Tomorrow
Mark E. Haskins
June 25, 2026
There is a wedding in the future that will surpass all weddings. There will be no gowns, no veils, and no rented tuxes. It is a come-as-you-are event. We will be there.
In the New Testament, Jesus alludes to Himself as a bridegroom (Matthew 9: 15, 25: 1). John the Baptist refers to Jesus that way, too (John 3: 29) as does the Apostle Paul (II Corinthians 11: 2) and John (Revelation 21: 9). If Jesus is the bridegroom, there must be a marriage. Indeed, there will be one (Revelation 19: 7-9). Likewise, if there is a groom and a marriage, there must be a bride. Indeed, we are told that the Church, those in the New Jerusalem, are the bride (Revelation 21:9-10). Thus, we are each a part of that bride! Take a moment, let that sink in. We are protagonists in a love story beyond that ever conceived by man—far beyond what was written for Romeo and Juliet, Cora and Hawkeye (Last of the Mohicans), and Rose and Jack (Titanic). We are part of the heavenly, for-all-eternity bride, with Jesus as groom!
Why does scripture use the imagery of groom, bride, and marriage for God’s heart toward us? Because “… it is the most intimate one, providing a scandalous insight not only into who we are, but into the very heart of God Himself.”1 Indeed, our Triune God is a lover whose desire for oneness of heart with us is His priority (Romans 8: 38-39).
For men, bride imagery is often uncomfortable. In God’s realm men tend to prefer descriptors like warrior, protector, disciple, or son. All are an important aspect of our Kingdom identity. Yet the preeminent identity ascribed to all those who love Jesus is that of bride. Perhaps the discomfort of that imagery for men is like when we put a watch on the other wrist, or drive a car with right-side steering, or travel in an airport shuttle facing backwards, or take dancing lessons—at first it feels awkward, out of place, too novel. However, if we stick with that momentary newness, it begins to feel ok and ultimately it begins to feel just fine. So men, let’s “try on” the bride imagery, setting aside any gender-based undercurrents the Enemy might use to interfere. And women, envision your focal place in the greatest love story of all love stories.
How does our Heavenly Bridegroom, Jesus, see and think of us, His bride? Scripture gives us some answers. More directly, the beautiful book and poetic Song of Solomon, conveys the love story that God desperately wants us—men and women—to know with our hearts. As one Biblical scholar pointedly notes, the Song of Solomon “can be viewed … personally, as a message of God’s love for His individual saints—you and me.”2 Amen to that!
As you read each heading below indicating the Bridegroom’s heart toward His bride, take a moment and focus on hearing yourself say “me.” The “me” that you are now. The “me” that God made. The “me” that you are becoming. The “me” that is in the eye, mind, and heart of the world’s most in-love Bridegroom. Male or female, these points are for each of us.
He desires me
Our Bridegroom 🡪 “Father, it is my desire that these whom you have given to me may be by my side where I am...” (John 17:24 BBE)
The bride3 🡪 “I [am] my beloved's, and on me [is] his desire.” (Song of Solomon 7:10 YLT)
He seeks and comes for me
Our Bridegroom 🡪 “For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10 YLT)
The one who becomes the bride 🡪 “My beloved is…looking through the windows…peering through the lattice…and said to me, ‘Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come along.’” (Song of Solomon 2:9-10 NASB)
He lets me know He loves me
Our Bridegroom 🡪 “… as the Father has given me his love, so I have given my love to you...” (John 15:9 BBE)
Our Bridegroom 🡪 “You have made my heart beat faster…my bride; you have made my heart beat faster with a single glance of your eyes.” (Song of Solomon 4:9 NASB)
He is patient with me
“The Lord…is patient with us...” (II Peter 3:9 WEB)
Our Bridegroom 🡪 “…the winter is past…the rain is over…the flowers have appeared…the time has arrived. Arise, my beautiful one and come along.” (Song of Solomon 2:11-13 NASB)
He fights for me
Our Bridegroom 🡪 “Don't think that I came to send peace on the earth. I didn't come to send peace, but a sword.” (Matthew 10:34 WEB)
The one who becomes the bride 🡪 “Behold it is the traveling couch of Solomon; sixty mighty men around it…all of them are wielders of the sword, expert in war…” (Song of Solomon 3:7-8 NASB)
He gave His all for me
“…the Son of God, who did love me and did give himself for me…” (Galatians 2:20 YLT)
The bride 🡪 “Much water may not put out love, or the deep waters overcome it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would be judged a price not great enough.” (Song of Solomon 8: 7 BBE)
He readies me
“And the God of all grace, who called you unto his eternal glory in Christ…shall Himself perfect, establish, strengthen you.” (I Peter 5:10 ASV)
The Apostle Paul 🡪 “…but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day.” (II Corinthians 4:16 ASV)
Our Bridegroom 🡪 “Who is this that grows like the dawn, as beautiful as the full moon, as pure as the sun, as awesome as an army with banners?” (Song of Solomon 6:10 NASB)
He makes preparations for me
Our Bridegroom 🡪 “… I go to prepare a place for you…I [will] come again and will receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14: 2-3 ASV)
Our Bridegroom 🡪 “I’m making jewelry for you, gold and silver jewelry that will mark and accent your beauty.” (Song of Solomon 1:11 MSG)
He delights in me
“…Jesus, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross…” (Hebrews 12:2 ASV)
Our Bridegroom 🡪 “How beautiful…you are, O love, for delight.” (Song of Solomon 7: 6 BBE)
We are individually desired and pursued! Moreover, the wedding described at the end of Revelation is the celebration of all things made new and the happily-ever-after declaration for God’s united family. When it does happen, both God the Father and Jesus will be bursting with joy because we are finally where they have prepared a place for us. And at that time, I envision the Holy Spirit saying to both, “Well done. This is perfect. We are all together. This is what we have longed for!” And let’s take note today that Jesus “…says it again: ‘I’m on my way! I’ll be there soon!’…” (Revelation 22: 20 MSG). If He is on His way, and we are betrothed to Him just as the Apostle Paul says we are, our wedding could be tomorrow which makes today our wedding-day eve. Are we eager? Anticipating? Joyful? Are we wishing the hours were minutes, and the minutes mere seconds? With just a little imagination, we know the unimaginably wonderful may be tomorrow.
1 Strahan Coleman (2024), Thirsting, (David C. Cook, Colorado Springs, CO), p. 71.
2 Bob Emery (2011), His Desire Is for Me: The Story of Solomon and the Shulammite, (Deep River Books, Sisters, OR), p. 16. I highly recommend this 30-day devotional. Jeanne Guyon’s (1648-1717) wonderful verse-by-verse exposition on the Song of Solomon also presents the “bride” as applicable to the individual believer. Her book, Song of the Bride (re-published by Whitaker House, New Kensington, PA, 1997) ultimately led to her imprisonment.
3 The designation of who is speaking in the Song of Solomon excerpts is based on notations presented in The Message with the added insight that, per Bob Emery’s book above, the term “bride” is first used in the Song of Solomon in chapter 4, verse 8.
NOTES: MSG (The Message) Scripture taken from THE MESSAGE, Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. BBE (Bible in Basic English), Published 1949/1964, in the public domain. ASV (American Standard Version), Published in 1901, in the public domain. YLT (Young’s Literal Translation of the Holy Bible), by J. N. Young, 1862, 1898, in the public domain. WEB (World English Bible), December 2022, in the public domain. NASB (New American Standard Bible), Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
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