THE BOOK OF REVELATION

Revelation Revealed Chapter 19 v5-10

THE BRIDE MAKES HERSELF READY

Several key points of Chapter 19 require a Christian to go deeper into the exploration of the Word than nominal Christianity has a mind to do. One is that God, as a part of redemption taking vengeance for His Servants, He is pouring out His Judgments on His Adversaries and His enemies. Blood is answering to Blood. He is judging His people and is removing the wicked from His Kingdom and is once again establishing the World in harmony, back in its right place and under His authority.

As someone has said:

1. Satan is out of place; his rightful place is in the abyss, to be followed by the lake of fire.
2. Christ is out of place; His rightful place is seated on His Own throne, ruling the earth in the stead of Satan.
3. The Church is out of place; the Church’s rightful place is to be seated on the throne with Christ, ruling in the stead of angels.
4. Israel is out of place; Israel’s rightful place is to be positioned at the head of the nations on the earth.
5. The Gentile nations are out of place; they are being ruled by the satanic forces apart from the Covenants of God. Their rightful place is to be ruled over and blessed by the first-born sons….Christ and His consort and Israel.

REVELATION 19 continues the revelation of Christ’s, and now His Bride’s, investiture.

*The Father has chosen to satisfy the Soul of His Dear Son. [Isaiah 53:11] That is, that He has given unto Him a Bride.

*This Bride will have the glory and privilege of ruling with the Son, and that being forever, as no one will ever be above the Son.

*The Bride is the sweetest and greatest example of loving intimacy that is known to man. The connection here with Christ, the Son of God, is so marvelous, and so full of promise, it is hard, but to a certain degree is now to be comprehended.

*That the Bride has made herself ready means to be found worthy: to have been yielded to the Word and Spirit of God. To have been found worthy is no small or insignificant thing, but the greatest accomplishment that a human could ever have been found worthy of.

*This union in Him is that which God desired from the Garden with Adam and Eve. It is the typed example of Rebecca and Isaac of Genesis 25. It is seen again in Boaz and Ruth, who was his Gentile wife, Joseph and his Gentile wife, Moses and his Gentile wife.

It is the glory-filled relation that Paul strove for and preached. [Colossians 1; Philippians 3] It is the Gift God gave His Son. [John 17:6] That He purchased with His Blood, and defeated the enemy to obtain. To share in this union is to share in His Glory.

*This qualified union of Bridegroom and Bride is apparent in Scripture and beyond the mere sharing of eternal life that all the saved will share. Therefore, not all saved then will be the Bride.

Revelation 19:1 declares the Bride of Christ… “much people in heaven…”

These, as we have discovered, are the many people of:

1. The First-Fruits rapture offering. [Matthew 24:40-42; Revelation12:5]
2. Joined by the Harvest; those who had endured during the Tribulation and did not take the mark of the beast. [Revelation 7:14;14:12,13]
3. And those Old Covenant and New Covenant worthies resurrected out from among the dead. [Hebrews 11:16; Revelation 20:4,5,6]

“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.” Verse 7.

The stress of the verse is; the wife: …she has made herself ready. She, having made herself ready, is depicted in her clothing. As it is that the Harlot’s sinful acts of unrighteousness is depicted by her scarlet wardrobe (Revelation17:4), and is denounced and thought worthy of condemning judgment. So also the Bride’s wardrobe of justified white, whitened and finally brilliant as torch light depicts her righteous acts in her making herself ready. And the assessment here is that she is worthy of the investiture. This worthiness is exampled in the righteous acts of Overcomers in their raiment in Revelation chapters 2 & 3, and compare the Greek words for “white” in 7:13 &14.They have washed their robes provided in the righteousness of Christ, and made them whiter, so says the Angel of God.

Now in Revelation 19:8, “And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white:….” torch-like radiant shining is the different Greek word for white here. Why is she so arrayed here at the wedding? Because her good works, by faith in Christ, are accepted by God, “For the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” (Contrast Scripture as it relates to good works by unjustified men….. All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags:” Isaiah 64:6) These are required by Him. [Revelation 3:18] It should be understood by every Christian that the Bride is not synonymous with the Church. So then these “righteous acts” are not Christ’s imputed righteousness.

The Wedding supper is a secret affair. And it is for a brief period before the 2^nd coming of the Lord and before the Millennial Kingdom begins. (It is in some respects the anti-type for the dedication of the Tabernacle of Moses and then the consecration of its priests.) The Marriage Supper of the Lamb can be seen from another Old Covenant perspective in heavenly type. “And it shall be, when the Lord thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware, unto they fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildest not, And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not…..” And there is an even more future fuller view, a thousand years later… The City of New Jerusalem. [Revelation 21; John 14:2,3; Hebrews 11:16]

The period of the Millennium, both heavenly and earthly, seems to be illustrated by the time of David. That it was a time of transition, in that the Tabernacle (Temple) existed apart from Jerusalem and it was not until in Solomon’s time that the Tabernacle/Temple and the City were united. Thus, during the Millennium, the setting of the Throne of Justice (Ezekiel 1) having been set up as a part of the tent of the Tabernacle (Revelation 15:5) in the first heaven above the earth (Revelation 4:2; Daniel 7:9) and then Ezekiel’s Temple to be built upon the earth. Then, after the 1000 years, they are transitioned into the City of New Jerusalem, becoming then the eternal Temple and Throne of God and the Lamb.

And as the Harlot is pictured as a City and is eternally seen burning, so is the “Bride” in the City of the heavenly New Jerusalem and stands now as a part of the New Heavens and New Earth brilliantly forever. Now after the 1000 year transitional period typed in David’s Tabernacle and Throne, we then have that great Old Covenant event of Solomon’s dedication of the Temple and Feast as an emblematic example of uniting the Heavenly City/Bride, Temple of God and the Lamb, seen in 2 Chronicles chapters 5-7 with Revelation 21& 22 and Hebrews 11:16; John 14:2,3.

Revelation 19:9b…. What do the words, “These are the true sayings of God” mean? It would seem to be the exclamation mark on the event of the Wedding and Bride in order to stir up our minds and hearts in desire to be a part of it. Since Scripture declares only some believers will be partakers in this prophesied glory, it would behoove us to seek diligently to be included.

UNDERSTANDING THE INVESTITURE OF THE BRIDE FROM SCRIPTURE TYPES.

ADAM COULD NOT HAVE RULED WITHOUT HIS BRIDE EVE. So also, THE SECOND ADAM MAY NOT RULE WITHOUT HIS BRIDE. The Bride of Christ has been within Him forever. [Ephesians 1:4; Revelation 13:8] The Bride could not come forth until after Christ had been put asleep, and His side opened. Once the Bride has been completely formed, she shall be presented back unto Christ, the 2^nd Adam. God looks upon this union (John17:19-26) as one greater than one “flesh”, (Ephesians 5:26-32) as one union in glory, that they together may now “…..be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it..” (The spiritual union, being spiritually reproductive). There is a creative union between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Having been RE“made” in the image of God, now through this glorious marriage union, man in union with Christ becomes more than just governmentally qualified, but by and in Christ; creative. That is to say fruitful, as in the type, so it shall be in the anti-type.

Not all the Church (called out ones), will be a part of the Bride. But all the Bride will be a part of His Body. But the Bride is not all His Body. Only a smaller part of His Body is represented as the Bride. His Name (authority) is above every name over all His Creation. His “body” over which He is the Head consists of all the redeemed/saved of mankind. All are called out of the World and are set apart as part of His Body. All of His Body are called out to be set apart for His Bride…..but not all His Body is the Bride. (Just as not all of the body of Adam was taken to form the Bride.) The Bride then will consist of a smaller group which is presently being called out of that larger group, called out of the corporate body. The Holy Spirit had always been engaged in adding to the corporate Body, (See Genesis 1:2) until the day of Pentecost. Acts 2:1 is the sending of the Holy Spirit by the Father for that additional purpose, strictly for the purpose of obtaining the Bride for Christ.

The Bride, came out of His Side (John 19:34) by the shedding of the Blood and then by the Water of the Word and The Spirit. The Bride, then being called as Priests (Revelation 1:6) as seen in type, have received the blood of the Altar applied by the Holy Spirit and then the additional washing of the Brazen Laver, representative of the necessary further washing. The mixing of blood with the water of the Word, thereby only then being able to enter into the Presence of the Father.

That necessary continual cleansing seen at the laver is effected through Christ’s present work as High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary. And He performs this work in a continuous manner on the basis of His shed blood on the mercy seat. But, just as a priest in Israel had to act himself (he had to wash his hands and feet at the laver), so does the overcoming Christian have to act himself. The Christian himself has to confess his sins (1 John 1:6-2:2) or he would be as presumptuous as the Old Covenant priest who thought he might bypass the Laver, having seen his hands and feet as clean already. He must continue washing (John13:8,10) as he continues to wrestle the enemy, and crucify the flesh. (Ephesians 6, Matthew 10:38) And that after the one time only washing of consecration that the further sanctifying cleansing for worthiness of inheritance as the Bride in the Kingdom may be accomplished.

So we must see the necessity of the sincere application, that is to say the seeing of the need for our personal warfare of the Blood and the Water in the calling out of the Body to be included in the Consort of Revelation 19:7-10.

(THE HEAVENLY SEED OF ABRAHAM NOW POSSESSES THE GATE OF ITS ENEMIES)

Isaac and Rebecca serve as a type in seeing this His Bride of Revelation 19 in Genesis 21-25.

Israel is set aside as seen in type in the burial of Sarah. And then God the Father, typed by Abraham, then sending His Spirit, typed by Abraham’s servant, to procure a Bride for His Son typed by Isaac. After having found her, he brings her to the Son to be wed. Then afterwards, God is seen taking up His Wife again Israel, typed by very fruitful Keturah, who shall have the 2^nd great outpouring of the Spirit. Thus we may see the dispensational framework and timing of this the Wedding Ceremony of the Son, before God then takes up again His wife Israel.

Note again the dual purpose of the Holy Spirit. First, to go unto the World with saving grace seen in Abraham, afforded in the blood. And secondly, that is to call out from among the saved, typed by his family, from those outside of Canaan, a Bride for Christ. This ministry has nothing to do with that other, and is only the consequence of the Son’s willing death (Isaac) and then his resurrection. (Hebrews 11:19) This Ministry of the Holy Spirit has to do with the saving of the soul. [James 1:21; Hebrews 10:39]

The Holy Spirit abides by the well of water, the word of Christ, waiting for those who are thirsty to come and drink. [John 7:37-39] Like Abraham’s servant in quest for the bride, the Holy Spirit is now entrusted with all the possessions necessary for instilling Christ-like faith, and Who is the only source of revealing Christ to the born again soul for the further work. After the Holy Spirit has revealed to Christians the possession, wealth, and glories awaiting them as joint-heirs with the Son, the invitation is extended: “Wilt thou go?” The Christian himself must decide whether he would be content just to be a member of the family, or whether he desires to inherit with the Son and participate in His glory. (Notice how in the type so the anti-type, that other members in the family of Christ will attempt to persuade you not to go.)

The next portion of the type has to do exactly with our subject in Revelation 19… “For she said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a vail and covered herself….And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted…” Note that she was separated from the ones who accompanied her. [Revelation 19:7,8] The blessed called unto the Marriage supper of the Lamb are properly clothed with their righteousness, determined by the Lord. Those who are not allowed into the Marriage supper (Matthew 22:11-14; Matthew 25) are the unwise virgins.

(The Question is: ARE WE WORKING ON OUR WEDDING GARMENT?)

AGAIN IN TYPE ….It is at the Gate, that is to say at the Throne set for judgment, that Boaz puts forth his case for redemption (the 7 seals in the anti-type) of widowed Naomi. Having completed the redemption of Naomi, that is in type Israel, he now takes her Gentile servant girl Ruth as his wife. AGAIN IN TYPE….The scene before us in Revelation 19:6-10 corresponds with that of Joseph. During the time Joseph was seated on the throne of another, and before the time of famine/great Tribulation, he became the savior of the world. And he took a Gentile bride before he reveals himself to his brothers, who had rejected him. And through the opening of the seals, He is revealing themselves to them. (As in the account of Joseph and his brothers.) During the coming Great Tribulation, Jesus’ brethren will have no place to turn but to Him. (Just as Joseph’s brethren had to come to him because of the famine/Tribulation.) (Exodus 3:2, 7-9)

After this “I saw heaven opened…” [Revelation 19:11] When He shall openly reveal Himself to them…. and His bride, who will then be His wife, will ascend with Him to the throne and exercise power as co-regent with Him. [Revelation 2:26, 27; 3:21]

The impulsive but unlawful homage offered by John to the Angel is due to greatness of the Revelation. [Colossians l2:18] Angels and redeemed men are fellow servants and one is not to worship the other. “For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” This simply means that the servants of God are not the headwater or source of being able to reveal the future to others. They are light bearers/witnesses of what the Holy Spirit alone may reveal about Jesus.

WHO ARE THE FRIENDS OF THE BRIDE GROOM, WHO ARE THOSE OTHER SERVANTS OF THE LORD WHO ARE ATTENDEES?

Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, is a type for the Angels of the Lord. Read Exodus 18 with Revelation 19:4-7. Jethro brings the wife and sons, then rejoiced for the goodness which the Lord had done to Israel, whom He had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. Thus the Angels rejoice over the exalted on high. Then those who are the chosen out of Israel, Aaron and the elders, eat at the feast with Jethro before God. Thus, “..blessed are the invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” [Revelation 19:9] “And it came to past on the morrow….” here again we see Jethro as a type for the Angels being not only attendees of the Lamb’s Marriage Supper, but afterwards having willingly relinquished any authority, giving helpful instruction in the government for thereafter…..as the greater than Moses and the elders, now delegates authority to His Bride This is the last we shall hear of the ruling Angels/ Elders or the 4 Animals. As in Exodus 18, that is the last of what is heard from Jethro.

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