RD 101 - The Bride

By Jack Eberle

The term “bride” is found 5 times in the Greek Scriptures. John is the man used by the Spirit to write. To follow the Scriptures and learn the truth of His Word, we must first go to The Book of Hebrews. Hebrews, chapter 11 uses the term “faith” 23 times, plus one mention of “faithful”. This is a recap of faithful “elders”. The first elder of faith is Abel. Notice Adam and Eve are missing. Abraham, not Abram, is the fourth name in the list of the faithful. Samuel and the prophets end the named list, but millions more doubtless are included in the descriptions of verses 33ff. Looking back to verse 10, we find that Abraham “looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” He was looking for a “city”. There is the “beloved city” of Revelation 20:9. The city Abraham looks for has been built by God, Hebrews 11:10. The list of the faithful begins with Abel and ends in the millions of faithful. To understand this assembly of these faithful ones read Galatians 3:6-29. Perhaps we will expand on this in the future.

We find the city spoken of in Hebrews 11:10 in Revelation 21:2. “..IJohn saw the city coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” The name was “ Holy City, New Jerusalem”. Could this be any other than the city Abraham was looking for? The city had been “prepared” by its builder and maker. Later, in verse 9, John speaks of “one of the seven angels..” talked with John, saying, “Come hither, I will show you the BRIDE, the LAMB’S WIFE.” Verse 20 identifies the city unmistakably as “..that great city, the Holy Jerusalem”. Further, it is spoken of as “descending out of heaven from God”.

There is no question that THE BRIDE is THE NEW JERUSALEM, THE HOLY CITY. It is not the church nor any religious organization from this earth. To read of the wedding we must turn to Revelation 19. Before the wedding begins we are told that “The Lord God omnipotent reigns”, verse 6. Some of the attendants at the wedding are the 13 elders and the 4 living ones.Verses 4-7 begins the ceremony, “Let us be glad and rejoice and give honour to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come..” Further, we are told that “His wife has made herself ready.” Verse 8 tells us that the “fine linen” she is arrayed with “is the righteousness of the saints”. Look back to Hebrews 11 to see who are these saints. And he said unto John, “Write, Blessed are they who are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb”.

In Revelation 21:1 before John saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, it is stated that the first heaven and earth are passed away. It is significant to note that the word heaven is singular.