“…the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food…and a banquet of aged wine…” – Isaiah 25:6 (NIV)
The wedding in Cana (John 2:1-10) is often seen as a metaphor for the future heavenly banquet, the feast of God’s kingdom, where sorrow is turned to joy and death is defeated.
As it was recorded, it was the beginning of Jesus’s first public ministry here on earth in a small town in Galilee (not far from His hometown of Nazareth) – an ordinary place but the home of an extraordinary miracle. On this traditional day for weddings in the Jewish calendar, Jesus turned water into wine.
This multi-day celebration was part of Jewish culture. It represented a supernatural event with many symbolic meanings of more profound spiritual truth, including a foreshadowing of the future wedding feast of the “Lamb” (Jesus) – Revelation 19:6-9. It also alludes to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which also occurred on the third day, not in Cana but in the Holy City of Jerusalem.
The wine running out during the wedding symbolises the end of the animal sacrifice system – a transition point: from the old covenant (based on law and sacrifice) to the new covenant (based on grace and faith). Jesus came to fulfil and replace the inadequacy of the old system. It was the reason for this wedding celebration; Jesus, His mother, and His disciples were invited to a joyous occasion.
The turning of water into wine represented the New Covenant, which offers forgiveness of sins and a direct relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ. It shows man’s inadequacy and highlights Jesus’s ministry and the transformative power of His grace. The water was turned into abundant, excellent wine, showing that He brings true joy, confirming the arrival of God’s kingdom through Him. Moreover, it shows the new life God offers us in Christ and the hope He brings us.
As the celebration faltered without wine, human life can feel empty or incomplete without the presence of Christ. Jesus is the answer for a new spiritual life. Why don’t you prepare yourself for this new way of divine interaction that leads to personal transformation and abundance?
Read: Exodus 17:5-6; John 2:5
Bible Reading Guide: Proverbs 24:5-14; Philippians 4:2-23; Jeremiah 6; Jeremiah 7:1-29