In John chapter 2 we read about a wedding feast in Cana of Galilee, but do you really believe that is all there is to this story; a simple wedding? We must desire the deeper truths and understanding that can be found in God's Word or we'll forever remain babes; never receiving the hidden revelation that can quicken the soul to the will of God in a way that only the revealed Word can do.
"It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter." Proverbs 25:2
I believe this story actually describes through type, the preparation of the bride (the "wise virgins"), which is still taking place as we approach spiritual midnight. This includes the bridegroom's eminent appearing (in the Spirit) at "the marriage" (Mat 25:10). This is when the LORD will impart the fullness ("double portion") of His Spirit into a remnant group of watching believers. These believers have been called by many symbolic names throughout the Bible, some of them you may be more familiar with than others. These names include: the "wise virgins," the "man child" (who are shown chronologically to appear at the same as the "Two Witnesses"), the "144,000," and "Gideon's 300," just to name a few. In fact, the Bible contains an inordinate amount of information (prophecies) that describe these end-time brethren in some form or fashion all throughout its pages. This actually the most dominate theme in the Bible next to the coming of the Messiah and His ministry. This tells us these brethren must play a very important role in God’s plan for the end-time scenario. Thus, the marriage in Cana is just another of the many places where we see this story unfold through the typology of Christ inhabiting and moving through a prepared people.
"And the third day [which situationally and textually is speaking symbolically of "the fullness of time," not the third millennium from Jesus' resurrection. It also speaks of the middle day (midsts of the week: Dan 9:25-27) of the week long Jewish wedding feast: Jud 14:12, and or the third day from when they arrived in Cana] there was a marriage [Christ retuning for His spotless bride] in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine ["new wine"/Holy Spirit anointing], the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine ["Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain..."]. Jesus saith unto her, Woman [the woman who needs "the oil": Mat 25:8-12], what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come [John 7:6]. His mother saith unto the servants [the wise virgins], Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water [i.e., the Word of God]. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor [corporate end-time church leaders] of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning [approx. 29 AD] doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine [the "double portion"/"former & latter rain"] until now [the end of the Church age]. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him." John 2:1-11
The Types in The Feast:
The Third Day of The Feast:
This might appear to some as a type for the beginning of the third thousand years from Jesus’ resurrection, that is if we were using the, "a day is as a thousand years" principle, but we know this marriage takes place right before the seventh millennium begins. I believe what the "third day" in John 2 primarily represents, is the third day from when Jesus entered Cana as shown in John 1:43. This would put His return for His bride approximately in the middle of this wedding feast (3.5-days into a seven day feast), which is not only where Yeshua was cut off at in Daniel 9:26-27, but it will also be where He returns at to continue to "confirm the covenant." This type of return "in the midst of" the seven day long feast of Tabernacles, is also found in John 7:10-14.
The Marriage:
This would type out to be the marriage of the Lamb and His "spotless" bride (wise virgins). We see both Jesus and His disciples were called to this wedding. At some point it says they ran out of wine. This is speaking of the present condition of the Church ("...and they all slumbered and slept"), where the wine (the anointing of God in the midst) has run out and there's been no "latter" or "former rain" to replace it. Oh there's plenty of hooting and hollering going on; there's plenty of claiming this and claiming that; there's plenty of selling and being idle in the market place, but where is the power of God that should be "turning the world upside down"? So the wine ran out and Jesus brought forth "the best wine for last." It says "six vessels" meant for "purifying" had to be used (Tit 2:14), which means not only did these six vessels (which speaks more of mankind than clay pots) need to be purified, they needed to be filled to the brim with water/the Word of God, and I don't think that is talking about head knowledge either. Now it says no one knew where the "wine" came from but the servants themselves. So here is another picture in type of the "secret coming" and the "power" that will be given spoken of in places like Malachi 3:1; Mat 25:10; John 7:10, and Rev 11:3.
No Wine:
"Wine" represents the Holy Spirit and or the anointing. Jesus told his disciples to drink His blood…, the Bible also tells us that "the life of the flesh is in the blood" (Lev 17:11). Thus, one aspect of what Jesus was saying when He said to drink His blood was simply to receive His Spirit. God first breathed (His Spirit) into Adam and he became a living soul. Therefore, the wine that runs out towards the end of this feast, signifies that in the last days of God’s symbolic wedding feast, Christians for the most part will be without the move of the Holy Spirit in their lives and in their churches. This corresponds with the verses that speak of gross darkness covering the people of the world, which includes a good portion of the Church. More specifically, 1/3 of the sun, the moon, and the stars, which themselves are nothing more than designations or levels of commitment in the corporate church. Apparently these "3rd part" brethren are not serving God as they should (Isa 60:2; Jer 13:16; Rev 8:12). The LORD is warning us that right before His return the people of the Earth and many in the Church will be void of His Spirit. Some will have "the knowledge of God," but the power thereof will not be showing forth in their lives. They will be operating out of their own minds and their works will prove it to be so as they take on the image of the beast and spiritually receive the mark of a man in God's eyes: "666." Their enlightenment will be darkened (i.e., 1/3 of the sun, moon, & stars are darkened by reason of sin). We also know that new wine cannot be put in the old wine skins because the old skins have lost their flexibility. New wine (because it will "expand" the container) must be put into new flexible skins/vessels. This speaks of hardened hearts that need to repent or they will not be able to receive God's Word and or anointing.
The Woman:
It is very essential that Christians understand this type, for the woman type is a very diverse type that even includes anti types. The Bible shows us that whenever a "'woman" is mentioned in the Bible, she can be seen as a type for part of the Church. This is portrayed in many different ways throughout the Word. The first place this type is established is in Genesis as with Eve. However, we gain a better understanding of this type through the dream God gave Joseph concerning the sun, the moon, and the stars (designations for the old order church) all bowing down to him. In short, Joseph’s mother was typed as the moon, which is another direct type for the portion of the Church that can receive the seed. So just as the natural moon can only reflect the light of the sun, it can only ever show the sun's image, not the true likeness. As maturing Christians we must move on from the moon church environment into the sun (Son) Church, which contains both the image and the likeness [Gen 1:26] of the actual Light of the world.
As was previously stated, there are many places in the Bible that shows a picture of a child coming forth or out of a woman; like the woman in Revelation 12 who births the man child. This "man child" is actually a group of the called out, of the called out, of the called out who have and continue to overcome sin in their lives. God is always calling His Church up into higher ground. In biblical typology the believer is seen to start out as a little star far away from the light of the sun. Next they become a moon Church, which more closely reflects the light of the sun. This moon Church, which is synonymous with the woman Church, can then reproduce because of the seed that is within her. We see this same process taking place in the natural through photosynthesis. Lastly, at the end of this age, she should be able to finally produce a mature man child/son of God. Thus, when the "woman" (Jesus' mother) tells Jesus the wine has run out (no wine/no oil in their vessels) she is in type confessing what Isaiah confessed in Isaiah 26:18 when he said, they (the Church) have brought no deliverance in the earth. Jesus then informs "the woman" that His time has not yet come to give her the spiritual "new wine." However, He will produce the new wine for the servants (the overcomers) at the "end-time" marriage of the Lamb. I believe this end-time waiting period before Jesus can deliver the new wine, is what is described in the Bible as the "travailing," "trimming," "delaying," or "tarring" period that must first take place right before the bride is made ready. Unfortunately, the verse, "Woman, what have I to do with thee?" can also be paralleled with, "...afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not." Matthew 25:11-12.
The Servants: (i.e., six purified water pots of stone/rock)
These "servants" represent a type of the "man child" or "two witness" company we see going forth in Revelation chapters 11 & 12. These servants are told by the woman to obey the LORD in all that He says to do. This is a picture of the present day five-fold ministry (Eph 4:11) instructing those who have ears to hear to obey God's Word and to walk uprightly before Him. These servants seem to be able to obey the word that is spoken to them. But why is it these days that so many Christians think it is impossible to obey Jesus when He calls us onto perfection IN Christ (Eph 4:13)? Nevertheless, the servants that do believe they can be complete in Christ Jesus, will be the ones known as: the remnant; the overcomers; the first fruits; the faithful witnesses; the wise virgins; Joseph CO.; Gideon's 300; the two olive trees, etc. Therefore, when these servants in John chapter 2 present to the LORD their "six large stone vessels used for purification" filled with water [the Word] to the brim, they are presenting themselves as "vessels fit for the Masters use." They are the Christians who will be filled with the Spirit of God to the fullness at the marriage spoken of in Matthew 25:10. These are the servants who stand before the LORD waiting for their change to come (Job 14:13-14); waiting for the Word to go forth with POWER!
The Best Wine until Last:
This here could be another teaching in itself. The scriptures speak of a time to come in the end-time in which God would pour out His Spirit upon all [obedient] flesh: Joel 2:28-30. This out pouring is called by many names in the Bible, names like The "double portion" (Deut 21:17; 2-Ki 2:9), The Two Witness/"saviours" ministry (Oba 1:21; Rev 11:3). Again, this is a teaching in itself, although it's very important that one at least has the understanding that God is going to use a people who have made themselves ready by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their own testimony to bring deliverance and hope to a dying world, to cleanse the Church, and to destroy the works of Satan. Instead, many will be looking to be removed at this time, but my Bible tells me it is the wicked who are removed (burnt in bundles; taken for judgment)—not the righteous! Then lastly we are told that the "governor of the feast" wanted to know why the "best wine" (the latter rain/double portion anointing) was kept until the end of the feast. Of course the drunkards will never understand this one because all they can see is alcohol. However, this wine will be the "new wine" that Jesus spoke about in places like Matthew 26.
"But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom." Matthew 26:29
"The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth." Proverbs 10:30
"I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil." John 17:15
"But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matthew 24:37-39
"I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body [Mat 24:28 says "carcase"] is, thither will the eagles [same as vultures: death] be gathered together." Luke 17:34-37
In summary, this is the story of the last-day remnant Church/the wise virgins who knew to do their masters will―and did it! These will not have the door (Mat 25:10) of God’s presences & fullness shut on them. These will not be in outer darkness (Mat 25:30) seeking for the oil (Mat 25:8-9) they should have had by the midnight hour because these will have acquired it! These servants that "knew how the water was changed into wine," are symbolic of the Christians who are "sighing and crying" on their knees because of the wickedness they still see in the midst of their own Jerusalems'. These are the ones that will not accept any abomination to remain in the holy place of their souls. In essence, these servants will be the only ones who followed the Lamb wheresoever He led them; they will be part of the first of the first fruits delivered onto God (Ex 23:19; 1-Cor 15:24). These will be the ones that did not bear their fruit onto the world system churches. These will be the ones the organized church system(s) despised because they spoke against her un-biblical harlot/Nicolaitan system. Then like Joseph's brothers, these will be the ones the remaining church will have to acknowledge as God's anointed; those that will rule and reign on the Earth for a thousand years with Yeshua. So we see the wedding feast at Cana actually contains some of that "hidden manna" that God said He hid in His Word to equip His last day saints. We have just touched on this teaching; many more verses and prophecies could have been brought to bear these truths out, but I believe you have been given enough to ignite your interest concerning this matter of the end-time Church and God's plan of deliverance during the time of "Jacob's trouble."
"And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof." Ezekiel 9:4