THE MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB

This post picks up in the middle of a praise and worship service in heaven in celebration of the destruction of Babylon.

Revelation 19:5 “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.”

John hears a voice emanating from the throne that encourages ALL God’s servants and those that fear Him to praise Him.  The owner of the voice claims God as his own God as well as the God of those who are His servants and those that fear Him.

What does it mean to “praise” God?  According to Webster’s, it is:  “To extol in words or song; to magnify; to glorify on account of perfections or excellent works; to do honor to; to display the excellence of.”

Who is being encouraged to express their praise?  “His servants” (slaves by choice).  The use of the word “and” indicates another group of people—those who “fear Him.”  This is all happening in heaven; Christ hasn’t departed for His glorious appearing yet.  This seems to indicate that although all those in heaven have been justified by faith, not all those in heaven chose to make themselves “servants” to God.  This brings to mind Paul’s words to the Corinthians regarding heavenly rewards.

1Corinthians 3:15 “If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”

My first thought was that the phrase “both small and great” referred to the status or esteem in which these people were regarded while on earth; however, I think it more likely is a reference to heavenly consideration.

“ye that fear him” - This is a subject I have thought about from time to time.  It would seem that though repenting of one’s sin and turning to God in true faith, none of this person’s works passed the test of being performed “as unto the Lord.”  It would seem that they were done “as unto self.”  That is something from which I often ask the Lord to protect me.  I ask Him to help me die to self.  I enjoy praise and appreciation, but my greatest desire is to be God’s vessel, to be used whenever and wherever He can use me for His glory, and to serve Him from a pure heart without thought to self.  I so want to have treasure to place at His feet to show my love and gratitude for His sacrifice and provision for me. 

Revelation 19:6-8 “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 honour 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.”

Now John describes another voice—one that He is trying to describe to us with comparisons as indicated by the words “as it were” and “as.”  This voice is described as the sound of a “great multitude,” as the “voice of many waters,” and as the “voice of mighty thunderings.”  It’s a voice that has been encountered several times in the study of Revelation.  The following verses support the thought that this voice is from the Supreme Being, God the Father, honoring the Son. 

Psalm 104:1 & 6-7 O LORD my God, thou art very great….Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.  Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains. At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away.

  

Jeremiah 10:10 & 13 “But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God….When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.”

  

The redemption of creation is complete and the “prince of this world” has been defeated.  The Son is going to take his rightful place on His earthly throne and rule as King of kings and Lord of lords. 

It is time for the marriage of the Lamb; the bride is prepared and waiting to be revealed.  Point is made that she has been granted (“given and received” from the Greek) the privilege of being robed in fine, clean, white linen—evidence of the righteousness bestowed by Jesus upon all believers.  I can’t help but be reminded of the words of Isaiah, the encouragement given in the letters to the churches and the vision of the raptured believers before the throne.

Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

Revelation 3:5, 18 “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels….I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”

Revelation 7:9 “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands….”

“Let us” – God the Father will rejoice with the redeemed of the ages and the angels in heaven as His Son takes the position of honor He so richly deserves and publicly reveals His bride, those that are part of “the church.”

Paul shared his heart with the Corinthian believers concerning their relationship to Christ as His bride.

2Corinthians 11:2 “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.”

I think one of the most convincing passages to me regarding the church as the bride of Christ is found in Ephesians.  Paul is writing to the Ephesian believers regarding their relationship to Christ and states specifically in verse 32 that the truths being presented in the preceding verses regarding husband and wife are applicable to “Christ and the church.”

Ephesians 5:23-32 “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.  Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.  So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.  For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:  For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.  For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.  This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.”

How can the wife make herself ready?

John 6:28-29 “Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”

  

Colossians 1:10 “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God….”

Colossians 3:12-14 “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.  And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.”

  

1 Peter 1:22 “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently….”

2Peter 1:5-7 “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.”

The beautiful truth is that though there are things we can do to honor the Lord and grow in faith, our righteousness is provided by our Savior, our heavenly husband.

2 Corinthians 5:21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

He loves us, has redeemed us, and presents us without blemish before the Father clothed in His own righteousness.

(to be continued…)