Ruben Zimmermann, «Nuptial Imagery in the Revelation of John», Vol. 84 (2003) 153-183
In this article is argued that the nuptial imagery of the Book of Revelation is not limited to chapters 19 and 21 but rather runs throughout the book. While the imagery is certainly most pronounced in the final part of the book, it also appears in the letters to the churches (bridal wreath in Rev 2,10; 3,11), in the scene depicting the 144,000 as virgins (Rev 14,4-5), and is encountered again in Rev 18,23 (silencing of the voice of bridegroom and bride) and Rev 22,17 (summons of the bride) at the end of the book. Thus the wedding metaphors can be seen as one of the structural patterns of Revelation as a whole directly in contrast to the metaphors of fornication.
1. Different elements of the imagery
Altogether, one can differentiate three elements from the imagery of the wedding metaphor that will be examined more closely below: (a) the wedding of the king; (b) bridal garment and adornment; (c) the invitation to the wedding supper.
a) The wedding of the king
Just as the entire section Rev 19,10 is already determined by elements of song30, the wedding image of vv. 6-8 is also formally composed as a hymn. After the imperative call to praise in v. 5b (ai)nei=te tw|= qew|=) as a typical introduction to the "imperative hymn" (compare Ps 134,1.20 [LXX]: ai)nei=te, dou=loi, ku/rion)31, v. 6bc delivers the answer in the form of the so-called "Lobsatzrezitation (recitation of praise)", that is introduced as usual with o#ti (hebr. yk@i) names the reason for the praise: "For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns". The summons to exultation is now repeated by the crowd as a self-summons (1. pl.) in three variations (v. 7a) in order to then connect to a o#ti-reason: the wedding of the lamb is now given as the reason for the exultation and the joy (7b).
This entire section adopts elements of OT Psalms. Based on the Ku/rioj-e)basi/leusen-formula, one recognizes a reference to the so-called JHWH-King-Psalms (Ps[LXX] 92,1; 96,1; 98,1) while the introduction of v. 6a (rushing water) seems to be an allusion to Ps 92,4. Further, the call to joy in v. 7a could have been inspired by Ps[LXX] 117,24b (a)galliasw/meqa kai_ eu)franqw=men). However, the motif of the wedding, a central component of the exultation, is not yet explained with these references. Within the hymn-like texts of the tradition, there is Ps 45 (44 LXX) that creates exactly this connection