The Bride of Christ
“Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife (Revelation 21:9).
One of the most beautiful and poetic things in life is the love between a groom and his bride, consummated in a joyful and splendid wedding celebration. Looking to the past, we see a season of courtship in which the bride’s love for the groom grows stronger as they come to know each other more deeply. They long to become “one flesh,” and finally, that is about to become a reality. Looking to the future, they perhaps envision their love taking shape in the birth of children.
Symbolically, the true Church is compared to a “Bride.” “I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband” (Revelation 21:2-3). But how do Christians come to be part of this Bride?
FROM COURTSHIP TO BETROTHAL
Members of this class also had to come to know their “Groom,” Jesus, and become passionate followers of him. It may have begun with a first “glance” — perhaps when they heard the wonderful message of the Good News. They saw his matchless character, his love for people, his generosity and kindness. A true King and the Son of God! Then, as they were drawn by Christ’s beautiful qualities, those of the future Bride class, like someone seeking to present their best self, began to look into the mirror of their heart and make changes motivated by love. “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things” (Philippians 4:8).
Much of this transformation, however, has only been possible with the help of the Groom himself. When he met us, we were poor, uneducated, even rough, burdened by sin. But seeing the gold in our unrefined hearts, he accepted us, loved us, and gave himself for us (Ephesians 5:2). More than that, he is preparing us for the great wedding day! And he promised that, as far as he is concerned, he will never abandon us. “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love … that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).
Only a deliberate change in our attitude could interfere with the plans for our wedding. That’s why our life on Earth is the time we are given to prepare the garments of our character — woven with threads of gold, embroidered with holiness and love, and carefully kept spotless. “The royal daughter is all glorious within; her clothing is interwoven with gold. In embroidered garments she is led to the king; her virgin companions follow her and are brought to you” (Psalms 45:13).
“They have not soiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy” (Revelation 3:4). Likewise virgins, we must also keep our “lamps” full of oil — that is, full of holy Spirit. We must cultivate the fruit of the Spirit and “let our light shine before men” (Matthew 5:16). We must not fail in this. “The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps … The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you’” (Matthew 25:3, 10-12, NIV).
THE GREAT WEDDING DAY
The relationship between the Groom and the Bride has finally matured into the indestructible love of the shepherd for the Shulammite. “Who is this coming up from the wilderness leaning on her beloved? Under the apple tree I awakened you; there your mother was in labor with you. Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, jealousy as cruel as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of Jehovah. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away” (Song of Solomon 8:5-7).
The Bride, the Church, “comes up from the wilderness” leaning on her beloved Shepherd, Jesus. With his help, she has endured the temptations, scorn, and assaults of the wilderness of this world, brought on by Satan the Dragon and his earthly political agents (Revelation 12:6) The “many waters” cannot quench the flame of this love — even if they are spewed from the Enemy’s own mouth (Revelation 12:15). She has been definitively sealed with the holy Spirit — confirmed as the approved Bride. A total of 144,000 “brides” will at last be sealed (Revelation 7:4).
Symbolic vision of the Bride class
Only one final act remains. Because the love of the Bride is “as strong as death,” she is willing to sacrifice everything for her Beloved, even the prospect of everlasting life on Earth. She must remain faithful until the end — until bodily death — to meet her Groom in heaven. “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life,” says the Groom (Revelation 2:10, Romans 6:5).
Once each and every member of the Bride class has completed their earthly course faithfully, the Bride will finally be gathered and made ready in heaven, adorned with a character refined like pure gold. “I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband” (Revelation 21:2-3).
Her majestic wedding garment will be woven with “glory, honor, and immortality.” “When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory’” (1 Corinthians 15:54, MEV). “He will give eternal life to those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality” (Romans 2:7).
AT THE HEAVENLY WEDDING, THE BRIDE WILL NOT BE ALONE
She will be escorted into the King’s palace. By whom? By her faithful companions, the Great Multitude. “The royal daughter [the Church, the Bride] is all glorious within; her clothing is interwoven with gold. In embroidered garments she is led to the King; the virgins, her companions [the Great Multitude], are brought to you. With joy and gladness they are led; they enter into the palace of the King [heaven]” (Psalms 45:13-15).
Revelation 19 describes this glorious moment. “After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: ‘Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God!’” (verse 1). Here the Great Multitude is in heaven. They are not part of the Bride, for they failed to weave their garments (character) with gold, silver, and precious stones. But by God’s mercy they are “saved through fire” — that is, refined by the Great Tribulation (1 Corinthians 3:12-15, Revelation 7:14).
The Apostle John, who saw the Great Multitude in vision
They lost the highest prize of being part of the Bride but were granted the honor of accompanying the Bride (the 144,000) to the King’s palace, where the wedding will take place. That is why the Great Multitude gives thanks to God for the salvation and honor they received.
Jehovah declares that the Great Multitude will have the privilege of serving before His throne and the Lamb, day and night, performing sacred service in His temple (Revelation 7:15). Because of these blessings, on the wedding day, the Great Multitude — the “bridesmaids” of the Bride (Psalms 45:15) — will feel no jealousy but rather be filled with joy!
“Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude … shouting: ‘Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear’” (verses 6-8). God’s angel explains that those of the Great Multitude are among the honored guests invited to this heavenly event. “Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!”
AFTER THE WEDDING AND BEYOND
The joy of this wedding will not end on that memorable day. Now united forever, Christ and His heavenly Bride will be able to share the fruit of their love with humanity. In some ways, Adam and Eve foreshadowed Christ and hs Bride, the Church.
We suggest the following parallels: for Eve to come into existence, Adam had to fall into a deep sleep. Then his side was opened, and Eve was formed from one of his ribs — “bone of my bones” (Genesis 2:23). Similarly, Jesus had to enter a deep sleep — the sleep of death — and his side was opened by the soldier’s spear at the cross (John 19:34). From that wound came blood and water, both symbolic in the redemption and development of the Church. The Scriptures states that the Church is part of Christ’s spiritual body, each member a “joint” within it. “From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (Ephesians 4:16).
The “last Adam” (1 Corinthians 15:45), Christ, will be the great Life-Giver or Father of humanity (Isaiah 9:6), while the Bride, in her priestly role, will be a “second Eve” — a mother and caretaker of regenerated humans, nourishing and guiding them on the path of life (R5141:5, 777:1).
Finally, Revelation 21:1-4 describes the fruit of the love between Christ and the Bride: “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away’” (Revelation 21:1-4).
Christ and the Bride will be with humanity forever. Whether you are a member of the heavenly Bride, part of the heavenly Great Multitude, or of Restored Humanity on Earth, you will be part of a love story that will not have a happy ending — because it simply will have no end! The joy of all will be everlasting!
Therefore, “To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father — to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (Revelation 1:5-6).
— Br. Andre Couceiro
“Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark …
If this be error and upon me proved,
never writ, nor no man ever loved.”— William Shakespeare