A Study of The Book of Revelation, Part #66

Earl Gillespie

THE MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB

Scripture, Revelation 19:7-10

"Lamb of God” refers in Christian teachings to Jesus Christ in his role of the perfect sacrificial offering, Christological arguments dissociate the term from the Old Testament concept of a "scapegoat," which is a person or animal subject to punishment for the sins of others without knowing it or willing it.  Christian doctrine holds that Jesus chose to suffer at Calvary as a sign of his full obedience to the will of his Father, as an "agent and servant of God". The Lamb of God is thus related to the Paschal Lamb of Passover, which is viewed as foundational and integral to the message of Christianity.

Revelation 19:7-10

7. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

8. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

9. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

10. And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Who is the Bridegroom? 

The question has but one answer. The Bridegroom can only be "the king's son" of Matthew 22:1-14, the Lord Jesus Himself. In John 3:29, long after John the Baptist had introduced Jesus as "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29).  John was asked to identify himself. He made it clear that he was not the Christ; in John 3:29 he referred to Christ as "the bridegroom," to himself as "the friend who attends the bridegroom (and who) waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice." Clearly Christ is here referred to as the Bridegroom as well as the Lamb. Thus, Christ is the Bridegroom at the marriage of the Lamb.

Who is the Bride?

A verse of importance is found in Ephesians 5:32. The Apostle Paul, speaking to husbands and wives of their relationship together, likens the husband to Christ and the wife to the Church., He sums it up in verse 32 by saying, "This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.," clearly indicating that the perfect picture of the relationship between the Lord Jesus and His Church is that of a bride and a bridegroom.

Therefore when a person accepts Christ, he or she becomes a member of the Church, the true invisible Church, and is automatically espoused or engaged to Christ. This is a true and perfect relationship.  He says in Ephesians 5:30,  "For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones." We should be able to draw from this a perfect picture of all parts working together in perfect harmony.  The confusion, the posturing, the divisions are not found in this true church and the engagement will be finalized at the marriage of the Lamb. 

There is a question that demands an answer from religious leaders worldwide.  That question is often ignored as men of good seek to carve out their own space in the household of faith. The unasked question that plagues many of our youth is , "how the Bride of Christ can be divided into so many groups and factions and still remains relevant". The denominational aspect of Christianity has rendered itself unbelievable for many of those who come after us.

In our lesson today there are two main subjects:

1. God is assuming His kingly power.
2. The Lamb is taking His Bride,  the New Testament Church unto Himself and the marriage is about to occur.

 In our next lesson we will discuss what happen when the marriage ceremony takes place.  It is that moment when we become just like him.

While the heavenly host sends out thunderous praises unto the Lamb, the moment has not yet arrived for the Lord Jesus to sit upon His throne. All is in preparation, however, getting ready for that grand and glorious event when the Lord Jesus will reign. That blessed moment for which all creation groans and waits (Romans 8:22), that blessed moment for which the Church hopes and prays (let your Kingdom come) and for which the weary tribes of Israel look with eager expectation, is soon to come to pass. But two events must take place before the throne of the world can be occupied by Christ:

(1) Babylon with her hellish systems had to be judged and destroyed on earth,
(2) The marriage of the Lamb must be celebrated in Heaven.

Then Jesus will return to this earth, and we (the Bride) will return with Him as his Holy angels.

In verses 7-10, Babylon is judged and destroyed, the marriage is about to take place.  All Heaven is jubilant. Isaiah 9:6-7 is about to be fulfilled in its entirety:  “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, and The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.  Luke 1:31-33, And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call His name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David: and He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end”  

Part of this glorious announcement to Mary has been fulfilled: She did conceive, she did bring forth a son, she called His name Jesus, He was great, and He was called the Son of God. The Lord God has not yet given to Him the throne of His father David, nor does He reign today over the house of Jacob; but, he will at the final disposition of things. The throne of David is a historical fact just as truly as is the throne of Caesar; and one day King Jesus will sit on the throne of David in Jerusalem, He will reign over this earth - and hallelujah! We, the Bride, will be married to the Lord Jesus and will reign with Him.

Verse 7: “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come and His wife hath made herself ready.”

The Lamb’s wife (the New Testament Church) is identified with the heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22, 23) and is to be distinguished from Israel. There are those today who rob Israel of her promises and give them to the Church; but this is spiritual thievery. In the Old Testament, Israel is the adulterous wife of the Lord. She will be restored (Isaiah 54:1-10; Hosea 2:1-17).

Israel is identified with the earth, an earthly people with earthly blessings (Hosea 2:23).  When Israel (the repudiated, adulterous wife of the Lord) is forgiven and restored, she could not be called either the virgin (II Corinthians 11:2, 3) or the Bride (Revelation 21:9).  Paul encouraged his readers In 2 Timothy 2:15, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."  The Corinthians were also guilty of this fallacy, he urged them in 1 Corinthians 10:32,  "Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:"  Each group must be respected. Religionists and teachers who warp and twist the Word of God to fit their denominational beliefs and the traditions of their religious fathers is guilty of tampering and perverting the Word of God.

Notice the wording in verse 7: It is not “the marriage of the Bride,” but “the marriage of the LAMB.” It is his joy that is especially in view - not the joy of the Bride. Never forget, precious believer, God saved you for Christ’s sake (Ephesians 4:30-32; 2:6, 7). God saves us for the sake of His only begotten Son, in whom He is well pleased.

No details of the marriage are given. We know it takes place on the eve of the Lord’s return to earth in power. (This is the Revelation - not the Rapture.) The Rapture takes place in Revelation chapter 4:1-4, and is described minutely in I Thessalonians 4:13-18 and John 14:3. The marriage of the Lamb is the disclosed secret of Ephesians 5:32. The Scriptures clearly teach that the Bride is neither Israel nor a remnant of Israel - but is definitely a Gentile bride, called out from all races.  The Church is made up of “whosoever will” neither a specific group nor a specific nation.

The promises to Abraham will be fulfilled in every minute detail. As I have already pointed out, Israel was the wife of the Lord (Jeremiah 3:14-20; Isaiah 54:1); but JEHOVAH divorced Israel because of her iniquity. She will be reinstated by JEHOVAH, but a divorced wife could never be referred to as a virgin. It is not a divorced wife to whom the Lord Jesus will be married, but a virgin “without spot or wrinkle or any such thing.” Read Leviticus 21:13 and 14, and compare verse 13 with II Corinthians 11:2. Then read Ephesians 5:21-33. Study this last passage carefully. The Church will be a glorious Church, having neither spot nor wrinkle. She will be a Church holy and without blemish. Certainly that could not be said of Israel. 

THE BRIDE

I answer emphatically, all saints, all born again people, all believers, all blood-washed people between Acts 2 and I Thessalonians 4:17. Never let anyone tell you that during this Day of Grace one specific group are making up the Bride, while others will be friends of the Bride, servants, etc. I do not deny that there will be friends of the Bridegroom, and there will be servants; but they are made up of other groups, not the saints between Pentecost and the Rapture. Acts 2 marks the beginning of the Church on earth, and I Thessalonians 4:17 mark the termination of the Church on earth. The four and twenty elders represent the redeemed of the Church, seen in Heaven immediately after the translation (the Rapture - Revelation 4:1-4).

The four and twenty elders who represent the Church, the redeemed in Revelation 4, are mentioned for the last time in verse 4 of our present chapter. The twenty-four elders share and share alike; there is no division among them. All twenty-four are identical. There are very special blessings promised to the saints of this dispensation (Matthew 11:11; Hebrews 11:40). The saints of this dispensation are all baptized into one body by the one Spirit (I Corinthians 12:12, 13).

However, there are other blessings named in the Bible which will be poured out upon all believers, from Adam to the last person to become a recipient of God’s mercy and grace.

In our present chapter the term “elders” disappears and we see the various companies of saints taking their places in relation to the Lamb of God, the Bridegroom. The Church is imperishable because Christ is its head and foundation. We are members of His body, bone of His bone, flesh of His flesh (Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 1:23; 5:22-32). The New Testament Church, the Bride, is the nearest and dearest object to the heart of Christ, and is the apple of His eye. Israel is the apple of the Lord’s eye (Zechariah 2:8).

Jesus loved the Church with an unchangeable love. He laid down His life for the Church, He purchased it with His own blood (Acts 20:28; Ephesians 5:25-27). The Church on earth has weathered many storms, and has longed for her lover, the Bridegroom, to appear in the clouds and call her up to meet Him in the air. We who have the first fruits of the Spirit groan and travail, looking for that glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ, who will appear in the sky. The trumpet will sound, the dead in Christ will be raised and we will hear Him say, “Come up hither!” We will be caught up to meet our Savior in the clouds in the air. 

Next

The Marriage Ceremony