The Marriage of the Lamb

The Marriage of the Lamb

Imagine that Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, already bearing all the sins of the world in the days of His flesh when John the Baptist met Him (John 1:26)—He has formed a bride for Himself from among the believers who, in the days of her flesh, became like Him in mind and being, who can now rightly be called the wife of the Lamb! Rev. 21:9. What an indescribable, almost unbelievable work!!!

However, it is the true Word of God! It is true!

Of course there have to be honorable guests at the wedding. Rev. 19:9. They have to wear wedding garments, but it is obvious that the bride must wear a bridal garment.

What this means and implies has always been hidden to the vast majority of believers—because of their unbelief in God’s Word, which speaks clearly about this subject as well as about everything else.

In verse 7 it says, “His wife has made herself ready.” This has to mean that she has done something! Of course! Who of all the thousands of “believers” have made themselves ready? And not only that, have any of them even heard about anything like this? What does it consist of? It consists of a thorough and all-encompassing sanctification to the point that when she has become ready, she has become holy and blameless and faultless, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, filled with peace and joy, and arrayed in all the virtues of Christ! This has happened in the course of the time of grace she has had in this evil world. She has overcome all sin, just as Jesus Himself did in the days of His flesh. Rev. 3:21.

She has attained to perfect works in all areas, as it is written in many places in the New Testament.

Therefore it was granted “to her to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” Rev. 19:8.

A bride usually dresses in a beautiful dress, but that has nothing to do with her life. It is doubtful whether she is as beautiful within. However, the garment of the bride of Jesus Christ is her holy life, that is, her holy, pure, good works! This is really remarkable, something that is completely new!

She has woven her glorious bridal garment by her God-fearing life, in faith and in love, and in obedience and faithfulness to all the laws of the Spirit of life as they were written in her heart. She has learned from Jesus who is meek and humble of heart, and by God’s great grace and power she has become like Him! During her time of sojourn, she has become comparable to Him; she has become transformed into His likeness!

This is what the Scriptures teach with all clarity! Almost everything in the New Testament testifies to this in unison.

Someone who was not dressed in a wedding garment was cast out. Matt. 22:11-13. It would be even less permissible for the bride not to wear a bridal garment!

Therefore, dearly beloved brothers and sisters, the great question we have to answer is whether the bridal garment is finished at Jesus’ return; if not, then we are not ready; then we belong among the five foolish (stupid) virgins who will meet a closed door because of their unfinished bridal garments.