Today’s Reading:
Revelation 19:1-8
“Let us be glad and rejoice and give honour to him for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife/bride bath made herself ready. (v.7)
The “Lamb” here is Jesus Christ. In John 1:29, 36, John the Baptist called out to the people around him to look at Jesus. As He approached him, John said “this is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world”. Apostle John in Rev. 13:8; and 5:12 refers to Jesus as the Lamb who was slain from the foundation of the world. Apostle Paul in 1Cor. 3:7 refers to Jesus as the Passover Lamb. In very many verses in the book of Revelation, Jesus is referring to as the Lamb, sitting on the throne with God or by himself and as the Lord of lords and King of kings (Rev.17:14), and sitting in the midst of the throne (Rev. 7:17). Apostle Peter in 1 Pet. 1:18-19 refers to Jesus as the Lamb whose blood is without blemish or spot. No wonder He was used as the sacrifice (for the sins of mankind) before God. Jesus is also said to be the Lamb who has the Book of life (Rev. 21:27).
In the Marriage of the Lamb, the Bride/Wife to be involved in the marriage is considered to be the Church of God, comprising believers all over the world, who will be saved to the very end. Apostle Paul in his letter to believers in Ephesians and Corinthian spoke at length about believers being the Bride/Wife of Jesus Christ, their Saviour. Paul draws analogy from relationship of husbands and wives. In Eph. 5:23, he says the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the Church, and in verse 24, he says the Church is subject to Christ. In verse 25, he says husbands should love their wives as Christ also loves the Church and gave himself for it. In 2 Corin 11:2, Paul also told the believers in Corinth that he had espoused them to one husband, so that he might present them as a chaste virgin to Christ. He was warning them of being deceived to follow anyone else except Christ, just as Eve was deceived in Eden. In Eph 5:32, Paul calls the relationship between Christ and the Church , a mystery, just as a husband and wife joined together to become one flesh (Gen.2:24). The Church and Christ is one, and all members are his body, of his flesh and of his bones (v.30). Summarily, therefore, there is an up-coming marriage between Christ, the Lamb and the Church of believers, the Bride. It is a future event as expressed in our Today’s Reading and buttressed by sayings of Jesus himself. In John 14:2-3, Jesus said He was going to prepare a place (for believers). though talking to his disciples then, that He would come again to receive them to myself, so that where He is, there they may be also.
Also, in the parable of the “Ten Virgins” in Matt. 25:1-13, Jesus is depicted as the “bridegroom” and the “Virgins” as the believers, in the interpretation of the parable. In Matt. 26:17-29, we read about Jesus’ Last Supper with His disciples, when He symbolized His body and blood as bread and wine. Knowing that the revelation that would be given to Apostle John later (in Rev.19:7) would be fulfilled in future, Christ said in verse 29 that He would not hence forth drink of the fruit of the vine, until that day when He would drink it new with them (disciples/believers) in His Father’s Kingdom. The revelation given to Apostle John in Rev. 19:7 is, therefore, the yet -to -be fulfilled (future) Marriage Supper of Christ (the Lamb) and his Bride (the Church of believers) “The great Wedding feast” as popularly called. It is instructive to note that when the marriage of the Lamb comes, it would be a joyous event, for which believers are to be glad and rejoice and give honour to Him (v7). However, it is said in verse 8 that the Bride is granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white. Which is said to be the righteousness of saints (believers).
This implies that the Bride would comprise of those believers who are righteous, that is. those in right standing with Christ. This tallies with what Paul wrote in Eph 5:25-27, that Christ loved and gave himself to the Church, that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word; so that He might present it to himself a glorious Church, having no spot or wrinkle, but holy and without blemish. It is said in Rev. 19:9 that blessed are they who are called to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. It is, therefore, not automatic, and not all believers will qualify. It needs working for and towards. To be part of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, therefore, individually and collectively, we must be prepared, be sanctified continuously, following Paul’s admonition above and of others in the scriptures. We must be trappable at the time.. We should be found righteous when the trumpet sounds, at Christ’s second coming. God helping us, in Jesus name.
CHRISTIE KUPOLUYI
Prayer:
Father, thank you for giving your Son Jesus Christ as the sacrificial Lamb for the sins of the world.
Lord, Jesus, thank you for atoning for our sins and taking up our punishment, in Jesus name.
Precious Lord, thank you for the salvation of our souls, in Jesus name.
Father, we appreciate your love and gift of Christ to the Church, in Jesus name.
Father, please help us as individuals and collectively to be prepared in every way, to be raptured, in Jesus name.
Father, please do whatever is needed to be done in us, so we are blessed to be called to the marriage supper, individually and as the Church as a whole, in Jesus name.
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