The
Bible talks (speaks) extensively about the bride of Christ. Who is the bride of
Christ?
The
word bride normally comes into a conversation, whenever a wedding is in the
horizon; is about to take place, is imminent.
The
bride normally weds a bridegroom. So, the bride of Christ, means that Christ
(who is the promised Messiah/Saviour of mankind, and now the bridegroom) is to
wed a bride. So, who is this bride that Christ Jesus The Messiah is to wed?
Let’s
get deeper and dissect the bride of Christ:
1-The
bride of Christ is represented by wine. The good wine; the high-quality wine.
For it (the wine/the bride of Christ) has been purified and refined by The LORD
Himself. It has not been made by human hand, but by The Mighty Move and The
Mighty Hand of The LORD. It is The LORD’s wine. The wine of The LORD Jesus
Christ.
This
wine has been approved by The LORD Jesus Christ, to be worthy of being
presented to and before The Master (The LORD God Almighty).
The
bride of Christ is the approved Church of Christ. The Church that has been
prepared, purified, refined and made worthy to appear before The LORD The God
of Heaven.
It
is the wine that is worthy to be presented in a Grand Wedding, in the presence
of The LORD. This wine is a representation of the bride of Christ; the
approved, the qualified Church of Christ.
This
message was/is the main message captured in the book of John 2:1-11,
which says: ‘“On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee,
and the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and His disciples were
invited to the wedding. And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said
to Him, “They have no wine.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern
have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants,
“Whatever He says to you, do it.” Now there were set there six waterpots of
stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty
or thirty gallons apiece. Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.”
And they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, “Draw some out now,
and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. When the master of
the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it
came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the
feast called the bridegroom. And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning
sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior.
You have kept the good wine until now!” This beginning of signs Jesus did in
Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.”’
This
Wine (the bride of Christ/the True Church of Christ) is preserved and protected
(……“and do not harm the oil and the wine.”) by The LORD, in the midst of
the calamities of the hour (the birth pains of the hour). Though she (the bride
of Christ) experiences (goes through) the birth pains, she is redeemed just
before the onset of the worst (The Great Tribulation period).
This
is well captured in the book of Revelation 6:5-6 ‘“When He
opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.”
So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of
scales in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living
creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley
for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.”’
2-The
bride of Christ are the Wise ones. They not only wait (are waiting) for their
bridegroom (the coming of The LORD Jesus Christ The Messiah, to come take them
to the Wedding), but they are doing so in Wisdom. Hence, they are referred to
as the wise ones (the wise virgins).
This
is well captured in the Book of Mathew 25: 1-2 “Then the
kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went
out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.”
3-They
are relying on The Holy Spirit to guide them, comfort them, help them, teach
them, counsel them and to prepare them for the coming of the bridegroom (Christ
Jesus The Messiah).
This
is well captured in the Book of Mathew 25: 3-4 “Those who
were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil
in their vessels with their lamps.”
4-They
are the faithful sons and daughters of The LORD. They are the True Church of
Christ. They do not compromise on their walk with Christ. They do not
compromise on their salvation, and on being born again.
They
have submitted and surrendered fully to The LORD. They do not run after strange
teachings/doctrines (e.g. the gospel of prosperity/materialism), but are
committed to the word of God, as is written in His holy book (The Bible). The
doctrine of Repentance, Righteousness, Holiness and Wisdom is the cornerstone
of their journey of preparing the way for the coming of The Messiah (The
bridegroom).
This
is well captured in the Book of Mathew 25: 8-9 “And the
foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going
out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for
us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.”
5-The
bride of Christ are the Ready ones. They are them who are ready for the coming
of The LORD (the bridegroom). So, when The LORD Christ Jesus The Messiah (the
bridegroom) comes, He finds them prepared and ready, and He takes them to the
Wedding, in the Glorious Kingdom of The LORD God Almighty in Heaven.
The
bride of Christ are them who eventually become shut inside Heaven (enter into
Heaven), as the door behind them (the door of Heaven) become shut. For they
will have entered into the glorious Kingdom of The LORD God Almighty in Heaven,
for the Grand Wedding of The LORD. The Wedding supper of The Lamb (The
Bridegroom: Christ Jesus The Messiah).
This
is well captured in the Book of Mathew 25: 10 “And while they
went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to
the wedding; and the door was shut.
6-The
bride of Christ knows The LORD (knows the way, the teachings, the message, the
requirements of The LORD), and The LORD knows them; because of their
faithfulness before The LORD.
This
is well captured in the Book of Mathew 25:11-12 ‘“Afterward
the other virgins came also, saying, ‘LORD, LORD, open to us!’ But he answered
and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’”
7-The
bride of Christ are them who are not only watching for the coming of The
Messiah Jesus Christ, but are doing so in Repentance, Righteousness, Holiness
and Wisdom before The LORD The God of Heaven.
This
is well captured in the Book of Mathew 25:13 “Watch therefore, for
you know neither the day nor the hour [b]in which the Son of Man is coming.”
8-The
bride of Christ are they who have a wedding garment. In other words, they are
ready to meet the Bridegroom. They are dressed for the occasion ahead; lest
they be found naked, and be shamefully exposed or be found wearing filthy
garment (clothing), unfit for the Grand Mega Wedding of The LORD.
They
are thus ready to be swept off, enroute to the Wedding. They have already
prepared, and continue to prepare, as they await the arrival of the bridegroom
(Christ Jesus The Messiah).
This
is well captured in the Book of Mathew 22: 11-13 ‘‘“But
when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on
a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without
a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants,
‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there
will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ “For many are called, but few are
chosen.””’
The
same is also captured in the Book of Revelation 16:15 ‘“Behold,
I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest
he walk naked and they see his shame.”’
9-The
bride of Christ will eventually attend the Wedding Supper of The Lamb. It will
happen. It will take place. It cannot be cancelled. It is already set, since
time immemorial. The bride of Christ will thus be Glorified, in the presence of
the bridegroom (Christ Jesus The Messiah).
This
very well captured in the Book of Revelation 19:7-8 ‘“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.”(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.).”’
10-The
bridegroom (Christ Jesus) promised to go and prepare a place for the bride of
Christ. Wherein, He will come and take the bride of Christ to her prepared
place, in the Glorious Kingdom of The LORD God Almighty in Heaven.
This
is well captured in the Book of John 14:1-6 ‘“Let not your
heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house
are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a
place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and
receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go
you know, and the way you know.” Thomas said to Him, “LORD, we do not know
where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the
way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”’
11-This
place prepared for the bride of Christ, will be presented as a gift for the
bride of Christ, following her wedding with the Bridegroom (Christ Jesus the
Messiah). The place itself has got the characteristics/features of the bride of
Christ. Hence, it is figuratively also referred to as the bride of Christ. It’s
the New Jerusalem. As bright, refined, purified and beautiful as the bride of
Christ is, so is the New Jerusalem.
This
is very well captured in the Book of Revelation 2:9-11 ‘“One
of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came
and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he
carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the
Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God, and its
brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as
crystal.”’
May
you and I, be amongst the bride of Christ.
SHALOM!!!
REPENTANCE PRAYER:
Precious
Jesus,
I
acknowledge today that you are LORD and Savior of all mankind,
and
today I have recognized my shortfall,
I
Repent and turn away from all Sin.
Please
cover me with your Precious Blood,
and
establish your Word in my life,
that
I may be found in Righteousness and Holiness
and
write my name in your Book of Life
and
baptize me with the power of the Holy Spirit
in
the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
AMEN.
Your
Brother in Christ Jesus, and a Shepherd of The LORD,
Kevin
Mirasi
