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REVELATION - Behold, I am Coming Soon
Studies in the Book of Revelation
BOOK 6 - BABYLON THE HARLOT AND THE WORSHIP OF GOD(REVELATION 17:1 - 19:10)
PART 6.2 - THE GREAT HALLELUJAH IN HEAVEN (REVELATION 19:1-10)

3. Preparations for the Marriage of the Lamb (Revelation 19:7-10)


The Marriage Assembly of the Lamb and the Church as the Body of Christ (v 7b): The letters of the Apostle Paul to the Ephesians and the Corinthians show that, in referring to “Bride”, he was not just thinking on the Jewish Christians of the end time. Much more, every Christian, whether originally Jewish or heathen, is to be thoroughly sanctified, so that Jesus, by His Spirit, may dwell in and eternally save them.

In the New Covenant Christ bound Himself to His church, made up of Jews and gentiles. She is legally united to Him closer than the marriage covenant can unite two people. She has been spiritually filled by Him. By grace she has received her portion of His perfection and love. She does not possess this privilege independently, however, but only in continuous fellowship with Jesus (John 15:5; Ephesians 3:16-19; Colossians 2:9-10).

Paul utilized various likenesses and pictures to portray the mystery of the unity of Christ with His church. A mystery was imparted to him in a special revelation that Christ is the head and the church His spiritual body. Both live together in complete unity in His Spirit (Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 3:3; 4:25; 5:30).

Some Bible commentators are of the opinion that there is a fundamental difference between the “body-assembly” of Paul and the “bride-assembly” of Revelations (Revelation 19:7b). They see, in the persecuted Messianic Jews of the end time, and in the martyrs in Israel, the “holy bride”, that Jesus will bring with Him at His Second Coming. They are convinced that the majority of events transpiring in Revelation have only to do with Israel. This interpretation, however, stands in opposition to the witness of the Apostle Paul, who said Jesus has no two separate bodies, but only one. His church is made up of Jewish Christians, as well as believers from the nations. Together they build an inseparable unity (Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 2:11-22; 3:6). We do not want to tear apart what the Spirit of Jesus Christ has united. There are no two separate “Holy Spirits” of God, and no two spiritual bodies of Jesus Christ. All of those “born again” have been penetrated by His singular Spirit.

The parable of the Marriage of the Lamb in the book of Revelation describes the visible uniting of the Son of God with those members already bound to Him by faith (1 John 4:16). What invisibly began in the Holy Spirit will become visible in glory ((1 John 3:1-2). We will see Jesus as He is. His glory will redeem us from our earthly struggles and make our new existence in the Holy Spirit visible (1 Corinthians 15:36-57).

In addition, in Revelation 21:2, 9-11 we read that the bride of the Lamb is no special group of believers or martyrs, but the “heavenly Jerusalem”, the fellowship of all the saints with the Father and the Son. This new vision ends the discussion over the question of the bride or body assembly, and takes us into the New Jerusalem, the common denominator of all the parables and descriptions of the church of Jesus, consisting of both Jews and gentiles.

The book of Revelation speaks nowhere of a “bride of Jesus Christ”, but of the “bride of the lamb that was slaughtered”. Neither the Lamb of God nor His bride has an empirical, earthly meaning in the book of Revelation. Much more, the terms are to be understood spiritually. At the moment of His death Christ sanctified, by His blood, His entire church, His bride (Hebrews 10:14).

The Bride is Adorned (v 8): We should, as the bride of the Lamb, equip ourselves for the soon to be rendezvous with our king and Savior. In the Orient, a bride is legally considered to be the wife of the promised man when she has been promised in engagement (Hosea 2:21-22).

Whoever wants to prepare for the encounter with the Lamb of God should not try to arrogantly shine, or “polish up” one's image, as did the Harlot of Babylon. No, he should first enquire about the tastes of the bridegroom, and then adorn himself for Him alone. Whoever wants to make himself great, is, in reality, small. A bride concentrates herself on her future life companion, and he concentrates himself on her. That means, spiritually speaking, that we get rid of each and every lie, impurity, theft, arrogance and unrighteousness. We confess them before God, and, as far as possible, make reconciliation and restitution, so that our fellowship with Jesus is not burdened with hidden guilt. Like for an earthly wedding, in like fashion in our eternal bond with Jesus, we want to be sure the slate is clean. All wrong must come to light, or else there will be no internal rest (1 John 1:8-10).

The angel, who inspired John, said clearly that the bride cannot adorn herself, but that the garments of righteousness, salvation and peace will be given by God (Revelation 19:8). The sanctification of a person bound to Christ remains of grace, and cannot come by any personal initiative (Philippians 2:12-13). The precious white garments of the bride point to her spotless righteousness in God, prepared for her by the substitutional, expiatory death of the Lamb. Out of that sacrifice flow the works of His love, which His Spirit wants to accomplish in us (Romans 8:14; Ephesians 2:10). The bride should become equal to Jesus in humility, meekness, desire to serve, love, truth, purity and holiness (Matthew 11:29; Romans 13:14; Colossians 3:12-13). The fruit of the Holy Spirit presses forth in her to maturity (Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 5:9). By our becoming small, Jesus can take form in us (John 3:30). Christ said: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:24-25)

Spiritual self-denial and self-examination is a grace that makes cheerful! The Prophet Isaiah previously recognized in the Old Covenant the great joy that comes over a God-fearing person, who clads and adorns himself with God's grace: “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with jewels” (Isaiah 61:10)

The most important question for the bride is: Are you joyously awaiting your encounter with Jesus? Do you long for Him? Are your thoughts occupied with Him, the one most beautiful? Do you live with the expectation of His soon coming, and are you filled with expectant joy over this glorious time? Do you consciously arrange your new life style with the Savior of the world in mind? Do you want to live forever with Him? Or, do you wish to remain entrapped by your old way of living and have your life rotate around yourself? Examine yourself in the Holy Spirit and ask Jesus to make His joy complete in you. Then, long for Him, just as He has always longed for you, because He loves you (Mark 10:21; John 3:16, 17, 22, 23; Romans 8:37; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 2:4-7; 1 John 4:19; Revelation 1:5; 3:9; 22:17).

PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ, You are our bridegroom in spiritual sense and we are Your chosen bride. You cleansed us by Your precious blood and justified us by God's righteousness that we might be worthy to become attached to You forever. You gave us Your Holy Spirit that we might be sanctified to honor You and long for Your imminent coming. Amen.

QUESTIONS:

  1. Why do the followers of Jesus Christ watch out for the coming of their Lord and Savior?
  2. How does the garment of righteousness adorn us for the reception of our bridegroom?

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