Christian writers throughout history have recognized an underlying theme in the Scriptures, that Jewish wedding customs form a pattern for the redemption of mankind. This is rather hard to miss, particularly when both Paul and John refer specifically to the "Bride" of Christ. But only recently have the Jewish wedding customs been used within the rapture debate, particularly to support the pre-trib scenario.

While we agree that the Scriptures must be interpreted "historically," in light of culture and historical context, we must proceed with caution, being very careful to substantiate an alleged custom with real biblical and historical data. It is not enough to merely assert something as a "custom" and then use it to interpret Scripture. We must prove every detail, and also demonstrate that such an allusion was intended in a particular passage.

Pre-Trib Shenanigans
A serious problem arises when alleged details of a custom being promoted cannot be documented, or when it is not clear that the writer or speaker had such a custom in view in Scripture. The modern pre-trib usage of the Jewish wedding customs illustrates the problematic nature of "customs." Contrary to what is portrayed by many pre-trib authors and speakers, all of the details of such customs are not at all clear in history. Nor is there such a degree of consistency in the historical record as to make the scenario being promoted by pre-trib writers reliable. For those who have investigated the claims being promoted by the prophecy peddlers, one quickly finds it extremely difficult to verify some of the specific details, particularly those details that seem to support the pre-trib version of eschatology. While we do not wish to make any specific charges of dishonesty, it appears that some pre-trib authors may have made a few "adjustments" to the actual customs to make them fit their scheme. And as usual, pre-trib writers borrow statements from each other without careful research and verification. [1]

When reading pre-trib literature which uses Jewish wedding customs to support the pre-trib scheme, one quickly gets the impression that all the alleged details of the wedding scenario presented by these writers are easily verified from the historical record. And, historical sources lay out the scenario presented by pre-tribbers as fact. But that is simply not true. In "The Parables of Jesus," Joachim Jeremias (authority on ancient Jewish customs) explains the problem.

It appears that some elements of the alleged "custom" being promoted by pre-trib writers are fabricated in order to support their view of the rapture being pre-tribulational (particularly as it relates to "imminence"). Having spent a few years trying to track down the source of some of the details promoted by pre-trib writers, it has become increasingly obvious that the alleged "customs" are reverse-engineered in order to fit with the pre-trib scheme, rather than being derived from real historical sources. Greg Killian's article, A Jewish Wedding illustrates this. Killian writes, "Meanwhile, the young man returned to his father's home, and the chadar goes under construction. - The young Jewish bridegroom would make the following speech as he was leaving: Yochanan (John) 14:2-3 'In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.'" The fact is, there is absolutely nothing in the historical record to suggest such a speech. Killian is simply inventing his own evidence to fit with the text. As each pre-trib writer borrows material from other writers, more and more embellishments seem to be added.

Pre-trib writers also attempt to use certain details that support their scenario, but ignore those that are problematic for the pre-trib scenario. Dr. Robert Gundry illustrates the problem.
 

When pre-trib writers present a scenario which they claim was the "custom" in Jesus' day, and then use this alleged custom as the foundation for their pre-trib rapture doctrine, they must be held accountable to prove that the scenario they have laid out is indeed biblical and historical. If they cannot prove all of the details on which they place the weight of their arguments for the pre-trib position, we should conclude that they have constructed one giant circular argument using fabricated evidence.

A Kidnapping? Or a Planned Procession?
In the attempt to support pre-tribulationism from the Jewish Wedding customs, pre-trib writers have promoted the myth that the coming of the groom for the bride was "imminent" throughout the engagement period. That is, she had no idea when the groom would come to snatch her away. She must always be in a state of readiness for his arrival.
 

Both Levitt and Missler are simply wrong. Levitt gives no source for his information. Missler cites the Universal Jewish Encyclopedia to support several of his other points regarding the Jewish customs. But, his own source says plainly on pp. VII. 372-373 that the time of engagement was 12 months. The fact is, the bride knew the length of time of the betrothal; it was agreed upon at the beginning of the engagement. She knew the time of the groom's coming right from the start of the engagement. If not the actual day, at least that it would be at the end of the twelve month engagement. The coming of the groom was NEVER considered by the bride to be "imminent" during the 12 months of their separation. It is simply disingenuous for pre-trib writers to attach the idea of "imminence" to the bride's expectation. Not until the twelve months had passed, and the arrangements made for the consummation of the wedding, did she consider his coming to be "imminent." And even then, she was certainly made aware, in advance, of the day on which to make herself ready and to expect his arrival. His coming was not actually "imminent," in the sense pre-tribbers use the term, until the shout from the young men who ran ahead of the procession.

In "The Parables of Jesus," Joachim Jeremias (authority on Jewish customs) quoted an earlier book written by his father in 1909, which describes the ancient Semitic wedding custom.
 

This ancient Semitic custom does not fit the pre-trib scheme, where the groom is alleged to arrive at the bride's house secretly to snatch her away, without any warning. The Gospel accounts agree with Jeremias' historical account, also implying that the date of the groom's coming for his bride was fully planned and known by the bridal party prior to his arrival. Jesus' parable of the ten virgins is strikingly similar to the custom described above by Jeremias. This passage of Scripture is the ONLY account of a Jewish wedding procession in the Bible dating around the time of Christ.

Matt 25:1-10
1 "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
2 "Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 "Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,
4 "but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5 "But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
6 "And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!'
7 "Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
8 "And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'
9 "But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'
10 "And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
(NKJV)

In Jesus' parable, all ten of the bride's maids had their lamps and oil in them while they awaited the groom's arrival. Are we to assume that the bride's maids were all waiting for a full 12 months with their lamps burning? Hardly! The picture painted by Jesus was of ten virgins accompanying the bride at her home on the day of the groom's planned arrival. He was scheduled to arrive half an hour before midnight in a grand procession, to take the bride to their new home where the wedding would take place. When the shout came that the groom was on his way, they took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

They must have known the day of the groom's arrival, otherwise they could not have known when to bring their lamps and assemble at the bride's house! The whole purpose of the lamps was to participate in the festivities of the lighted procession once the groom arrived to fetch the bride. This fits perfectly with the custom described by Jeremias above. "In the late evening the guests were entertained in the bride's house. After hours of waiting for the bridegroom,..."[8]  Apparently, there was some delay in the groom's arrival in Jesus' parable. Jesus said they all fell asleep awaiting the groom's arrival. At midnight the announcement was made, "behold the bridegroom cometh go ye out to meet him." This fits perfectly with the above custom as well. "After hours of waiting for the bridegroom, whose coming was repeatedly announced by messengers, at last he came, half an hour before mid-night, to fetch the bride; he was accompanied by his friends; floodlit by burning candles, and received by guests who had come out to meet him."[9]  In Jesus' parable, the bridegroom was half an hour late. This is why the virgins fell asleep. Instead of arriving at 11:30PM according to custom, the announcement finally came of his impending arrival at midnight! Even then the bride's maidens scurried around to trim their lamps. The foolish virgins were told to go quickly and buy oil for their lamps. This strongly implies that there was some expected time anticipated between the final shout and the groom's actual arrival at the home of the bride. Alfred Edersheim writes: "The parable proceeds on the assumption that the Bridegroom is not in town, but somewhere far away; so that it cannot be known at what precise hour He may arrive. But it is known that he will come that night."[10]. In Jesus' parable, the foolish virgins expected that the groom might come while they were out buying oil. Therefore, both the historical and biblical data strongly refutes the idea of "imminence" at any time during the betrothal period except after the shout on the scheduled day of the groom's coming.

In his Sketches of Jewish Social Life, Edersheim wrote that the custom in Jesus' day was to have the wedding on a Wednesday, allowing the first three days of the week for the bride to prepare herself for her groom's coming.
 

Notice Edersheim stated clearly that the first three days (Sunday - Tuesday) were set aside for the bride to prepare. Since the day of the week was known (at least three days notice), it was impossible for a bride to be totally caught unaware, as pre-trib writers claim. The day of the groom's coming for His bride was known by both bride and groom. It was also known by the bride's maids who came to her home to await the groom's arrival. And it was known by the friends of the groom, who accompanied him to the bride's home to fetch her.

The ONLY evidence we have in Scripture of the Jewish wedding customs, related to the arrival of the groom for his bride, is the parable of the ten virgins. And it does not support the pre-trib scheme! Rather, it supports a post-trib scheme, where there is some advanced warning. This fits perfectly with Jesus' teaching in this very same Olivet Discourse. Jesus indicated a fixed period of time prior to His coming. The Gospel must be preached in all the world first. He outlined a series of signs that would occur just before His coming "immediately after the tribulation" [Matt. 24:29-31]. Then, He told the disciples;

Matthew 24
33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
(KJV)

After their recognizing the fulfillment of the signs described in verses 15-29, they would know His coming was imminent. This perfectly parallels the prior announcement made in the parable of the ten virgins, "behold the bridegroom cometh." Even the three days notice could be analogous to the time between the abomination of desolation and Jesus' coming, clearly mentioned in Matt. 24:15. Pre-tribbers cannot account for any prior warning, without destroying the concept of "imminence," which is so important to their system.

The Second Cup Indicates Consummation In Christ's Millennial Kingdom
The Jewish custom was for the bride to be given a glass of wine at the time of the engagement. This was called "the cup of acceptance." If she accepted the proposal, she drank from the cup, and the betrothal covenant was sealed. The parallel to the Lord's supper is striking, where Jesus gave the cup to His disciples. Yet, Jesus made an interesting comment at this event.

Matt 26:27-29
27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you.
28 "For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
29 "But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom."
(NKJV)

We know that at the wedding, the bride and groom again share a cup of wine together for the first time since the betrothal covenant was made. Yet, Jesus told the disciples that He would not share in the cup of wine with them again until the coming Millennial Kingdom. This rules out any such activity in heaven during the tribulation. If Jesus had Jewish wedding customs in mind, His statement clearly precludes the pre-trib rapture scenario! The consummation of the wedding must be post-tribulational.

The Seven Days in the "Huppah"
Pre-tribbers point to the fact that the groom would fetch his bride, and bring her into the bridal chamber ["huppah"], where they would resort for seven days immediately following the wedding ceremony. It is alleged that this represents Christ's coming for His Bride in a pre-trib rapture, where she is taken into heaven [the huppah] for seven years. This reasoning depends on some unproved assumptions. First, that "heaven" is the "bridal chamber" [or "huppah"]. Secondly, the seven days are allegorical (meaning years) and represent the seven years of the tribulation, rather than taking them literally. Pre-tribbers point to John 14:1-3 to support the idea of heaven being the "bridal chamber" [huppah]. Jesus said to the disciples, "I go to prepare a place for you." It is claimed that this was a reference to the groom's preparing a bridal chamber in his father's house.

It is certainly likely that Jesus had the "huppah" in mind here. But, heaven is not necessarily indicated by the word's "my Father's house." See our article My Father's House for an in depth discussion showing strong evidence that Jesus was referring to His Millennial Kingdom, not heaven, in John 14. Jesus used the phrase "my Father's house" earlier to refer to the Temple, [John 2:15-17]. And, the phrase "house of the Lord," used some 250 times in the Old Testament, always referred to the Temple, (many times referring to the future Millennial Temple). Finally, the Hebrew word "huppah" (bridal chamber) is found only once in Scripture, in a prophetic sense, and it clearly refers to the Millennium.

Isaiah 4
2 In that day the Branch of the LORD shall be beautiful and glorious; and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and appealing for those of Israel who have escaped.
3 And it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy-- everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem.
4 When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the blood of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning,
5 then the LORD will create above every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and above her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night. For over all the glory there will be a covering. [Heb. - "huppah"]
(NKJV)

Alfred Edersheim says basically the same thing. "[T]he Covenant-union between God and Israel was not only compared to a marriage, but the Tabernacle and Temple designated as 'the bridal chambers.'" [12]

There is one other prophetic passage which indisputably has the Jewish wedding custom in view. And that passage does not fit the pre-trib model either.

Rev 19:1-11
1 And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:
2 For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.
3 And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever.
4 And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia.
5 And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.
6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
7 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.
8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
(KJV)

The context indicates this is the very end of the tribulation. Notice, those John saw rejoicing over the (past) destruction of Babylon were also rejoicing in anticipation of the "marriage of the Lamb" to come. The "Bride," the true Church, is shown in direct contrast to this false church (Mystery Babylon). It is vitally important to recognize the sequence laid out in this passage. John did not describe any wedding or supper occurring here. He was a witness to a joyous bursting forth of anticipation on behalf of the "Bride" after Mystery Babylon was destroyed. What John actually witnessed, after the destruction of Babylon, was the saints rejoicing because the time had arrived for the wedding of the Lamb. John then heard a pronouncement regarding the Bride's wedding garments. Then he heard a blessing pronounced on those called to the wedding supper. Immediately, John saw heaven opened, and Christ descending, followed by the angelic armies of heaven. It is quite clear, from Revelation 19, that at the very end of the tribulation the marriage of the Lamb is still being anticipated right up until the second coming.

Does Revelation's mention of the Bride, the wedding, and the supper fit a pre-trib rapture scenario, where the Jewish wedding customs are followed? No! In fact, according to Judges 14:12, the wedding feast (supper) lasted for the full seven days. If pre-tribbers are right, we would expect the wedding and the feast to commence at the beginning of the tribulation, not after the tribulation as Revelation 19 plainly indicates. If Jesus was referring to heaven as the seven years in the "huppah" in John 14:1-3, the bride should have "made herself ready" before the pre-trib rapture (around Rev. 4). And the "marriage of the Lamb" should have occurred at the beginning of the tribulation, and not at its extreme end. The pre-trib scenario has Jesus being intimate with the Bride in the "huppah" for seven years before Revelation 19 indicates the wedding occurs! Doesn't that make Jesus a fornicator? Only immediately prior to the second coming do we find the excited anticipation of the impending wedding. Only then has the Bride finally "made herself ready." And, as we saw, even this passage does not describe the wedding ceremony actually occurring, but simply indicates the excited anticipation of the wedding that is about to commence, followed immediately by the post-trib second coming. The expression "the Bride hath made herself ready" implies that the Groom is about to go and fetch her!

The anticipation in heaven at the end of the tribulation, is because the rapture is about to occur, and Jesus is about to fetch the remnant of His Bride who have endured the tribulation, and take the whole body of saints to the place prepared, [the huppah] in the Millennial Kingdom. This view does not have the conspicuous problem of the Bride and Groom moving out of the "Father's house" right after the seven days in the "huppah," back to the Bride's house. Since the Millennial Kingdom is where both Bride and Groom will reside, it makes perfect sense that this is where the "huppah" is located. And, it fits the concept of the "Father's House" and "House of the Lord" being the Temple, found everywhere else in Scripture.

The Marriage Supper
The marriage supper occurs AFTER the tribulation, on earth, not in heaven.

Isaiah 24:23 & 25:1,2,6-8
23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of Hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.
25:1 O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee...
2 For thou hast made a city an heap; of a defenced city a ruin: a palace of strangers to be no city: it shall never be built....
6 And in this mountain shall the Lord of Hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of morrow, of wines on the lees well refined.
7 And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.
8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it.
(KJV)

Isaiah 24:23 indicates the timing of this event, referring to the cosmic signs that accompany Christ's coming "Immediately after the tribulation," [Matt. 24:29], and His reigning in His Kingdom. Isaiah 25:2 refers to the saints rejoicing over the destruction of Babylon the Great (which occurs at the end of the tribulation [Rev. 17&18]). Verse 6 indicates that the Lord will prepare a great feast for His people ON MT. ZION in Israel. This is the marriage supper anticipated in Rev. 19, and it occurs immediately following the second coming, where Christ fetches His bride. Notice that verse 8 is the prophecy that Paul quoted in 1 Cor. 15:54 in conjunction with the resurrection & rapture of believers! Paul wrote, "THEN (Gr.- "at that time") shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory." Also, notice the reference to the "vial" and "covering" in verse 7. Upon the consummation of the wedding, the vail and covering was removed from the bride and she was intimate with the groom. Notice also that the vail and covering had been spread over ALL NATIONS. In this passage Christ is wedding his bride. And, even though the context is clearly "Jewish," the Bride is made up of the redeemed of "all nations."

Contrary to what is commonly taught, the marriage feast does not occur after the 7 days in the huppah. The feast begins right after the marriage ceremony, and lasts the entire seven days, [Gen. 29:21-27, Judges 14:10-18]. Yet, Revelation 19 places both the marriage and the feast at the end of the tribulation. This makes the pre-trib scheme impossible to reconcile with Revelation.

One final thought. Some, including this author, are convinced that the Jewish Feasts give an outline of Christ's first coming in the Spring Feasts, and a pattern of His second coming in the Fall Feasts. If so, the Battle of Armageddon will most likely occur on a Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. This is the day the Jubilee begins, [Lev. 25:9]. The "last trumpet" normally sounds ten days earlier on the Rosh Hashanna, the feast of Trumpets. But, every 49 years, there is one final trumpet, on Yom Kippur, to announce the beginning of the Jubilee. If the Feasts do indeed point to the end-time scenario, the seven days in the huppah should be interpreted literally, and would likely refer to the seven literal days of Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles [Lev. 23:33]. This feast, which occurs five days after Yom Kippur, is symbolic of the coming of the Millennial Kingdom. It is the most joyful celebration of all the feasts. It is the wedding feast of the Messiah, [Zech. 14]. And, John referred to this feast in Revelation, in reference to the saints who "came out of Great Tribulation," [cf. the "palm branches" in Rev. 7:9 & Lev. 23:40].

I am sure some are thinking this Old Testament stuff refers to Israel, not the Church. Yes, it does refer to Israel. But, so does the New Covenant refer to Israel, and we are included in the New Covenant, [Jer. 31:31-34, & Heb. 8:8-13]. I hate to disappoint you, but the Lord has only one bride. And, she includes all saints of all time, from Israel and the nations.

Rev 21:9-14
9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.
14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
(KJV)

My Attempts to Track Down the Source of the "Kidnapping" Myth
I have tried to uncover the source of the alleged "kidnapping" of the bride (or "imminent" coming of the groom) by several pre-trib authors, and have been unable to do so. This rumor is being widely taught in pre-trib literature and on the internet. Several authors reference Zola Levitt as a source. I have also corresponded with Messianic rabbis and a pre-trib author who promotes this alleged custom. Neither knew of any shred of historical documentation to support this alleged "any moment" (kidnapping) aspect of the Jewish wedding customs. I have examined the source material listed in the footnotes of some of these pre-trib publications, and have failed to find any real historical data substantiating this claim. In spite of my numerous attempts, I have not been able to track down any historical documentation for it. [13] And there is certainly nothing in the Bible to support it (the biblical evidence seems to refute it).

The following letter, in the October 2000 issue of Zola Levitt's monthly newsletter, Levitt Letters, explains where Zola got his documentation for Jewish Wedding customs.
 

It doesn't appear that Zola did much independent research before promoting this alleged custom, which is now presented by many pre-trib teachers as solid research. The above response is typical of the "run-around" I have gotten from other authors when asking for documentation. If anyone is willing to come forward, and provide proper historical documentation for the alleged "kidnapping" custom, I will be happy to add it to this article. If you don't see any additions in the box below, to date no one has come forward with verifiable historical documentation. I wrote to Marv Rosenthal three times over a period of about a year requesting information and confirmation. I got no response.
 

Update: I spoke with Marv Rosenthal face to face on Jan. 28, 2003 at his Tampa conference. I asked him specifically about the kidnapping aspect of the alleged Jewish Wedding custom. He confirmed Zola Levitt's claim, that it was originally written by him in a booklet published by the Friends of Israel, his former organization. However, despite my specific and repeated requests for documentation information (or at least name the source), Marv was not able to provide any information for the alleged "kidnapping" aspect of the Jewish wedding customs.

It has been 8 years since I wrote this article (as of March 2006). Despite my personal correspondence with several authorities, and this published challenge having been posted on the Last Trumpet website for 8 years, to this day no one has offered the slightest shred of historical documentation to support the alleged "kidnapping" of the bride on a day of which she was not aware. The evidence I have uncovered suggests that Marv Rosenthal was the first to promote the idea, that Zola Levitt borrowed it from Rosenthal, and other pre-trib writers borrowed it from Levitt and/or Rosenthal. I have no idea where Rosenthal got his information. Since he was not forthcoming with his sources, I suppose my search has come to an end. I'll leave the reader to draw his own conclusions.

Notes:
1. Compare Chuck Missler's Personal Update, Vol. 13, No. 1, pp.4,6 to an article written by Dr. Renald Showers, called Jewish Marriage Customs, Behold the Bridegroom Comes. It is quite obvious that Missler plagerized Showers' article including the footnotes.
2. Jeremias, Joachim: The Parables of Jesus, pg.172
3. Gundry, Robert: First the Antichrist, pg. 94,95
4. Levitt, Zola: An Israeli Love Story
5. Levitt, Zola: A Christian Love Story, 1978
6. Missler, Chuck: Personal Update, Vol. 13, No. 1, pp.4,6
7. The Parables of Jesus, p. 173
8. ibid, p.172
9. ibid
10. Edersheim, Alfred: The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, V. VII
11. Edersheim, Alfred: Sketches of Jewish Social Life, chapter IX
12. The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, p. 663-664
13. Chuck Missler's article Personal Update, Vol. 13, No. 1, pp.4,6, which was plagerized from Dr. Renald Showers (see note #1), has altered Showers' original wording making it appear that the groom's coming was "imminent." Missler includes the same footnote as Showers. Yet, neither Showers' article, nor the source he cites, makes the claim that the groom's coming was "imminent" during the betrothal period of separation. Showers' original article says "Although the bride was expecting her groom to come for her, she did not know the exact time of his coming. As a result the groom's arrival would be preceded by a shout. This shout would forewarn the bride to be prepared for the coming of the groom." His point was not that she did not know the day, but did not know the exact moment on the evening of his scheduled coming - hence she prepared herself to be ready on the day of his scheduled coming, and the shout announced when his coming was "imminent." Yet, in Missler's altered version he writes, "Although the bride was expecting the groom to come for her, she did not know the time [Showers has "exact time"] of his coming. As a result, the groom's arrival was preceded by a shout, which announced her imminent departure to be gathered with him [Showers has "the coming of the groom"]" {p.4}. Then Missler interprets: "The Bridegroom has departed, and His return to gather His Bride is imminent" {p. 6}. This is not at all what Showers meant, nor is it supported by the source in the footnote, which was also plagerized by Missler as though it supported his altered version.
14. Levitt Letters, Oct. 2000