 17Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' "

Hebrews 2:10-12 (New International Version)

 10In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. 12He says,
   "I will declare your name to my brothers;
      in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises."^[a]

Matthew 12:48-50 (New International Version)

 48He replied to him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" 49Pointing to his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. 50For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."

Possible Bride Verses (although for those who believe the Virgins instead to be brides maids then it would be wedding party.  I am not too worried about the Bride since many agree already on this point.  Many agree on a Wedding party as well, but when would this take place? At the end of the 7 years?  I know the Bride and Groom took 7 days, but what if there is a time of years between the Rapture and when the tribulation start??? – Lots of questions and speculation)…

Matthew 25

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

 1"At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

 6"At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'

 7"Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.'

 9" 'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.'

 10"But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

 11"Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!'

 12"But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.'

 13"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

Possible Wedding Party verses

Matthew 22

The Parable of the Wedding Banquet

8"Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.' 10So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

Luke 14:7-9 (New International Version)

 7When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: 8"When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. 9If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, 'Give this man your seat.' Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place.

I’m not sure about this one – give me your input J (he served the Apostles, would he serve his brothers?  It says like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet…hmmm…)

Luke 12:35-37 (New International Version)

Watchfulness

 35"Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.

Maybe we’ll be able to go to each others Weddings???  We can be sure Jesus has the ability to provide the wine :)

John 2

Jesus Changes Water to Wine

 1On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, 2and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.

Blessings,

Tony Ellsworth