A Biblical Vision, Part II: Mastering the New Testament Witness to Christ

Ses s i on 7: The Reve l at i on of John: The Consummat i on of Al l Th i ngs i n Chr i s t 233

Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

a. Notice the imagery of associating the Jerusalem above as a lady, Gal. 4.25-26 – Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. [26] But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. b. The place of God with his people is referred to as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband, Rev. 21.9-11 – Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” [10] And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, [11] having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. a. The saints of God, Rev. 19.7-8 – Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; [8] it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure – for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. b. The body of Christ is alluded to as the Bride of Christ, Eph. 5.30-32 – because we are members of his body. [31] “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” [32] This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the Church.

2. The Church is envisioned as the Bride of Christ.