The LAMB OF GOD and HIS BRIDE
vs. 1-10
"And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."
The age-long triangle now comes to a close. The great whore is exposed and the bride is exhibited and prepared for marriage.
The Exposure of the Whore vs. 1-4
"And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia."
The redeemed multitude, the nations of earth, and material creation join in praise. They declare that the Lord God reigneth (aorist). This points to the victory over the whore and Babylon.
The marriage is come. This is not to be confused with the marriage supper of verse 9. The two are different. The marriage takes place in heaven in the Father's house. The bride is the church (cf. Eph. 5:23-33; 2 Cor. 11:2) and not Israel. Israel's reunion with Jehovah will be on the earth.
There are two parts to a Jewish wedding. See article A Jewish Wedding) One part is in the Father's house (Luke 12:36) and the other is in the bridegroom's house (Matt. 25:1). This bride has prepared herself. All that this may convey is not apparent on the surface. But there is the judgment seat of Christ when good and evil works will be made manifest (1 Cor. 3:13-15; 2 Cor. 5:10).
It is very likely that the many wrongs will then be made right. But in this sense, once exposed, believers will then be forced to admit that they did wrong.
This bride is to be arrayed in fine white linen. This linen is the righteousness of the saints, that is, their righteous acts. Many make this to refer to the good works done in the flesh after they were saved. This may be true. But might it not also refer to the making right of things that were wrong before the judgment seat of Christ?
Exposure of sin is a terrible thing. It is even more difficult to admit one is wrong. But this is granted to her; it is graced to her. The work of salvation is then complete and the old nature is completely gone. Thus because of this completion of grace, the bride will be able to perform this duty. Thus will she be completely prepared to stand beside the spotless Son of God and say "I do" to him.
"righteousness" “Righteousness” is actually in the plural, and could well be rendered “righteous deeds.” We who are saved shall have removed the “filthy rags” of our own self-righteousness (Isaiah 64:6) and have “put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27), with His “garments of salvation,” and His “robe of righteousness” (Isaiah 61:10). By His grace, He will use the very righteous deeds and good works which He created in us to perform (Ephesians 2:10) as the material for the fine linen of our raiment.
Her external beautiful garments symbolizes her having been cleansed of all internal defilement. In the bad ethical sense it symbolizes self-righteousness, e.g. Isa 64:6. See Phil 3:6 - 8 showing the best that a moral and religious man under law could do. In the good ethical sense the garment symbolizes (1) the basic provision of God's salvation by grace through faith in Christ, the "garments of salvation . . . a robe of righteousness [Gk. <dikaiosune>] " (Isa 61:10; Rom 3:21, note); and (2) the garment of "fine linen . . . the righteous acts [from Gk. <dikaioma>] of the saints," as here in v. 8, works of godliness and goodness produced by the Holy Spirit, as the believer judges the flesh and yields himself to God (Rom 13:14). These are the "good works" unto which we are "created in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:10), with which believers are to adorn themselves to bring honor to Christ's name here (Mat 5:16; 1 Tim 2:10; Titus 2:8 - 10; 3:8; 1 Pet 2:12; 3:3 - 5; 5:5) and hereafter (Rom 2:7,10; 1 Cor. 3:12 - 14, note; Phil 1:10 - 11; 1 Pet 1:7; Rev 19:8).
This group of born-again folk are those who will celebrate the wedding of the Lamb and His wife when the Lamb returns to His own house, the earth. This is made up of the friends of the bridegroom consisting of all the Old Testament Saints (John 3:29). It consists also of the saved of Israel at the time of His return in glory, the five wise virgins (Matt. 25:1-13). It will consist of the tribulation saints, etc. The picture of this scene is to be found in Psalm 45.
The Call to
Rejoice in 18:20-24 is now Taken up and Four Hallelujahs Follow
- The exclamation of praise from the great company of the redeemed resound through heaven. 1
- The expulsion of the whore from competition with the true bride is the reason for such praise. 2
- The extinction of the whore deserved and eternal is another reason for Hallelujah. 3
- The exclamations of praise come from the 24 elders and the four beasts. They worship. 4
The Exaltation
of the Groom vs. 5-7a
"And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come...."
The Command to the Servants of God to Praise God vs. 5
"And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great."
Psa. 134 speaks of this command.
This is now
in order that the whore has been judged.Psa. 134 speaks of this command.
The Obedience
to This Command Follows Immediately vs. 6
"And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth."The redeemed multitude, the nations of earth, and material creation join in praise. They declare that the Lord God reigneth (aorist). This points to the victory over the whore and Babylon.
The Purpose is to Exalt the Lord Jesus
Christ vs. 7a
"Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come..."
Thus Christ has fully demonstrated that he is all he claims to be, God in the flesh, the true bridegroom, the Savior of men following His own divine counsel in method and time to effect the salvation of men.
The Exhibition
of the Bride vs. 7b-10
"...and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."
The Preparation
of the Bride for the Marriage vs. 7b
"....and his wife hath made herself ready."
The marriage is come. This is not to be confused with the marriage supper of verse 9. The two are different. The marriage takes place in heaven in the Father's house. The bride is the church (cf. Eph. 5:23-33; 2 Cor. 11:2) and not Israel. Israel's reunion with Jehovah will be on the earth.
There are two parts to a Jewish wedding. See article A Jewish Wedding) One part is in the Father's house (Luke 12:36) and the other is in the bridegroom's house (Matt. 25:1). This bride has prepared herself. All that this may convey is not apparent on the surface. But there is the judgment seat of Christ when good and evil works will be made manifest (1 Cor. 3:13-15; 2 Cor. 5:10).
It is very likely that the many wrongs will then be made right. But in this sense, once exposed, believers will then be forced to admit that they did wrong.
The Provision
for the Bride in Making Preparation vs. 8
"And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints."
This bride is to be arrayed in fine white linen. This linen is the righteousness of the saints, that is, their righteous acts. Many make this to refer to the good works done in the flesh after they were saved. This may be true. But might it not also refer to the making right of things that were wrong before the judgment seat of Christ?
Exposure of sin is a terrible thing. It is even more difficult to admit one is wrong. But this is granted to her; it is graced to her. The work of salvation is then complete and the old nature is completely gone. Thus because of this completion of grace, the bride will be able to perform this duty. Thus will she be completely prepared to stand beside the spotless Son of God and say "I do" to him.
"righteousness" “Righteousness” is actually in the plural, and could well be rendered “righteous deeds.” We who are saved shall have removed the “filthy rags” of our own self-righteousness (Isaiah 64:6) and have “put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27), with His “garments of salvation,” and His “robe of righteousness” (Isaiah 61:10). By His grace, He will use the very righteous deeds and good works which He created in us to perform (Ephesians 2:10) as the material for the fine linen of our raiment.
Her external beautiful garments symbolizes her having been cleansed of all internal defilement. In the bad ethical sense it symbolizes self-righteousness, e.g. Isa 64:6. See Phil 3:6 - 8 showing the best that a moral and religious man under law could do. In the good ethical sense the garment symbolizes (1) the basic provision of God's salvation by grace through faith in Christ, the "garments of salvation . . . a robe of righteousness [Gk. <dikaiosune>] " (Isa 61:10; Rom 3:21, note); and (2) the garment of "fine linen . . . the righteous acts [from Gk. <dikaioma>] of the saints," as here in v. 8, works of godliness and goodness produced by the Holy Spirit, as the believer judges the flesh and yields himself to God (Rom 13:14). These are the "good works" unto which we are "created in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:10), with which believers are to adorn themselves to bring honor to Christ's name here (Mat 5:16; 1 Tim 2:10; Titus 2:8 - 10; 3:8; 1 Pet 2:12; 3:3 - 5; 5:5) and hereafter (Rom 2:7,10; 1 Cor. 3:12 - 14, note; Phil 1:10 - 11; 1 Pet 1:7; Rev 19:8).
The Personnel Present to Celebrate the Wedding vs. 9
"And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God."
Projection ahead to the celebration in the earth.
This group of born-again folk are those who will celebrate the wedding of the Lamb and His wife when the Lamb returns to His own house, the earth. This is made up of the friends of the bridegroom consisting of all the Old Testament Saints (John 3:29). It consists also of the saved of Israel at the time of His return in glory, the five wise virgins (Matt. 25:1-13). It will consist of the tribulation saints, etc. The picture of this scene is to be found in Psalm 45.
The Privilege of the Bride of the Lamb vs. 10
"And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."
The scene is so exhilarating
that John forgets himself and falls at the foot of the angel to worship.
Immediately he is corrected and told to worship Christ. That will be John's
privilege throughout all eternity with the other members of the bride to behold
with adoring love and admiration the blessed face of the adorable Son of God.
No comments:
Post a Comment