Temple Baptist Church - 12-12-2021
Revelation 19:7-10
A. What a wonderful place heaven will be. The judgement of the great whore, the end-time religious system, and Babylon the Great (the end-time political system) is over. The Lord God omnipotent (this is the only use of the word "omnipotent" found in the Bible. He is all powerful and nothing could thwart His purpose nor prevail against Him.
B. Heaven has erupted with rejoicing and Alleluias. What a day this one will be! It excites me to know that we who are saved will be THERE to experience it.
C. Verse 7. There will be gladness, rejoicing, and honour to the Lord God because there is going to be a wedding: the marriage of the Lamb is come. Notice that the Bible refers to the Lord God omnipotent as the Lamb. We will be there with Him because He was there for us. In His incarnation, He became flesh and dwelt among us. In His life, He was the sinless Son of Man and the wonderful Son of God. 100% man on His mother's side and 100% God on His Father's side. In His death, He died for all mankind; He died for every sin; He died for you and me. In His resurrection, He justified fully every born-again child of God and declared Himself to be the Son of God with power. In the Rapture, He came for His bride and not one believer was left on earth to fend for themselves.
The first institution that God made was marriage. The two became one.
Genesis 2:22-24 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. (23) And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. (24) Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
The last institution that God will make is marriage. The first and last mentions being constant. The two will become one. This does not mean that we will be "gods" but that we will forever be one with the One who died for us.
Revelation 19:7 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.
D. The bride is now called "His wife!" This is a reference to the New Testament Church, the Body of Christ. The New Testament Church is called the Lamb's wife which implies consummation.
In the Old Testament, Israel is referred to as the wife of Jehovah.
Isaiah 54:5 For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.
Jeremiah 3:14 Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:
Hosea 2:16 And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi (husband); and shalt call me no more Baali (master).
E. In verse 7, His wife has made herself ready. She has been to the Judgment Seat of Christ and was rewarded for her works on earth. She is now a perfected Bride. Paul referred to her future state as a "chaste virgin."
2 Corinthians 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
F. In Ephesians, chapter 5, Paul stated that the wife of Christ would be perfect in that day. She has now been purified and made ready.
Ephesians 5:25-27 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (26) That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, (27) That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
G. Verse 8. The wife of Christ, the Church, is now granted to wear the wedding garments: fine linen, clean and white, the righteousness of the saints. Dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless—glorious—not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing—holy and without blemish. There is nothing more beautiful than a bride, beautifully washed and clean, dressed in the modesty of her white gown, coming down the aisle for all to see. What a beautiful, perfected bride will be presented to the Lamb of God who gave Himself wholly for her. He held nothing back; He paid the dowery required. The Lamb and His bride will be eternally together in this blessed union. The twain shall become one.
1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Matthew 19:4-6 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, (5) And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? (6) Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
H. There are three phases of the Jewish wedding found in the relationship of the Lamb and His bride.
1. Betrothal. Here, the Bride to be is chosen, the dowery paid, and the preparation made. Chosen through salvation; paid for at Calvary, and the preparation made when the blood was applied. This was something like what we know in the west as an engagement. However, the major difference lies in the fact that this was a binding agreement! In the Jewish tradition, when a couple was betrothed, they were considered married!
2. Presentation. The Father of the Son says, "Go get your bride." The Groom goes and brings His bride to the marriage. A beautiful type of the Rapture of Christ's Church. In the Jewish tradition, when the time of the wedding arrived, the Father of the groom would send the bridegroom and his friends to the bride’s home. They would get her and bring her back to the groom’s house, which he had prepared for her, with great celebration and joy.
Jude 24-25 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, (25) To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
3. Consummation. The marriage where two are united and then become one. Song of Solomon 2:16 My beloved is mine, and I am his … Following the wedding, the couple, their friends and their families would enter a time of celebration. The Groom would then take His bride home and the marriage consummated.
J. Verse 9. They which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb is a beautiful picture of those saved under the Old Covenant and in the Tribulation Period. John the Baptist was the last of the Old Testament Prophets who prepared the way of the Lord. When questioned about who he was and who Christ was answered:
John 3:28-29 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. (29) He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
K. Verse 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.
We who are saved have the testimony of Jesus.
Romans 8:29-30 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (30) Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
L. What God has promised was prophesied and what was promised came to pass. Worship God!
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