The Bride: A study of the bride of Christ
Our Blessed Hope: Lesson 8
“My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away.”
Song of Solomon 2:10
The Shulamite in Song of Solomon is a beautiful type of the bride of Christ. It won’t be long until our Beloved is going to descend from heaven with a shout, calling us to rise up and meet Him in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord! What a day that will be! However, the marriage of the Lamb will not occur immediately after the rapture. There must be a time of judgment on the world before the wedding. We read about this in the book of Revelation.
The first three chapters of Revelation are letters to the Church (body of Christ). These are the only words from Jesus which are related directly to the Church of this age. Therefore, we must take earnest heed to what He is saying. Revelation 6 through 20 gives information concerning the Great Tribulation which will come on all the world. However, Jesus told the church of Philadelphia that they would be kept out of this time of trouble. As we noted previously, this church is representative of those believers who will become the wife of the Lamb. Therefore, we see these overcomers in heaven in chapter 4. They have been raptured at the coming of Jesus.
The first thing John saw when the door was opened into heaven was the judgment throne of God which had been set up in readiness for the judgments to begin. Next, he saw twenty-four small thrones around the throne of God, upon which were seated twenty-four elders. I believe these elders are a representative of the overcomers of Israel—many of whom are listed in Hebrews 11.
Then, John saw four beasts (living creatures) in the midst and round about the throne. Note the description of these living creatures—full of eyes before, behind, and within, showing great discernment. They were described as being like a lion, a calf, having the face as a man, and a flying eagle. This is describing them as a king, a servant, a man, and a heavenly being. As like a king, they had the ability to reign over life; as a servant, they were willing to serve wherever service was needed; as a man, they were humble, not lifting themselves up in pride; and as a heavenly being, they realized their place as being seated with Christ in the heavenlies. Jesus is manifest in the four gospels with these same characteristics. How, then, can we see in the four living creatures these characteristics? Because they had let the Holy Spirit transform the life of Christ in them while they were here on the earth! Note II Corinthians 3:18.
In Revelation 5:8-10, the four living creatures and twenty-four elders fall down before the Lamb to worship Him. Verse 9 tells us they were redeemed by Jesus’ blood out of every “kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.” These two groups are seen together often in heaven. As I mentioned previously, I believe the faithful ones mentioned in Hebrews 11 are seen in heaven as the twenty-four elders seated on small thrones with crowns of gold on their heads.
Notice Hebrews 11:39-40: “And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect.” The writer of Hebrews is making a distinction here between the faithful ones of the Old Testament and those of the New Testament who are the Church (body of Christ). So what is the “better thing” that God has provided for us?” I believe this has to do with our blessed hope of reigning with Christ as His bride. When the overcoming company of the Church is transported to Heaven, then the overcomers of the Old Testament will receive the reward awaiting them. The verses following (Hebrews 12) are encouraging us to run with patience this race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus Who is the author and finisher of our faith. So these living creatures are a description of the ones who will become the wife of the Lamb as spoken of in Revelation 19. They are mentioned throughout the remainder of Revelation as assisting in pouring out the judgments upon the earth.
Revelation 7:9-17 gives us the timing of the remainder of the Church being taken to heaven. Verse 14, “These are they which came out of great tribulation…” They will be before the throne, serving the Lamb. Verses 15-17 explains their wonderful place, with the Lamb feeding and leading them. The ones in this company who are still on the earth at the time of the Great Tribulation will have to go through the first six seals of trouble, but then they will join the heavenly group and be forever with the Lord. Their place in heaven will be as servants to their Master—whereas the overcoming believers will be joined to Christ as His bride.
Jesus is coming soon—it could be today! Satan will attempt to deceive us in many ways, keeping us occupied with the love of the world or the cares of this life—anything that will take our eyes off of the Lord. But we must be awake and watching for His coming. “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure. I John 3:3
This is Our Blessed Hope!
Song of Solomon 2:10
The Shulamite in Song of Solomon is a beautiful type of the bride of Christ. It won’t be long until our Beloved is going to descend from heaven with a shout, calling us to rise up and meet Him in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord! What a day that will be! However, the marriage of the Lamb will not occur immediately after the rapture. There must be a time of judgment on the world before the wedding. We read about this in the book of Revelation.
The first three chapters of Revelation are letters to the Church (body of Christ). These are the only words from Jesus which are related directly to the Church of this age. Therefore, we must take earnest heed to what He is saying. Revelation 6 through 20 gives information concerning the Great Tribulation which will come on all the world. However, Jesus told the church of Philadelphia that they would be kept out of this time of trouble. As we noted previously, this church is representative of those believers who will become the wife of the Lamb. Therefore, we see these overcomers in heaven in chapter 4. They have been raptured at the coming of Jesus.
The first thing John saw when the door was opened into heaven was the judgment throne of God which had been set up in readiness for the judgments to begin. Next, he saw twenty-four small thrones around the throne of God, upon which were seated twenty-four elders. I believe these elders are a representative of the overcomers of Israel—many of whom are listed in Hebrews 11.
Then, John saw four beasts (living creatures) in the midst and round about the throne. Note the description of these living creatures—full of eyes before, behind, and within, showing great discernment. They were described as being like a lion, a calf, having the face as a man, and a flying eagle. This is describing them as a king, a servant, a man, and a heavenly being. As like a king, they had the ability to reign over life; as a servant, they were willing to serve wherever service was needed; as a man, they were humble, not lifting themselves up in pride; and as a heavenly being, they realized their place as being seated with Christ in the heavenlies. Jesus is manifest in the four gospels with these same characteristics. How, then, can we see in the four living creatures these characteristics? Because they had let the Holy Spirit transform the life of Christ in them while they were here on the earth! Note II Corinthians 3:18.
In Revelation 5:8-10, the four living creatures and twenty-four elders fall down before the Lamb to worship Him. Verse 9 tells us they were redeemed by Jesus’ blood out of every “kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.” These two groups are seen together often in heaven. As I mentioned previously, I believe the faithful ones mentioned in Hebrews 11 are seen in heaven as the twenty-four elders seated on small thrones with crowns of gold on their heads.
Notice Hebrews 11:39-40: “And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect.” The writer of Hebrews is making a distinction here between the faithful ones of the Old Testament and those of the New Testament who are the Church (body of Christ). So what is the “better thing” that God has provided for us?” I believe this has to do with our blessed hope of reigning with Christ as His bride. When the overcoming company of the Church is transported to Heaven, then the overcomers of the Old Testament will receive the reward awaiting them. The verses following (Hebrews 12) are encouraging us to run with patience this race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus Who is the author and finisher of our faith. So these living creatures are a description of the ones who will become the wife of the Lamb as spoken of in Revelation 19. They are mentioned throughout the remainder of Revelation as assisting in pouring out the judgments upon the earth.
Revelation 7:9-17 gives us the timing of the remainder of the Church being taken to heaven. Verse 14, “These are they which came out of great tribulation…” They will be before the throne, serving the Lamb. Verses 15-17 explains their wonderful place, with the Lamb feeding and leading them. The ones in this company who are still on the earth at the time of the Great Tribulation will have to go through the first six seals of trouble, but then they will join the heavenly group and be forever with the Lord. Their place in heaven will be as servants to their Master—whereas the overcoming believers will be joined to Christ as His bride.
Jesus is coming soon—it could be today! Satan will attempt to deceive us in many ways, keeping us occupied with the love of the world or the cares of this life—anything that will take our eyes off of the Lord. But we must be awake and watching for His coming. “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure. I John 3:3
This is Our Blessed Hope!